1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette engine and engine cooling problems

“REPEATED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK / FAILURE - HAD TO REPLACE TWICE IN LESS THAN 100,000 MILES - FIRST TIME AT JUST OVER 36,000 MILES. NEVER OWNED A CAR WHERE I HAD TO REPLACE AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ONCE, LET ALONE TWICE AND VIRTUALLY EVERY CAR MY FAMILY HAS OWNED HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND DRIVEN OVER 100,000 MILES. SEARCHING THE INTERNET YOU SEE THE GM 3.4 LITER ENGINE IN 1999 ERA THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT/PROBLEM. ALSO THE ORIGINAL OLDSMOBILE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE. THERE IS ALSO A LAWSUIT WWW.DEXCOOLSETTLEMENT.COM SHOWING HOW PREVALENT THIS ISSUE IS - YET GM REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT IS A DEFECT AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND VEHICLE OWNERS BY REPAIRING THESE VEHICLES AND CHANGING THE GASKET DESIGN. IT WAS BAD ENOUGH HAVING TO SPEND CLOSE TO $500 TO REPAIR THIS ON MY OLDSMOBILE WITH JUST OVER 36,000 MILES ON IT, NOW I AM TOLD TO PAY CLOSE TO $1,000 TO HAVE IT REPLACED AGAIN! GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE INSISTS THERE IS NO DEFECT, THERE IS NOTHING ABNORMAL ABOUT THIS THAT REQUIRES ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION OR "ASSISTANCE" FROM GM. THEY FURTHER CLAIM GM ENGINEERS HAVE REVIEWED THE INCOMING DATA TO CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND…”

“TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE BROUGHT HE 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE TO DEALER IN COSTA MESA, CA FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PLUG BOOTHS MELTED, AND THAT THE SPARK PLUGS, AND PLUG WIRES MELTED AS WELL, AND THE HEAD GASKET FAILING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE SHE NEVER GOT ANY PRIOR WARNING ABOUT THE FAILURES ON HER VEHICLE. *AK”

“VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING ON SHORT TRIPS TO THE STORE(1-2 MILES). THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS THE THERMOSTAT HOWEVER WHEN TAKEN TO MECHANIC FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT HAS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED OLDSMOBILE REF TO THE PROBLEM TO INQUIRE ABOUT TSB # 030601010 OR 030601010B AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A BULLETIN. *JB”

“LEAK IN THE DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET , WHICH HAS BEEN DIRETLY RELATED TO ENGINE FAILURE,WHICH I NOW HAVE WITH MY 1999 OLDS SILOUETTE - COST TO REPLACE ENGINE - $4,500 - HAVING COLLANT LEAK INTO THE OIL CAN NOT BE GOOD FOR ANY ENGINE! GM WILL NOT OWN PROBLEM”

“VEHICLE OVERHEATED ON CONGESTED HIGHWAY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM. MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE AT 45,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $831 WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE MAY SEIZE AT ANY TIME DUE TO COOLANT/OIL CONTMINATION. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED WITH NEW GM DESIGN AND NEW INSTALLATION PROCEEDURE. I HAVE RETAINED THE OLD PARTS.”

“THE INTAKE GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED AND BECAUSE OF THE GASKET LEAKING I NOW HAVE LIFTERS THAT HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IT COST ME $500 TO REPLACE THE GASKET. I CANNOT AFFORD TO DO ANY MORE REPAIRS. SO I'M NOW PAYING FOR A CAR THAT I CAN'T DRIVE. I THINK GENERAL MOTORS SHOULD PAY TO FIX MY VAN SINCE THEY FAILED TO RECALL KNOWING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE GASKETS.*AK”