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1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 Intrigue.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1998 Oldsmobile Intrigue is a passenger car powered by a 4-speed automatic transmission with EPA fuel economy ratings of 17 city/27 highway/21 combined mpg, requiring 4.5 quarts of 10W-30 API-grade engine oil for service. This model year marks the most problematic in the Intrigue's 1996-2002 production run, accumulating 549 owner complaints—the highest of any model year in the lineup—with steering emerging as the primary concern alongside 8 total recalls. Comparatively, the 1996 model year recorded just 1 complaint, indicating a stark divergence in reliability across the model's lifecycle; the 1998 Intrigue's elevated complaint count suggests it presented notably more issues for owners than vehicles from other production years within the same nameplate.

Model year2002 2001 2000 1999 1998

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy17/27/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 690 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 690 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

Tire sizeP225-60R16OEM · verified

Wheel / rim7-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175
Engine air filter	19166106
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	12681664
Front wiper blades	19120758
Serpentine belt	24506984 discontinued
Thermostat	24506986 alt 24502433
Cabin air filter	84557894

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	196.1 in
Overall width	73.6 in
Overall height	56.7 in
Wheelbase	109.1 in
Curb weight	3468 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.8 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	17 / 27 / 21 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	101 cu ft
Cargo volume	17 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	4 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)	6.2 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)	15 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	31 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)	13 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Lower: 11 ft-lbs; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts	10 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	118 ft-lbs

Ignition

Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.5-.9 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5,000-8,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.88 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	690 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	12 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	12 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Fuel Pump Pressure Minimum	55.0 psi
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)	48-55
RPM	38-52 @ Idle rpm
Injector Primary Resistance	11.4-12.6 na ohms
Engine Compression	140

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	133 ft-lbs / 32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	100 ft-lbs / 85 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.003 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.27 in / 0.43 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.27 in / 0.43 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.25 in / 0.41 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., Step 2: 105

74 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

110 ft. lbs., step 2: 76

110 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	37 ft. lbs.	37 ft. lbs
2	120 degrees.	120 degrees
3	Bolts 1-4	30 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 mi	Door Hinge (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Hood Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 mi	Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1998 Intrigue marks a dramatic inflection point: after two virtually quiet years (one complaint each in 1996–1997), the 1998 model year records 549 complaints, eight recalls, nine investigations, and 88 TSBs — the highest complaint and investigation counts of the entire generation. Complaints then decline steadily through 2002 (272, 208, 117, 66), while recalls hold at eight for 1999 before tapering, and investigations drop to three or fewer after 1998; conversely, TSB volume rises continuously, reaching 360 by 2002. The 1998 top complaint categories are Steering (137), Service Brakes, Hydraulic (58), Engine & Engine Cooling (57), and Seat Belts (48), with 20 crash-related and 39 fire-related complaints logged. The data does not specify root causes for these patterns. The 1998 model year bears the heaviest federal safety and defect record of the generation, making it the highest-risk vintage to purchase.The 1998 Intrigue marks a dramatic inflection point: after two virtually quiet years (one complaint each in 1996–1997), the 1998 model year records 549 complaints, eight recalls, nine investigations, and 88 TSBs — the highest complaint and investigation counts of the entire generation. Complaints then decline steadily through 2002 (272, 208, 117, 66), while recalls hold at eight for 1999 before tapering, and investigations drop to three or fewer after 1998; conversely, TSB volume rises continuously, reaching 360 by 2002. The 1998 top complaint categories are Steering (137), Service Brakes, Hydraulic (58), Engine & Engine Cooling (57), and Seat Belts (48), with 20 crash-related and 39 fire-related complaints logged. The data does not specify root causes for these patterns. The 1998 model year bears the heaviest federal safety and defect record of the generation, making it the highest-risk vintage to purchase.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

549

Owner complaints

20 involved a crash · 39 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’96 ’97’98’99 ’00 ’01 ’02

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 549 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering137

Service Brakes, Hydraulic58

Engine & Engine Cooling57

Seat Belts48

Electrical System34

Visibility26

Engine24

Suspension18

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

15V701000Engine And Engine Cooling:EngineReported 26/10/2015

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… Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engines front valve…

14V400000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 03/07/2014

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… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will install two key rings and an insert in the key slot or a cover over the key head on all ignition keys, free of charge. The recall began on…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 88 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP4723F	2022-01-14	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D	2020-01-31	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA073	2019-09-18	Equipment	This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIC4696D	2019-09-05	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Intrigue. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 78 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 19166106 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 12681664

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1998 Intrigue take?

4.5 qt of 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1998 Intrigue have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Intrigue get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 27 highway / 21 combined mpg.