Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette problems

Owners filed 178 complaints about the 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette with NHTSA between Jan 1998 and Jul 2012. The most-cited component is exterior lighting (33).

Complaints
178
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Exterior lighting33
  2. Engine and engine cooling32
  3. Steering17
  4. Structure16
  5. Latches/locks/linkages15
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic15
  7. Fuel system, gasoline12
  8. Electrical system11
  9. Power train10
  10. Visibility10
  11. Seats10
  12. Air bags8
  13. Tires7
  14. Seat belts6

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
199822
199919
200016
200121
200221
200322
200424
200517
20065
20071
20083
20092
20101
20112
20122

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Exterior lighting

33 reports1 related recall
“DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS FOGGED UP, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. AND THEY COULD TAKE THE HEADLIGHTS APART AND BLOW AIR INTO THEM. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE DUE TO THE EXPENSE. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 29, 2005Exterior lightingODI 10143888

Engine and engine cooling

32 reports
“WHILE DRIVING VAN THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOWED HOT AND HEATER STOPPED BLOWING HOT AIR FEW MINUTES LATER IT COOLED BACK DOWN AND STARTED BLOWING WARM AIR AND IT CONTINUED TO DO THAT OVER AND OVER PUT A THERMOSTAT IN IT AND IT DID NOT HELP IT CONTINUED TO DO THE SAME THING IT IS FULL OF WATER STILL NOT BLOWING ANY WARM AIR OUT AND STEAMING OUT THE EXHAUST. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10442808

Steering

17 reports2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXITING A PARKING SPACE, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V286000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION) BUT WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 107,519.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 19, 2012SteeringODI 10466669

Structure

16 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE MINIVAN. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH UNEXPECTEDLY THE TIRE FLATTENED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE SPARE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE RUSTED SPARE TIRE CABLE BRACKET. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,430.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 19, 2010StructureODI 10326388

Latches/locks/linkages

15 reports3 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AND SHIFTED INTO PARK, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY REMAIN IN PARK IF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE IT WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE SHIFT LINKAGE CABLE WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 03/24/11*LJ THE DOOR LATCH AND SEAT BELTS WERE INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 05/05/11”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 1, 2011Power train, Seat belts, Latches/locks/linkagesODI 10386019

Service brakes, hydraulic

15 reports
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD BANGING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE BRAKES. REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM, BUT THE NOISE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE ISSUE WAS COMMON IN SOME FUEL TANKS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 70,000. UPDATED 01/07/09. *LJ UPDATED 01/08/09.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 5, 2008Service brakes, hydraulic, Fuel system, gasolineODI 10250868
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.