1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Complaints

I HAVE TWO 1998 OLDS SILHOUETTE'S AND BOTH HAVE MOISTURE BUILD UP IN THEM. I HAVE REPLACED THE TWO LENS HOUSING ON ONE OF THE VEHICLES ONLY TO HAVE THE MOISTURE BUILD UP AGAIN. THIS WAS DONE AFTER A BULB WENT OUT DUE TO THE MOISTURE. ON THE SECOND VEHICLE I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER AND THEY STATED IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE AND WAS NOT A SAFETY HAZARD. NOW I AM THINKING OF CONTACTING MY ATTORNEY TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. I DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR AN ACCIDENT TO OCCUR OR A DEATH TO RESULT FROM SUCH A DEFECT. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE WHEN I TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR THE ANNUAL STATE SAFETY INSPECTION THEY ALWAYS CHECK THE HEAD LIGHT CONDITION. SO HEADLIGHT CONDITION IS A SAFETY CONCERN. JUST LIKE THE TIRE INCIDENT WITH FORD...DOES OLDSMOBILE/GM WANT NUMEROUS LAW SUITS OVER THIS MAJOR PROBLEM...I THINK NOT!*JB

THE FOLLOWING LETTER (COMBINED MESSAGE FORUM POSTING & LETTER TO GM OF MINE) REPRESENTS THE MAIN POINTS IN MY COMPLAINT INVOLVING AN INTAKE GASKET MANIFOLD LEAK IN OUR 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WHICH WE'VE SINCE REPAIRED FOR APPROXIMATELY $900.00: AFTER RECENTLY WRITING A LENGTHY COMPLAINT LETTER TO OLDSMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE (EXPLAINING HOW I WAS TRYING A GM PRODUCT FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER BEING DISSATISFIED WITH CHRYSLER PRODUCTS FOR THE PAST 10 YEARS) AND AFTER 2 WEEKS OF PHONE TAG WITH 2 GM CUSTOMER SERVICE REPS I WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT BECAUSE I WASN'T THE ORIGINAL OWNER, BOUGHT IT WITH RELATIVELY HIGH MILEAGE (50K MI) AND DIDN'T HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY GM IS NOT GOING TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR OF MY INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET PROBLEM. I SUMMARIZED BY SAYING, "SO, YOU'RE SAYING THAT GM DOESN'T CARE WHAT 2ND OWNERS OF GM VEHICLES THINK ABOUT GM? YOU DON'T CARE THAT I WON'T BUY ANOTHER GM PRODUCT?" THE REP. RESPONDED "THAT'S YOUR CHOICE." HE WENT ON TO SAY "WE DON'T KNOW HOW THE PREVIOUS OWNER MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE...." AND I RESPONDED SAYING "THERE ARE TSB'S OUT THERE ON THIS PROBLEM, OVER 1500 PEOPLE WHO'VE SIGNED AN ONLINE PETITION AND GM DEALER SERVICE TECHS WHO IMMEDIATELY POINT OUT THE PROBLEM TO OWNERS WHO GO IN FOR TOTALLY UNRELATED SERVICE; YOU CAN'T TELL ME THAT GM DOESN'T KNOW THIS IS A PRODUCT DEFECT." HE DIDN'T RESPOND. MY VEHICLE IS NOW CONSUMING ABOUT 16 OZ. OF COOLANT EVERY 150 MILES DRIVEN. THE REP. SAID I SHOULDN'T BE DRIVING IT AT ALL; EASY TO SAY IF YOU COULD AFFORD TO GO OUT AND REPLACE IT OR REPAIR IT; NOT A VERY GOOD OPTION FOR OUR FAMILY NOW. AN EXTENSIVE WEB SEARCH ON ??OLDS SILHOUETTE AND INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK?? HAS PRODUCED MANY STORIES OF EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE IN THE SAME YEAR. I REQUEST THAT THIS PROBLEM BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID FURTHER DAMAGE TO ENGINE COMPONENTS.*JB

FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD ON 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE HAS CAUSED AN ENGINE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE MY PREGNANT WIFE (3 DAYS PAST DUE) WAS DRIVING OUR 5 YR OLD SON HOME FROM THE DENTIST. SHE WAS DRIVING 40 MPH ON A HIGH TRAFFIC ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED! THIS SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *JB

FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON MY 3.4LTR V6 ENGINE HAS FAILED AND IS LEAKING COOLANT.

BOTH FRONT HEADLAMP LENSES HAVE POPPED OFF WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING THE LAMPS TO BURN OUT. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A COMMAN PROBLEM, A DESIGN DEFECT, AND REPLACEMENTS OUGHT TO BE FORTHCOMING.

FAULTY INTAKE GASKET ON 98 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE (SAME AS CHEVROLET VENTURE). ENGINE V6 3400. 78000 MILES.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, CONSUMER STATES THE STEERING WHEEL GETS REALLY STIFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THERE IS A RECALL DESCRIBING THE SAME PROBLEM RECALL # 02 V 286 000. CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS NOT AFFECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

DRIVER'S RIGHT METAL SEAT BOLSTER HAS DISPLACED PADDING ALLOWING THE SHARP METAL FRAME TO BE EXPOSED BENEATH THE LEATHER. I BELIEVE THIS COULD HARM THE DRIVER IN AN ACCIDENT.

OUR 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE HAS 45000 MILES AND NEEDS A NEW $5000 ENGINE. IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS AND THE ENGINE HAS BEEN DESTROYED BY A INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK WHICH ALLOWS CORROSIVE DEXCOOL COOLANT TO LEACH INTO THE ENGINE. THERE ARE MANY OTHER VICTIMS OF THIS FLAW, AND DETAILS OF THE PROBLEM ARE AVAILABLE AT: HTTP://WWW.CARTRACKERS.COM/FORUMS/LIVE/YOURLEMON/231.HTML HTTP://WWW.PETITIONONLINE.COM/GMCNSMRS/PETITION.HTML HTTP://WWW.GEOCITIES.COM/GM_INTAKE/ HTTP://WWW.GM-V6LEMONS.COM/

HEADLAMP COVERS ON 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE VAN FALL OFF CAUSING THE BULBS TO BLOW WHEN MOISTURE, SUCH AS RAIN, HITS THE BULB.