10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 4 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 6,000 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
The metal frame seat bolster on the driver's side in my 1998 Oldsmobile Silhouette has broken through the foam cusion and has begun to damage the leather. I am concerned that if this vehicle were in an accident the metal would impale the driver. I have contacted General Motors several times only for them to tell me someone would have to be injured before they would recongnize this as a problem. A relative has the exact same mini-van (year and model) and is experiencing the same problem. I have received an estimate of repair from an independent auto upholstery shop and found it interesting that when I told the gentleman what type of vehicle it was he knew exactly what the problem was prior to looking at the vehicle. He indicated that he has repaired many of these. We also found out that General Motors has redesigned the drivers and passengers seats in the Silhouette, either providing more seat frame protection or removing the metal portion that is protruding from my vehicle.
- Shawnee, KS, USA
When folding the rear seat down it caused the seat belt to malfunction. Consumer stated the occupant was unable to fasten the seat belt. Dealer notified. Mr the third row seat had an open gear mechanism that servered the seat belts on each side. The plastic guard was not long enough to protect the belt. The seats were severed by the rear folding process and the driver's manual doesn't caution the possibility. GM stated that problem was a wear issue without examining the vehicle. Scc
- Battle Ground, WA, USA
Second row of seats have to be tilted forward to gain access to the third row of seats, and to do so could get someone injured by the frame since the hole thing comes up. The dealer has been copntacted.
- Grove Canyon, AZ, USA
Center captain chairs when tilted forward to allow entry to rear results in injuries to occupants due to base positioning. Mjs
- Gold Canyon, AZ, USA
Center captain chairs when tilted forward to allow entry to rear results in injuries to occupants due to base positioning.
- Gold Canyon, AZ, USA
My vehicle contains two rows of removable seats (captain's chairs). The seats on the left side of the van, whether middle or back row, are simple to remove and replace. However, the seats on the right side, both from the middle and back row, are exceptionally difficult to re-install. The service manager at my dealer says that every Silhouette is like this. The effort required to re-install these seats causes one to jockey it back and forth causing the latching mechanism and seat slides to move and exposes fingers and other body parts to injury.
- W Bloomfield, MI, USA
The interchangeable seat doesn't have a place where consumer can hook up the seat belt for the right hand side seat on the second row. When the vehicle was purchased, consumer was told that the seats could be changed by the salesman, this was one of the reasons that the consumer purchased the vehicle.
- East Haven, CT, USA
- Shawnee, KS, USA