The 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 850,523 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 102 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the latches/locks/linkages. Last updated July 5, 2026.
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.
Consequence
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…
AIR BAGS02V2220002002-08-09133,221 affected
Defect
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.
Consequence
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…
Complaints by component
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
6
2injuries
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
6
3injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
5
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:SEAT HEATER/COOLER
5
1injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
4
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
4
SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING
4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
3
EQUIPMENT
3
1injuries
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
3
Total complaints102
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I could not get my van inspected last oct as the code came up po 446, we were told to drive 50 miles, then 100 miles, didn`t correct this we tried for 2 weeks . We were going to florida for the winter,and stopped in waverly ny to see if the 150 miles to there would correct this no, while we were…”
“My 2002 oldsmobile silhouette completely shuts down while driving. It doesn't matter if I'm going 30mph or 65mph. Everything stops. This is a scary dangerous situation while highway driving! The car is otherwise perfect and has 47k miles. I brought it to the dealer last november, and was told they…”
“My vehicle plus many other multiple year and make expended base gm mini vans are developing gasoline leaks at the top of the fuel tank due to worn plastic seal. The only repair is replacement of the fuel tank, that retails around $800. There is not a replacement tank in the united states and no…”
“The electrical system shuts down and it has security light come on. It shuts the engine and all power off. The van was on the highway when this happened. A real safety hazard.”
“The electrical system shuts down and it has security light come on. It shuts the engine and all power off. The van was on the highway when this happened. A real safety hazard.”
“The electrical system shuts down and it has security light come on. It shuts the engine and all power off. The van was on the highway when this happened. A real safety hazard.”
“Tl* the contact owns a 2002 oldsmobile silhouette. The contact stated that the sliding doors on both the driver and passenger side failed to unlock. The doors also failed to unlock via the manual override function. The failure prevented the passengers from exiting the vehicle. The failure occurred…”
“It just all of a sudden stop working this is a constant problem non stop I bought fuse and that didn't work I got new lights park aid stop working, both heated seats stop working, electrical gone bad in the whole. *tr”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE04064 Opened 2004-09-17 · closed 2004-12-22
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…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2002 Oldsmobile Silhouette as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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