Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 32 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 32, in the owner's own words
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS FOGGED UP, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. AND THEY COULD TAKE THE HEADLIGHTS APART AND BLOW AIR INTO THEM. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE DUE TO THE EXPENSE. *AK
THE HEADLIGHT LENS COVERS FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT CONSUMER PURCHASE THE ENTIRE SET TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM.*AK
RIGHT/LEFT HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY FOGGED UP AND WATER BEADS FORMED O THE INSIDE. *BF *TC
WHILE DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. ALSO, DIRTY WATER WAS LEAKING INTO THE HEADLIGHT LENS. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK DIRTY WATER CAUSED THE HEADLIGHTS TO BECOME DIM. *SC *JB
CONSUMER STATED PASSENGER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT LENS POPPED OFF. *AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT BOTH OF THE HEAD LAMPS FELL OUT. SHE STATEED THAT ONE FELL OUT A YEAR AGO. NOW JUST RECENTLY THE OTHER FELL OUT. *NM THE HEADLIGHT BEGAN TO SMOKE WHEN IT WAS PLACED ON HIGH BEAMS. BOTH INCIDENTS REQUIRED THE HEADLIGHTS TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. *SC *JB
DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMD LENS COVER FELL OFF. *AK
WHILE DRIVING BOTH PLASTIC HEADLIGHTS LENSES FELL OFF. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GMC PRODUCTS. *NLM *SC
THE GLUE HOLDING THE HEADLIGHT LENS ON DRIES OUT. RIGHT LENS FELL OFF IN 3/2003. LEFT LENS FELL OFF IN AUGUST 2003. LENS IS NOT REPLACEABLE AND ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST BE PURCHASED FOR $140 FROM DEALER. THE BULB WILL FAIL ALMOST IMMEDIATELY WHEN EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS. *LA
RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT LENS IS GONE. THIS RESULTED IN THE HEADLIGHT SHATTERING DUE TO NO PROTECTION ON THE LIGHT BULB. *JB
HEADLAMPS AND FOG LAMPS GET CONDENSATION IN THEM AND IS REMOVING THE REFLECTIVE COATING. I HAVE ANOTHER VEHICLE, SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL THAT HAS DONE AND IS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN. I REPLACED ALL OF THE FRONT END LENSES (HEADLAMP AND FOGLAMP) ON THIS VEHICLE AT A SUBSTANTIAL COST. THE DEALER STATES THAT THIS IS COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE?
I HAVE TWO 1998 OLDS SILHOUETTE'S AND BOTH HAVE MOISTURE BUILD UP IN THEM. I HAVE REPLACED THE TWO LENS HOUSING ON ONE OF THE VEHICLES ONLY TO HAVE THE MOISTURE BUILD UP AGAIN. THIS WAS DONE AFTER A BULB WENT OUT DUE TO THE MOISTURE. ON THE SECOND VEHICLE I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER AND THEY STATED IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE AND WAS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. NOW I AM THINKING OF CONTACTING MY ATTORNEY TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. I DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR AN ACCIDENT TO OCCUR OR A DEATH TO RESULT FROM SUCH A DEFECT. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE WHEN I TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE ANNUAL STATE SAFETY INSPECTION THEY ALWAYS CHECK THE HEAD LIGHT CONDITION. SO HEADLIGHT CONDITION IS A SAFETY CONCERN. JUST LIKE THE TIRE INCIDENT WITH FORD...DOES OLDSMOBILE/GM WANT NUMEROUS LAW SUITS OVER THIS MAJOR PROBLEM...I THINK NOT!*JB
BOTH FRONT HEADLAMP LENSES HAVE POPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE LAMPS TO BURN OUT. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMAN PROBLEM, A DESIGN DEFECT, AND REPLACEMENTS OUGHT TO BE FORTHCOMING.
HEADLAMP COVERS ON 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE VAN FALL OFF CAUSING THE BULBS TO BLOW WHEN MOISTURE, SUCH AS RAIN, HITS THE BULB.
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT LENS CRACKED ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER THE COMPONENT, AND BLOWING OUT THE HEADLIGHT BULB. WHILE VISUALLY INSPECTING HEADLIGHTS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE LENS FELL OUT AND THE BULB BLEW. NLM THE CONSUMER STATES THAT IT IS HARD TO SEE WHILE DRIVING. SCC
THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAD LIGHT COVER FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO BE INOPERTIVE DUE TO MOSITURE BUILD UP FROM EXPOSURE. DEALER CONTACTED. NLM THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS IS COMMON IN THE 1997 & 1998 MODELS AND HAS HAD SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR THE PART, AND A CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATING THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT/FAULTY PART. *SCC
HEADLIGHT LENS COVER FELL OFF. ADHESIVE HOLDING COVERS HAS DRIED AND CRACKED. HEADLIGHTS FREQUENTLY HAVE MOISTURE PROBLEMS DUE TO LEAKS IN ADHESIVE HOLDING COVERS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1997-CURRENT GENERAL MOTORS MINI VANS. DEALER DECLINED TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE 1-800-442-6537. OLDSMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFERED 50% DISCOUNT ON PURCHASE OF REPLACEMENT PARTS. I BELIEVE PRODUCT ITSELF IS DEFECTIVE. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE CITING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I DO NOT FORESEE REPLACING CURRENT HEADLIGHTS AS SOLUTION TO PROBLEM. I BELIEVE REPLACEMENT LENSES WILL ALSO FALL OFF WHEN ADHESIVE DETERIORATES.*AK
THE LENS COVER ON THE HEADLIGHT DROPPED OFF DUE TO INFERIOR GLUE USED. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO OLDSMOBILE. THE OTHER LENS COVER IS LOOSE AND WILL PROBABLY FALL OFF SOON IF NOT FIXED OR REPLACED.*AK
CONSUMER STATED THE LEFT HEADLIGHT COVER FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING, THE RIGHT HEADLIGHT COVER WAS LOOSE AND HAD TO BE TIGHTENED.*AK.*JB
I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT. THE POWER SLIDING SIDE DOOR HAS BENN REPAIRED 2 OR 3 TIMES AND STILL WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPACED ONCE AND REPAIRED ONCE AND THEY NOW HAVE WATER INSIDE CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO PERFORM POORLY. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $80 DUE TO CORROSION CAUSING THE LIGHT TO COME ON. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON IF YOU DRIVE OVER 100 MILES THEN EVENTUALLY GOES OFF. NOW, THE MAJOR PROBLEM IS THAT I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT I HAVE A BLOWN HEAD GASKET OR CRACKED BLOCK WHICH IS CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO LEAK INTO MY OIL. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED. I NOTED NUMEROUS INSTANCES OF BLOWN HEAD GASKETS ON GM MESSAGE BOARDS. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM. I CONTACTED GM AND RECEIVED NO OFFER OF HELP. THE REQUEST # GIVEN TO ME WAS 06214553. THIS IS THE 7TH OR 8TH GM VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS. THIS ONE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A PROBLEM. DOES THIS CLASSIFY AS A "LEMON"? ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.*AK
WATER IS LEAKING DOWN INTO HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS. HEAD LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE. LINING TO SEAL UNIT IS BEING DESTROYED. WATER DAMAGE IS CAUSING LIGHTS NOT TO REFLECT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT NO RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT, THE LIGHT MODULES ARE NOT SEALED AND MOISTURE GETS IN AND CAN NOT ESCAPE THROUGH SMALL DRAIN HOLES, RESULTING IN ELECTRIC CONNECTIONS FAILING AND THE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL IN THE MODULE FAILS, CONSUMER ALSO FEELS THE HIGH HUMIDITY IN THE AREA EXAGGERATES THE PROBLEM, OLDSMOBILE REFUSES TO MAKE AN ADJUSTMENT. *SLC
RIGHT FRONT HEADLIGHT FELL OUT,WAS REPLACED BY CONSUMER, GMC NOT WILLING TO COVER, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS THE FOURTH VEHICLE THAT HAS EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. *JB
ADHESIVE BEHIND HEADLIGHT LENS IS PREMATURELY WEARING, CAUSING LENS COVER TO FALL OFF. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
HEADLIGHT LENS BROKE OFF WHICH CAUSED WATER TO GET TO HEADLIGHT BULBS AND BURN THEM OUT. THIS CAUSED VISUAL DIFFICULTY, AND COULD RESULTED IN A CRASH. MECHANIC SAID COMMON PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
HEADLIGHT COVER HAS MOISTURE INSIDE, AND WILL FILL UP WITH WATER. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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