14th Feb 2006, 21:38

My 98 Bravada is a pile, but it also has been a brute. It looks the same as the day I bought it, but looks are deceiving, the tranny is thrashed, the electrics and heating work when they feel like it, and I'm fed up. I've decided to strip the vehicle and turn it into a rock crawler with Ford Bronco parts.

16th Feb 2006, 09:27

We are in the same boat with our daughters 98 bravada. Just a month ago we replaced the rear rotors and now just this week we are having to replace the fuel pump which is going to cost close to $700.00. When will it end!

25th Apr 2006, 19:35

I had the Same Problems everyone else was complaining about Except I got wise and traded the car before I had to replace the transmission. I was told It was in the Process of going South.

14th Jun 2006, 11:09

Wow. I had to put my two cents in. I was shocked by the other reviews. We bought our 98 Bravada used in 2002. It had 45,000 miles is now just shy of 100,000 miles. We have drove the heck out of the thing and we love it. Only routine maintenance and some problems with the thermostat. I guess we lucked out with this one.

29th Sep 2006, 07:00

My husband and I own a 1998 Olds Bravada as well. Just last night the alternator died and left him stranded while he was on a business trip. A couple weeks ago we had new brakes and rotors put on. That was the third time in about 2 months that the brakes were worked on.

It really seems like every single month we have it in the shop for one reason or another. The wipers quit working properly long ago, and we now have a “split” of some sort which allows us to use either A/C or heat, but not both. We have to get under the hood and switch it over to heat when it’s chilly in the mornings, and then switch it back to A/C in the afternoons when it’s warmer.

A part of me still loves the thing, because it’s the car we rode around in through college when we were dating. But the bigger part of me hates it. If the alternator gets fixed today, we’re going to try to trade it in this weekend.

19th Mar 2007, 11:57

I have to agree with the majority of your posts. I bought a 1998 Bravada used. I guess that is the proper word to describe it, USED.

It has never left me stranded, but the heat only works when you get someone under to hood to make the vents stay open, then you can't breath in there when its warm out because you can't turn the thermostat down. It stays on HOT all the time. I also have problems when my tack hits 3 grand, the motor starts cutting out and spitting and sputtering.

3rd Apr 2007, 19:42

I bought a 1998 Bravada 6 months ago and it has been nothing, but trouble since, now the transmission has gone out, believe I will go back to Fords, sorry Oldsmobile you left a bad taste in my wallet.

6th Apr 2007, 20:04

I have a 98 Bravada and it sucks. One day it all just started going down hill. Wheel bearings, ball joints, rear wiper motor, and of course the tranny. Hopefully all of this will be saving me some money in the future, because I am forever done with GM.

8th Apr 2007, 17:58

I have a 98 bravada and have experienced about 85% of the problems others have posted here. I am very unhappy with this vehicles mechanical track record, especially after seeing others with the same parts problems. Found this site tonight while searching for my second new ignition switch in 18 months. Can't afford another dealer install again so I'll do it myself. Hopefully my 2nd tranny will last a few more miles.

28th May 2007, 08:57

Bought a 98 Bravada from my mother with 75K miles on it. She had said the transmission was slipping. I have had to change the serpentine belt and the alternator. The rear windshield wiper will not dispense fluid. The AC must have a freon leak because hot air comes out of it. I am debating whether I go through with fixing the transmission or not.

24th Jun 2007, 18:17

I owned a 98 Bravada and it was the biggest piece of $%#*&

We started with the alternator, then the fuel injector went bad, passenger wheel hub, wiper motor, idler arm, blew hot air, had oil leak, (common GM problem I'm told) I could had a new BMW with the payments, plus repairs!!

It was very unstable; it felt like it was going to tip over even after new shocks, tires alignment.

Finally my wife lost control and flipped 3 times, and I believe a tie rod let loose. Please be careful; these are dangerous trucks!

I have a Dodge Durango that is great; it never feels unsteady on the road. I drive a Ford Explorer at work, and they also don't drive like this piece of $%$#

We should all sue these people!! I'm lucky my wife didn't die in this evil beast!!!

22nd Sep 2007, 08:57

I found this thread back in 2005, just after I purchased my 98 Bravada off of eBay. I wish I did research before I took possession of it.

One of the first things that happened was that the front wiper motor died. Over the next two years (and 40k miles) I had the alternator and the mass air flow sensor go. This whole time I was worried about the transmission, having read all these comments.

Well, last week (at 109k miles) my transmission went. I just don't have the money at the moment to fix it, and I need to get to work, so I'm pretty much screwed. I hadn't traded in it in sooner because, as others have said, it is a really nice vehicle. Very comfortable, roomy, but not one of those excessively large SUVs. While I try to beg and borrow money from friends, my Bravada is sitting in at my mechanics.

15th Oct 2007, 19:12

I have a 99 bravado, Yeah my fuel pump makes noise so what, it has 106,000 miles on it I tow a box trailer around I have the original Transmission, the other things you are all complaining about are normal for any car. I have the original spark plugs too, I have done two brake jobs on it always before it was required very easy even 1 of the sisters could do it. Take care of it and it will take care of you.

27th Nov 2007, 14:21

I have a 2000 Bravada and I absolutely love my vehicle, my problems were all covered under my extended warranty and there really wasn't all that many, NORMAL MAINTENANCE GOES A LONG WAY, I recently at 136,000 have encountered a problem with my heat which was described in a few of these threads with the heat and A/C, the only difference is that mine only blows cold like the air is on, I have replaced and checked little stuff like the thermostat, interior control switch, coolant level, the car doesn't overheat or leak so I would assume it's not the heater core, any ideas? also where is the switch under the hood everyone was talking about?