1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette Exterior lighting Problems
- Complaints
- 18about this part
- Share
- 17%of 104 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 77,500miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 18 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette, 17% of the 104 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 77,500 miles.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“When turning the vehicle off, the horn continuously sounded and all the doors automatically locked. The doors could not be manually opened. The consumer had to turn the vehicle on and wait for a period of five to ten minutes and then turn the vehicle off to get out of the vehicle. Also, power steering fluid had to be added every 10,000 miles and the vehicle overheated due to faulty gaskets. The engine had been replaced twice. …”
NHTSA complaint #10064708, filed 2004-05, 9,000 miles“Brake lights burn out within 2 weeks of replacment. Bulb and filimint are in good condition - plastic base of bulb is melted and impairs proper contact with light bulb.”
NHTSA complaint #10004928, filed 2003-01, 55,000 miles“The headlight assembly is supposed to be a sealed unit so as to protect the headlight bulb. On my olds van both the left & the right protective covers fell off in about 40 hrs of each other. At first I didn't think of it as a safety problem, and just went ahead and tried to order just the headlight covers. In calling around to several auto parts stores I found that this is a vey common defect in the GM mini-vans. In fact the parts person that I called at carl thompson chevrolet in fort gratiot ,mi, told me that the same thing happened to his 98 venture van. …”
NHTSA complaint #759021, filed 2002-03“The right side plastic headlight cover came off while driving, the vehicle rolled over it breaking it. When I checked the other lens cover it was about to fall off as well, I was able to reglue it. The dealer told me that it was a common problem with that vehicle, including the chevy venture, and the pontiac montana. The dealer said that the warrenty on this part was extended but only to 50,000 miles. This part has nothing to do with mileage and everything to do with a factory defect that is a safety hazard due to the fact that the lamp burns out once the cover comes off. …”
NHTSA complaint #747177, filed 2001-06“Water leaks into both of the headlights causing the inside of the lense to fog up which significantly reduces the brightness of the lights. The water eventually shatters the replaceable bulb. There is no physical damage to the headlights. I removed about 1/4 cup of water from one of the lights at one point. This has existed for about 1 year. Oldsmobile will not replace the units.”
NHTSA complaint #724698, filed 2000-06Exterior lighting: other model years
Other parts of the 1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette
20 complaintsBody and structure
14 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
13 complaintsEngine cooling
11 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
10 complaintsBrakes
9 complaintsFuel system
9 complaintsElectrical system
7 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
7 complaintsEquipment
4 complaintsTires
4 complaintsVehicle speed control
4 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology