AI Damage2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette: common problems
Owners of the 2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette filed 114 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 114
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 25% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 16% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 16% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
- 5 Equipment 6% of all complaints
- 6 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- 8 Latches, locks, linkages 5% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 29 complaints (25% of all).
- Electrical system: 18 complaints (16% of all).
- Structure: 18 complaints (16% of all).
- Service brakes: 8 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Equipment: 7 complaints (6% 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 4 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 114 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 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 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.
While turning left the vehicle was involved in side collision. No report of air bag deployment. As a result, driver sustained head and hip injuries.
Driving on I-95 south in moderate traffic at about 30 mph when traffic slowed ahead of me. When I applied brakes, nothing happened. I applied brakes with 2 feet to the floor and no response. The crash involved the three cars in front of me with no serious injuries but it was frightening.
Additionally, there were several unknown warning lights flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the o-ring and retainer needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 oldsmobile silhouette. The contact stated that while driving 10 mph the vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning. The contact also stated that the failure occured a couple of times prior. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
Power sliding door latch actuator failure. Latch is stuck in open position, will not latch. Exact same problem as described in previous recalls nhtsa campaign id number: 01v067000 and nhtsa campaign id number: 01v264000. Oldsmobile states vehicle has been repaired under the recall already in 2002.
The contact stated that the door lock fob re was failing. The doors could be locked manually using the key but not using the key fob. The failure also caused the security system to fail. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing but the test produced no failure codes.
A private mechanic replaced the water pump and thermostat in march 2011 however, the vehicle continued to overheat. The dealer advised the contact to bring the vehicle in for diagnostic testing but the vehicle was not inspected. The current mileage was 112,000 and the failure mileage was 100,000.
Whenever the contact filled up his vehicle with gasoline, he noticed that the fuel gauge displayed the incorrect amount. The contact also noticed that the fuel gauge would not go under a half a tank. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the gas tank needed to be replaced.
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 3,263 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Silhouette has 60 complaints (16 years in the data). This year has 114, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
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 1998170 sources
- Silhouette 1999149 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 2000 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, electrical system, structure. Total complaints: 114. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (5%), A/C or heater (4%), headlights and tail lights (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2000 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 2000 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 2000 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.