OldsmobileSilhouette1996Overview/oldsmobile/silhouette/1996/base/

1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 Silhouette.

Body VANTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette, a van that holds 4.5 quarts of 5W‑30 API oil and delivers an EPA rating of 17/24/19 mpg with its automatic four‑speed transmission, presents a modest reliability profile. Owner‑reported data show 23 total complaints, with the engine and cooling system as the top trouble spot, and the model was subject to two recalls. Compared with the Silhouette’s 1990‑2004 history—where complaint counts peaked at 190 in 1998 and fell to a low of 11 in 2004—the 1996 model sits toward the lower end of the range, indicating better‑than‑average dependability for the line but not the best year recorded.

Model year200420032002200120001999199819971996

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/24/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 75 · 525 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory serpentine belt is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 75 · 525 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnFUSEOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205-70R15OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175
Engine air filter24577608
Fuel filter25121468
Spark plug19301813
Front wiper blades10284387 alt 10284388
Serpentine belt24504180 discontinued
Thermostat24507563 alt 10226107

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 24 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 89021184 OR EQUIVALENT

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)24X Sensor: 8 ft-lbs, 7X Sensor: 6 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)8 ft-lbs
Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)96 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts76 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)22 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)30 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)14 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub104 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5,000-8,000 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Type41-940
Spark Plug Gap0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Oil TypeGM part number 12345923 or equivalent.
Standard BCI Group Number75
Standard BCI Cranking Performance525 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature188-206 °F
Injector Primary Resistance11.4-12.6 @ 50-95 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression100
Engine Compression100 Minimum psi
Engine Oil Pressure60 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM1850 rpm

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle38 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.26 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.26 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.224 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.209 in

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 15,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1996 Oldsmobile Silhouette recorded 23 complaints, two recalls and zero investigations, placing it among the lowest complaint years in the 1990‑2004 federal record. Compared with the preceding 1995 model (60 complaints, two recalls, zero investigations) and the following 1997 model (126 complaints, nine recalls, seven investigations), the 1996 figures represent a marked decline in both complaint volume and recall count. Across the entire generation, complaints rose steadily after 1993, peaked in 1997 and remained elevated through the early 2000s, making 1996 an early low point before the upward trend. The 1996 complaints were concentrated in Engine & Engine Cooling (6), Structure (3), Steering (2) and Visibility (2), with no crash or fire complaints reported. Because the 1996 model shows the lowest combined complaint and recall metrics of its generation and lacks crash or fire reports, it is a prudent year to consider when shopping for a used Silhouette.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
36
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
23
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 23 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling6
Structure3
Steering2
Visibility2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Visibility1
Tires1
Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

07E021000Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Pressure Relief DevicesReported 12/03/2007

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE… Remedy: DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

02V286000Steering:Rack And PinionReported 04/11/2002

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE AND SOME OTHER RETAINERS USED IN VEHICLES ASSEMBLED… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 36 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIP4723F2022-01-14Service Brakes, HydraulicThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D2020-01-31Electrical SystemThis Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA0732019-09-18EquipmentThis warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIC4696D2019-09-05EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Silhouette. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 Silhouette take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1996 Silhouette have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Silhouette get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.