1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Silhouette years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 149 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette. That ranks 2nd out of 10 Silhouette model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (46 complaints, 31%), typically at around 64,000 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 4 fires, 18 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 7 defect investigations involving it.
- 149owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 7NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1999 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 | 46 | 31% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 18 | 12% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 16 | 11% | 63,258 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 12 | 8% | 52,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 11 | 7% | 84,222 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 7% | 132,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 8 | 5% | 147,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 5% | 124,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 7 | 5% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 4% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 4% | 72,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 6 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 3% | 65,444 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 192,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 1% | 57,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 192,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 2 | 1% | 101,763 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 199,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: On certain minivans equipped with second-row bucket seats or captain's chairs and a power sliding door on the passenger side of the vehicle, a passenger using the interior handle to open the power sliding door could be injured.
Risk: If a passenger uses the interior handle to open the power sliding door and holds onto the handle while it is being opened by the motor, the passenger's arm may be pushed into the seat back or armrest and a wrist or lower arm injury may result.
Fix: Dealers will replace the power sliding door interior handle on the passenger-side. If the vehicle is equipped with a power or manual sliding door on the driver-side, the interior handle will also be replaced for appearance reasons. Note: before the vehicle is serviced, gm advises owners to not use the interior door handle to open the door. The driver can open and close the door from switches at the driver's position or by using the remote key fob. The driver should tell passengers to use the switch located in front of the door to open or close it. The driver should use the override switch to prevent operation of the power door by children or by others who are not familiar with its use. The owner notification letter mailing will be conducted in phases with the first phase beginning on may 31, 2005. The second phase mailing began on july 18, 2005. The recall began on may 31, 2005. Phase 2 began on july 18, 2005. Phase 3 (final phase) began on august 24, 2005, to all remaining customers. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; pontiac at 1-800-620-7668; or oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Vehicle description: 1997-2001 chevrolet venture, pontiac montana/transport, and oldsmobile silhouette mini vans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors that were serviced in campaign 01013 (01v-067) from april to august 2001. Also 2001 chevrolet venture, pontiac montana, and oldsmobile silhouette mini vans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors assembled in january through april 2001. These vehicles have inadequate front welds. If a front weld fails, the actuator can jam in the unlatched position and, when the sliding door closes, it will not be latched.
Risk: If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface. An unrestrained occupant could fall out of the van and be injured.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if required, install a new power sliding door unlatch actuator assembly. Owner notification began on october 22, 2001. 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.
Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Problem: Vehicle description: minivans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors. The door closes but may not be latched. If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface.
Risk: An unrestrained occupant could fall out of the van and be injured.
Fix: Dealers will install a new un-latch actuator assembly to the power sliding door. This recall has been continued under safety recall 01v-264. 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.
Steering:gear box:shaft sector
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger mini vans. The left and/or right front lower insulator to cradle center metal sleeve is collapsed, which can result in loss of clamp load in the joint. If the clamp load is reduced or lost, the bolt can be lost or broken and the joint can separate.
Risk: If not repaired, separation of the opposite side joint could occur resulting in steering shaft separation.
Fix: Dealers will replace the left and right front lower cradle-to-suspension insulators and the attaching bolts.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Power-sliding door (PE04064) — opened Sep 17, 2004, closed Dec 22, 2004, led to recall 04V597000.
- Rear axle trailing arm failure (EA03005) — opened Apr 23, 2003, closed Jan 12, 2004.
- Rear axle trailing arm failure (PE02086) — opened Nov 18, 2002, closed Apr 9, 2003.
- Shoulder harness clip (PE02017) — opened Feb 11, 2002, closed Aug 2, 2002.
- Air bag tear during deployment (PE00045) — opened Nov 3, 2000, closed Jan 11, 2001.
- Unexpected opening of sliding door (SQ00014) — opened Jul 25, 2000, closed Oct 22, 2001, led to recall 01V067000.
- Traction control (RQ00006) — opened Feb 16, 2000, closed Apr 20, 2001, led to recall 98V072000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Car won't start unless you wiggle the key in the ignition switch. Can die at any time while driving.
I was backing out of my place at worship when a friend told me i had no backup lights. I went straight to the auto supply store. Replacing the bulbs did not work. They told me it had to do with the transmission. I went elsewhere. Same story. Went to the he transmission store. They said my…
The engine. The coolant low light stays on even though it isn't.. Have had it checked. They said its all ok. Then i read these complaints. Why aren't they being held responsible for a defect!!!!! Its their defect, not ours. We didn't sign up for $1200 in repairs or more!!! Are you getting paid to…
I was driving in town when a car pulled out of a parking spot right in front of me giving me two feet to stop at 25 mph. I stopped but my brakes blew. Total failure of two brakes. The engine. According to your complaints i might have a gasket to replace because i have a coolant light on and it…
Could not engage drive gear but would engage in 1st and 2nd gear and reverse. *tr
Other Oldsmobile Silhouette years
← 1998 Silhouette · 2000 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 | 149 | 4 |
| 1998 Silhouette | 170 | 7 |
| 1997 Silhouette | 104 | 6 |
| 1996 Silhouette | 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 1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, structure, power train problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 46 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1999 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 1999 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.