1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. THE TAIL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED. HAS TWO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BY GM , THE OTHER VEHICLE IS A 1999 PONTIAC MONTANA. THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED AND WILL NOT WORK ANYMORE. SHE HAS TO TURN THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN SHE TRYING TO STOP. SHE HAS HEARD ABOUT SEVERAL OTHER 1999 -2000 MODELS THAT HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THESE VEHICLES ARE USED AS TAXI VEHICLES . THEY HAVE TO BE RIGHT BECAUSE THEY ARE HAULING PASSENGERS. THE PONTIAC WAS PURCHASED TWO YEARS AGO, AND IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS. THE OLDSMOBILE WAS PURCHASED FOUR MONTHS AGO AND TAIL LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED SINCE PURCHASING IT. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SLIDING DOOR ON 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUTTE OPENED WHILE DRIVING AND RIPPED THE TIRE AND THE RIM. THE BACK FENDER WAS DAMAGED, AND THE REAR BUMPER WAS BENT OUTWARDS. THE PAINT WAS ALSO DAMAGED IN THE AREAS THAT THE DOOR HIT. DOOR OPENED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE BY ITSELF. THE OWNER HAD A HARD TIME CLOSING THE DOOR, WHICH WAS CHECKED BEFORE. OWNER RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER WHERE SHE BOUGHT VEHICLE. BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE DOOR. DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT THE OWNER BRING THE VAN BACK WHEN THE DOOR WAS OPENING. THE VAN HAS NOT BEEN RETURNED SINCE. OWNER LEFT THE DOOR ALONE, AND DID NOT HAVE THE DOOR CHECKED AGAIN. THE DOOR SOMETIMES WILL NOT OPEN . OWNER MADE CHILDREN GET IN TO VEHICLE ON THE OTHER SIDE WHEN THE DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. THIS IS WAS A PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. THE OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS AFTER THE DOOR CAME OPEN AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VAN.*AK

LEAK IN THE DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET , WHICH HAS BEEN DIRETLY RELATED TO ENGINE FAILURE,WHICH I NOW HAVE WITH MY 1999 OLDS SILOUETTE - COST TO REPLACE ENGINE - $4,500 - HAVING COLLANT LEAK INTO THE OIL CAN NOT BE GOOD FOR ANY ENGINE! GM WILL NOT OWN PROBLEM

VEHICLE OVERHEATED ON CONGESTED HIGHWAY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM. MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE AT 45,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $831 WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE MAY SEIZE AT ANY TIME DUE TO COOLANT/OIL CONTMINATION. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED WITH NEW GM DESIGN AND NEW INSTALLATION PROCEEDURE. I HAVE RETAINED THE OLD PARTS.

THE MOTOR FOR THE POWER SLIDING DOOR BROKE WITH ABOUT 48,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I TOOK IT TO 2 DIFFERENT GM DEALERS AND WAS TOLD BY BOTH SERVICE SHOPS THAT IT WOULD BE OVER $1200 FOR THE REPAIR AN THAT IT WOULD NOT BE WORTH REPAIRING BECAUSE THEY ALL BREAK. EVEN THE NEW ONES BREAK. I WAS TOLD THAT A RECALL WOULD BE COMING OUT BECAUSE OF ALL THE PROBLEMS.*AK

VEHICLE WAS ON THE ROAD WHEN DRIVER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. DRIVER THEN PULLED OVER TO NOTICE THAT THE FRONT SWAY BAR BROKE. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BY CONSUMER.*AK

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING ON 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 64,000 MILES. $900 REPAIR. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT GM WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DESIGN DEFECT. *NM

THE "LOW COOLANT" LIGHT CAME ON BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A LEAK. WE FINALLY DISCOVERED THAT THE HOT COOLANT WAS LEAKING ONTO THE CAMSHAFT AND INTO THE ENGINE THROUGH FAULTY LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. THE GASKET WAS REPLACED AT OUR EXPENSE BUT WE DO NOT KNOW THE DAMAGE OR CONDITION OF THE CAMSHAFT AND ENGINE BEARINGS FROM COOLANT MIXED WITH OIL TO LUBRICATE. THERE REMAINS A COOLANT ODOR WE CANNOT IDENTIFY. WE LATER LEARNED OF GM SERVICE BULLETIN 03-06-01-010 DATED MARCH 2003 THAT IDENTIFIES THIS PROBLEM BUT VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE NOT BEEN ALERTED. THERE WILL BE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WITHOUT EARLY DETECTION OF PROBLEM AND REPAIR. *AK

OUR DAUGHTER GOT HER HAND CAUGHT IN THE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR, INSIDE HANDLE, WHEN SHE WENT TO OPEN THAT DOOR TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DOOR DOES NOT HAVE ANY WAY OF SENSING THAT SOMETHING MAY BE CAUGHT IN THE HANDLE WHILE IT IS OPENING SO IT KEPT GOING WHILE HER HAND WAS STUCK THERE. HER WRIST WAS BROKEN AS A RESULT OF THIS.*AK

HEADLIGHTS ALLOW MOISTURE IN, WATER COLLECTED IN THE HEADLAMPS, ONE FAILED, BEFORE I COULD GET IT FIXED THE OTHER ONE FAILED, CAUSING ME TO RUN OFF THE ROAD.*AK