1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette engine and engine cooling problems

“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”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL OIL LEAK. THE OIL LEAKAGE INCREASES THE RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.”

“MY 1998 OLD SILHOUETTE HAD INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED AT 69, 000 MILES AND THEN 8 MONTHS AT 73 000 MILE MY CAM BROKE IN HALF WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT 25 TO 30 MPH UNKNOWN WHY OR HOW MUCH MORE DAMAGE IS DONE AT THIS TIME. INVESTIGATOR IS COMING OUT TO CHECK WHAT HAD HAPPEN . *TR”

“WE PURCHASED A VAN IN GOOD WORKING ORDER IN 04/2006. IT WAS USED PREVIOUSLY BY ONE OWNER SINCE BEING PURCHASED NEW. IN NOVEMBER 2007- IT BEGAN OVERHEATING AND LOSING COOLANT. THE DIAGNOSIS IS NOW REPLACEMENT OF HEAD GASKET AND POSSIBLE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. GM HAS REFUSED TO HELP THEIR CONSUMERS IN ANY WAY IF THERE IS NO WARRANTY. AS WITH ALL PROBLEMS THESE COULD FAIL DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, MILEAGE, AND OR AGE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE THE CASE IN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS INCLUDING MY OWN! *TR”

“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT WARMING UP PROPERLY. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE ANTIFREEZE WAS LEAKING INTO THE OIL. THE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED. WHEN THE PROBLEM RETURNED THE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME. TWO OTHER MEMBERS OF CONTACT'S FAMILY HAD THE SAME THINGS GO WRONG WITH THEIR VEHICLES. THE DEALER WON'T HELP THE CONTACT TO DEFRAY THE EXPENSES BECAUSE HE USED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT ONCE WORKED AT THE DEALERSHIP. THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY DEALERSHIPS IN THE CONTACT'S AREA. ALSO, THE CONTACT KNEW MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD SIMILAR ENGINE PROBLEMS. *AK”

“BEGAN TO SEE COOLANT POOLING ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY, TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO FIND THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. SHOULD HAVE BEEN A WARRANTY ITEM. DID NOT DAMAGE ENGINE, I WAS LUCKY AND SPOTTED THE SITUATION EARLY. *NM”