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Oldsmobile SilhouetteYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 950 NHTSA owner complaints across 15 model years, the Oldsmobile Silhouette years to avoid are 1998 and 1999, and the strongest years are 1990, 1991, 1992 and 1994. The Silhouette has 23 safety recalls on record.

Oldsmobile Silhouette
Years to avoid'98 '99Use caution: 1997, 2000, 2001Best years'90 '91 '92 '94Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints950Top: Engine and engine coolingSafety recalls231990–2004 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Best & worst years

Oldsmobile Silhouette years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Silhouette median. Tap a year for its full report.

'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2004Not rated–/10011 complaints · 1 recall2003Solid52/10036 complaints · 2 recalls2002Solid49/10057 complaints · 2 recalls2001Caution41/10078 complaints · 6 recalls2000Caution35/100114 complaints · 5 recalls1999Avoid27/100149 complaints · 4 recalls1998Avoid27/100170 complaints · 7 recalls1997Caution39/100104 complaints · 6 recalls1996Not rated–/10020 complaints · 1 recall1995Solid51/10046 complaints · 2 recalls1994Solid58/10036 complaints · 4 recalls1993Not rated–/10022 complaints · 3 recalls1992Best68/10027 complaints · 2 recalls1991Solid56/10037 complaints · 2 recalls1990Solid59/10043 complaints · 4 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Oldsmobile Silhouette problems

All model years combined: 950 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling1676
Structure11611
Exterior lighting790
Electrical system7713
Power train736
Steering721
Latches/locks/linkages717
Seat belts695
Service brakes, hydraulic687
22 other systems39865
23 recalls

Oldsmobile Silhouette recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

–Doors: latch04V-597 · 1997–2004 · Dec 22, 2004 · 717,302 vehicles–Air bags: frontal02V-329 · 2001 · Dec 9, 2002 · 272 vehicles–Steering: rack and pinion02V-286 · 1996–1998 · Nov 4, 2002 · 1,159,156 vehicles–Air bags: frontal02V-222 · 2002–2003 · Aug 9, 2002 · 133,221 vehicles–Front assembly: recliner01V-383 · 2001 · Dec 13, 2001 · 75,816 vehicles–Doors: latch01V-264 · 1997–2001 · Aug 21, 2001 · 248,737 vehicles–Doors: latch01V-067 · 1997–2001 · Mar 8, 2001 · 477,011 vehicles–Seat belts00V-228 · 2000–2001 · Aug 7, 2000 · 156,305 vehicles–Delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings99V-268 · 2000 · Sep 29, 1999 · 235 vehicles–Gear box: shaft sector99V-071 · 1999 · Apr 12, 1999 · 59 vehicles–Front assembly: recliner98V-145 · 1997–1998 · Jun 26, 1998 · 125,990 vehicles–Power train: automatic transmission98V-131 · 1998 · Jun 11, 1998 · 38,540 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 23 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

23 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Silhouette

  1. POWER-SLIDING DOORPE04064 · 1998–2004 · closed Dec 22, 2004
    Led to recall 04V-597
  2. REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILUREEA03005 · 1997–1999 · closed Jan 12, 2004
    No recall
  3. ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATIONRQ03003 · 1992 · closed Apr 10, 2003
    No recall
  4. REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM FAILUREPE02086 · 1998–1999 · closed Apr 9, 2003
    No recall
  5. SAFETY BELT ASSEMBLY FAILUREEA02032 · 1997–1998 · closed Nov 21, 2003
    No recall
  6. POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILUREEA02003 · 1997 · closed Dec 10, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-286
  7. SHOULDER HARNESS CLIPPE02017 · 1997–2000 · closed Aug 2, 2002
    No recall
  8. STEERING RACK AND PINIONPE01038 · 1997 · closed Apr 4, 2002
    No recall
  9. AIR BAG TEAR DURING DEPLOYMENTPE00045 · 1998–1999 · closed Jan 11, 2001
    No recall
  10. UNEXPECTED OPENING OF SLIDING DOORSQ00014 · 1997–2000 · closed Oct 22, 2001
    Led to recall 01V-067