1994 Oldsmobile Silhouette

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME SEPARATED FROM THE INSULATOR ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER IN REGARD TO A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE ISSUE, BUT THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE REPAIRED AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000. *TR

I RETURNED FROM COLUMBUS OHIO A 650 MILE TRIP AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT NEVER CAME ON EXCEPT FOR WHEN I FIRST TURNED THE VAN ON THEN IT WOULD GO OUT. I PARKED THE VAN IN MY DRIVE WAY. JULY 18 TUESDAY 2006 I GOT IN THE VAN AT 5:00 IN THE MORNING TO GO TO WORK. JUST AS I TURNED THE KEY THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BREAKING MY GLASSES. I CALLED GM AND TALKED TO SARAH. HER NUMBER AT GM IS 1-866-790-5600 EX 10712. I TOLD HER OF THE PROBLEM ASKING HER IS GM COULD FIX THE AIR BAG AND REPLACE MY GLASSES. TODAY IS MONDAY JULY 24TH 2006 AND SHE CALLED BACK TELLING ME THAT GM WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE AIR BAG NOR THE GLASSES. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD ADDRESS THEIR PROBLEM. ONE DAY AN AIR BAG IS GOING TO DEPLOY ON SOMEONE AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I WAS LUCKY IT HAPPENED IN MY DRIVE WAY. I HAVE DETAILED NOTES WITH PICTURES IF YOU WANT THEM. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING GRADUALLY LOST ENGINE POWER TO WHERE IT WOULD NOT GO OVER 50 MPH. IT CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER. HE SAW AND SMELLED SMOKE INSIDE. HE TURNED AROUND AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FLOOR RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE CENTER SEAT. HE PULLED OVER, AND GOT OUT IN AN AREA WHERE NO ONE WOULD BE IN DANGER. BY THE TIME HE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND PULLED THE KEY OUT THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. WITHIN 25 MINUTES THE CAR BURNED UP. *AK

AFTER PLACING A LARGE OBJECT INSIDE REAR OF VEHICLE SPARE TIRE DROPPED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTING UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT TIRE CABLE RUSTED, CAUSING IT TO BREAK. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER TOOK THE POSITION THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PROPERLY MAINTAINED. THE CONSUMER INDICATED THAT WHEN READING THE OWNERS MANUAL IT NEVER MENTIONED MAINTENANCE OF THE SPARE TIRE CABLE. THE DEALER REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE. *NM

FIRST ISSUE: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAIL TO OPERATE CORRECTLY. I REPLACED THE BLADES AND THERES NO IMPROVEMENT. THEY MIGHT GO UP/DOWN 2 OR 3 TIMES THEN GET STUCK IN UP POSITION, SOON DISCOVERED THAT HITTING BUMPS CORRECTED FOR FEW SECONDS THEN AGAIN, THEY WOULD FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP & THEY SAID THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THE BEARING WAS LOOSE & LATER I REPLACED THE WIPER MOTOR. #2: THE FUEL GAUGE IS INACCURATE & FLOATS WITH ACCELERATION OR TURNS. THE FUEL WARNING LIGHT ONLY ILLUMINATES AFTER YOU'VE RAN OUT OF GAS, YOU ARE OUT OF GAS WHEN NEEDLE IS SLIGHTLY ABOVE 1/4 TANK MARK. #3: THE FRONT DRIVER SEATBELT FAILS TO RETRACT & OFTEN IS SHUT IN DOOR B/C OF FAILURE. ALSO THE SEATBELT WARNING LIGHT/SIGNAL WILL ONLY OPERATE AFTER YOU WIGGLE FLOOR ATTACHED BUCKLE. #4: THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATES & REMAINS LIT. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RETRIEVE TROUBLE CODE THE PCM DOES NOT COMMUNICATE W/ SCOPE DIAGNOSTER OR WHEN USING ALDL JUMPER WIRE METHOD THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT NEVER FLASHES THE CODES. #5: THE DRIVER ELECTRIC WINDOW JUMPS WHEN LOWERING & OFTEN FALLS FROM 1/2 UP POSITION & THE PASSENGER WINDOW ROOLS ONLY 1/2 DOWN THEN MUST BE PULLED UP BY HAND. ALSO, IT MAKES A LOUD VIBRATING NOISE. #6: DRIVER EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE IS BROKEN & LIFTGATE LOCK/LATCH DOES NOT LOCK & IS LOOSE. #7: TRANSMISSION JUST SUDDENLY WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE EXITING HIGHWAY @55MPH. WHEN I KILL THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY, THE RESTARTING PROBLEM SUBSIDED TEMPORARILY & ALSO SAFETY SWITHCHES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY (WOULD NOT START IN NEUTRAL). I REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION & REPLACED ALL ASSOCIATED SWITCHES/MODULES.*AK

IN MAY 2000, THE VEHICLE DRIVEN BY MY HUSBAND JUST STOPPED MOVING ON THE HIGHWAY - ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING BUT TRANSMISSION WAS NOT WORKING. VEHICLE RECOVERED AFTER PULLING TO SIDE OF ROAD. BROUGHT TO COTTMAN TRANSMISSION. THEY TOOK APART AND REBUILT TRANSMISSION. RETURNED TO COTTMAN SEPTEMBER 2, 2003 FOR AUTO TRANSMISSION FLUID SERVICE DUE TO MECHANIC TELLING US TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS BROWN AND WHINING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. COTTMAN TRANS MECHANIC SHOWED ME SOME SMALL METAL FLAKES IN FILTER AND SLUDGE ON MAGNET INSIDE PAN AND TOLD ME THERE WAS ALSO VARNISHING INSIDE PAN. COTTMAN MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THEY'D HAVE TO TAKE TRANSMISSION APART TO SEE WHAT PROBLEM IS AND MIGHT BE TORQUE CONVERTER (WHICH THEY REBUILT IN MAY 2000). ONLY 21,000 MILES IN 3 YEARS AND AUTO TRANS GOES AGAIN?! I DON'T GET IT. IN ADDITION, WE HAD PURCHASED A USED 1994 CHEVY LUMINA APV IN JANUARY 2002, BECAUSE 94 OLDS HAD BEEN STOLEN (WAS RECOVERED WITH A LITTLE BODY DAMAGE). THE AUTO TRANSMISSION ON THE 1994 CHEVY LUMINA MINIVAN ALSO FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH A REBUILT ONE IN FEB 2002. ODOMETER MILES WERE 61029. VIN ON 94 CHEVY IS [XXX]. COST $1,754.30 AFTER WRANGLING WITH COTTMAN TRANSMISSION ON PRICE. IS THIS A COINCIDENCE THAT TWO BROTHER/SISTER VEHICLES HAD TRANSMISSIONS FAIL AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME MILEAGE? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FIRESTONE TIRE FR410 TREAD SEPARATION.*MR THE TREAD OF THE TIRE WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND THE REAR AXLE OF THE VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70+ MILES. THIS RESULTED IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED AND LANDED ON ITS TOP WHEN IT CAME TO REST. THE CONSUMER LATER LEARNED THE TIRE WAS RETURNED TO FIRESTONE BECAUSE OF FEAR WITH THE FIRESTONE DEBACLE AND THEN SOLD TO THE CONSUMER FOR $25.00 A TIRE. CONSUMER FILLED A CLAIM AND A YEAR LATER WAS INFORMED BY FIRESTONE THAT THE TIRE WASN'T A RECALLED TIRE NOR WAS IT ON A WATCH LIST SO THERE WOULD BE NO SETTLEMENT. *PH *PH * CB

FIRESTONE TIRE FR410, DOT HY M3 41 A 349, P215 70R15 97S PURCHASED ON 5-22-02 WITH TIRE FAILURE BECAUSE OF TREAD SEPARATION ON 5-27-02. THIS RESULTED IN A VERY SERIOUS AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. THE TREAD OF THE TIRE WRAPPED ITSELF AROUND THE REAR AXLE OF THE AUTOMOBILE WHILE WE (ME AND MY DAUGHTER) WERE TRAVELLING ON THE FREEWAY AT 70+ MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR FLIPED AND LANDED ON ITS TOP WHEN IT CAME TO REST! I LATER FOUND OUT THIS WAS A TIRE THAT HAD BEEN RETURNED TO FIRESTONE BECAUSE OF FEAR WITH THE FIRESTONE DEBACLE AND THEN SOLD TO ME FOR $25.00 PER TIRE. I THROUGH AN ATTORNEY FILED A CLAIM WITH FIRESTONE AND AFTER A YEAR OF EXCHANGES I WAS TOLD BY FIRESTONE THIS WAS NOT A RECALLED TIRE NOR WAS IT ON ANY WATCH LISTS THEREFORE THERE WOULD BE NO SETTLEMENT. FIRESTONE HAD THEIR FIELD PEOPLE EXAMINE THE TIRE THOUGH THE RESULTS OF THE EXAMINATION HAVE NOT BEEN SHARED WITH ME AND MY ATTORNEY. THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A FAULTY TIRE. THE FACT THAT THIS PRACTICE IS HAPPENING IS APPALLING AND THE MANNER IN WHICH FIRESTONE IS DEALING WITH IT IS EVEN MORE OF A CONCERN. THE TIRES SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN RESOLD. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT ONE OF YOUR FIELD REPRESENTATIVES IN THE AREA PLEASE EXAMINE THE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS PRODUCED AT A PLANT WHERE SOME OF THE RECALLED TIRES HAVE BEEN MADE. IF THIS TIRE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED AND IS NOT ON ANY WATCH LISTS IT IS TIME THAT IT SHOULD BE RECALLED OR ADDED TO THE WATCH LIST. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOUR OFFICE HAS THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHANGES AND HAVE AN EFFECT. MY STRONG STATEMENT TO YOU WOULD BE LET'S AVOID SENSELESS DEATHS BECAUSE OF THE TIRE AND TAKE IT OUT OF CIRCULATION. PLEASE HELP!*AK