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1990 Oldsmobile SilhouetteProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 43 owner complaints about the 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 4 safety recalls.

59
CarFlaw IndexSolid year31% below the Silhouette median · #11 of 15 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Free fix at dealersOwner complaints433 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem17Seat belts

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 8, 2005. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette has problems

43 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
Seat belts170
Steering91
Structure70
Service brakes, hydraulic40
Seats20
Electrical system21
Engine and engine cooling20
Equipment20
Fuel system, gasoline20
7 other systems91

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Structure: body

Recall 92V-012 · Jan 28, 1992 · 95,897 vehicles

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT DOORMAY OPEN AND RESULT IN OCCUPANT(S) INJURIES FROM CONTACT WITH THE GLOVECOMPARTMENT DOOR.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Oldsmobile.

Best & worst years

1990 vs. every other Silhouette year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Silhouette median. How we score

'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
9 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1990 Oldsmobile Silhouette, and the recalls they led to.

  1. APV FIRESDP92012 · closed Jun 25, 1992
    No recall
  2. ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATIONEA00011 · closed Jan 12, 2001
    Led to recall 00V-189
  3. APV FUEL LINE FIRESEA92035 · closed Nov 30, 1993
    No recall
  4. FRONT SEAT BACK COLLAPSEEA97019 · closed Jun 8, 1999
    Led to recall 99I003000
  5. APV FUEL LINE FIRESPE92052 · closed Oct 30, 1992
    No recall
  6. ALLEGED ENGINE SUBFRAME MOUNT/INSULATORPE96065 · closed Apr 8, 1997
    Led to recall 97V-058
  7. FRONT SEAT BACK COLLAPSEPE97016 · closed Sep 30, 1997
    No recall
  8. CRADLE BOLT FAILURESRQ97017 · still open
    Led to recall 97V-058
  9. ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATIONRQ99002 · still open
    Led to recall 97V-058
In owners' words

What Silhouette owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

SEAT BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DO NOT RETRACT. RETRACTOR MECHANISM ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS REPLACED ON FEB 5, 1999. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. SEAT BELTS HAVE NOT BEEN REPAIRED. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR OVER A YEAR, AND PASSENGER'S SIDE…
Complaint 862350 · May 23, 2000
SEAT BELT RETRACTOR COIL SPRINGS COME OFF OF RETRACTOR ASSY. THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE THERE IS JUST A SOFT PLASTIC COVER CAP ON THE RETRACTOR ASSY. BELT IS THEN UNUSABLE. IVE HAD BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS COME APART AND ONE IN THE REAR.
Complaint 734776 · Oct 19, 2000

Own a 1990 Silhouette?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.