1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Complaints

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 64,000 MILES. I TOOK THE VAN TO A LOCAL DEALER BECAUSE OF A KNOCKING NOISE ON COLD STARTUP. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE FAILED GASKET RUINED THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $1500. THE VAN HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE (OIL, FILTERS, ANITFREEZE CHECKED) EVERY 3000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES AND DEXCOOL SYSTEMS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE HAD THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING.

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. THIS PROBLEM HAS ALSO OCCURED TO A FRIEND OF MINE WHO OWNS A 1999 OLDS SILHOUETTE.

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED ALLOWING DEXCOOL COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE AND MIX WITH THE OIL. TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED AT 58,000 MILES. ENGINE REBUILT AT 62,000 MILES. APPARENTLY THIS IS HAPPENING ON THOUSANDS OF GM VEHICLES AND GM WILL NOT COVER THE COST. IN NO WAY SHOULD A 1999 VAN NEED A NEW ENGINE.

CAR WENT TO DEALER TO DIAGNOSE A KNOCKING SOUND ON COLD STARTUP. DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, COST TO REPAIR APPROX $900.00. ON DISASSEMBLY, DEALER CONTACTED ME AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE INTERNALS WERE SO BADLY FOULED (SLUDGE AND DEPOSITS) THAT HYDRAULIC LIFTERS NEEDED REPLACEMENT, COST APPROX $450.00. I ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED, VAN HAS ALWAYS HAD ENGINE OIL CHANGED AT 3000 MILE INTERVALS, WITH NEW FILTER AND CORRECT OIL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO DIFFERENTLY TO AVOID THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. NO ADVICE OFFERED, AND NO SUGGESTIONS FOR WHY THE GASKET HAD FAILED.

COOLANT LEVEL LOW LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICING AND OIL CHANGE. TECH SAID THE INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING AND THAT THE RADIATOR WAS FULL OF MUD. TOOK IT TO A GM DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND FOUND THE GASKETS WERE LEAKING AND THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST 1 RADIATOR FLUSH, POSSIBLY 2.

LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CAUSE OIL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH COOLANT. ENGINE FAILED.

INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT LEAK CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE GASKET. RELATED TSB MENTIONS "NEW GASKET DESIGN" IMPLYING THAT ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS DEFECTIVE. OLDSMOBILE REFUSES TO OFFER ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR FAILURE, REPAIR BILL IS $950.00 SO FAR. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AT THIS AGE. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH GM'S ATTITUDE OF CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION.*AK

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 65,000 MILES. I TOOK THE VAN TO A LOCAL DEALER AFTER ANTIFREEZE STARTED LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEM WAS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE FAILED GASKET FOULED THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $1255. SAME PROBELM HAPPENDED TO A RELATIVE'S PONTIAC. THIS IS ALL TOO COMMON OF A PROBLEM. GM SHOULD RECALL THIS MODEL. THIS WILL BE THE LAST OF 5 GM PRODUCTS I HAVE OWNED.*AK

SLIDING POWER DOOR WILL OPEN BY ITSELF IN OCCASIONS AND NOW IT DOESN'T WORK AUTOMATICALLY STATES IS THE MODULE AND REPLACEMENT COST QUOTED AT $1412.00. *LA

THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE WHEN THE DRIVER STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR, IT SHUTTERED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INDICATED THAT IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM. IT INVOLVED THE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY WHICH NEEDED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. *AK THERE WERE TWO CLOSE CALLS WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP TO GET INTO A MERGE LANE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. ANOTHER INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE GOING UPHILL WHEN ATTEMPTING TO QUICKLY ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE SHUTTERED AND DRIFTED BACKWARDS INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE THEN SUDDENLY SHOT FORWARD. *SC *JB