AI Damage1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette: common problems
Owners of the 1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 27
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 26% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 19% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 15% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 11% of all complaints
- 6 Seats 7% of all complaints
- 7 Tires 4% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 4% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 7 complaints (26% of all).
- Powertrain: 5 complaints (19% of all).
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (15% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (11% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 27 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Passenger side seat back collapsed, when vehicle was hit from the back at 60 mph. Tt
While driving, a loud knocking noise was heard coming from the front. Steering wheel started shaking uncontrollably. Consumer pulled over, but was unable to move the vehicle.
While driving and without prior warning the washer bolt came out the engine and caused the driver to loose control of the steering wheel. Please provide any additional information. The dealer is aware of the problem.
While driving, the left rear tire blewout, causing vehicle to lose control, cross the median and roll over, injuries were sustained, no specific tire information was given, ohio traffic crash report.
Also, transmission oil is overheating to the point that the oil is burning. Dealer has been contacted.
The brakes came loose after using the parking brake, with resultant loss of rear brakes and only front brakes working, pedal almost to the floor. This time the spring did not break and the brake parts were reinstalled.
The transaxle seal blew out and we are being told replacing it most likely won't help, as it is apt to blow out again. 3 independent recommendations are to replace the transmission. At 80,000 miles either problem is unwarranted.
When car is traveling at 50 transmsion starts lurching like its searching for a gear. Then, when it gets up to 70 mph and it stops.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 7,189 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Silhouette has 60 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 27, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
- Silhouette 199043 sources
- Silhouette 199137 sources
- Silhouette 199322 sources
- Silhouette 199436 sources
- Silhouette 199546 sources
- Silhouette 199620 sources
- Silhouette 1997104 sources
- Silhouette 1998170 sources
- Silhouette 1999149 sources
- Silhouette 2000114 sources
- Silhouette 200178 sources
- Silhouette 200257 sources
- Silhouette 200336 sources
- Silhouette 200411 sources
- Silhouette 99998 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, powertrain, service brakes. Total complaints: 27. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (19%), A/C or heater (4%), jerking, harsh shifts (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1992 Oldsmobile Silhouette from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1992 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.