1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

REPEATED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAK / FAILURE - HAD TO REPLACE TWICE IN LESS THAN 100,000 MILES - FIRST TIME AT JUST OVER 36,000 MILES. NEVER OWNED A CAR WHERE I HAD TO REPLACE AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ONCE, LET ALONE TWICE AND VIRTUALLY EVERY CAR MY FAMILY HAS OWNED HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND DRIVEN OVER 100,000 MILES. SEARCHING THE INTERNET YOU SEE THE GM 3.4 LITER ENGINE IN 1999 ERA THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT/PROBLEM. ALSO THE ORIGINAL OLDSMOBILE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE. THERE IS ALSO A LAWSUIT WWW.DEXCOOLSETTLEMENT.COM SHOWING HOW PREVALENT THIS ISSUE IS - YET GM REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT IS A DEFECT AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS AND VEHICLE OWNERS BY REPAIRING THESE VEHICLES AND CHANGING THE GASKET DESIGN. IT WAS BAD ENOUGH HAVING TO SPEND CLOSE TO $500 TO REPAIR THIS ON MY OLDSMOBILE WITH JUST OVER 36,000 MILES ON IT, NOW I AM TOLD TO PAY CLOSE TO $1,000 TO HAVE IT REPLACED AGAIN! GM CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE INSISTS THERE IS NO DEFECT, THERE IS NOTHING ABNORMAL ABOUT THIS THAT REQUIRES ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION OR "ASSISTANCE" FROM GM. THEY FURTHER CLAIM GM ENGINEERS HAVE REVIEWED THE INCOMING DATA TO CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM / NO TREND WITH INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS ON THE 3.4 LITER ENGINE - THAT CAN NOT BE THE TRUTH. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR ITEM, AN INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE AND IF NOT, GM SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND REPLACE IT FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. OTHER CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM HAVE HAD ENGINE SEIZURES AND SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT NOTICE OR CATCH THE PROBLEM SOON ENOUGH AND COOLANT LEAKING INTO THE OIL CAUSED ENGINE SEIZURE AND/OR OVERHEATING. ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS FEBRUARY 2003, PROBLEM HAS RE-OCCURRED OCTOBER 2008 SO CLEARLY GM DID NOTHING TO CHANGE THE GASKET DESIGN AND DOES NOT EVEN STAND BEHIND THEIR SERVICE / REPLACEMENT PARTS. *TR

Mileage: 36,652

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE BROUGHT HE 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE TO DEALER IN COSTA MESA, CA FOR AN OIL CHANGE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PLUG BOOTHS MELTED, AND THAT THE SPARK PLUGS, AND PLUG WIRES MELTED AS WELL, AND THE HEAD GASKET FAILING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD SINCE SHE NEVER GOT ANY PRIOR WARNING ABOUT THE FAILURES ON HER VEHICLE. *AK

Mileage: 75,416

VEHICLE STARTED OVERHEATING ON SHORT TRIPS TO THE STORE(1-2 MILES). THOUGHT THE PROBLEM WAS THE THERMOSTAT HOWEVER WHEN TAKEN TO MECHANIC FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD THAT HAS LEAKING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED OLDSMOBILE REF TO THE PROBLEM TO INQUIRE ABOUT TSB # 030601010 OR 030601010B AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAD NEVER BEEN A BULLETIN. *JB

Mileage: 102,998

LEAK IN THE DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET , WHICH HAS BEEN DIRETLY RELATED TO ENGINE FAILURE,WHICH I NOW HAVE WITH MY 1999 OLDS SILOUETTE - COST TO REPLACE ENGINE - $4,500 - HAVING COLLANT LEAK INTO THE OIL CAN NOT BE GOOD FOR ANY ENGINE! GM WILL NOT OWN PROBLEM

VEHICLE OVERHEATED ON CONGESTED HIGHWAY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM. MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE AT 45,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $831 WITH THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE ENGINE MAY SEIZE AT ANY TIME DUE TO COOLANT/OIL CONTMINATION. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED WITH NEW GM DESIGN AND NEW INSTALLATION PROCEEDURE. I HAVE RETAINED THE OLD PARTS.

Mileage: 45,000

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET LEAKING ON 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 64,000 MILES. $900 REPAIR. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT GM WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR A DESIGN DEFECT. *NM

Mileage: 64,000

THE "LOW COOLANT" LIGHT CAME ON BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF A LEAK. WE FINALLY DISCOVERED THAT THE HOT COOLANT WAS LEAKING ONTO THE CAMSHAFT AND INTO THE ENGINE THROUGH FAULTY LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS. THE GASKET WAS REPLACED AT OUR EXPENSE BUT WE DO NOT KNOW THE DAMAGE OR CONDITION OF THE CAMSHAFT AND ENGINE BEARINGS FROM COOLANT MIXED WITH OIL TO LUBRICATE. THERE REMAINS A COOLANT ODOR WE CANNOT IDENTIFY. WE LATER LEARNED OF GM SERVICE BULLETIN 03-06-01-010 DATED MARCH 2003 THAT IDENTIFIES THIS PROBLEM BUT VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE NOT BEEN ALERTED. THERE WILL BE COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE WITHOUT EARLY DETECTION OF PROBLEM AND REPAIR. *AK

Mileage: 83,000

COOLANT LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD APPEARED AND REMAINED ON. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SLIGHT HESITATION WHEN CONSUMER APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHILE DRIVING. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE REGISTERED HOT. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE SENSOR LIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH ABOUT 55,000 MILES. I TOOK THE VAN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC BECAUSE OF A KNOCKING NOISE ON COLD STARTUP AND CONTINUAL OVERHEATING. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE TOTAL BILL ABOUT $600. THE VAN HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES WITH THE 3.4L ENGINES.

MY 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE ONLY HAS 69,000 MILES AND HAS A LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. IT IS OBVIOUS BY THE OUTRAGED COMMUNITY ONLINE THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH GM'S DESIGN AND A RECALL SHOULD BE FORCED UPON THEM. *LA

COOLANT IS LEAKING ON TOP OF ENGINE, RESULTING FROM FAILED LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE GASKET WAS REPLACED AT 34,000 MILES, NOW FAILING AGAIN AT 88,000 MILES. WATER PUMP WAS RECENTLY REPLACED. BELIEVE DEX-COOL ANTIFREEZE IS AT FAULT.*AK

Mileage: 88,800

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET - NO WARNING OF ANY PROBLEMS BEFORE FINDING MYSELF STRANDED AT A GAS STATION DUE TO MY VAN OVERHEATING. *AK

Mileage: 103,000

WHILE DRIVING COOLANT LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON UNTIL VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED A SENSOR, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

OIL LEAKING INTO THE COOLANT SYSTEM. PROBLEM WAS FIXED BY REPLACING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. RESULTED IN REPLACING ALL COOLANT/HEATER SYSTEM HOSES AND A LARGE REPAIR BILL. THE LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *LA

Mileage: 86,000

WATER PUMP FAILED, THEN RADIATOR FAILED, NOW ENGINE FAILED. ALL SEEM TO BE RELATED TO DEX-COOL. *LA

Mileage: 100,000

LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CAUSE OIL TO BE CONTAMINATED WITH COOLANT. ENGINE FAILED.

Mileage: 50,750

COOLANT LEVEL LOW LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICING AND OIL CHANGE. TECH SAID THE INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING AND THAT THE RADIATOR WAS FULL OF MUD. TOOK IT TO A GM DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND FOUND THE GASKETS WERE LEAKING AND THAT IT WOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST 1 RADIATOR FLUSH, POSSIBLY 2.

Mileage: 72,200

CAR WENT TO DEALER TO DIAGNOSE A KNOCKING SOUND ON COLD STARTUP. DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, COST TO REPAIR APPROX $900.00. ON DISASSEMBLY, DEALER CONTACTED ME AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE INTERNALS WERE SO BADLY FOULED (SLUDGE AND DEPOSITS) THAT HYDRAULIC LIFTERS NEEDED REPLACEMENT, COST APPROX $450.00. I ASKED HOW THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED, VAN HAS ALWAYS HAD ENGINE OIL CHANGED AT 3000 MILE INTERVALS, WITH NEW FILTER AND CORRECT OIL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO DIFFERENTLY TO AVOID THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. NO ADVICE OFFERED, AND NO SUGGESTIONS FOR WHY THE GASKET HAD FAILED.

Mileage: 51,000

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED ALLOWING DEXCOOL COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE AND MIX WITH THE OIL. TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE. MANIFOLD GASKET REPLACED AT 58,000 MILES. ENGINE REBUILT AT 62,000 MILES. APPARENTLY THIS IS HAPPENING ON THOUSANDS OF GM VEHICLES AND GM WILL NOT COVER THE COST. IN NO WAY SHOULD A 1999 VAN NEED A NEW ENGINE.

Mileage: 58,000

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. THIS PROBLEM HAS ALSO OCCURED TO A FRIEND OF MINE WHO OWNS A 1999 OLDS SILHOUETTE.

Mileage: 51,000

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 64,000 MILES. I TOOK THE VAN TO A LOCAL DEALER BECAUSE OF A KNOCKING NOISE ON COLD STARTUP. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE FAILED GASKET RUINED THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $1500. THE VAN HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE (OIL, FILTERS, ANITFREEZE CHECKED) EVERY 3000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES AND DEXCOOL SYSTEMS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE HAD THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING.

Mileage: 64,000

AT 35,000 MY '99 OLDS BURNS 2 QUARTS OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES! I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH A 60 DAY 100% ENGINE AND DRIVE TRAIN COVERAGE SO THE DEALER IS GOING TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM. I HAVE HEARD THE GM 3.4 L ENGINE IS FAMOUS FOR POOR PISTONS IN ALL YEARS. THIS ENGINE IS ALREADY SHOT AT 35K MILES AND I FEEL CAN'T POSSIBLY BE REPAIRED ADEQUATELY...IT SHOULD BE REPLACED BUT THE DEALER WON'T DO IT.

Mileage: 35,000

INTAKE MANIFOLD COOLANT LEAK CAUSED BY DEFECTIVE GASKET. RELATED TSB MENTIONS "NEW GASKET DESIGN" IMPLYING THAT ORIGINAL DESIGN WAS DEFECTIVE. OLDSMOBILE REFUSES TO OFFER ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR FAILURE, REPAIR BILL IS $950.00 SO FAR. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AT THIS AGE. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH GM'S ATTITUDE OF CUSTOMER DISSATISFACTION.*AK

Mileage: 72,000

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 65,000 MILES. I TOOK THE VAN TO A LOCAL DEALER AFTER ANTIFREEZE STARTED LEAKING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE PROBLEM WAS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE FAILED GASKET FOULED THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $1255. SAME PROBELM HAPPENDED TO A RELATIVE'S PONTIAC. THIS IS ALL TOO COMMON OF A PROBLEM. GM SHOULD RECALL THIS MODEL. THIS WILL BE THE LAST OF 5 GM PRODUCTS I HAVE OWNED.*AK

Mileage: 64,495

DURING THE SUMMER, THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE G.M. DEALER. THE COOLANT WAS LOW AND IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT A PRESSURE CHECK BE DONE FOR THE RADIATOR COOLANT. THE MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKET FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVER HEAT. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS............................. *JB

Mileage: 65,000

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. MOVED TO SIDE OF ROAD. CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD ,AND NOTICED COOLANT WAS LEAKING ONTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TO CHECK OUT LEAKAGE PROBLEM.*AK

INTAKE GASKET LEAK - RADIATOR FULL OF "MUD" AT 72,000 MILES. *JB

HEAD GASKET FAILURE

Mileage: 59,000

NOTICED LEAKS THAT HAVE APPEARED UNDER THE CAR. LEAKS HAD A CONSISTENCY OF ANTIFREEZE AND OIL MIXED. CONSTANTLY TOPPING OFF ANTIFREEZE AND OIL. INTAKE MANIFOLD HAS BEEN VERIFIED BY MECHANIC TO HAVE LEAK RESULTING IN A $600.00 DOLLAR BILL. *NLM

Mileage: 90,500

AN ENGINE DIAGNOSIS REVEALED THERE WAS NO OIL PRESSURE, A BLOWN HEAD GASKET, AND A LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. *TS *JB

Mileage: 50,750

KNOWN PROBLEM WITH GM ENGINE V6 3800, LEAKING ANTIFREEZE INTO ENGINE. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILURE. *JB

Mileage: 70,983

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED AND LEAKED ANTIFREEZE.*JB

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED. *NLM

THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, WHICH CAUSED FLUID TO LEAK. *JB

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 62,000 MILES. I TOOK THE VAN TO A LOCAL DEALER BECAUSE OF A KNOCKING NOISE ON COLD STARTUP. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THE FAILED GASKET RUINED THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $1500. THE VAN HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE (OIL, FILTERS, ANITFREEZE CHECKED) EVERY 3000 MILES. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES AND DEXCOOL SYSTEMS. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE HAD THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE DRIVING.*JB

Mileage: 62,000

LEAKING AND CRACKED LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS FROM COOROSION AT 30,777 MILES. WITH RADIATOR CRACKED.

Mileage: 30,777

LEAKING INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE

Mileage: 50,750

I OWN A 1999 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE WITH 52,000 MILES. I BROUGHT IT TO THE LOCAL DEALER BECAUSE OF A KNOCKING NOISE ON COLD STARTUP. DIAGNOSED AS A FAILED INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, COST TO REPAIR APPROX $900.00. ON DISASSEMBLY, DEALER CONTACTED ME WITH INFORMATION THAT THE ENGINE INTERNALS WERE SO BADLY FOULED (SLUDGE AND DEPOSITS) THAT THE HYDRAULIC LIFTERS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS SITUATION, SINCE THE VAN HAS ALWAYS GOTTEN REGULAR OIL CHANGES EVERY 3000 MILES, WITH NEW FILTER AND CORRECT OIL, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO DIFFERENTLY TO AVOID THIS SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. NO INFORMATION OR ADVICE WAS OFFERED ON WHY THE GASKET FAILED, OR WHY THE ENGINE WAS SO BADLY FOULED.

Mileage: 51,000

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE FAILED. VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THAT COOLANT LEAKED INTO OIL WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE.*AK

VEHICLES OIL PUMP FAILED. OIL DISCHARGED FROM THE ENGINE AROUND THE GASKET. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT IT WAS THE RELIEF VALVE ON THE OIL PUMP WHICH CAUSED THE OIL TO DISCHARGE, HOWEVER CONSUMER IS NOT SURE IF THE OIL PUMP FAILRE WAS RELATED TO THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE.*JG

Mileage: 40,000

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE COOLANT LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN.CONSUMER HAS NOTIFIED DEALERSHIP, MECHANIC STATED HEAD MANIFOLD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE PART IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. NLM *YD

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAD GASKETS ARE LEAKING COOLANT ONTO THE ENGINE. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE PART IS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER. NLM *YD

I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE SINCE 3/99. IN WHICH TIME I HAVE HAD TO BRING IT BACK FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, LEAKING FUEL INJECTORS, BRAKES, NON WORKING CRUISE CONTROL WHICH LED TO THE DEALER REPLACING THE COMPRESSOR. FRONT END LEAKED ANTI FREEZE WHICH LED TO ANOTHER MAJOR JOB. I AM NOT A HAPPY MOTORIST HERE. THE STEERING COLUMN SQUEEKED. THEY GREASED IT. TURNED OUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE RACKINPINION. I KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT CARS AND I KNOW THAT FOR THE AMOUNT I PAY FOR THIS VEHICLE, I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THESE MAJOR PROBLEMS. BANDADE FIXES DON'T CUT IT WITH ME. NLM

THE ENGINE FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE HESIATES/REVS UP AND STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ALL THE COMPONENT'S ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON AND WON'T GO OFF, AND THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING ROUGH AND SHUTS DOWN. *AK