AI Damage1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette filed 170 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 170
- involving a crash
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 21% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 19% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 4 Structure 9% of all complaints
- 5 Latches, locks, linkages 9% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 7% of all complaints
- 8 Electrical system 6% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 35 complaints (21% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 32 complaints (19% of all).
- Service brakes: 16 complaints (9% of all).
- Structure: 16 complaints (9% of all).
- Latches, locks, linkages: 15 complaints (9% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.4 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 170 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 35 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 32 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Tires | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 5 | 2 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
I had the front drivers seat belt height adjusted to the lowest position, I am only 5'3. Upon impact the seat belt moved to the top position. So, instead of being on my shoulder, it ended up across my neck. The seat belt cut my neck, and also left a burn, and a bruise.
1998 oldsmobile mini van was involved in an accident and the air bag equipment did not deploy. A vehicle pulled out in front of the consumer without warning. The consumer hit another vehicle in the side.
Seat belts in the second row captain chairs released in a car accident (roll over). Seat belt in the front passenger side expanded still causing the passenger to be thrown around in the roll over. Airbags didn't deploy! -olds has been notified.
The gear shift slipped from parking to drive by itself and vehicle speed out causing accident. Yh
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…
Updated 03/24/11 the door latch and seat belts were inoperative. Updated 05/05/11
Airbag light is intermittent. As the vehicle starts, the computer runs through it's checks, every now and then the airbag light illuminates and stays on until the vehicle is shut off and re-started. There is no warning when the light will stay on or turn off during start-up.
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.
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 2,360 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 6% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Silhouette has 60 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 170, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
Other years of this model
- Silhouette 199043 sources
- Silhouette 199137 sources
- Silhouette 199227 sources
- Silhouette 199322 sources
- Silhouette 199436 sources
- Silhouette 199546 sources
- Silhouette 199620 sources
- Silhouette 1997104 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 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, exterior lighting, service brakes. Total complaints: 170. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (17%), steering or power steering problems (6%), overheating, coolant loss (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 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 1998 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 1998 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 2026-11-06.