Total Complaints
57 filings
OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE · model year
1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE
57 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991OLDSMOBILESILHOUETTE carries 57 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 crashes, 2 fires, 8 injuries, and 6 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1991 SILHOUETTE is structure:body:door with 6 filings, followed by latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (5) and seat belts:front:retractor (5). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1991 SILHOUETTE. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
57
Complaints
5
Crashes
2
Fires
8
Injuries
6
Deaths
Crashes Reported
5 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 6 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 5 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 5 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 2 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 2 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 2 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050801STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
DT: CONTACT STATED REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS RUSTED AND DISCONNECTED THE STEERING WHILE THEY WERE DRIVING. CONTACT NOTICED THIS AROUND JUNE. WAS AT A STOP SIGN AND STARTED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN AND NOTICED THERE WAS NO STEERING. DEALER SAID THAT CRADLE BOLTS RUSTED AND FIXED IT. GM STATED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 97V058000 DUE TO VIN ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME FAILURE AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL.*AK
Mileage: 173,000
20050728ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
DT: CONSUMER STATES 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WAS HAVING MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. IT WAS A LEASED BY THE CONSUMER. THE VEHICLE NEEDED THE SPARK PLUGS FOR THE ENGINE, POWER STEERING LINE, SHOCKS, BRAKE WORK, AND A TUNE UP. THE ENGINE HAD TO HAVE THE MODULE REPLACED. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER A WARRANTY THAT THEY PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR ANY OF THE PARTS. DEALER SAID THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OR THE VAN ANYMORE. DEALER A COULD DO THE REPAIRS, BUT HE WAS NOT LICENSED TO DO THE WORK. THE VAN HAD BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES. CONSUMER SAID THE VAN NEEDED TO GO BACK RIGHT NOW FOR MORE WORK, BUT IT WILL COST $971.34 FOR THE WORK. THE OWNER CALLED THE DEALER, AND THE DEALER KEPT YELLING AND COMPLAINING THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DO THE WORK ANYMORE. THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE DAY CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER YESTERDAY TO TAKE THE CAR SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE WIRING HARNESS ALSO NEEDS R
Mileage: 150,000
20050728ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DT: CONSUMER STATES 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WAS HAVING MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. IT WAS A LEASED BY THE CONSUMER. THE VEHICLE NEEDED THE SPARK PLUGS FOR THE ENGINE, POWER STEERING LINE, SHOCKS, BRAKE WORK, AND A TUNE UP. THE ENGINE HAD TO HAVE THE MODULE REPLACED. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER A WARRANTY THAT THEY PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR ANY OF THE PARTS. DEALER SAID THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OR THE VAN ANYMORE. DEALER A COULD DO THE REPAIRS, BUT HE WAS NOT LICENSED TO DO THE WORK. THE VAN HAD BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES. CONSUMER SAID THE VAN NEEDED TO GO BACK RIGHT NOW FOR MORE WORK, BUT IT WILL COST $971.34 FOR THE WORK. THE OWNER CALLED THE DEALER, AND THE DEALER KEPT YELLING AND COMPLAINING THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DO THE WORK ANYMORE. THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE DAY CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER YESTERDAY TO TAKE THE CAR SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE WIRING HARNESS ALSO NEEDS R
Mileage: 150,000
20050728STEERING:ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
DT: CONSUMER STATES 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WAS HAVING MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. IT WAS A LEASED BY THE CONSUMER. THE VEHICLE NEEDED THE SPARK PLUGS FOR THE ENGINE, POWER STEERING LINE, SHOCKS, BRAKE WORK, AND A TUNE UP. THE ENGINE HAD TO HAVE THE MODULE REPLACED. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER A WARRANTY THAT THEY PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR ANY OF THE PARTS. DEALER SAID THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OR THE VAN ANYMORE. DEALER A COULD DO THE REPAIRS, BUT HE WAS NOT LICENSED TO DO THE WORK. THE VAN HAD BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES. CONSUMER SAID THE VAN NEEDED TO GO BACK RIGHT NOW FOR MORE WORK, BUT IT WILL COST $971.34 FOR THE WORK. THE OWNER CALLED THE DEALER, AND THE DEALER KEPT YELLING AND COMPLAINING THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DO THE WORK ANYMORE. THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE DAY CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER YESTERDAY TO TAKE THE CAR SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE WIRING HARNESS ALSO NEEDS R
Mileage: 150,000
20050728SUSPENSION
DT: CONSUMER STATES 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WAS HAVING MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. IT WAS A LEASED BY THE CONSUMER. THE VEHICLE NEEDED THE SPARK PLUGS FOR THE ENGINE, POWER STEERING LINE, SHOCKS, BRAKE WORK, AND A TUNE UP. THE ENGINE HAD TO HAVE THE MODULE REPLACED. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE UNDER A WARRANTY THAT THEY PURCHASED FROM THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR ANY OF THE PARTS. DEALER SAID THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OR THE VAN ANYMORE. DEALER A COULD DO THE REPAIRS, BUT HE WAS NOT LICENSED TO DO THE WORK. THE VAN HAD BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS 3 TIMES. CONSUMER SAID THE VAN NEEDED TO GO BACK RIGHT NOW FOR MORE WORK, BUT IT WILL COST $971.34 FOR THE WORK. THE OWNER CALLED THE DEALER, AND THE DEALER KEPT YELLING AND COMPLAINING THAT HE DID NOT WANT TO DO THE WORK ANYMORE. THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE DAY CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER YESTERDAY TO TAKE THE CAR SOMEWHERE ELSE. THE WIRING HARNESS ALSO NEEDS R
Mileage: 150,000
20050526STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CAME TO A STOP SIGN, MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS OUT. THE STEERING WHEEL JUST KEPT SPINNING AROUND AND AROUND. WAS ABLE TO MANUEVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FAILURE WAS: THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER AND THE REAR CRADLE DROPPED DOWN AND CAUSED THE STEERING SHAFT TO DISCONNECT FROM THE STEERING GEAR. THEREFOR THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER STEER. WE AVE A FOUR YEAR OLD AND A SIX YEAR AND HAD WE BEEN GOING 50 MPH THIS COULD HAD BEEN A SERIOUS CATASTROPHE. I CALLED GM AND INFORMED THEM OF THIS PROBLEM AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS, THEY SAID NO BUT TOOK THE INFORMATION AND WOULD KEEP IT ON RECORD IN CASE THERE ARE MORE OCCURANCES OF THIS SITUATION. I THEN WENT TO THE COMPUTER AND CHECKED THE NHTSA RECALL INFORMATION, AND FOUND THAT THERE THERE WAS ONE ON THE 1990 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX AND MINIVANS. WE HAVE THE OLDESMOBILE EQUIVALENT OF THE PONTIAC TRANSPORT. T
Mileage: 173,306
20050526STEERING:RACK AND PINION
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CAME TO A STOP SIGN, MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS OUT. THE STEERING WHEEL JUST KEPT SPINNING AROUND AND AROUND. WAS ABLE TO MANUEVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. FAILURE WAS: THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER AND THE REAR CRADLE DROPPED DOWN AND CAUSED THE STEERING SHAFT TO DISCONNECT FROM THE STEERING GEAR. THEREFOR THE CAR WOULD NO LONGER STEER. WE AVE A FOUR YEAR OLD AND A SIX YEAR AND HAD WE BEEN GOING 50 MPH THIS COULD HAD BEEN A SERIOUS CATASTROPHE. I CALLED GM AND INFORMED THEM OF THIS PROBLEM AND ASKED IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS, THEY SAID NO BUT TOOK THE INFORMATION AND WOULD KEEP IT ON RECORD IN CASE THERE ARE MORE OCCURANCES OF THIS SITUATION. I THEN WENT TO THE COMPUTER AND CHECKED THE NHTSA RECALL INFORMATION, AND FOUND THAT THERE THERE WAS ONE ON THE 1990 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX AND MINIVANS. WE HAVE THE OLDESMOBILE EQUIVALENT OF THE PONTIAC TRANSPORT. T
Mileage: 173,306
20040511SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT BACK INTO ITS HOLSTER. THIS RESULTED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER NOT BEING RESTRAINED IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Mileage: 150,000
20031020SEAT BELTS:FRONT
FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. *LA
Mileage: 133,279
20030626STEERING:COLUMN
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND MAKE A LEFT TURN THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. *AK
20030620STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
WHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 45MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING STEERING WHEEL LOCKED, GOING AROUND IN CIRCLE.*AK
20021009SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
PROBLEM #1 - ON THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR THE DOOR SHUTS AROUND A METAL KNOB THAT IS PART OF THE DOOR. THE METAL KNOB COMES OFF OF THE VEHICLE MAKING THE DOOR IMPOSSIBLE TO SHUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. PROBLEM #2 - THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT INTO THE HOLDER AND SO IT IS LOOSE AND WILL NOT PROTECT THE PASSENGER ADEQUATELY. NLM
20021009STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
PROBLEM #1 - ON THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR THE DOOR SHUTS AROUND A METAL KNOB THAT IS PART OF THE DOOR. THE METAL KNOB COMES OFF OF THE VEHICLE MAKING THE DOOR IMPOSSIBLE TO SHUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. PROBLEM #2 - THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT INTO THE HOLDER AND SO IT IS LOOSE AND WILL NOT PROTECT THE PASSENGER ADEQUATELY. NLM
20020726STRUCTURE
I HAVE NOT RECEIVED RECALL #97V058/MANUFACTUER'S RECALL NO 97016 NOTICE CONCERNING REAR CRADLE BOLTS. I WOULD LIKE TO NOW IF YOU ARE EVER GOING TO TAK E CARE OF THIS PROBLEM IN MINNESOTA I WOULD REALL LIKE TO GET THIS DONE . THANK YOU.*AK
20001002CrashFatalTIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD SEPARATED OFF RIGHT REAR KELLY TIRE CAUSING VAN TO LOSE CONTROL AND ROLL, KILLING ALL THREE PASSENGERS ON BOARD, ON 7/16/99, WHERE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT WAS 75 MPH. *AK( DOT NUMBER: C2T9K FAR TIRE SIZE: 20570R14 )
20001002CrashFatalTIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD SEPARATED OFF RIGHT REAR KELLY TIRE CAUSING VAN TO LOSE CONTROL AND ROLL, KILLING ALL THREE PASSENGERS ON BOARD, ON 7/16/99, WHERE LEGAL SPEED LIMIT WAS 75 MPH. *AK( DOT NUMBER: C2T9K FAR TIRE SIZE: 20570R14 )
20000830TIRES
15 INCH TIRES, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WITH OLDSMOBILE SILHOUTTE 1991. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 80 MPH WHEN FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT ,TREAD COMPLETELY SHREDDED,AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO SIDE OF VEHICLE. NEXT DAY FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT. IT ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE SIDE OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD ALL FOUR TIRES REPLACED WITH FIRESTONE ST70C. *AK
20000714STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
FRAME SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, PULLING THE STEERING SHAFT OUT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
20000714STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
FRAME SEPARATED FROM VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, PULLING THE STEERING SHAFT OUT, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
20000125LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
THE SLIDING DOOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE WILL NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE, LEAVING THE BACK AND REAR PASSENGERS NO WAY TO QUICKLY ESCAPE IN AN EMERGENCY. I UNDERSTAND THIS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM ON GM MINIVANS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. *AK
Compare 1991OLDSMOBILESILHOUETTE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE have?▼
The 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE has 57 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 2 fires, 8 injuries, and 6 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE is STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1991 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.