Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering160
- Service brakes, hydraulic73
- Engine and engine cooling70
- Seat belts51
- Electrical system50
- Visibility34
- Suspension32
- Engine29
- Power train20
- Tires12
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 12 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 7 1998 Intrigue vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 5 people died inside them, and 3 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue failed the safety check 2.27% of the time — 32% more often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 98,725 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 1 variant: combined 11.7 L/100 km (about 20 mpg US), CO₂ 269 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intrigue · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 8.9 | 11.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
7 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue.
| 2015501 23 Oct 2015 | Engine On certain vehicles equipped with a 3.8L engine, degradation of the front rocker cover gasket may result in eventual oil seepage. Under hard braking, drops of … |
| 2014284 3 Jul 2014 | Electrical On certain vehicles, a defect in the ignition switch could allow the switch to move out of the "run" position if the key ring is carrying added weight or the ve… |
| 2009105 8 Apr 2009 | Engine On certain vehicles equipped with a 3.8L naturally aspirated engine, degradation of the front rocker cover gasket may result in eventual oil seepage. Under har… |
| 2003336 16 Dec 2003 | Steering On certain vehicles, the lower pinion bearings retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers may fail and permit the ball bearings to escape. If th… |
| 2000051 6 Mar 2000 | Seats And Restraints On certain vehicles, the rear seat shoulder belts may twist, allowing the webbing to be jammed in the retractor. When the shoulder belt webbing becomes jammed … |
| 1998110 28 May 1998 | Lights And Instruments THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 108 - LIGHTING SYSTEM AND RETROREFLECTIVE DEVICES. THE ENGLISH OWNER MANUALS FOR THESE VEHICLES DO NOT CONTAIN THE… |
| 1998109 28 May 1998 | Lights And Instruments THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 108 - LIGHTING SYSTEM AND RETROREFLECTIVE DEVICES. THE ENGLISH OWNER MANUALS FOR THE OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE AND THE E… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the ignition key. The key fob (if applicable), should also be removed from the key ring. General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on July 3, 2014, that they are recalling 5,877,718 model year 2000-2005 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, 1997-2003 Chevrolet Malibu, 2004-2005 Malibu Classic, 1999-2004 Oldsmobile Alero, 1998-2002 Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1999-2005 Pontiac Grand Am and 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles. In these models, the weight on the key ring and/or road conditions or some other jarring event may cause the ignition switch to move out of the run position, turning off the engine.
GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE RETAINERS COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH REAR SEAT SHOULDER BELTS THAT COULD TWIST, ALLOWING THE WEBBING TO BE JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR. WHEN THE SHOULDER BELT WEBBING BECOMES JAMMED IN THE RETRACTOR, THE SEAT BELT BECOMES UNUSABLE.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE OWNER MANUALS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIREMENT INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING DEVICE. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Oldsmobile told its dealers about the 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 635006 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65-E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS FOR VARIOUS MODELS FROM 1997 THROUGH 2002. *TT |
| 634997 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS. *TT |
| 634985 | CONCERNS WITH SLIPS, HARSH UPSHIFT OR GARAGE SHIFTS, LAUNCH SHUDDERS, FLARES, ERRATIC SHIFTS AND INTERMITTENT CONCERNS, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1811 OR P0748 SET. *TT |
| 634951 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SHIFT LEVER IS HARD TO PULL INTO MANUAL LOW GEAR. *TT |
| 634813 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 634803 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A CLUNK TYPE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DURING A TURNING MANEUVER. *TT |
| 629797 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SHIFT LEVER IS HARD TO PULL INTO MANUAL LOW GEAR. *TT |
| 629522 | SUBJECT REGARDING HVAC TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE SIDE TO SIDE AND/OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES B0361, B0441 SET. *TT |
| 628928 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. *TT UPDATED *EH |
| 628826 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON WIND NOISE OR A WHISTLE AROUND THE MIRRORS ON THE FRONT DOORS. *TT |
| 628094 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CLUNK TYPE NOISE ESPECIALLY FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TURNING. *TT |
| 627673 | INFORMATION REGARDING CLUNK NOISE FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE DURING TURNING. *YH *TT |
| 627538 | INFORMATION REGARDING ITCHING TYPE NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. *YH |
| 623403 | THIS BULLETIN IS BEING ISSUED TO REVISE THE FASTENER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE CALIPER BRACKET REPLACEMENT PROCEDURES IN THE DISC-BRAKE SUB-SECTION OF BRAKES IN THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL. *TT |
| 620835 | EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION, OR AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK NEAR OR UNDER THE THROTTLE BODY AREA OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. *TT |
| 619792 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED FASTENER REQUIREMENTS FOR FRONT AND REAR BRAKE CALIPER BRACKET. *TT |
| 619386 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A SHUDDER / VIBRATION CONDITION WHILE STEERING UNDER LOW SPEED OR STATIONARY CONDITIONS, SUCH AS PARKLING LOT MANEUVERS. *TT |
| 619369 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST IN WHICH THE FUEL GAUGE READS INCORRECTLY / FLUCTUATES, LOW FUEL CHIME SOUNDS PREMATURELY. *TT |
| 619234 | CONCERNS WITH FRONT SEAT HEADRESTS THAT WALK UP. *TT |
| 619177 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 619176 | ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION OR COOLANT LEAK (INSPECT FOR MATERIAL DEGRADATION/REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLDS) *TT UPDATED 11/02/07 *NJ |
| 618086 | CONCERNS WITH CLUNK NOISE FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE TURNING MANEUVER / STEERING WHEEL ROTATION.*JB (LUBRICATE OR REPLACE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT AS APPROPRIATE). UPDATED 10/05/07. *NJ UPDATED 4/1/08. *NJ UPDATED 7/1/2008 *PE |
| 615088 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE DOOR GLASS STICKS IN THE FULL UP POSITION. THIS CONDITION MAINLY HAPPENS IN WARM WEATHER. *TT |
| 609721 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: 1) THE FUEL GAUGE READING INCORRECTLY. 2) LOW FUEL CHIME SOUNDS PREMATURELY. 3) FUEL GAUGE MAY FLUCTUATE FROM FULL TO EMPTY. *TT |
| 609639 | TRUNK MOUNTED 12 CD CHANGER EJECTS INTERMITTENTLY. YD |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
STEERING RACK AND PINION
WINDSHIELD WIPER
REAR SHOULDER BELT MALFUNCTION
WINDSHIELD WIPER
REAR SAFETY BELT MALFUNCTION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation