IllustrationBOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS HAVE STOPPED RETRACTING. THERE WAS NO DISCERNIBLE PRECURSOR TO THIS MALFUNCTION. *NM
1993 Oldsmobile Silhouette
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Oldsmobile Silhouette do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 40.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Silhouette years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 2 of 22 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports4 fire reports0 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
4 reportsMANUFACTURER CONTACTED - THEY CLAIM THESE PARTS WERE ALREADY FIXED - WILL NOT FIX AGAIN
WE RAN INTO A CURB AT ABOUT 40 MPH. MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER'S CAR SEAT WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE SEATBELT BEHIND THE DRIVER, DETACHED (THE CLASP FROM THE BUCKLE) AND MY DAUGHTER AND THE CAR SEAT WERE THROWN FORWARD INTO THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE SEATBELT RETRACTOR ON THIS SEAT NO LONG…
Read full complaint
WE RAN INTO A CURB AT ABOUT 40 MPH. MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER'S CAR SEAT WHICH WAS ATTACHED TO THE SEATBELT BEHIND THE DRIVER, DETACHED (THE CLASP FROM THE BUCKLE) AND MY DAUGHTER AND THE CAR SEAT WERE THROWN FORWARD INTO THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THIS INCIDENT, THE SEATBELT RETRACTOR ON THIS SEAT NO LONGER RETRACTED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT RETRACTOR ALSO WOULD NO LONGER RETRACT. BOTH OF THESE HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I CHECKED THE DATABASE AND THERE WAS BOTH A RECALL ON SEATBELTS AND A TECHNICAL ADVISORY RELATED BULLETIN. I CHECKED WITH A LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT WE HAD NO OUTSTANDING RECALLS. IN REF. TO THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY - HE GAVE ME A COPY OF IT. IN GENERAL, THE OLD/ORIGINAL SEAT BELTS ALL RETRACT VERY SLOWLY. YOU HAVE TO PRACTICALLY "FEED" THEM INTO THE RETRACTORS. THIS DOES NOT SEEM RIGHT, NOR DOES IT SEEM RIGHT TO HAVE RETRACTOR FAILURES AT 80K MILES. OUR CONFIDENCE IS WANING ON THIS VEHICLE'S SEAT BELT SYSTEM. WITH A WIFE AND 3 KIDS CONSTANTLY TRAVELING AROUND, I AM CONCERNED WITH THEIR SAFETY. ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE APPRECIATED. SINCERELY, JERRY SYLVESTRE. *AK
FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER/LAP BELT WON'T RETRACT, BELTS FULLY EXTENDED. *AK
Official recalls
396V015000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
Jan 23, 1996
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1991 THROUGH JULY 1995. THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINE CAN SEPARATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN LOW TEMPERATURES IN COMBINATION WITH HIGH TRANSMISSION LOADS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLE FIRES CAN OCCUR DUE TO THE SPILLAGE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER LINES.
94V100000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
May 24, 1994
THE SECOND ROW, RIGHT HAND SHOULDER BELT CAN BECOME "PINCHED" BETWEEN THE SEAT AND THE DOOR FRAME PILLAR TRIM. THE SHOULDER BELT MAY NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, WHICH DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE 1994 VEHICLES HAVE AN OPTIONAL INTEGRAL (BUILT IN) CHILDSEAT INSTALLED NEXT TO THE POWER SLIDING SIDE DOOR. THE 1993 INVOLVED VEHICLES HAVE STANDARD SEATS IN THAT SAME POSITION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IMPROPER SHOULDER BELT RETRACTION DOES NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR COLLISION.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DOOR FRAME PILLAR TRIM PANEL WITH A REDESIGNED TRIM PANEL. ALSO, A CAUTION LABEL WILL BE APPLIED TO THE CHILD SEAT ADVISING THE OWNER NOT TO INSTALL THE SEAT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF A VEHICLE WITH A POWER SLIDING SIDE DOOR.
94V027000 · Seat Belts:rear/other
Jan 4, 1994
VEHICLE FAILS TO CONFORM TO FMVSS NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES." THE SAFETY BELT OF THE LEFT THIRD ROW SEAT ON THE SIX PASSENGER VAN AND THE CENTER SECOND ROW SEAT OF THE SEVEN PASSENGER VAN MAY LOCK UP AND CANNOT BE WITHDRAWN FROM THE RETRACTOR.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: THE OCCUPANTS OF THESE SEATS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE AFFECTED BELT. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, UNBELTED OCCUPANTS ARE AT INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.
Remedy: OWNERS ARE BEING ASKED TO INSPECT THEIR VEHICLES TO DETERMINE IF THE SUSPECT RETRACTOR EXHIBITS A LOCKUP CONDITION. BASED ON THIS INSPECTION, DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SAFETY BELTS IF THE BELT LOCKS UP. REPLACEMENT OF THE SUSPECT SAFETY BELT WILL BE AVAILABLE TO CONSUMERS FOR THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE94070 · Trnsaxl Oil Hose Separates
Opened Sep 15, 1994 · Closed Jan 18, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train
There is no summary currently available