T-boned crossing a 4way due to view obstruction. Other person hit us at 60 miles per hr. Air bags deployed approx. 10 seconds after initial impact.
The worst 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Airbags5
- Engine5
- Wheels4
- Lights3
- Locks3
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Airbags5
- Engine5
- Wheels4
- Lights3
- Locks3
- Body2
- Fuel system2
- Seat belts2
- Suspension2
- Transmission2
- Acceleration1
- Brakes1
- Electrical1
- Tires1
- Visibility1
Recalls 2
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
- Certain passenger, mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
- Risk
- Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the driver.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began august 15, 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 buick at 1‑800‑521‑7300, cadillac at 1‑800‑458‑8006, chevrolet at 1‑800‑222‑1020, gmc at 1‑800‑462‑8782, oldsmobile at 1‑800‑442‑6537, or pontiac at 1‑800‑762‑2737.
Recall number 02V222000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 2003 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 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette 445
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
- 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 Warranty Administration bulletin provides retail and wholesale service personnel with the...
- This bulletin provides information for electrical ground repairs using new General Motors replacement...
2003 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 |
| 3.4L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 16 | 22 | 18 |
What 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 oldsmobile silhouette. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was restarted and operated as normal. The failure occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 130,000.
Flomaton, ala. (ap) - a van crossed the median of a highway in southern alabama and collided with a pickup truck, killing six people and injuring three others in a crash local authorities described as one of the worst they had ever seen. The force of the collision ripped the van's transmission from the vehicle and scattered debris along more than 100 yards of highway, cpl. James patterson with the state patrol. ``it looks more like an airplane crash scene than a car crash,'' said jim johnson of the flomaton volunteer fire department. ``the van's front end just disintegrated. I've never seen so much debris. All the windows exploded on impact from the looks of it.'' ``this is one of the most severe crashes we've ever had in alabama,'' patterson said. He said evidence at the scene indicated three occupants in the van were ejected onto the side of the highway up to about 40 feet from where the van came to rest. A third vehicle struck the transmission that lay in the roadway, and personal items such as pieces of a beaded necklace, eyeglasses and cosmetics and women's dress shoes could be seen along the road. State troopers did not release the identities of the five women and one man who died. The six killed were riding in the van, a 2003 oldsmobile silhouette.
I was eastbound on a two lane road, and an escalade ran the stop sign on the driver side , as I was continuing driving I t-boned the SUV, my whole front end was completely ripped and damaged, and dashboard cracked and lifted, my daughter was on the passenger side, and either bags deployed. Know suffer from sternum and back pain with concussion pain .
Head lamps on this vehicle have started to haze. The haze has been getting progressively worse restricting the amount of light. I have found that it is getting increasingly difficult to see the road at 40mph or higher in the evening. The turn signals have a clear lens over them and do not appear to have the same condition. I have contacted gm. With multiple calls, e-mails and a trip to the dealer over a two week time frame, I was contacted by gm and told that although it was a safety hazard, there was nothing that they could do. My contention to gm was I'm sure when this vehicle was released for production they had no idea this condition existed and has for several years since. I felt that the lenses should be replaced under warranty.
Reference investigation pe 11-014. This issue is not limited to 2005-2007 gm suvs. On 2/26/11, my 2003 oldsmobile silhouette stalled on interstate I-75. I was able to coast to the shoulder, but it was a dangerous situation in the dark, with family & kids in the car, with icy, snowy roads. The fuel level reading indicated more fuel availability than what was actually in the fuel tank. The fuel gauge will showed between 1/16 and 1/8 of a tank, and there was not a low fuel warning light. I had to call for roadside assistance. After the car had been stalled for a while, the low fuel warning light activated - so road service first tried putting fuel in the vehicle. With fuel added to the vehicle, it started right up and I was able to refuel the vehicle at the next exit. The vehicle has about 100,000 mile, and is in very good condition - this defect should not be happening at this point in the vehicle's life. A dealer service garage verified that the fuel level gauge is defective, and it would cost about $425 to repair.
Most of the day may 8,2010 been doing some city but mostly highway driving totaling approximately 100 miles. Stopped for an hour after the first 50 then drove another 40 stopping again for about 15 minutes. Drove the last 10 home and left car idling to go into my house for approximately 8 minutes. My wife started walking to car and wasn't there yet when car drove forward into garage door. She jumped in passenger side and shifter was still in park. Scraped some of the paint off of the car and smashed the garage door. Have no idea how or why it would have done this.
On may 27, 2009 I hit a tree on the back side of the van and then hit another tree head on. The air bags in the front and on the side did not deploy. I was wearing my seatbelt and thankful there were no major injuries.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 oldsmobile silhouette. While driving approximately 25 MPH on normal road conditions, the contact smelled a burning odor when the air conditioning control switch was activated. He then noticed smoke expelling from the air vents. Immediately, the air conditioning system was deactivated. There were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection and the contact was informed that the instrument panel cluster needed to be replaced. It was discovered that the control switch melted internally. The contact is in the process of taking the vehicle to an authorized dealer for repair. The failure and current mileages were 69,000. Updated 12/08/09. *lj there was s short in the AC control wiring harness. Updated 12/10/09
All wheels are corroded and leaking air around valve stems.
Compare the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette
Other model years
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Questions about the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette
Is the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette reliable?
Owners have filed 36 complaints about the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette, fewer than a typical Silhouette model year.
What is the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette year score?
The 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette scores 74 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 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette?
Airbags, with 5 complaints, typically around 90,000 miles. Next is engine (5).
How many recalls does the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette have?
2 recalls, covering latches/locks/linkages and air bags.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette airbags?
Yes, 1 recall: 02V222000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What gas mileage does the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette get?
Official estimates for the 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette range from 18 to 20 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.4L 6-cyl, FWD) gets 17 city and 24 highway.
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