There are 5 owner-reported steering complaints for the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE NAVIGATING A TURN AT 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TURNING FREELY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT AND DRIVER AIR BAG COIL.
THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR A DEFECT IN A 2001 OLDSMOBILE-SILOUTTE VAN.AS I WAS DRIVING ON A MAIN HIGHWAY AT 55MPH(CRUISE SET) THE VAN WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND ALMOST ROLLED. THE VAN SWERVED ALSO IN ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I MANAGED TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL BUT WAS A VERY SCARY ORDEAL! I HAD THE VAN TOWED TO MY CAR DEALER AND FOUND OUT A SENSOR ATTACHED TO THE MOTOR (APPROX 2FT LONG) CAME LOOSE AND GOT CAUGHT IN THE SERPETINE BELT. THE CAR DEALER REPAIR DEPARTMENT RE-ATTACHED THIS PART WHERE IT BELONGED. LUCK- THERE WAS NO ON-COMING TRAFFIC!!
OUR 2001 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE HAS HAD NUMEROUS ISSUES. THE ISSUES ARE PLACED IN A CLOSE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER. ALL EVENTS HAVE OCCURRED AFTER 50K MILES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE POWER DOOR LOCKS. THE DEALER TOOK CARE OF ALL RECALLS. THE POWER DOOR LOCKS INTERMITTENTLY LOCK AND UNLOCK. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER OVER 4 TIMES. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH WIRING HARNESS AND THE LAST TIME THE DEALER REPLACED A CHAFED WIRE UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE OTHER TIMES THE DEALER COULD NOT ISOLATE. THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. WE GOT TIRED OF BRINGING IT TO THE DEALER. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT HEATER HAD FAILED. AT 66K MILES, THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. IT WAS DUE TO A FAULTY SUN GEAR. I HAD TO REPLACE TIE RODS ON THE VEHICLE TWICE ON EACH SIDE. ONCE AROUND 70K AND ONCE AROUND 115K. THE FUEL ASCENDING UNIT FAILED AROUND 90K. ON THE PASSENGER SIDE I HAD TO REPLACE THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND THE CV AXLE. LIGHTS IN THE HEATER CONTROLS HAVE BLOWN AND THE ONLY WAY TO REPLACE THEM IS TO SOLDER NEW BULBS ONTO THE CONTROL MODULE. THE BLOWER MOTOR FAILED ON 1ST AND 2ND SPEED. WE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ENGINE OVERHEATING ISSUES AS SEEN BY OTHER INDIVIDUALS AT MYCARSTATS.COM. THIS RELATES TO THE COOLING SYSTEM. I HAD THREE SEPARATE ISSUES STEMMING FROM THIS. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. ABOUT 8 MONTHS LATER THE UPPER MANIFOLD GASKET BLEW. SIX MONTHS LATER ANOTHER COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE BLAMED ON THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD. MANY OF THE REPAIRS WHERE COSTLY. THE LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE WAS NEVER FIXED. WE DECIDED TO PASS THIS GM PIECE OF JUNK ON. IT HAD 137K MILES. MOST OF THE MILES DRIVEN WHERE HIGHWAY, VERY FEW CITY AND STOP-AND-GO. *JB
RUBBING SOUND INSIDE STEERING COLUMN WHEN STEERRING WHEEL IS TURNED. DEALER CLAIMS TO HAVE LUBED THE COLUMN BUT NOISE IS STILL PRESENT. VEHICLE HAS 50000 MILES I AM CONCERNED OF PREMATURE STEERING FAILURE. *AK
08/15/01 THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW DROPPED DOWN AL BY ITSELF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT MY HOUSE AND THE ALARM BEEPED 2 OR 3 TIMES. ON 9/6/01 THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR OPENED ALL BY ITSELF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT MY HOUSE AND THE ALARM BEEPED 2 OR 3 TIMES.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Sep 8, 2026