1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Complaints

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 25MPH ENGINE SHUTDOWN. FORCING TO PULL OFF THE ROAD PUSHING BY HAND. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM WITH A FAULTY CRANKSHAFT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. PH

THE METAL FRAME SEAT BOLSTER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IN MY 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE HAS BROKEN THROUGH THE FOAM CUSION AND HAS BEGUN TO DAMAGE THE LEATHER. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THIS VEHICLE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT THE METAL WOULD IMPALE THE DRIVER. I HAVE CONTACTED GENERAL MOTORS SEVERAL TIMES ONLY FOR THEM TO TELL ME SOMEONE WOULD HAVE TO BE INJURED BEFORE THEY WOULD RECONGNIZE THIS AS A PROBLEM. A RELATIVE HAS THE EXACT SAME MINI-VAN (YEAR AND MODEL) AND IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAVE RECEIVED AN ESTIMATE OF REPAIR FROM AN INDEPENDENT AUTO UPHOLSTERY SHOP AND FOUND IT INTERESTING THAT WHEN I TOLD THE GENTLEMAN WHAT TYPE OF VEHICLE IT WAS HE KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS PRIOR TO LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE. HE INDICATED THAT HE HAS REPAIRED MANY OF THESE. WE ALSO FOUND OUT THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAS REDESIGNED THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS SEATS IN THE SILHOUETTE, EITHER PROVIDING MORE SEAT FRAME PROTECTION OR REMOVING THE METAL PORTION THAT IS PROTRUDING FROM MY VEHICLE.

THE MIDDLE ROW SEATBELT WILL NOT STAY LOCKED. CONSUMER STATED WHEN SECURING CHILD SEAT IN THE MIDDLE OUTBOARD REAR SEAT, THE SEATBELT WILL NOT STAY LOCKED, AND POPPED LOOSE. CHILD WAS NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED. TS SEAT BELT BUCKLE AND RETRACTOR WAS REPLACED. *TT

BATTERY HAS FAILED REPEATEDLY. LEFT STRANDED 8/99, 4/01, 11/02. "NEW" BATTERY INSTALLED EACH TIME. SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT DEALER UNABLE TO EXPLAIN WHY THIS VEHICLE KEEPS "EATING" BATTERIES. SAYS IT IS THE HEAT IN FLORIDA WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE. DT

WHEN FOLDING THE REAR SEAT DOWN IT CAUSED THE SEAT BELT TO MALFUNCTION. CONSUMER STATED THE OCCUPANT WAS UNABLE TO FASTEN THE SEAT BELT. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR THE THIRD ROW SEAT HAD AN OPEN GEAR MECHANISM THAT SERVERED THE SEAT BELTS ON EACH SIDE. THE PLASTIC GUARD WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT THE BELT. THE SEATS WERE SEVERED BY THE REAR FOLDING PROCESS AND THE DRIVER'S MANUAL DOESN'T CAUTION THE POSSIBILITY. GM STATED THAT PROBLEM WAS A WEAR ISSUE WITHOUT EXAMINING THE VEHICLE. SCC *JB

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT LENS CRACKED ALLOWING WATER TO ENTER THE COMPONENT, AND BLOWING OUT THE HEADLIGHT BULB. WHILE VISUALLY INSPECTING HEADLIGHTS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE LENS FELL OUT AND THE BULB BLEW. NLM THE CONSUMER STATES THAT IT IS HARD TO SEE WHILE DRIVING. SCC

THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAD LIGHT COVER FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO BE INOPERTIVE DUE TO MOSITURE BUILD UP FROM EXPOSURE. DEALER CONTACTED. NLM THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS IS COMMON IN THE 1997 & 1998 MODELS AND HAS HAD SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR THE PART, AND A CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATING THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT/FAULTY PART. *SCC

HEADLIGHT LENS COVER FELL OFF. ADHESIVE HOLDING COVERS HAS DRIED AND CRACKED. HEADLIGHTS FREQUENTLY HAVE MOISTURE PROBLEMS DUE TO LEAKS IN ADHESIVE HOLDING COVERS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 1997-CURRENT GENERAL MOTORS MINI VANS. DEALER DECLINED TO REPLACE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY. CONTACTED OLDSMOBILE 1-800-442-6537. OLDSMOBILE CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFERED 50% DISCOUNT ON PURCHASE OF REPLACEMENT PARTS. I BELIEVE PRODUCT ITSELF IS DEFECTIVE. I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE CITING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I DO NOT FORESEE REPLACING CURRENT HEADLIGHTS AS SOLUTION TO PROBLEM. I BELIEVE REPLACEMENT LENSES WILL ALSO FALL OFF WHEN ADHESIVE DETERIORATES.*AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS DRIVEN THROUGH A SMALL PUDDLE, AND ANY AMOUNT OF WATER ENTERS THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, VEHICLE LOSES POWER STEERING, AND STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP.*AK

THE LENS COVER ON THE HEADLIGHT DROPPED OFF DUE TO INFERIOR GLUE USED. IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO OLDSMOBILE. THE OTHER LENS COVER IS LOOSE AND WILL PROBABLY FALL OFF SOON IF NOT FIXED OR REPLACED.*AK