Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1981 Delta 88.
The 1981 Oldsmobile Delta 88 was a full-size sedan that represented General Motors' full-size platform offerings during an era of significant automotive transition, and this particular model year stands out in the model's history for its exemplary reliability record—with only four owner complaints filed overall, none of which targeted major mechanical systems, and zero recalls issued, the single most prevalent concern among the minimal reported issues involved tires rather than powertrain or structural components, indicating a notably trouble-free production run for this generation of the Delta 88.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 218.1 in |
| Overall width | 76.4 in |
| Overall height | 56.7 in |
| Wheelbase | 116.1 in |
| Curb weight | 3565 lb |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1981 Oldsmobile Delta 88 dominate in one area — the tires, 2 of 4 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the tires pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 4 complaints on record, top 3 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.