1998 Oldsmobile 88 LSS review from North America

A/C Compressor: Seal inside the compressor failed by the clutch around 85,000 Mi. Be careful of the radiator water level indicator switch while working in that area (passenger side about midway down the radiator), the plastic that holds it on breaks very easily (about $70).

Intake manifold gasket failed at 65,000 allowing coolant to leak into the intake manifold. The car continued to run however allowing me to get to the airport an home again. That was it though, it had to be towed from there.

Disk Brakes: Warp often. This is because of the brake caliper mechanism rests on rubber with a sleeved bolt that screws into steering support. The grease gets hard (even with the "special" grease) and it won't spring back correctly. The brake pad then rubs on the disk causing it to get hot and warp. Replacing calipers, brake hoses, flushing, etc. didn't fix the problem for very long.

Right Tie Rod: Separated at 98,569 miles causing an accident that totaled the car. GM has a recall on similar cars for this problem (See 99V-301), I was never notified.

Brakes at 55,000, tires at 52,000.

The LSS is a really nice quick car. It is quick even without being supercharged (SC is an option on the LSS). The paint holds up well. The interior is easy to clean and looks nice. Stereo sounds good. Visibility is very good with all the mirrors. I found that it handles well.

The A/C failure is probably my fault. I added compressor oil to the system in an effort to prevent a failure.

With the tie-rod failure I am not an expert with bolt failures, however it is my opinion that the bold that secures the tie-rod to the steering arm is defective in the car that I owned. It looks like it has voids in the bolt - like air pockets. I had inspected that joint within a month before the failure while greasing the joint, I found no problems with it both visibly and when I applied the channel lock pliers to it to test for wear.