1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette Owner Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SLIDING DOOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AFTER THE RECALL (01V264000, 04V597000 OR 01V067000) REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THE DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, BUT NO LONGER WORKED. THE DOOR ONLY OPERATED PROPERLY ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THE RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO BE DONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. UPDATED 09/13/06*JB

NHTSA ID

10166977

Incident

Jul 4, 2006

Mileage

78,576 mi

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IN OUR 1997 SILHOUETTE WENT BAD. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE REPAIR FACILITY AND PERFORMING SEVERAL SEARCHES ACROSS THE INTERNET, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT GM HAD A DEFECTIVE PART. THE ORIGINAL GASKETS WERE MADE OUT OF PLASTICS, WHILE NOW GM IS CONSTRUCTING THEM OF A MORE NORMAL / ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL. WE WERE LUCKY AND CAUGHT THIS EARLY, BUT IF SOMEONE WERE TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN ON A HIGHWAY TRIP, OIL COULD LEAK OUT OR MIX WITH COOLANT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE UP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS REPAIR AVERAGES AROUND $800 TO $1200 FROM WHAT I COULD FIND. *JB

NHTSA ID

10161875

Incident

Dec 1, 2005

Mileage

106,122 mi

NO FLOOR HEAT IN 1997 OLDS SILHOUETTE. MECHANIC DID NOT FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM BUT DID NOTE THAT AN UN ASSOCIATED PROBLEM WAS OCCURING. THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS FAILING. AFTER INVESTIGATING AND RESEARCHING I HAVE FOUND THAT BOTH THE LACK OF HEAT IN THE FRONT OF THIS VEHICLE AND WORSE YET THE FAILING OF THE GASKET ARE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE BOTH PROBLEMS TAKEN CARE OF ON 12/28/2005. THE ESTIMATE (NO TELLSING THE COST TO REPAIR THE HEAT UNTIL THEY GET INTO IT) WILL RUN AT LEAST $700. BASED ON THE PAST INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPAIRS THIS SHOP HAS DONE ON GM VEHICLES THE SHOP ESTIMATES THIS REPAI ALONE WILL COST AT LEAST $500. *NM

NHTSA ID

10144413

Incident

Dec 2, 2005

Mileage

135,400 mi

FRONT WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 12 MONTHS. BREAK INITIATED IN UPPER DRIVER SIDE CORNER AND TRAVELS INTO FIELD OF VISION. WITH WINDSHIELD OUT, YOU CAN SEE SEVERE RUSTING AT THE CORNER, NO WHERE ELSE. THE RUST IS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE ROOF PANEL AND IS NOT VISIBLE ONCE THE WINDSHIELD IS REPLACED. I WAS ADVISED NOT TO GO THROUGH ANY CAR WASHES, TO AVOID ANY UNDO PRESSUES ON THE DRIVERSIDE QUARTER OF THE ROOF AND WHEN IT BREAKS AGAIN TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED IN A BODY SHOP WHERE THAT SECTION OF THE ROOF CAN BE REPLACED SO IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THE WINDSHIELD REPAIR PERSON STATED THAT WHEN HE REPLACES A FRONT WINDSHIELD ON AN OLDS SILHOUETTE OR CHEVY VENTURE THAT IS NOT THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT, 99% OF THE TIME THE BREAK INITIATES AT ONE OF THE TOP CORNERS AND WHEN THE WINDSHIELD IS OUT, THERE IS SEVERE RUSTING IN THE SAME SPOTS. GIVEN THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST THROUGH, I EXPECT IT WILL LEAK INTO THE INTERIOR SOON.

NHTSA ID

10129262

Incident

Jul 14, 2005

Mileage

171,300 mi

ROOF LEAKS, DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK LEAKAGE, WATER HAS INFILTRATED THE FUSE PANEL REPEATEDLY, SHORTING THE HORN, CAUSING IT TO HONK AT RANDOM FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10114483

Incident

Jun 23, 2004

Mileage

120,000 mi

RECALL #01 V 264 000/SLIDING DOOR:INTERMITTENTLY THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR WOULD OPEN BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER HAS MADE REPAIRS ON THIS DOOR APPROXIMATELY 2 YEAR AGO, NOW THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10111721

Incident

Dec 22, 2004

Mileage

7,000 mi

THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS RATTLED AND REOPENED ONCE THE WERE SHUT. WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR IT LOCKS ON ITS OWN. ONCE THE VEHICLE LOCKS ON ITS OWN CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO GET OUT. CONSUMER TRIES TO OPEN THE DOORS WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL, BUT WITH NO LUCK. CONSUMER HAS TO WAIT UNTIL IT UNLOCKS TO EXIT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10106720

Incident

Sep 16, 2004

Mileage

15,223 mi

DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP LENS FELL OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID

10098319

Incident

Nov 3, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS LENS FELL OFF WITHOUT WARRING. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *LA

NHTSA ID

10074421

Incident

May 11, 2004

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE HORN CONTINUOUSLY SOUNDED AND ALL THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED. THE DOORS COULD NOT BE MANUALLY OPENED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND WAIT FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE TO TEN MINUTES AND THEN TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, POWER STEERING FLUID HAD TO BE ADDED EVERY 10,000 MILES AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED DUE TO FAULTY GASKETS. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE. *AK WHEN THE DOORS LOCKED, THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPEN, THE DASH LIGHTS AND OVERHEAD LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE POWER LOCKS WOULD CHATTER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN THE DASH, THE DRIVER DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, ALL THE DOORS WOULD LOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED MANUALLY OR OPEN THE WINDOWS, ALL OF THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND WAS INTERMITTENT, THE LEFT DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, THE STEERING PUMP WENT DRY WHILE DRIVING AND THE PUMP WENT DRY 5 ADDITIONAL TIMES AFTER 1005K MILES, THE DOORS LOCKED WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND WOULD BE UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR(S) OR WINDOW, THE POWER WINDOWS WERE INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER MIRROR WOULD SHAKE, THERE WAS MOISTURE IN THE HEAD LAMP, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO DIM AT NIGHT WHEN THE HEATER WAS TURNED ON, THE LEFT REAR WINDOW RATTLED, THE WIRING CHAFFED ON THE STUD UNDER THE CARPET IN THE VEHICLE, AND THE ELECTRICAL REMOTE DID NOT WORK UNTIL THE CONSUMER WAS CLOSE TO THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE TIMES WHEN THE DOORS WERE LOCKED AFTER THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS OFF, THE HORN WOULD START BLOWING AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF UNTIL THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS TURNED BACK ON. *SC THE POWER MIRROR WERE INOPERATIVE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10064708

Incident

Jan 5, 1998

Mileage

9,000 mi

THE PASSENGER'S SIDE ELECTRIC SLIDING DOOR WOULD NOT REMAIN CLOSED WHEN THE CONSUMER CLOSED IT, AFTER A FEW SECONDS, THE DOOR WOULD POP BACK OPEN. *AK THIS PROBLEM WAS RECALLED TWICE 01V264000 AND 01V067000). *NM

NHTSA ID

10053727

Incident

Dec 22, 2003

Mileage

74,500 mi

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SEPARATED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ID

10055679

Incident

Nov 26, 2003

Mileage

82,000 mi

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 ID

10069975

Incident

Jan 15, 2003

THE ISSUE WE RAN INTO LAST YEAR IS WHERE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE. WE TOOK IT INTO OUR LOCAL DEALER, PEARSON PONTIAC, GMS, OLDS IN SUNNYVALE, ON MARCH 21 2002. AROUND THAT TIME BOTH MYSELF AND THE DEALER, AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD, CALLED OLDSMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VAN WAS AT 41788 MILES, 5K MILES OUT OF MILEAGE WARRANTY, AND THE BELIEF ON MY PART THAT A MAJOR ENGINE REPAIR WAS NOT REASONABLE FOR A VAN WITH ONLY 41K MILES. WHY SAY THE COOLANT CAN LAST 150K MILES WHEN IT ALL LEAKS OUT AT 41K MILES? I WAS TURNED DOWN FOR ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE I TALKED WITH JUSTIN AND THE CASE NUMBER WAS C06614725. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. AT THE SAME TIME HE DETERMINED THE LIFTERS SHOULD BE REPLACED ALONG WITH A LEAKING WATER PUMP. THE TOTAL COST WAS $1,709.72. BREAKDOWN WAS $1,130.84 FOR LABOR AND THE REST FOR PARTS AND SALES TAX. THE DEALER REPAIR ORDER NUMBER IS 56819. I'VE NEVER OWNED OR HEARD OF A VEHICLE WHICH HAD A INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT LEAK, WATER PUMP AND LIFTERS FAIL AT 41K MILES. MY WIFE AND I ARE NOT HARD ON OUR CARS. THIS COST WAS HIGH (OVER 5% OF THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE) AND SOMETHING WE DID NOT EXPECT TO INCUR.

NHTSA ID

10069766

Incident

Mar 15, 2002

Mileage

41,788 mi

TRANSMISSION FAILED DEC. 2000. REPLACED BY DEALER. FAILED AGAIN 1,000 MILES LATER. REPAIRED BY DEALER. 8000 MILES LATER ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON-DEALER SAID WAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, WOULD NOT REPAIR -OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM, WHICH STARTED ON WARRANTY. CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE TO PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH LOCAL FACTORY REP. TOLD THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME THE NUMBER AND THAT I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND ON MY OWN.

NHTSA ID

10069645

Incident

May 15, 2001

FAILURE OF INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON GM PROBLEM WITH THIS V-6 ENGINE. GM DENIED REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT.

NHTSA ID

10069438

Incident

Dec 15, 2002

Mileage

73,507 mi

THE COVER FOR THE HEADLIGHT JUST FELL OFF OF THE CAR. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT MOISTURE GOT INTO THE HEADLIGHT AND CAUSED THE GLUE TO FAIL. WE HAD TAKEN IT IN TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW.*AK

NHTSA ID

10052751

Incident

Dec 28, 2003

Mileage

7,250 mi

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL# 01V067000 SUBJECT: POWER SLIDING DOOR. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS TO THE REAR PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10044669

Incident

Oct 23, 2003

10/27/01 - HAD TO REPLACE MOTOR DO TO INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE INTERNALLY AT 62139 MILES. 08/27/03 - AGAIN VAN IS AT THE GARAGE WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET PROBLEMS THE MILEAGE IS NOW 102000.

NHTSA ID

10036810

Incident

Aug 27, 2003

Mileage

62,139 mi

FRONT HEAD LIGHT LENS AND PARK LIGHTS HAD WATER IN THEM. SIDE PARK LIGHTS WERE LOOSE AND LEFT HEAD LIGHT COVER FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING. *JB PH

NHTSA ID

10015408

Incident

Jan 6, 2003

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER REGARDING THE RACK AND PINION, AN APPOINTMENT WAS MADE, HOWEVER THE DAY BEFORE THE APPOINTMENT, CONSUMER RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE DEALER WHO STATED THEY HAD NO TOOLS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014639

THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP FOR RECALL REPAIRS TO THE RACK AND PINION BEARING AND THE POWER STEERING. THIS RECALL REQUIRED THAT THE AIR BAGS,HORN AND CRUISE CONTROL BE RESET. THE DEALER REFUSED TO DO THIS BECAUSE IT WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10009804

VEHICLE'S PASSENGER POWER SLIDING DOOR WILL NOT STAY CLOSE IN COLD WEATHER. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH *TS

NHTSA ID

10006651

Incident

Aug 1, 1998

Mileage

45,000 mi

BRAKE LIGHTS BURN OUT WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF REPLACMENT. BULB AND FILIMINT ARE IN GOOD CONDITION - PLASTIC BASE OF BULB IS MELTED AND IMPAIRS PROPER CONTACT WITH LIGHT BULB.

NHTSA ID

10004928

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

Mileage

55,000 mi

DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH WHEN DRIVING. NO POWER TO OPEN DOOR. ALSO, LEFT FRONT WHEEL CENSOR MALFUNCTIONED FOR ABS TRACTION CONTROL/ TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK. *AK

NHTSA ID

10001768

Incident

Aug 28, 2002

Mileage

86,450 mi