Total Complaints
155 filings
OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE · model year
155 NHTSA complaints, 6 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997OLDSMOBILESILHOUETTE carries 155 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 6 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, 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 1997 SILHOUETTE is exterior lighting:headlights with 15 filings, followed by latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch (12) and structure:body:door (10). 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 1997 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.
Total Complaints
155 filings
Crashes Reported
6 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 15 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 12 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 10 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 7 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 6 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 4 |
| STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE | 4 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 3 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER | 3 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 3 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES | 3 |
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SLIDING DOOR ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AFTER THE RECALL (01V264000, 04V597000 OR 01V067000) REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THE DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, BUT NO LONGER WORKED. THE DOOR ONLY OPERATED PROPERLY ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED THE RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED AND THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE TO BE DONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. UPDATED 09/13/06*JB
Mileage: 78,576
THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET IN OUR 1997 SILHOUETTE WENT BAD. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE REPAIR FACILITY AND PERFORMING SEVERAL SEARCHES ACROSS THE INTERNET, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT GM HAD A DEFECTIVE PART. THE ORIGINAL GASKETS WERE MADE OUT OF PLASTICS, WHILE NOW GM IS CONSTRUCTING THEM OF A MORE NORMAL / ACCEPTABLE MATERIAL. WE WERE LUCKY AND CAUGHT THIS EARLY, BUT IF SOMEONE WERE TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN ON A HIGHWAY TRIP, OIL COULD LEAK OUT OR MIX WITH COOLANT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SEIZE UP AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS REPAIR AVERAGES AROUND $800 TO $1200 FROM WHAT I COULD FIND. *JB
Mileage: 106,122
NO FLOOR HEAT IN 1997 OLDS SILHOUETTE. MECHANIC DID NOT FIND CAUSE OF PROBLEM BUT DID NOTE THAT AN UN ASSOCIATED PROBLEM WAS OCCURING. THE ORIGINAL PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS FAILING. AFTER INVESTIGATING AND RESEARCHING I HAVE FOUND THAT BOTH THE LACK OF HEAT IN THE FRONT OF THIS VEHICLE AND WORSE YET THE FAILING OF THE GASKET ARE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I AM SCHEDULED TO HAVE BOTH PROBLEMS TAKEN CARE OF ON 12/28/2005. THE ESTIMATE (NO TELLSING THE COST TO REPAIR THE HEAT UNTIL THEY GET INTO IT) WILL RUN AT LEAST $700. BASED ON THE PAST INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPAIRS THIS SHOP HAS DONE ON GM VEHICLES THE SHOP ESTIMATES THIS REPAI ALONE WILL COST AT LEAST $500. *NM
Mileage: 135,400
FRONT WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN 12 MONTHS. BREAK INITIATED IN UPPER DRIVER SIDE CORNER AND TRAVELS INTO FIELD OF VISION. WITH WINDSHIELD OUT, YOU CAN SEE SEVERE RUSTING AT THE CORNER, NO WHERE ELSE. THE RUST IS ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE ROOF PANEL AND IS NOT VISIBLE ONCE THE WINDSHIELD IS REPLACED. I WAS ADVISED NOT TO GO THROUGH ANY CAR WASHES, TO AVOID ANY UNDO PRESSUES ON THE DRIVERSIDE QUARTER OF THE ROOF AND WHEN IT BREAKS AGAIN TO HAVE THE WINDSHIELD REPLACED IN A BODY SHOP WHERE THAT SECTION OF THE ROOF CAN BE REPLACED SO IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN. THE WINDSHIELD REPAIR PERSON STATED THAT WHEN HE REPLACES A FRONT WINDSHIELD ON AN OLDS SILHOUETTE OR CHEVY VENTURE THAT IS NOT THE RESULT OF AN ACCIDENT, 99% OF THE TIME THE BREAK INITIATES AT ONE OF THE TOP CORNERS AND WHEN THE WINDSHIELD IS OUT, THERE IS SEVERE RUSTING IN THE SAME SPOTS. GIVEN THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST THROUGH, I EXPECT IT WILL LEAK INTO THE INTERIOR SOON.
Mileage: 171,300
ROOF LEAKS, DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK LEAKAGE, WATER HAS INFILTRATED THE FUSE PANEL REPEATEDLY, SHORTING THE HORN, CAUSING IT TO HONK AT RANDOM FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. *AK
Mileage: 120,000
ROOF LEAKS, DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK LEAKAGE, WATER HAS INFILTRATED THE FUSE PANEL REPEATEDLY, SHORTING THE HORN, CAUSING IT TO HONK AT RANDOM FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. *AK
Mileage: 120,000
ROOF LEAKS, DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO BLOCK LEAKAGE, WATER HAS INFILTRATED THE FUSE PANEL REPEATEDLY, SHORTING THE HORN, CAUSING IT TO HONK AT RANDOM FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. *AK
Mileage: 120,000
RECALL #01 V 264 000/SLIDING DOOR:INTERMITTENTLY THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR WOULD OPEN BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER HAS MADE REPAIRS ON THIS DOOR APPROXIMATELY 2 YEAR AGO, NOW THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING. *NM
Mileage: 7,000
THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS RATTLED AND REOPENED ONCE THE WERE SHUT. WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR IT LOCKS ON ITS OWN. ONCE THE VEHICLE LOCKS ON ITS OWN CONSUMER IS NOT ABLE TO GET OUT. CONSUMER TRIES TO OPEN THE DOORS WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL, BUT WITH NO LUCK. CONSUMER HAS TO WAIT UNTIL IT UNLOCKS TO EXIT.*AK
Mileage: 15,223
DRIVERS SIDE HEADLAMP LENS FELL OFF. *AK
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS LENS FELL OFF WITHOUT WARRING. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *LA
Mileage: 100,000
FAILURE OF INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON GM PROBLEM WITH THIS V-6 ENGINE. GM DENIED REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT.
Mileage: 73,507
TRANSMISSION FAILED DEC. 2000. REPLACED BY DEALER. FAILED AGAIN 1,000 MILES LATER. REPAIRED BY DEALER. 8000 MILES LATER ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON-DEALER SAID WAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, WOULD NOT REPAIR -OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM, WHICH STARTED ON WARRANTY. CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE TO PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH LOCAL FACTORY REP. TOLD THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME THE NUMBER AND THAT I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND ON MY OWN.
TRANSMISSION FAILED DEC. 2000. REPLACED BY DEALER. FAILED AGAIN 1,000 MILES LATER. REPAIRED BY DEALER. 8000 MILES LATER ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON-DEALER SAID WAS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, WOULD NOT REPAIR -OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS BEEN A PERSISTENT PROBLEM, WHICH STARTED ON WARRANTY. CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE TO PUT ME IN CONTACT WITH LOCAL FACTORY REP. TOLD THEY WOULD NOT GIVE ME THE NUMBER AND THAT I WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND ON MY OWN.
THE ISSUE WE RAN INTO LAST YEAR IS WHERE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE. WE TOOK IT INTO OUR LOCAL DEALER, PEARSON PONTIAC, GMS, OLDS IN SUNNYVALE, ON MARCH 21 2002. AROUND THAT TIME BOTH MYSELF AND THE DEALER, AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT I WAS TOLD, CALLED OLDSMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VAN WAS AT 41788 MILES, 5K MILES OUT OF MILEAGE WARRANTY, AND THE BELIEF ON MY PART THAT A MAJOR ENGINE REPAIR WAS NOT REASONABLE FOR A VAN WITH ONLY 41K MILES. WHY SAY THE COOLANT CAN LAST 150K MILES WHEN IT ALL LEAKS OUT AT 41K MILES? I WAS TURNED DOWN FOR ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE I TALKED WITH JUSTIN AND THE CASE NUMBER WAS C06614725. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. AT THE SAME TIME HE DETERMINED THE LIFTERS SHOULD BE REPLACED ALONG WITH A LEAKING WATER PUMP. THE TOTAL COST WAS $1,709.72. BREAKDOWN WAS $1,130.84 FOR LABOR AND THE REST FOR PARTS AND SALES T
Mileage: 41,788
RIGHT DOOR WINDOW INOPERATIVE-WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. LEFT DOOR WINDOW INOPERATIVE-WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. (DECEMBER 2002) WINDOW WIPER ARM RUBBED HOLE IN BRAKE LINE, CAUSED BRAKES TO FAIL RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.
RIGHT DOOR WINDOW INOPERATIVE-WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. LEFT DOOR WINDOW INOPERATIVE-WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. (DECEMBER 2002) WINDOW WIPER ARM RUBBED HOLE IN BRAKE LINE, CAUSED BRAKES TO FAIL RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.
WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE HORN CONTINUOUSLY SOUNDED AND ALL THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED. THE DOORS COULD NOT BE MANUALLY OPENED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND WAIT FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE TO TEN MINUTES AND THEN TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, POWER STEERING FLUID HAD TO BE ADDED EVERY 10,000 MILES AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED DUE TO FAULTY GASKETS. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE. *AK WHEN THE DOORS LOCKED, THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPEN, THE DASH LIGHTS AND OVERHEAD LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE POWER LOCKS WOULD CHATTER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN THE DASH, THE DRIVER DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, ALL THE DOORS WOULD LOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED MANUALLY OR OPEN THE WINDOWS, ALL OF THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND WAS INTERMITTENT, THE LEFT DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, THE S
Mileage: 9,000
WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE HORN CONTINUOUSLY SOUNDED AND ALL THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED. THE DOORS COULD NOT BE MANUALLY OPENED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND WAIT FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE TO TEN MINUTES AND THEN TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, POWER STEERING FLUID HAD TO BE ADDED EVERY 10,000 MILES AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED DUE TO FAULTY GASKETS. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE. *AK WHEN THE DOORS LOCKED, THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPEN, THE DASH LIGHTS AND OVERHEAD LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE POWER LOCKS WOULD CHATTER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN THE DASH, THE DRIVER DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, ALL THE DOORS WOULD LOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED MANUALLY OR OPEN THE WINDOWS, ALL OF THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND WAS INTERMITTENT, THE LEFT DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, THE S
Mileage: 9,000
WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE HORN CONTINUOUSLY SOUNDED AND ALL THE DOORS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED. THE DOORS COULD NOT BE MANUALLY OPENED. THE CONSUMER HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND WAIT FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE TO TEN MINUTES AND THEN TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, POWER STEERING FLUID HAD TO BE ADDED EVERY 10,000 MILES AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED DUE TO FAULTY GASKETS. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE. *AK WHEN THE DOORS LOCKED, THE WINDOWS WOULD NOT OPEN, THE DASH LIGHTS AND OVERHEAD LIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE POWER LOCKS WOULD CHATTER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, THE LIGHTS WENT OUT IN THE DASH, THE DRIVER DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, ALL THE DOORS WOULD LOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND COULD NOT BE OPENED MANUALLY OR OPEN THE WINDOWS, ALL OF THE DOORS WOULD UNLOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND WAS INTERMITTENT, THE LEFT DOOR WOULD NOT UNLOCK WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, THE S
Mileage: 9,000
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.