1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Silhouette years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 9th of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette. That ranks 9th out of 10 Silhouette model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (8 complaints, 40%), typically at around 118,000 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 20owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 40% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 20% | 101,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 2 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 5% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles and mini vans have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These and some other retainers used in vehicles assembled between january 1, 1996 and october 31, 1997, could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Risk: If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began january 24, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I own two very similar gm made vans, a 1996 oldsmobile silhouette, and a 1994 chevrolet lumina apv van. Both had sudden brake failure due to the rear brake line bursting, in exactly the same place! Both had current inspections. This is very dangerous. I had to replace the rear brake lines on both…
1) vehicle started stalling 2) coolant leaked into oil 3) had to have repaired at my own cost $780.00 and not sure that this will take care of it. *nm
While driving 45 mph vehicle stalled without warning. Vehicle was towed to an independent shop, and technician replaced the engine. But problem recurred. *ak
While in reverse and without any indication vehicle lost steering power. Consumer turned vehicle off. Then, restarted vehicle and steering operated normally. *ak
Intake gasket leaked internaly and allowed oil and coolant to intermix and destroyed the engine. There was no warning. I\\\\\\'m still getting estimates for the engine repair/replacement but it looks to be $4000+.
Other Oldsmobile Silhouette years
← 1995 Silhouette · 1997 Silhouette →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Silhouette | 11 | 1 |
| 2003 Silhouette | 36 | 2 |
| 2002 Silhouette | 57 | 2 |
| 2001 Silhouette | 78 | 6 |
| 2000 Silhouette | 114 | 5 |
| 1999 Silhouette | 149 | 4 |
| 1998 Silhouette | 170 | 7 |
| 1997 Silhouette | 104 | 6 |
| 1996 | 20 | 1 |
| 1995 Silhouette | 46 | 2 |
See all Oldsmobile Silhouette problems by year, every Oldsmobile model, or the VIN decoder.
Similar Oldsmobile models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, visibility, structure problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Silhouette model years, the 1996 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.