1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette

SUBJECT VEHICLES ARE AVAILABLE WITH AN OPTIONAL POWER SLIDING DOOR.THE INTERIOR HANDLE IS ORIENTED IN THE VERTICAL POSITION IN THE DOOR PANEL AND LINES UP AT THE ELBOW LEVEL WHEN THE OCCUPANT IS SEATED IN THE 2ND-ROW OUTBOARD POSITION.IF THE OCCUPANT HOLDS THE INTERIOR HANDLE IN THE THUMB UP POSITION DURING POWER-ASSISTED OPENING, THE ARM/WRIST CAN BE PUSH BACK WITH FORCE AGAINST THE 2ND-ROW BUCKET SEAT OR CAPTAIN'S CHAIR SEAT BACK CREATING A RISK OF INJURY (OTHER SEATING CONFIGURATIONS HAVE AMPLE SEAT TO DOOR CLEARANCE TO AVOID ENTRAPMENT OF THE LOWER ARM).AMONG THE 103 TOTAL REPORTS, THERE WERE 102 ALLEGED INJURIES INCLUDING ARM/WRIST, THUMB AND SHOULDER INJURIES.A COUNT OF INJURIES REVEALS THAT 76 INJURIES WERE A FRACTURED OR A BROKEN ARM/WRIST REQUIRING AN IMMOBILIZING CAST FOR FOUR-TO-SIX WEEKS.ALL INJURIES INVOLVE THE RIGHT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR.THE LEFT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR IS ON FAR FEWER VEHICLES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, IT PRODUCES LESS FORCE.GM NOTIFIED THE AGENCY BY LETTER DATED DECEMBER 21, 2004, THAT IT WILL RECALL MODEL YEAR 1997 THOUGH EARLY 2005 GM U-VAN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A RIGHT SIDE POWER SLIDING DOOR AND WITH 2ND-ROW BUCKET SEATS OR CAPTAIN CHAIRS (NHTSA RECALL #04V597).AS PART OF THE RECALL REMEDY, GM WILL REPLACE THE DOOR HANDLE WITH A FLUSH MOUNTED HANDLE THAT WILL PREVENT AN OCCUPANT FROM GRASPING THE HANDLE WITH THE PALM BETWEEN THE HANDLE AND DOOR PANEL (THUMB UP ORIENTATION) AND THUS ELIMINATE THE POTENTIAL FOR ARM/WRIST ENTRAPMENT.THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

ON NOVEMBER 18, 2002, ODI OPENED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION (PE02-086) TO EVALUATE ALLEGATIONS OF REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES (U-VAN) WHICH INCLUDED TWO REPORTING CRASHES.ON APRIL 9, 2003, ODI UPGRADED PE02-086 TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA03-005) TO CONTINUE ITS EXAMINATION OF THE ISSUE. THE TRAILING ARM DESIGN IN THESE VEHICLES HAS BEEN USED IN THE U-VAN FROM MY 1997 THROUGH THE PRESENT.THE GM ANALYSIS CONCLUDED THAT THE SUBJECT TRAILING ARMS COULD CRACK OR BUCKLE IF THEY WERE DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, PRE-DELIVERY HANDLING, OR SUBJECTED TO CERTAIN SERVICE RELATED ABUSE CONDITIONS SUCH AS IMPROPER TOWING OR JACKING.ANALYSIS OF ODI AND GM DATA HAS IDENTIFIED 19 INCIDENTS OF REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILURES IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.THERE HAVE BEEN NO NEW REPORTS TO ODI OR GM IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS AND ONLY ONE NEW COMPLAINT IN THE LAST 21 MONTHS. DUE TO THE LOW COMPLAINT RATE AND THE ABSENCE OF A CONTINUING TREND IN REPORTED FAILURES, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST. THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

ANALYSIS OF ODI AND GM DATA HAS IDENTIFIED 14 INCIDENTS OF REAR TRAILING ARM FAILURES IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1997 THROUGH 1999 GM U-VANS, INCLUDING TWO THAT ALLEGEDLY RESULTED IN CRASHES. THE TRAILING ARM DESIGN IN THESE VEHICLES IS USED IN THE U-VANS FROM MY 1997 THROUGH 2003.ACCORDING TO GM, THE SUBJECT TRAILING ARMS CAN CRACK OR BUCKLE IF THEY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY, PRE-DELIVERY HANDLING, OR CERTAIN SERVICE RELATED ABUSE CONDITIONS (E.G., IMPROPER TOWING OR JACKING).GM IDENTIFIED A PARTS HANDLING CONCERN THAT WAS CAUSING SOME TRAILING ARMS TO BE DAMAGED PRIOR TO INSTALLATION.TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN, GM IMPLEMENTED CHANGES TO THE SHIPPING CONTAINERS FROM JANUARY 1999 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1999. EIGHT (8) OF THE REPORTED INCIDENTS IN MY 1997-99 U-VANS, INCLUDING THE TWO CRASHES, OCCURRED IN THE LAST 2 YEARS.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO ASSESS THE TREND AND SAFETY RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE ALLEGED DEFECT.

CAR WON'T START UNLESS YOU WIGGLE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. CAN DIE AT ANY TIME WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

10882811

Incident

May 9, 2016

Mileage

1,647,003 mi

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 ID

10733492

Incident

Jul 9, 2014

Mileage

199,000 mi

I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY PLACE AT WORSHIP WHEN A FRIEND TOLD ME I HAD NO BACKUP LIGHTS. I WENT STRAIGHT TO THE AUTO SUPPLY STORE. REPLACING THE BULBS DID NOT WORK. THEY TOLD ME IT HAD TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I WENT ELSEWHERE. SAME STORY. WENT TO THE HE TRANSMISSION STORE. THEY SAID MY TRANSMISSION WAS GOING OUT AND IT WOULD COST ME $1897.00 TO FIX IT. TWO LITTLE BULBS. THAT WAS A YEAR AGO AND I'M STILL DRIVING IT. I TRY TO BACK INTO SPACES SO I DON'T HAVE TO BACK OUT. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID TO REPLACE THE WIRING ASSEMBLY WOULD COST MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. AND THE SEAT BELT CLICKS IN BUT SOMETIMES SLIPS OUT IF I STOP QUICKLY IF SOMEONE CUTS ME OFF. NOT GOOD AT ALL.THE POWER TRAIN IS ERRATIC AT BEST. I WONDER IF I'M GOING TO MAKE IT HOME QUITE A LOT AND I AM DISABLED. IT SHUDDERS WHEN IT STARTS OUT, MAKING IT DANGEROUS IN TIGHT DRIVING SITUATIONS(CHICAGO).IT SLIDES OR SLIPS. I'VE BEEN TOLD TIME AND TIME THERE'S NOTHING WRONG. BUT WHEN YOU TELL A CAR TO GO, IT SHOULD GO...ITS NOT SUPPOSED TO ACT LIKE A STUBBORN DUMB MULE! AND THE DOORS QUIT WORKING AS DID THE AC AND IT EATS TIRES EVEN THOUGH ITS ALIGNED AND BALANCED. I FIXED THE SHOWER WITH 25 YEAR SILICONE. I DIDN'T NEED MY HAIR WASHED WHILE I DROVE. ITS ONLY 15 YEARS OLD AND HAS BEEN TAKEN CARE OF AND ITS A PIECE OF JUNK. A VERY EXPENSIVE PIECE OF JUNK. COOLANT LOW ALWAYS STAYS ON AND IT ISN'T. GAS GAUGE IS ALWAYS EMPTY WHEN YOU FILL IT AND FULL IF ITS EMPTY. I TELL HOW MUCH GAS I HAVE BY HOW MANY MILES I'VE GONE DIVIDED INTO HOW MANY GALS OF GAS I PURCHASED. KEEP THE BOOKS OR WALK!!!!! GARBAGE. CAR!!!!!!!!!

NHTSA ID

10733484

Incident

Nov 10, 2014

Mileage

199,000 mi

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. *TR

NHTSA ID

10670025

Incident

Jan 14, 2014

Mileage

185,000 mi

COULD NOT ENGAGE DRIVE GEAR BUT WOULD ENGAGE IN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR AND REVERSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10432184

Incident

Oct 20, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE GEAR AND IT FAILED TO MOVE FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PLACE SHIFT CABLE BACK IN PLACE AND SHIFT INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE AUTOMATIC TRANS AXLE RANGE SELECTOR CABLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,430.

NHTSA ID

10402235

Incident

May 17, 2011

Mileage

154,430 mi

LEFT SIDE BRAKE / TAIL LIGHT MELTS. BULB BASE MELTS THEN CAUSES AN OPEN SHORT. BULB HAS BEEN REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. LAST 3 TO 4 MONTHS BEFORE FAILURE (MELTED BASE) AND BULB REPLACEMENT. IT ALSO CAUSES THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) TO SHOW AN INTERMITTENT FAULT OR BE INOPERATIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10353878

Incident

Sep 3, 2010

I AM IN ARMY & WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ONE MORNING AT 5:30 AM MY VAN SLOWLY STARTED ACCELERATING THE MORE I PRESSED THE BRAKE THE FASTER THE VAN WENT, BY THE TIME I REACHED THE STREET THE VAN WAS UP TO 50 MPH I WAS AFRAID SO I CALL MY HUSBAND, TOLD HIM THE SITUATION & THE STREET I WAS TRAVELING, HE WAS ON THE WAY. BY THEN I WAS UP TO 60-65 MPH, I CALLED 911 STATED THE SITUATION, ASKING FOR HELP & TO HAVE SOMEONE ON THE PHONE JUST IN CASE. I ALMOST HIT A BUS, LOOKING AHEAD A FEW BLOCKS I SAW BACK-TO-BACK TRAFFIC STARTING TO BUILD-UP, I DID NOT WANT TO HURT MYSELF OR ANYONE ELSE, THEN GOING 65-70 MPH I LOOKED OVER AND SAW A PARK I TURNED THE VAN INTO THE PARK & TO STOP IT I DECIDED TO CRASH THE VAN INTO A TREE. I TURNED TOWARD THE TREE AND JUMPED OUT; THE VAN CRUSHED INTO THE SIDE OF THE TREE & CONTINUED TO KEEP GOING. I RAN AFTER IT AS I SAW THE VAN JUMP THE CURB AND GOING 70MPH TOWARDS THE ROW OF HOMES ACROSS THE STREET CRUSHED INTO A TREE HEAD ON. THE VAN ENGINE AFTER ALL THAT CONTINUED TO ROAR AS IF TRYING TO KEEP GOING. I FLAGGED DOWN A VAN AND RECALLED THE POLICE TO LET THEM KNOW WHERE THE VAN HAD STOPPED. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME & TURNED THE VAN OFF I WAS TOLD THE VAN HAD BEEN ON FIRE IT WAS TRYING TO STOP ITSELF BUT WAS BEING OVER POWERED, THE TOW GUY CAME & TOWED THE VAN AWAY. THIS IS A BLESSING KNOW ONE WAS HURT, BUT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS, & FOR THE AUTO COMPANY NOT TO INVESTIGATE IS A TRAGEDY. WHAT ARE THEY SAYING NUMEROUS PEOPLE WILL HAVE TO DIE, BEFORE THEY WILL ADMIT THERE MAYBE A PROBLEM? JUST TO SAVE MONEY IF THAT IS THE CASE SHAME ON THEM? I AM HERE BY GRACE, BUT I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK OF THOSE POSSIBLY IN THE SAME SITUATION BUT NOT ALIVE TO TELL THEIR STORY. IF THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING GOD BLESS THE ROADS WE DRIVE ON THAT THE NEXT PERSON MIGHT THINK TO DO WHAT I DID. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME POSTS MY STORY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10327245

Incident

Nov 1, 2009

Mileage

100,000 mi

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.  E version update is to add administrative details.

This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action courtesy transportation policy.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.