RoadVitals

1991 Oldsmobile Silhouette

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
37
Latest Aug 1, 2005
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
3
Latest Jun 8, 1999
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
7
1 currently open
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
6
8 injuries, 3 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 37 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1991 Oldsmobile Silhouette, most frequently naming the body & structure, seat belts and steering categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 7 NHTSA investigations name it; and 5 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

3 campaigns cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
99I003000

SEATS

Jun 8, 1999
187,459 units potentially affected
The defect: THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SAFETY ACT. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINIVANS EQUIPPED WITH FRONT BUCKET SEATS. THE FRONT SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM LOWER BOLTS CAN LOOSEN. A LOOSE BOLT COULD FATIGUE AND BREAK, RESULTING IN THE SEAT BACK FALLING REARWARD.
The risk: THE SEAT COULD SUDDENLY FALL BACKWARD, DISTRACTING THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN OR REPLACE THE BOLTS AT NO CHARGE TO THE OWNERS. THIS POLICY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL JUNE 30, 2002.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.View on NHTSA.gov
97V058000

STRUCTURE

Apr 8, 1997
676,535 units potentially affected
The defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE REAR CRADLE WOULD NOT LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THESE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.
The risk: IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.
The remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.Manufacturer number 97016View on NHTSA.gov
92V012000

STRUCTURE:BODY

Jan 28, 1992
95,897 units potentially affected
The defect: THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT DOOR WILL NOT REMAIN CLOSED DURING CERTAIN LOAD FORCES ASSOCIATED WITH A VEHICLE CRASH. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 201.
The risk: IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT DOORMAY OPEN AND RESULT IN OCCUPANT(S) INJURIES FROM CONTACT WITH THE GLOVECOMPARTMENT DOOR.
The remedy: REPLACE THE CURRENT UPPER GLOVE COMPARTMENT DOOR WITH A REDESIGNED UPPER GLOVE COMPARTMENT DOOR WHICH INCORPORATES A POSITIVE LATCH TO KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED SHOULD A VEHICLE CRASH OCCUR.
GENERAL MOTORS CORP.View on NHTSA.gov

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

RQ97017OpenRecall Query

CRADLE BOLT FAILURES

Opened Oct 2, 1997

There is no summary currently available

STRUCTURELed to recall 97V058000
EA00011ClosedEngineering Analysis

ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATION

Opened Apr 10, 2000
Closed Jan 12, 2001

THE ENGINE CRADLE FRONT BOLTS AND/OR RETAINERS MAY FAIL, ALLOWING THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE CRADLE TO FALL, POSSIBLY SEPARATING THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FROM THE STEERING GEAR, WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLINGLed to recall 00V189000
EA97019ClosedEngineering Analysis

FRONT SEAT BACK COLLAPSE

Opened Sep 30, 1997
Closed Jun 8, 1999

ALLEGED FRONT SEAT BACK COLLAPSE DUE TO RECLINER BOLT

SEATSLed to recall 99I003000
PE97016ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

FRONT SEAT BACK COLLAPSE

Opened Apr 7, 1997
Closed Sep 30, 1997

SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE ALLEGED TO EXPERIENCE INADVERTENT FRONT SEAT BACK COLLAPSE DUE TO FRACTURE OF FRONT SEAT RECLINER MOUNTING BOLTS.

SEATS

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 37
Body & structure
Filed Aug 1, 2005

DT: CONTACT STATED REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS RUSTED AND DISCONNECTED THE STEERING WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING. CONTACT NOTICED THIS AROUND JUNE. WAS AT A STOP SIGN AND STARTED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN AND NOTICED THERE WAS NO STEERING. DEALER SAID THAT CRADLE BOLTS RUSTED AND FIXED IT. GM STATED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 97V058000 DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL.*AK

NHTSA ID
10130875
Incident
Jun 12, 2005
Mileage
173,000 mi
ElectricalEngineSteering+1 more
Filed Jul 28, 2005

DT: CONSUMER STATES 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WAS HAVING MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. IT WAS A LEASED BY THE CONSUMER. THE VEHICLE NEEDED THE SPARK PLUGS FOR THE ENGINE, POWER STEERING LINE, SHOCKS, BRAKE WORK, AND A TUNE UP. THE ENGINE HAD TO HAVE THE MODULE REPLACED. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER A WARRANTY THAT THEY PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR ANY OF THE PARTS. DEALER SAID THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OR THE VAN ANYMORE. DEALER A COULD DO THE REPAIRS, BUT HE WAS NOT LICENSED TO DO THE WORK. THE VAN HAD BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES. CONSUMER SAID THE VAN NEEDED TO GO BACK RIGHT NOW FOR MORE WORK, BUT IT WILL COST $971.34 FOR THE WORK. THE OWNER CALLED THE DEALER, AND THE DEALER KEPT YELLING AND COMPLAINING THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DO THE WORK ANYMORE. THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE DAY CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER YESTERDAY TO TAKE THE CAR SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE WIRING HARNESS ALSO NEEDS REPLACEMENT.*AK

NHTSA ID
10130421
Incident
Mar 20, 2005
Mileage
150,000 mi
Body & structureSteering
Filed May 26, 2005

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CAME TO A STOP SIGN, MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS OUT. THE STEERING WHEEL JUST KEPT SPINNING AROUND AND AROUND. WAS ABLE TO MANUEVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FAILURE WAS: THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER AND THE REAR CRADLE DROPPED DOWN AND CAUSED THE STEERING SHAFT TO DISCONNECT FROM THE STEERING GEAR. THEREFOR THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER STEER. WE AVE A FOUR YEAR OLD AND A SIX YEAR AND HAD WE BEEN GOING 50 MPH THIS COULD HAD BEEN A SERIOUS CATASTROPHE. I CALLED GM AND INFORMED THEM OF THIS PROBLEM AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS, THEY SAID NO BUT TOOK THE INFORMATION AND WOULD KEEP IT ON RECORD IN CASE THERE ARE MORE OCCURANCES OF THIS SITUATION. I THEN WENT TO THE COMPUTER AND CHECKED THE NHTSA RECALL INFORMATION, AND FOUND THAT THERE THERE WAS ONE ON THE 1990 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX AND MINIVANS. WE HAVE THE OLDESMOBILE EQUIVALENT OF THE PONTIAC TRANSPORT. THE RECALL DATE WAS 4/8/1997, THE VEHICLE COMPONENT AFFECTED IS THE STRUCTURE AND THE NHTSA RECALL NUMBER IS 97V058000. I THEN CALLED GM BACK WITH THIS INFORMATION, BECAUSE THE PONTIAC TRANSPORT THAT WAS RECALLED IS THE SAME VEHICLE AS THE OLDESMOBILE SILHOUETTE THAT I AM DRIVING. THEY SAID THAT BECAUSE ITS AN OLDS AND NOT A PONTIAC IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE IDENTICAL VEHICLES. ONE ADDITIONAL CONCERN, IS THAT THERE MAY BE MANY OTHER SIMNILAR OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE AND CHEVROLET LUMINA VANS THAT COULD EXPERIENCE THESE SAME MALFUNCTIONS. IF THIS SHOLD HAPPEN TO SOMEONE AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND WITH THE TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING WHEN THIS STRUCTURE BREAKS LOOSE COULD BE DISASTEROUS FOR THE PERSON DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND ITS PASSENGERS AS WELL AS ANY ONCOMING VEHICLES. I WOULD LIKE THIS INVESTIGATED AND FEEL STRONGLY THAT THESE OTHER GM MODELS SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ID
10122254
Incident
May 25, 2005
Mileage
173,306 mi
Seat belts
Filed May 11, 2004

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT BACK INTO ITS HOLSTER. THIS RESULTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER NOT BEING RESTRAINED IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
10073486
Mileage
150,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Oct 20, 2003

FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. *LA

NHTSA ID
10043230
Incident
Oct 1, 2003
Mileage
133,279 mi
Steering
Filed Jun 26, 2003

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MAKE A LEFT TURN THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10025020
Incident
Jun 26, 2003
Steering
Filed Jun 20, 2003

WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, GOING AROUND IN CIRCLE.*AK

NHTSA ID
10024630
Incident
Jun 20, 2003
Body & structureSeat belts
Filed Sep 23, 2002

PROBLEM #1 - ON THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR THE DOOR SHUTS AROUND A METAL KNOB THAT IS PART OF THE DOOR. THE METAL KNOB COMES OFF OF THE VEHICLE MAKING THE DOOR IMPOSSIBLE TO SHUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. PROBLEM #2 - THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT INTO THE HOLDER AND SO IT IS LOOSE AND WILL NOT PROTECT THE PASSENGER ADEQUATELY. NLM

NHTSA ID
767584
Incident
Aug 22, 2001

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

130089009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules

01880

POWER TRAIN

NO TCC APPLY, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ON, TCC SURGE, POSSIBLE P0740, P1870, OR 39 AFTER INSTALLATION OF A REMAN (SRTA) 4T60/4T60E. *TT

876002A

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

SOME V6 ENGINES MAY, ON A VERY INFREQUENT BASIS, HAVE AN OIL ODOR CONDITION THAT IS GENERALLY ENCOUNTERED AFTER THE ENGINE'S OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED.TYPICALLY THE ODOR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES AFTER THE CHANGE OF OIL AND THEN DOES NOT REAPPEAR UNTIL THE NEXT CHANGE OF OIL. *TT

436303

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

FUEL TANK THUD/CLUNK. *TW

431051

STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR

SLIDING DOOR RATTLES. *TW

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Oldsmobile Silhouette by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2004113158.1
2003365162.3
2002575157.1
2001789157.2
20001148357.0
19991497762.8
199817010859.0
19971049757.6
1996202039.2
1995462051.7
1994364260.7
1993223158.6
1992272655.2
1991Viewing373763.3
1990435960.0
1989001—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.