86 of the
1,277 complaints filed about the Oldsmobile Silhouette
are about the braking system —
7% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1998.
THE ENGINE. THE COOLANT LOW LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN THOUGH IT ISN'T.. HAVE HAD IT CHECKED. THEY SAID ITS ALL OK. THEN I READ THESE COMPLAINTS. WHY AREN'T THEY BEING HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR A DEFECT!!!!! ITS THEIR DEFECT, NOT OURS. WE DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR $1200 IN REPAIRS OR MORE!!! ARE YOU GETTING PAID TO SIT THERE AND JUST PUT THESE UP HERE TO APPEASE US? NO WONDER THIS NATION IS GOING YOU KNOW WHERE IN A BASKET. LACK OF INTEGRITY. MY BRAKES ALSO BOTH WENT OUT COMPLETELY WHEN SOMEONE GAVE ME LESS THAN A FOOT TO STOP WHEN THEY PULLED OUT OF A PARKING SPOT DOWNTOWN. NO ACCIDENT BUT COMPLETELY BLEW MY BRAKE. THIS ALSO SEEMS TO BE A COMMON FAILURE POINT IN THIS SO CALLED VEHICLE. THE ENGINE DOES WHAT IT WANTS WHEN IT WANTS. IT MOANS AND SHUDDERS WHEN IT TAKES OFF..KIND OF LIKE ME WHEN I GET UP IN THE MORNING. COULD KILL ME THOUGH. AIRBAG LIGHT CAN'T DECIDE IF IT ALIVE OR NOT. ONE HEADLIGHT IS FROSTED.WILL COST $325.00 TO FIX IT. WHO HAS THIS MONEY??!!THAT IS HALF OF MY MONTHS INCOME!!!!!!!!!ARE YOU CRAZY????? AND NO, THERE IS NO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WHERE I LIVE. SEAT BELTS DON'T WORK RIGHT.DANGER!!! BODY IS RUSTING. DOORLOCKS LOCK ME OUT ALL THE TIME. WINDOW DON'T WORK.DANGZER!!!! I LIVE WHERE THERE'S LOTS OF WATER.. BACK WIPER QUIT. BACK LIGHTS QUIT. FUEL GAUGE QUIT..MAKES ME WANT TO QUIT. :( HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH THE MAJOR SAFETY ITEMS..HOW????!!!!! PLEASE TELL ME. I NEED TO KNOW. THIS HEAP OF JUNK NEEDS TO LAST ME AT LEAST 20..YES TWENTY MORE YEARS.:(
NHTSA complaint #10733492 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A PARKING BLOCK FOLLOWED BY A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A FRACTURED RIGHT KNEE THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10726508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN WHEN A CAR PULLED OUT OF A PARKING SPOT RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME GIVING ME TWO FEET TO STOP AT 25 MPH. I STOPPED BUT MY BRAKES BLEW. TOTAL FAILURE OF TWO BRAKES. THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO YOUR COMPLAINTS I MIGHT HAVE A GASKET TO REPLACE BECAUSE I HAVE A COOLANT LIGHT ON AND IT DOESN'T NEED ANY. THE REPAIRMAN SAID I NEEDED A NEW SENSOR. HMMM. ELECTRICAL. FUEL GAUGE IS INOPERABLE. COOLANT LIGHT WRONG. AIRBAG LIGHTS CAN'T MAKE UP THEIR MIND IF THEY WORK OR NOT. THE CAR LOCKS ME OUT REPEATEDLY. THE POWER WINDOWS WON'T WORK..DANGEROUS HERE WITH ALL THE RIVERS AND WATERWAYS. THE SLIDING DOORS DON'T WORK. NONE OF THE POWER CONTROLS IN THE KEY FOB WORK(YES, I CHECKED THE BATTERY). OH..AND IT HAS A INDOOR SHOWER WHEN IT RAINS. ROOF FAILURE, FAULT IN DESIGN. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME IF PAST SERVICE BULLETINS I JUST FOUND ON YOUR SITE STILL PERTAIN? THERE ARE MANY FOR THIS VEHICLE AND ITS ISSUES. PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #10670025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
GAS GAUGE NOT WORKING, REGISTERS FULL EVEN WHEN NOT FULL. LOW FUEL LIGHT WILL COME ON IF YOU IDLE FOR A FEW MINUTES. AT THE SAME TIME THIS STARTED THE ABS LIGHT SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM CAME ON. THIS HAS ALSO OCCURRED WITH OUR 2002 BUCK CENTURY AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME # OF MILES AND AGAIN BOTH THE GAS GAUGE READS INACCURATELY AND THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON.***
NHTSA complaint #10401854 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IT JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN STOP WORKING THIS IS A CONSTANT PROBLEM NON STOP I BOUGHT FUSE AND THAT DIDN'T WORK I GOT NEW LIGHTS PARK AID STOP WORKING, BOTH HEATED SEATS STOP WORKING, ELECTRICAL GONE BAD IN THE WHOLE.
NHTSA complaint #10390467 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I OWN TWO VERY SIMILAR GM MADE VANS, A 1996 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE, AND A 1994 CHEVROLET LUMINA APV VAN. BOTH HAD SUDDEN BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO THE REAR BRAKE LINE BURSTING, IN EXACTLY THE SAME PLACE! BOTH HAD CURRENT INSPECTIONS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR BRAKE LINES ON BOTH VANS. THE FACT THAT THEY FAILED AT EXACTLY THE SAME POINT IN THE REAR BRAKE LINE MAKES ME THINK THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. WHEN THE LINE FAILED AND WAS REPAIRED, I ALSO REPLACED THE SAME LINE ON THE OTHER SIDE AND FOUND IT WEAK AND READY TO BURST. I STILL SEE MANY OF THESE GM VANS ON THE ROAD AND FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT TWICE, ONE FOR EACH CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10340273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
LEFT BRAKE KEEPS GOING OUT. UPON REPLACING NOTICE THAT THE CONTACTS ARE GETTING COVERED UP BY MELTING PLASTIC. I HAVE REPLACED THE BULB NUMEROUS TIME AND EVEN REPLACED THE CIRCUIT BOARD. STILL THE BULBS KEEP MELTING. THIS HAS STARTED IN MID JUNE OF 2008. I AM AT THE POINT NOW OF DRIVING WITHOUT A LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #10296127 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND RIGHT FRONT BEARING DEFECTIVE. WHEEL WOULD HAVE FALLEN OFF AND BRAKING WAS VERY HARD. WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, INJURY, AND/OR DEATH IF CONTINUED TO BE DRIVEN BEFORE REPAIR. RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HUB BEARING W/ ABS SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THEN AGAIN IN DECEMBER, 2006 AND NOW MAY, 2009.
NHTSA complaint #10269043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD BANGING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE BRAKES. REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE ISSUE WAS COMMON IN SOME FUEL TANKS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 70,000. UPDATED 01/07/09. *LJ UPDATED 01/08/09.
NHTSA complaint #10250868 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. THE DAY SHE PULLED OUT OF THE PARKING LOT WITH THE VEHICLE, THE ABS LIGHT, AND TRACTION OFF LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN SHE DROVE OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BOTH BEGAN TO WOBBLE AND VIBRATE. THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL VIBRATING WILL STOP IF SHE TURNS THE TRACTION SYSTEM OFF. THAT SAME DAY. WHEN COMING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY BOTH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD VIBRATE AND WOULD NOT LET HER PRESS THE BRAKES OR ACCELERATE UNTIL IT STOPS VIBRATING. THE KEYLESS REMOTE WORKED THE FIRST TIMES SHE EXAMINED THE VEHICLE. ONCE OFF THE PARKING LOT IT WOULD NOT WORK, IT WOULD ONLY LOCK THE VEHICLE AND IT MADE THE ALARM SYSTEM ACTIVATE. SHE WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER TO BUY A BATTERY FOR THE KEYLESS REMOTE. WHEN SHE DID, IT STILL DID NOT WORK. THE ALARM SYSTEM WOULD ONLY DEACTIVATE WHEN SHE OPENED THE DRIVERS DOOR WITH THE KEY AND TURNED THE VEHICLE ON. ALL OF THE TIRES ON THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000, AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,900. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS 03/14/2008. KG
NHTSA complaint #10222931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
2002 SILHOUETTE, 39000 MILES. FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. HAD REPAIRED, WITHIN 50 MILES AFTER PICKING UP FROM DEALERSHIP, THERE WAS A GRINDING WHEN TURNING RIGHT. BOTH HEATED SEATS DIDN'T HEAT. DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW OPERATED EXTREMELY SLOW. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED REPLACEMENT!, $1000!, 39000 MILES FOLKS! AIR SUSPENSION DID NOT OPERATE CRACKLED. POWER DOORS DID NOT OPEN WHEN SOMETHING GOT IN THE WAY. BRUISED SHOULDER BECAUSE OF THIS. PREMATURE TIRE WEAR, REPLACED TIRES AT 30,000 MILES. ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE. STORED IN A GARAGE MORE HIGHWAY MILES THAN CITY. HOW DID GM WANT TO HELP ME? DEALER DID PAPERWORK WHEN PURCHASING, TRIED TO PUSH OFF A CHEAPER MODEL ON AN ELDERLY WOMEN, AND CHANGED THE PROMISED 5 YEAR WARRANTY TO A 3 YEAR WARRANTY. MOTHER WAS JUST SO HAPPY SHE GOT THE RIGHT VEHICLE TO TAKE HOME, SHE NEVER NOTICED THE CHANGE IN THE WARRANTY. TRIED TO WORK WITH THE DEALER ON REPAIRS SINCE THERE WERE ONLY 39000 MILES, AND WE GOT A 'GEE, REALLY SORRY MA'AM, I UNDERSTOOD, BUT THERE WASN'T ANYTHING WE COULD DO ABOUT IT. WENT TO THE GM SERVICE LINE, AND DID NOT GET ANY HELP THERE EITHER, BUT SHE HAD A REAL PURDY FIRST NAME! SEEMED TO ME THESE WERE ALL RECURRING PREMATURE KNOWN FAILURES , YET GM DID NOT CARE TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT! IT WAS A SHAME THEY PUSHED THE 5 YEAR WARRANTY SO EXTENSIVELY WHEN THEY HAD ALL THESE VEHICLES ON THEIR LOTS. PEOPLE, WE'VE BEEN HAD. I GREW UP IN OLDSMOBILE, BUT THE MORE I READ ABOUT GM - THE MORE LIKELY I AM TO BUY TOYOTA! THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT I FOUND A DEALER (NOT CLOSE TO HOME THOUGH) THAT WAS WILLING TO AT LEAST REPAIR THE FIRST SET OF WHEEL BEARINGS FOR $100. GOT THAT ON MY OWN, NOT THROUGH GM SERVICE HELP. I JUST HOPE THEY WILL BE AS NICE FOR THE NEXT SET OF WHEEL BEARINGS THAT NEED REPLACEMENT AND FOR THE GASKET THAT WAS JUST DISCOVERED. STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM GM ON THE OTHER ISSUES. (NOT AS AN IMMEDIATE NEED AS THE WHEEL BEARINGS) I'M NOT HOLDING MY BREATH.
NHTSA complaint #10191801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: LAST WEEK WHILE IN PARK THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON FLAT GROUND. THE CAR WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF HOME.THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN AND IMBANKMENT.THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT SET. . IT SHOWED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN PARK WHEN THE OWNER GOT BACK IN IT. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, WHO WAS CONSULTING GM TO SEE IF THEY WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH OWNER. OWNER HAS NOT SPOKEN WITH GM. THE OWNER IWAS NOT AWARE OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE WILL BE COSTS INCURRED BY THIS INCIDENT. OWNER FOUND AN OLD RECALL ON INTERNET, BUT HAS ALREADY CHECKED, AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. THE OLD RECALL NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE.*AJK
NHTSA complaint #10129080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
AWD DISABLE AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING AND HUB ASSEMBLY FAILED AND WERE REPLACED (FOUR TIMES).*AK THE EVAP SOLENOID, FUEL SENDER AND PUMP ASSEMBLY WERE REPLACED. THE HEATING ELEMENT FOR THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT FAILED TWICE. THE RIGHT REAR SEAT BELT FAILED. THE RIGHT POWER SLIDING DOOR ACTUATOR MODULE FAILED. REAR WIPER FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. A/C CONDENSER FAILED. ENGINE FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #10114146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
SINCE APRIL 2004 INTERMITTENTLY, WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, THE CONSUMER PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE CABLE ACCELERATOR, COMPUTER MODULE AND THE SENSOR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER.
NHTSA complaint #10091419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
JUST PRIOR TO 40,000 MILES, MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON AND MY ABS DISABLED LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER I STOPPED THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT, THE LIGHTS WENT AWAY. THEN A FEW DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND I BEGAN TO NOTICE A RUMBLING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE CHANGED PITCH DEPENDING ON THE SPEED OF THE CAR. IT ALMOST SOUNDED LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS ROARING PRIOR TO CHANGING GEARS, BUT IT WASN'T THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF BECAUSE THE NOISE DID NOT CORRELATE TO ACTUAL GEAR CHANGES. I TOOK THE CAR TO A CHEVY DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE WHEEL BEARINGS (WHICH IS A WHOLE HUB ASSEMBLY THAT INCLUDES ABS AND AWD COMPONENTS) IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL BEARINGS (AND THE WHOLE HUB ASSEMBLY)HAD TO BE REPLACED. AS SOON AS I GOT THE CAR BACK, THE NOISE WAS STILL AUDIBLE IN THE FRONT AND THEY REPLACED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE HUB ASSEMBLY. WHEN THE CAR REACHED 54,000 MILES, THE RUMBLING NOISE WAS AGAIN AUDIBLE FROM THE REAR AND THE DEALER REPLACED THE FINAL HUB ASSEMBLY IN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR. THE DEALER TOOK THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AND THE NOISE WAS STILL PRESENT AND THEY DETERMINED THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE RIGHT REAR HUB ASSEMBLY FOR THE 2ND TIME. THIS IS 5 HUB ASSEMBLIES BETWEEN 40,000 AND 54,000 MILES ON THE CAR. THERE IS NO WAY THAT ANYONE WILL CONVINCE ME THAT THIS IS NOT A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THIS CAR HAS ALL WHEEL DRIVE. AT THIS POINT, IT SEEMS THAT THE REPLACING OF THESE HUB ASSEMBLIES WILL BE AN ONGOING MAINTENANCE ISSUE THAT COULD AFFECT THE WHEEL BEARINGS, ABS OR THE AWD SYSTEM, OR ALL OF THE ABOVE.
NHTSA complaint #10079132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
THERE WAS A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING THAT COULD BE FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS FOUND, THAT THE DISC BRAKES ON THE FRONT WHEELS AND THE PADS HAD SEPARATED FROM THE BRAKE SHOES AND DAMAGED THE ROTORS. THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES. *AK *SC
NHTSA complaint #10079610 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
INTERMITTENT AND ONGOING BRAKE PROBLEM. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSES PULSATION AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER ON NINE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER REPLACED MANY PARTS OF THE ABS SYSTEM, BUT EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE RECURRED.
NHTSA complaint #10075516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
RIGHT DOOR WINDOW INOPERATIVE-WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. LEFT DOOR WINDOW INOPERATIVE-WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. (DECEMBER 2002) WINDOW WIPER ARM RUBBED HOLE IN BRAKE LINE, CAUSED BRAKES TO FAIL RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #10069975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS
THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK THE CONSUMER'S SON HAS THE SAME VEHICLE THAT EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10053977 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.