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2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 36 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette, most frequently naming the other / unspecified, engine and airbags categories. 5 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 445 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.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2002 | 1 | 1 |
| Jan 2003 | 1 | 2 |
| Apr 2003 | 1 | 3 |
| Nov 2003 | 2 | 5 |
| Dec 2003 | 1 | 6 |
| Jan 2004 | 1 | 7 |
| Feb 2004 | 1 | 8 |
| Jun 2004 | 2 | 10 |
| Sep 2004 | 1 | 11 |
| Nov 2004 | 1 | 12 |
| Dec 2004 | 2 | 14 |
| Nov 2005 | 1 | 15 |
| Feb 2006 | 1 | 16 |
| Mar 2006 | 1 | 17 |
| Jun 2006 | 1 | 18 |
| Nov 2006 | 1 | 19 |
| Jun 2007 | 2 | 21 |
| Jan 2008 | 1 | 22 |
| Mar 2008 | 1 | 23 |
| Sep 2008 | 1 | 24 |
| Oct 2008 | 1 | 25 |
| Jan 2009 | 1 | 26 |
| Mar 2009 | 2 | 28 |
| Jul 2009 | 1 | 29 |
| May 2010 | 1 | 30 |
| May 2011 | 1 | 31 |
| Nov 2013 | 1 | 32 |
| Jan 2014 | 1 | 33 |
| Jul 2014 | 1 | 34 |
| Jan 2015 | 1 | 35 |
| Apr 2015 | 1 | 36 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Other / unspecified615.8%
- Engine513.2%
- Airbags513.2%
- Interior & seats37.9%
- Seat belts25.3%
- Suspension25.3%
- Fuel system25.3%
- Transmission25.3%
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
5 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.govEXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
POWER-SLIDING DOOR
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.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
T-BONED CROSSING A 4WAY DUE TO VIEW OBSTRUCTION. OTHER PERSON HIT US AT 60 MILES PER HR. AIR BAGS DEPLOYED APPROX. 10 SECONDS AFTER INITIAL IMPACT. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10706055
- Incident
- Aug 5, 2013
- Mileage
- 130,000 mi
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10679779
- Incident
- Jan 19, 2015
- Mileage
- 130,000 mi
FLOMATON, ALA. (AP) - A VAN CROSSED THE MEDIAN OF A HIGHWAY IN SOUTHERN ALABAMA AND COLLIDED WITH A PICKUP TRUCK, KILLING SIX PEOPLE AND INJURING THREE OTHERS IN A CRASH LOCAL AUTHORITIES DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE WORST THEY HAD EVER SEEN. THE FORCE OF THE COLLISION RIPPED THE VAN'S TRANSMISSION FROM THE VEHICLE AND SCATTERED DEBRIS ALONG MORE THAN 100 YARDS OF HIGHWAY, CPL. JAMES PATTERSON WITH THE STATE PATROL. ``IT LOOKS MORE LIKE AN AIRPLANE CRASH SCENE THAN A CAR CRASH,'' SAID JIM JOHNSON OF THE FLOMATON VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. ``THE VAN'S FRONT END JUST DISINTEGRATED. I'VE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH DEBRIS. ALL THE WINDOWS EXPLODED ON IMPACT FROM THE LOOKS OF IT.'' ``THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST SEVERE CRASHES WE'VE EVER HAD IN ALABAMA,'' PATTERSON SAID. HE SAID EVIDENCE AT THE SCENE INDICATED THREE OCCUPANTS IN THE VAN WERE EJECTED ONTO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY UP TO ABOUT 40 FEET FROM WHERE THE VAN CAME TO REST. A THIRD VEHICLE STRUCK THE TRANSMISSION THAT LAY IN THE ROADWAY, AND PERSONAL ITEMS SUCH AS PIECES OF A BEADED NECKLACE, EYEGLASSES AND COSMETICS AND WOMEN'S DRESS SHOES COULD BE SEEN ALONG THE ROAD. STATE TROOPERS DID NOT RELEASE THE IDENTITIES OF THE FIVE WOMEN AND ONE MAN WHO DIED. THE SIX KILLED WERE RIDING IN THE VAN, A 2003 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10615159
- Incident
- Jun 7, 2003
I WAS EASTBOUND ON A TWO LANE ROAD, AND AN ESCALADE RAN THE STOP SIGN ON THE DRIVER SIDE , AS I WAS CONTINUING DRIVING I T-BONED THE SUV, MY WHOLE FRONT END WAS COMPLETELY RIPPED AND DAMAGED, AND DASHBOARD CRACKED AND LIFTED, MY DAUGHTER WAS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, AND EITHER BAGS DEPLOYED. KNOW SUFFER FROM STERNUM AND BACK PAIN WITH CONCUSSION PAIN . *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10558990
- Incident
- Jan 7, 2014
- Mileage
- 141,000 mi
HEAD LAMPS ON THIS VEHICLE HAVE STARTED TO HAZE. THE HAZE HAS BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE RESTRICTING THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT. I HAVE FOUND THAT IT IS GETTING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD AT 40MPH OR HIGHER IN THE EVENING. THE TURN SIGNALS HAVE A CLEAR LENS OVER THEM AND DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE THE SAME CONDITION. I HAVE CONTACTED GM. WITH MULTIPLE CALLS, E-MAILS AND A TRIP TO THE DEALER OVER A TWO WEEK TIME FRAME, I WAS CONTACTED BY GM AND TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD, THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. MY CONTENTION TO GM WAS I'M SURE WHEN THIS VEHICLE WAS RELEASED FOR PRODUCTION THEY HAD NO IDEA THIS CONDITION EXISTED AND HAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS SINCE. I FELT THAT THE LENSES SHOULD BE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10550485
- Incident
- Jul 16, 2012
- Mileage
- 130,020 mi
REFERENCE INVESTIGATION PE 11-014. THIS ISSUE IS NOT LIMITED TO 2005-2007 GM SUVS. ON 2/26/11, MY 2003 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE STALLED ON INTERSTATE I-75. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER, BUT IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THE DARK, WITH FAMILY & KIDS IN THE CAR, WITH ICY, SNOWY ROADS. THE FUEL LEVEL READING INDICATED MORE FUEL AVAILABILITY THAN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY IN THE FUEL TANK. THE FUEL GAUGE WILL SHOWED BETWEEN 1/16 AND 1/8 OF A TANK, AND THERE WAS NOT A LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT. I HAD TO CALL FOR ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN STALLED FOR A WHILE, THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT ACTIVATED - SO ROAD SERVICE FIRST TRIED PUTTING FUEL IN THE VEHICLE. WITH FUEL ADDED TO THE VEHICLE, IT STARTED RIGHT UP AND I WAS ABLE TO REFUEL THE VEHICLE AT THE NEXT EXIT. THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 100,000 MILE, AND IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION - THIS DEFECT SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AT THIS POINT IN THE VEHICLE'S LIFE. A DEALER SERVICE GARAGE VERIFIED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL GAUGE IS DEFECTIVE, AND IT WOULD COST ABOUT $425 TO REPAIR. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10401386
- Incident
- Feb 26, 2011
- Mileage
- 101,000 mi
MOST OF THE DAY MAY 8,2010 BEEN DOING SOME CITY BUT MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING TOTALING APPROXIMATELY 100 MILES. STOPPED FOR AN HOUR AFTER THE FIRST 50 THEN DROVE ANOTHER 40 STOPPING AGAIN FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. DROVE THE LAST 10 HOME AND LEFT CAR IDLING TO GO INTO MY HOUSE FOR APPROXIMATELY 8 MINUTES. MY WIFE STARTED WALKING TO CAR AND WASN'T THERE YET WHEN CAR DROVE FORWARD INTO GARAGE DOOR. SHE JUMPED IN PASSENGER SIDE AND SHIFTER WAS STILL IN PARK. SCRAPED SOME OF THE PAINT OFF OF THE CAR AND SMASHED THE GARAGE DOOR. HAVE NO IDEA HOW OR WHY IT WOULD HAVE DONE THIS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10329443
- Incident
- May 8, 2010
- Mileage
- 145,457 mi
ON MAY 27, 2009 I HIT A TREE ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE VAN AND THEN HIT ANOTHER TREE HEAD ON. THE AIR BAGS IN THE FRONT AND ON THE SIDE DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT AND THANKFUL THERE WERE NO MAJOR INJURIES. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10275757
- Incident
- May 27, 2009
- Mileage
- 149,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. Technician will need to call General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further assistance.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical Assistance Center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and vent temperature.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. Technician should not use the information that is provided by the antilock braking system tire size selection.
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
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.