The 1979 Oldsmobile 88 has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,326,605 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the child seat. Last updated July 5, 2026.
THE HEADS MAY BREAK OFF THE FRONT OUTBOARD SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLTS DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION EVEN UNDER NO LOAD CONDITIONS. THIS IS DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF BOLTS USED, HIGH INSTALLATION TORQUE AND ARRANGEMENT OF THE BODY ANCHORAGE.
DEALER WILL REPLACE ALL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FRONT OUTBOARD SEAT BELT ANCHOR BOLTS ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES AT NO COST TO OWNER.
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 106, "BRAKE HOSES". THESE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH GASOLINE FUEL HOSES IN PLACE OF THE VACUUM HOSE BETWEEN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND CARBON CANISTER IN THE POWER BRAKE VACUUM LINE. SHOULD THIS HOSE RUPTURE, IT WOULD RESULT IN A…
THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE INCORRECT HOSE WITH THE CORRECT VACUUM HOSE.
A GASKET WAS MISTAKENLY PLACED BETWEEN THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE POWER BOOST WHICH PREVENTED THE TWO PARTS FROM FITTING TOGETHER PROPERLY. DAMAGE MAY HAVE RESULTED TO THE MOUNTING EARS OF THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE HYDRO-BOOST. THIS CONDITION COULD LEAD TO BRAKE FAILURE.
THE DEALER WILL INSTALL A NEW BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND HYDRO-BOOST UNIT, FREE OF CHARGE, ON ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Tires (ultra supreme 770) do not stop vehicle, skids.”
“I would just like to know how to keep my daughter safe, she is over 40 pounds but can not use a booster because the back seat does not have shoulder belts? Should I put her in the front? They say that is not safe either. *ak”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1979 Oldsmobile 88 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.