2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Silhouette years
- More complaints than other years 5th of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 78 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette. That ranks 5th out of 10 Silhouette model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (12 complaints, 15%), typically at around 66,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 78owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 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 | 12 | 15% | 66,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 12% | 60,100 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 8 | 10% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 8 | 10% | 55,900 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 9% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 7 | 9% | 46,700 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 6 | 8% | 57,860 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 8% | 44,930 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 6% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 5 | 6% | 37,912 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 6% | 56,793 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 6% | 146,840 | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 5% | 61,800 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 4% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 3% | 170,680 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 3% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 1% | 57,860 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette recalls (6)
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.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward.
Risk: This could increase the severity of injury to a person who was not properly restrained and who was close to the passenger air bag at the time of deployment. It could also reduce the ab8ility of the air bag to protect a restrained front seat passenger.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began december 16, 2002. 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, oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or saturn at 1-800-553-6000, prompt #3.
Seats:front assembly:recliner
Problem: Vehicle description: certain mini vans built with second row 50/50 split bench seats or captain's chairs, fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the seat latch anchor wire diameter is greater than 6.1 mm.
Risk: If the connector for a latch-type child restraint is not attached correctly to the anchorage points, the restraint will not properly protect a child in the event of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the latch anchor wires and repair those with an improper diameter. Owner notification began april 10, 2002. 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, oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.
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.
Seat belts
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Short and sweet, i was in my vehicle, stationary in my yard, not running without the key and i was locked in. It would not let me out. One can imagine many circumstances where this would be death-inducing. (frailer person, no heavy objects to break windows, middle of nowhere, no cell phone, etc…
Ive owned the vehicle for about 2 years now. Friday june 1 2018 i was driving with all 4 of my children in the vehicle and my driver rear sliding door fell off the vehicle completly . All 3 latches that attach the door to the vehicle detached and the door went to the floor. Were were moving state i…
My complaint is the fact that companies need to track down any owner of a vehicle that their company makes. My dad purchased this oldsmobile van, it was a used vehicle, he did not realize that there had been recalls for problems with the seat belts, and air bags. I shared a mail box with him, and i…
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 oldsmobile silhouette. While driving at approximately 25 mph, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop without warning. The contact crashed into a parking block followed by a tree. The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained a fractured right…
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 oldsmobile silhouette. The contact stated that the key failed to turn in the ignition. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 126,000.
Other Oldsmobile Silhouette years
← 2000 Silhouette · 2002 Silhouette →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 Silhouette | 11 | 1 |
| 2003 Silhouette | 36 | 2 |
| 2002 Silhouette | 57 | 2 |
| 2001 | 78 | 6 |
| 2000 Silhouette | 114 | 5 |
| 1999 Silhouette | 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 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, power train, electrical system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 12 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 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 2001 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.