1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Complaints

MY 1999 OLDS SILHOUETTE VAN HAS EXPERIENCED A SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE FIRST WITH 35K MILES, AND THE SECOND ONE 27K MILES LATER. I HAVE RESEARCHED NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THIS SAME TYPE OF GM TRANSMISSION INDICATING TRANSMISSION FAILURES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. GM IS TRYING TO PASS IT OFF AS AN UNUSUAL MISFORTUNE ON MY BEHALF. FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO THESE FAILURES IS NEEDED FOR THE CONSUMER SAFETY AND VEHICLE RELIABILITY. I SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TO PUT A THIRD TRANSMISSION INTO A 4 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. *NLM

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT AN AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOOR PROBLEM. A RECALL WAS ISSUED IN 2001, BUT THE PARTS NEEDED FOR REPAIR WERE INFERIOR, AND THE DOOR STILL DID NOT WORK. *AK *MR

KNOWN PROBLEM WITH GM ENGINE V6 3800, LEAKING ANTIFREEZE INTO ENGINE. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. *JB

AFTER READING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON POWER TRAIN, AUTO TRANSMISSION I NOTICED ALL THE SAME ISSUES. WE TOO EXPERIENCED HEAVY JERKING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS AT INTERMITTENT TIMES AND REPORTED TO THE DEALER WHO COULD NOT REPEAT THE OCCURRENCE AND TOOK NO ACTION. DREHER HOLLOWAY. AT 48,000 MILES, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND THE DEALER CLOSEST TO THE INCIDENT, MERRIMACK STREET GARAGE, RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT, NOT REPAIR. RENTAL CAR AND REPAIR, ALMOST $4000. GM IS NOT COVERING THE COST OR ADMITTING ANY OWNERSHIP OF THE PROBLEM. DREHER HOLLOWAY IS NO LONGER AN OLDS DEALER. THEY DID A "30,000 MILE GM SERVICE PLUS SERVICE ON THE TRANSMISSION, THAT PROVIDES EXTENDED TROUBLE FREE SERVICE". THAT WAS $400 WASTED. IS THIS ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE? *NLM

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 62,000 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.*JB

LEAKING AND CRACKED LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS FROM COOROSION AT 30,777 MILES. WITH RADIATOR CRACKED.

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 52,000 MILES. I BROUGHT IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER BECAUSE OF A KNOCKING NOISE ON COLD STARTUP. DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, COST TO REPAIR APPROX $900.00. ON DISASSEMBLY, DEALER CONTACTED ME WITH INFORMATION THAT THE ENGINE INTERNALS WERE SO BADLY FOULED (SLUDGE AND DEPOSITS) THAT THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS SITUATION, SINCE THE VAN HAS ALWAYS GOTTEN REGULAR OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES, WITH NEW FILTER AND CORRECT OIL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO DIFFERENTLY TO AVOID THIS SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. NO INFORMATION OR ADVICE WAS OFFERED ON WHY THE GASKET FAILED, OR WHY THE ENGINE WAS SO BADLY FOULED.

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE LEFT AND /OR RIGHT FRONT LOWER INSULATOR TO CRADDLE CENTER METAL SLEEVE HAS COLLAPSED RESULTING IN LOSS OF CLAMP LOAD IN THE JOINT. DEALER STATED CONSUMER VIN NUMBER DOES NOT COMPLY TO RECALL 99V071000. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER ADVISED THAT THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CONTINOUSLY LEAKS. HAD CURRENT GASKET REPLACED AT 59K MILES AND GASKET IS NOW LEAKING. THE DEALER ADVISED PROBLEM MAY BE DUE TO GASKET'S CURRENT TORQUE SPECIFICATION, BUT CAN NOT TORQUE ANY TIGHTER OR WILL BREAK MANIFOLD. TS

ADD COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. PULLED OVER AT EXIT AND ADDED COOLANT. COOLANT DID NOT STAY IN THE RESERVOIR AND HAD TO BE ADDED REGULARLY. SMALL AREAS OF COOLANT WERE NOTICED UNDER THE VEHICLE WHERE IT WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO BE CHECKED AT LOCAL GARAGE AND MECHANIC FOUND LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AREA WAS INSPECTED AND THE LEAKING GASKET WAS FOUND AND REPLACED. THE GASKET APPEARED TO HAVE DETERIORATED IN A WAY THAT WOULD NOT BE EXPECTED. THE MECHANIC WAS ASKED IF THERE HAD BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NOT ONE, THOUGH HE WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM IN MANY GM VEHICLES THAT USED THAT PARTICULAR GASKET BETWEEN CERTAIN YEARS. I BELIEVE 1996-1999 WERE THE YEARS MENTIONED.*AK