Short and sweet, I was in my vehicle, stationary in my yard, not running without the key and I was locked in. It would not let me out. One can imagine many circumstances where this would be death-inducing. (frailer person, no heavy objects to break windows, middle of nowhere, no cell phone, etc, etc, etc.)
The worst 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Engine12
- Transmission9
- Electrical8
- Locks8
- Brakes7
- Suspension7
- Tires7
- Lights6
- Wheels6
- Airbags5
- Body5
- Steering5
- Seats4
- Visibility4
- Fuel system3
- Acceleration2
- Driver assistance1
- Seat belts1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
Recalls 6
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- On certain minivans equipped with second-row bucket seats or captain's chairs and a power sliding door on the passenger side of the vehicle, a passenger using the interior handle to open the power sliding door could be injured.
- Risk
- If a passenger uses the interior handle to open the power sliding door and holds onto the handle while it is being opened by the motor, the passenger's arm may be pushed into the seat back or armrest and a wrist or lower arm injury may result.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the power sliding door interior handle on the passenger-side. If the vehicle is equipped with a power or manual sliding door on the driver-side, the interior handle will also be replaced for appearance reasons. Note: before the vehicle is serviced, gm advises owners to not use the interior door handle to open the door. The driver can open and close the door from switches at the driver's position or by using the remote key fob. The driver should tell passengers to use the switch located in front of the door to open or close it. The driver should use the override switch to prevent operation of the power door by children or by others who are not familiar with its use. The owner notification letter mailing will be conducted in phases with the first phase beginning on may 31, 2005. The second phase mailing began on july 18, 2005. The recall began on may 31, 2005. Phase 2 began on july 18, 2005. Phase 3 (final phase) began on august 24, 2005, to all remaining customers. Owners should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438; pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668; or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑630‑6537.
Recall number 04V597000 · Recall details
Air bags: frontal
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger, sport utility vehicles and mini vans, some of these vehicles have a passenger air bag that was manufactured without a check valve pin. An air bag without the check valve pin could produce increased pressure at the onset of the air bag deployment and reduced pressure afterward.
- Risk
- This could increase the severity of injury to a person who was not properly restrained and who was close to the passenger air bag at the time of deployment. It could also reduce the ab8ility of the air bag to protect a restrained front seat passenger.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag. Owner notification began december 16, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537, or saturn at 1‑800‑553‑6000, prompt #3.
Recall number 02V329000 · Recall details
Seats: front assembly: recliner
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: certain mini vans built with second row 50/50 split bench seats or captain's chairs, fail to comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 225, "child restraint anchorage systems." the seat latch anchor wire diameter is greater than 6.1 mm.
- Risk
- If the connector for a latch-type child restraint is not attached correctly to the anchorage points, the restraint will not properly protect a child in the event of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the latch anchor wires and repair those with an improper diameter. Owner notification began april 10, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537, or pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737.
Recall number 01V383000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: 1997-2001 chevrolet venture, pontiac montana/transport, and oldsmobile silhouette mini vans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors that were serviced in campaign 01013 (01v‑067) from april to august 2001. Also 2001 chevrolet venture, pontiac montana, and oldsmobile silhouette mini vans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors assembled in january through april 2001. These vehicles have inadequate front welds. If a front weld fails, the actuator can jam in the unlatched position and, when the sliding door closes, it will not be latched.
- Risk
- If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface. An unrestrained occupant could fall out of the van and be injured.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and, if required, install a new power sliding door unlatch actuator assembly. Owner notification began on october 22, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537.
Recall number 01V264000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: minivans equipped with passenger side power sliding doors. The door closes but may not be latched. If this happens, the power sliding door can open while the vehicle is in motion, particularly when the vehicle ascends a hill, makes a turn, or travels over a rough road surface.
- Risk
- An unrestrained occupant could fall out of the van and be injured.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a new un-latch actuator assembly to the power sliding door. This recall has been continued under safety recall 01v‑264. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737, or oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537.
Recall number 01V067000 · Recall details
Seat belts
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."
- Risk
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly.
Recall number 00V228003 · Recall details
See all 6 recalls for the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
Defect investigations
Power-sliding door
Subject vehicles are available with an optional power sliding door.the interior handle is oriented in the vertical position in the door panel and lines up at the elbow level when the occupant is seated in the 2nd-row outboard position.if the occupant holds the interior handle in the thumb up position during power-assisted opening, the arm/wrist can be push back with force against the 2nd-row bucket seat or captain's chair seat back creating a risk of injury (other seating configurations have ample seat to door clearance to avoid entrapment of the lower arm).among the 103 total reports, there were 102 alleged injuries including arm/wrist, thumb and shoulder injuries.a count of injuries reveals that 76 injuries were a fractured or a broken arm/wrist requiring an immobilizing cast for four-to-six weeks.all injuries involve the right side power sliding door.the left side power sliding door is on far fewer vehicles, but more importantly, it produces less force.gm notified the agency by letter dated december 21, 2004, that it will recall model year 1997 though early 2005 gm u-van vehicles equipped with a right side power sliding door and with 2nd-row bucket seats or captain chairs (the federal safety agency recall #04v597).as part of the recall remedy, gm will replace the door handle with a flush mounted handle that will prevent an occupant from grasping the handle with the palm between the handle and door panel (thumb up orientation) and thus eliminate the potential for arm/wrist entrapment.this investigation is closed.
PE04064
Technical service bulletins for the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette 369
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
- Unknown or other
- Electrical system
- Unknown or other
- Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles
- This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as...
- This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Service Programming System (SPS)...
- This technical bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake...
- This service bulletin provides service information to technicians on guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil...
- This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Headlamp, Tail Lamp, License...
2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4L 6‑cyl | FWD | 17 | 24 | 20 |
What 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Ive owned the vehicle for about 2 years now. Friday june 1 2018 I was driving with all 4 of my children in the vehicle and my driver rear sliding door fell off the vehicle completly . All 3 latches that attach the door to the vehicle detached and the door went to the floor. Were were moving state I was going about 15 MPH
My complaint is the fact that companies need to track down any owner of a vehicle that their company makes. My dad purchased this oldsmobile van, it was a used vehicle, he did not realize that there had been recalls for problems with the seat belts, and air bags. I shared a mail box with him, and I got the mail every day, so I know he never received any info on this. In 2010 my dad was involved in a wreck that was not his fault, if you looked at the vehicle it was not even as bad as some you see, but it was his front end that was hit straight on. My dad did not live, he died the next day. The person there on the scene told me that while he was wearing his seat belt it hadn't appeared to have held him, and unsure if the air bag completely inflated. He was the only family I had left, no parents, no grandparents, no siblings, and I can't help but think it could have been avoided, and I could still have him here with me, if he was only notified that there was a problem. I don't want others to go through what I have. The neurosurgeon could not believe the severity of his injuries in comparison to other accidents, his were traumatic, he had a severe brain injury, and crushed chest injuries, which goes right along with the fact that the belt nor bag did not work right, and he felt the full force of the steering wheel.
Tl* the contact owned a 2001 oldsmobile silhouette. While driving at approximately 25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop without warning. The contact crashed into a parking block followed by a tree. The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained a fractured right knee that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was unavailable.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 oldsmobile silhouette. The contact stated that the key failed to turn in the ignition. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000 and the current mileage was 126,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 oldsmobile silhouette. The contact stated that both front hubs were replaced. One year later, the front driver's side hub assembly failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 160,000 and the current mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 oldsmobile silhouette. The contact stated that while traveling 40 MPH, the side sliding door opened independently. The contact took the vehicle to a mechanic where it was determined that the unlatch actuator assembly had failed. The contact referenced the federal safety agency recall campaign id number: 01v067 (latches/locks/linkages), but the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall campaign. The failure and the current mileages were 123,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 oldsmobile silhouette. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle released a strong fuel odor and the contact noticed sparks coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who located the failure at the fuel tank. The mechanic advised the contact that the muffler did not have a heat shield cover. This caused the failure and sparks, which core a hole in the fuel tank. The fuel tank would need to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and the current mileage was 150,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 oldsmobile silhouette. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under recall 01v0670000 (latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch). After the repairs were made, the sliding door would not latch and the door would slide open while driving. The contact called the dealer who stated that the repairs were performed once already and would not be done again. The contact called the manufacturer who offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 125,000.
Tires "deflate" daily due to poorly manufactured rims. Tires won't seal and hold air. This has been occurring since I have owned the vehicle (6 years). Numerous sets of new tires have been installed with the same results.
Compare the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
Other model years
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Questions about the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette
Is the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette reliable?
Owners have filed 78 complaints about the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette, 1.4 times a typical Silhouette model year.
What is the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette year score?
The 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette scores 60 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Oldsmobile Silhouette: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Engine and cooling, with 12 complaints, typically around 67,000 miles. Next is transmission (9).
How many recalls does the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette have?
6 recalls, covering latches/locks/linkages, air bags and seats.
What year does the Oldsmobile Silhouette have bad engine?
The Oldsmobile Silhouette model years with the most engine complaints are 1999 (48 complaints), 1998 (35 complaints) and 2000 (29 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette get?
Official estimates for the 2001 Oldsmobile Silhouette range from 20 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.4L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 17 city and 24 highway.
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