Total Complaints
29 filings
OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE · model year
1992 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE
29 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992OLDSMOBILESILHOUETTE carries 29 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 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 1992 SILHOUETTE is seat belts:front:retractor with 5 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (3) and power train:automatic transmission (3). 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 1992 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.
29
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 2 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 2 |
| STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20041025ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS AND STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
20041025STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR
WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS AND STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
20040913POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING SUDDENLY VEHICLE STOPPED. DEALER STATED THAT TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE.*AK
Mileage: 97,896
20030318ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE WASHER BOLT CAME OUT THE ENGINE AND CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NLM
20020529TIRES
WHILE DRIVING, THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLEWOUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL, CROSS THE MEDIAN AND ROLL OVER, INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED, NO SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION WAS GIVEN, OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT. *TT
20010518SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
ON VERY BACK ROW OF SEAT ON LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE SHOULDER BELT IS EXTENDED OUT ALL OF THE WAY AND WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO POSITION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
20010312POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN COMING TO A STOP WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION AUTOMATICLY SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL. ALSO, TRANSMISSION OIL IS OVERHEATING TO THE POINT THAT THE OIL IS BURNING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
20001120SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:SHOES/LININGS
THE RETURN SPRING FOR THE REAR BRAKE SHOES IS INADEQUATE. ON TWO OCASSIONS THE RIGHT SIDE SPRING CAME LOOSE AND WAS DESTROYED BY THE AXLE SHAFT RUBBING AGAINST IT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE REAR BRAKES ARE LOST AND ONLY THE FRON BRAKES WOK, RESULTING IN THER PEDAL GOING ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT HAPPENED TO THE BRAKES ON THE LEFT SIDE. THE BRAKES CAME LOOSE AFTER USING THE PARKING BRAKE, WITH RESULTANT LOSS OF REAR BRAKES AND ONLY FRONT BRAKES WORKING, PEDAL ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THIS TIME THE SPRING DID NOT BREAK AND THE BRAKE PARTS WERE REINSTALLED.
20000919UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS ANY WAY TO KNOW IF THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL RECALLS REPAIRED OR NOT THANKS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE
20000823POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
THE TRANSAXLE SEAL BLEW OUT AND WE ARE BEING TOLD REPLACING IT MOST LIKELY WON'T HELP, AS IT IS APT TO BLOW OUT AGAIN. 3 INDEPENDENT RECOMMENDATIONS ARE TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. AT 80,000 MILES EITHER PROBLEM IS UNWARRANTED. *AK
20000818POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN CAR IS TRAVELING AT 50 TRANSMSION STARTS LURCHING LIKE ITS SEARCHING FOR A GEAR. THEN, WHEN IT GETS UP TO 70 MPH AND IT STOPS.*AK
20000719ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE MOUNTS RUSTED THROUGH WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK
20000308VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HEATER RELAY BURNING OUT WHENEVER HEATER IS SET AT HIGH SPEED. REPLACED HEATER RELAY ON FIVE OCCASIONS. MANUFACTURER WOULD BE CONTACTED. *AK
20000127SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
BOTH REAR SEATBELT RETRACTOR SPRINGS ARE BROKEN, CAUSING IT TO STAY EXTENDED, WILL NOT RETRACT BACK IN , CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK
19990129STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR
I CONTACTED THE OLDSMOBILE CORP. ABOUT A POSSIBLE RECALL ON THE SEATBELTS. I HADN'T THOUGHT ABOUT A POSSIBLE DEFECT UNTIL I WAS TOLD THAT THE THIRD ROW SEATBELTS HAD BEEN FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE OTHER TWO ROWS WERE NOT. IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME THAT THE LEAST USED SEATBELTS COULD BE THE ONLY ONES THAT ARE DEFECTIVE. AREN'T ALL OF THE SEATBELTS MANUFACTURED AT THE SAME PLACE? I AM MARRIED WE HAVE FIVE CHILDREN CUMMULATIVELY. I NEED ALL SEVEN OF MY SEATBELTS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY, AS WELL AS CONFORM TO THE LAW. THE SEATBELTS COST $150 EACH. I AM AFRAID MORE WILL GO BAD, AND WILL END UP COSTING ME A SMALL FORTUNE. I HAVE FOUND THAT OTHER SEATBELTS, NOT THE SAME AS MY DEFECTIVE ONES, ARE ALSO NOT WORKING. IF THE SEATBELTS HAVE BEEN MALFUNCTIONING SINCE 1992 WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NEW, IT SEEMS THAT IT IS NOT A MATTER OF JUST WEAR AND TEAR, AND AGE OF THE VEHICLE. *AK
19981112SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS IN THE SECOND ROW SEATS WILL NOT RETRACT THE BELTS TO THE ORIGINAL POSITION. *AK
19980731STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID
CONSUMER DISCOVERED THAT VEHICLE WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID. *AK
19971218SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER'S SEAT DISENGAGED FROM THE SEAT TRACKS, CAUSING THE SEAT TO BECOME UNSTABLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19970502SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELTS FAIL TO LATCH PROPERLY. SEAT BELTS DO NOT STAY LATCHED WHEN BRAKESA ARE APPLIED. *AK
19970409SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
LOSS OF ABS BRAKING POWER DUE TO LEAKING BRAKE LINES. *AK
Compare 1992OLDSMOBILESILHOUETTE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1992 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE have?▼
The 1992 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE has 29 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1992 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR with 5 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1992 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.