1986 Buick Park Avenue problems

Owners have filed 16 complaints about the 1986 Buick Park Avenue with NHTSA between 1995 and 2008. The largest single group is the electrical system.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Buick Park Avenue

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Not graded

Too few complaints, or too short a model run, to compare fairly.

How this is worked out

The numbers

Complaints

Crashes reported

Fires reported

Injuries reported

How 1986 compares with every other Buick Park Avenue

Click any bar to open that year's report.

2 15 16 14 21 28 12 134 104 102 63 164 68 355 327 174 104 71 41 38 17 10

84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 1986 Buick Park Avenue

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Electrical System 3 18.8%

0 crashes, 1 fires

Equipment & Accessories 2 12.5%

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 2 12.5%

Brakes 2 12.5%

Median failure at 55,000 miles

Steering 2 12.5%

Transmission & Drivetrain 2 12.5%

Fuel & Propulsion 1 6.3%

Body & Structure 1 6.3%

Engine & Cooling 1 6.3%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Oct 1995 peak 11 Aug 2008

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

Filed 2 Apr 1996 West Rutland, VT Fire

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE BROKE OUT, ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ELECTRICAL SHORT, ALL WIRING AND HOSES BURNED.

NHTSA complaint #982217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Filed 11 Aug 2008 at 55,000 miles Taylor, MS

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 BUICK PARK AVENUE ELECTRA. THE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT BEGAN ILLUMINATING IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007 AND THE BRAKE LIGHT BEGAN ILLUMINATING IN MARCH OF 2008 AND REMAINED LIT. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE INSPECTED BY A BUICK DEALER. BOTH THE CONTACT AND THE MECHANIC HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND THE PARTS TO REPAIR THE BRAKE SYSTEM. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 87V093000 (SERVICE BRAKES: HYDRAULIC, ANTILOCK). THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,900 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

NHTSA complaint #10237637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 5 Apr 2000 Greers Ferry, AR

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELLING 55MPH PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, AND VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE MOTOR WAS STILL RUNNING. CONTACTED DEALER WHO WAS NOT ABLE TO HELP.

NHTSA complaint #859750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 3 Jan 1999 KEY West, FL

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

THE AIR CONDITIONER WOULD NOT TURN OFF EVEN WHEN THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF , HAD TO TAKE OFF THE PLUG TO TURN OFF . NOW THE AC CUTS OFF EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE MOSTLY WHEN THE BLINKER GOES ON AND ALSO WHEN THE WIPERS ARE ON. NOW AC ONLY BLOWS ON LOW

NHTSA complaint #701813 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Filed 27 Jun 1997 Roanoke, VA

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

TRANSMISSION FAILED.