Total Complaints
24 filings
OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE · model year
1993 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE
24 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1993OLDSMOBILESILHOUETTE carries 24 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 4 fires, 0 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 1993 SILHOUETTE is seat belts:front:retractor with 3 filings, followed by power train:automatic transmission:cooling unit and lines (2) and equipment:mechanical:carrier/rack (2). 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 1993 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.
24
Complaints
1
Crashes
4
Fires
0
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 | 3 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES | 2 |
| EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
| CHILD SEAT:HARNESS BUCKLE:INFANT | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060720SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS HAVE STOPPED RETRACTING. THERE WAS NO DISCERNIBLE PRECURSOR TO THIS MALFUNCTION. *NM
Mileage: 57,000
20030430VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. *JB
Mileage: 100,000
20030320FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE INTERIOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER HAD PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *NLM
20020429VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT START OPERATING. THE SYSTEM APPEARED "FROZEN" YET WOULD START OPERATING AGAIN IN A FEW HOURS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY AND CHARGED ME FOR THE REPAIR WORK. THE SAME PROBLEM APPEARED IN MY 1994 OLDSMOBILE TRUCK SILHOUETTE. THERE IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE MOTOR ASSEMBLY IN THESE VEHICLES THAT ALLOWS THE MOTORS TO HANG.*AK
20000926TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD SEPARATION ON LEFT FRONT TIRE. AT HIGH SPEED THE TIRE FELT LIKE A BALANCE WEIGHT HAD BEEN LOST AND THUMPED. AT LOWER SPEEDS (BELOW 30MPH) THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD "ROCK" LIKE THE FRONT END OR STEERING MECHANISM WAS LOOSE AND WOULD PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT. CONTINUED HIGH SPEED DRIVING COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.( DOT NUMBER: ACMD AB6 2 TIRE SIZE: P205/70R15 )
20000707VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
WINDSHIELD IS DELAMINATING. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML
20000629SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE APPEARED TO BE SLIDING. BRAKES WOULD GRAB/LOCK UP INTERMITTENTLY. VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM WAS REOCCURRING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUME RTHAT VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
19990721CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
OUR MINI-VAN REAR-ENDED A CADILLAC IN LINE AT A STOP LIGHT. THE TRAFFIC HAD STOPPED DUE TO A BACKUP, BUT THE LIGHT WAS GREEN, AND IT WAS LATE WHEN MY WIFE HIT THE BRAKES. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST GM DEALER, MEIER OLDS, TO HAVE THE BRAKE SYSTEM CHECKED. MY WIFE HAD MENTIONED THAT SHE DIDN'T THINK THAT THE BRAKES HAD FUNCTIONED DURING THE INCIDENT. SHE COMMENTED ON HAVING PUSHED THE PEDAL AS HARD AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE CAR DIDN'T STOP. GM SAID THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG, SO WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A BODY SHOP AND REPAIRED. THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS SINCE, BUT THE RECENT RECALL MADE ME SUSPICIOUS, AND WANT TO FILE THIS REPORT.*AK
19990312SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
MANUFACTURER CONTACTED - THEY CLAIM THESE PARTS WERE ALREADY FIXED - WILL NOT FIX AGAIN
19990125SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WE RAN INTO A CURB AT ABOUT 40 MPH. MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER'S CAR SEAT WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE SEATBELT BEHIND THE DRIVER, DETACHED (THE CLASP FROM THE BUCKLE) AND MY DAUGHTER AND THE CAR SEAT WERE THROWN FORWARD INTO THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE SEATBELT RETRACTOR ON THIS SEAT NO LONGER RETRACTED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR ALSO WOULD NO LONGER RETRACT. BOTH OF THESE HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I CHECKED THE DATABASE AND THERE WAS BOTH A RECALL ON SEATBELTS AND A TECHNICAL ADVISORY RELATED BULLETIN. I CHECKED WITH A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT WE HAD NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS. IN REF. TO THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY - HE GAVE ME A COPY OF IT. IN GENERAL, THE OLD/ORIGINAL SEAT BELTS ALL RETRACT VERY SLOWLY. YOU HAVE TO PRACTICALLY "FEED" THEM INTO THE RETRACTORS. THIS DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT, NOR DOES IT SEEM RIGHT TO HAVE RETRACTOR FAILURES AT 80K MILES. OUR CONFIDENCE IS WANING ON THIS VEHICLE'S SEAT BELT SYSTEM. WITH A WIF
19990125CHILD SEAT:HARNESS BUCKLE:INFANT
WE RAN INTO A CURB AT ABOUT 40 MPH. MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER'S CAR SEAT WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE SEATBELT BEHIND THE DRIVER, DETACHED (THE CLASP FROM THE BUCKLE) AND MY DAUGHTER AND THE CAR SEAT WERE THROWN FORWARD INTO THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE SEATBELT RETRACTOR ON THIS SEAT NO LONGER RETRACTED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR ALSO WOULD NO LONGER RETRACT. BOTH OF THESE HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I CHECKED THE DATABASE AND THERE WAS BOTH A RECALL ON SEATBELTS AND A TECHNICAL ADVISORY RELATED BULLETIN. I CHECKED WITH A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT WE HAD NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS. IN REF. TO THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY - HE GAVE ME A COPY OF IT. IN GENERAL, THE OLD/ORIGINAL SEAT BELTS ALL RETRACT VERY SLOWLY. YOU HAVE TO PRACTICALLY "FEED" THEM INTO THE RETRACTORS. THIS DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT, NOR DOES IT SEEM RIGHT TO HAVE RETRACTOR FAILURES AT 80K MILES. OUR CONFIDENCE IS WANING ON THIS VEHICLE'S SEAT BELT SYSTEM. WITH A WIF
19980506EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK
STEEL CABLE WHICH HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE FELL OFF IN THE CONSUMER'S DRIVE WAY. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
19980505EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK
CABLE HOLDING SPARE TIRE RUSTED AND WHEEL FEEL OFF.
19971204SEATS
DRIVER'S SEAT BACK BROKE.
19971204SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
REAR WHEEL CYLINDER FAILED.
19970904POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
UNSATISFACTORY RESULTS OF RECALL CAMPAIGN RESULTED IN THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION AND CAUSED TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE TO RUPTURE.
19970808SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
DRIVING OFF INTERSECTION; APPLIED BRAKES & PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR; TURNED VEHICEL AROUND & HEADED HOME. CHECKED & NOTICED BRAKE FLUID ON BOTH WHEELS. ALSO BRAKE LINES/HOSES COMPLETELY SHOT. HAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER. *AK
19970717VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.
19970717POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
TRANSMISSION COOLER LINE RUPTURED, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO FAIL.
19960910SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER/LAP BELT WON'T RETRACT, BELTS FULLY EXTENDED. *AK
Compare 1993OLDSMOBILESILHOUETTE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1993 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE have?▼
The 1993 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE has 24 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 4 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1993 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES and EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK.
Is the 1993 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.