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FaultScore report

1991 Buick Riviera problems

Owners have filed 16 complaints about the 1991 Buick Riviera with NHTSA between 1995 and 2003. The largest single group is the brakes.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Buick Riviera
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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

16

Complaints

4

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

4

Injuries reported

How 1991 compares with every other Buick Riviera

Click any bar to open that year's report.

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

What breaks on a 1991 Buick Riviera

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

Brakes 7 43.8%

Median failure at 200,000 miles

Seat Belts 3 18.8%

2 crashes, 0 fires · median 200,000 mi

Acceleration & Cruise Control 2 12.5%
Airbags 2 12.5%

2 crashes, 0 fires

Transmission & Drivetrain 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.

Sep 1995 peak 3 Jan 2003

Recalls on the 1991 Buick Riviera

A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous enough to fix for free — however old the car is.

Canada — Transport Canada

Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.

Recall 1995101 2,718 units in Canada

Seats And Restraints

ON CERTAIN TORONADO TROFEO'S THE FRONT OUTER SHOULDER BELT WEB SEW STOP MAY BECOME STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. THIS COULD MAKE THE BELT DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT OF THE RETRACTOR, AND SOME OCCUPANTS MAY BE UNABLE TO FASTEN THE BELT. IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, UNBELTED OCCUPANTS ARE AT A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RISK OF INJURY THAN THOSE WHO ARE BELTED. CORRECTION: A WEBBING STOP BUTTON WILL BE INSTALLED ON AFFECTED VEHICLES.

Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.

Complaints that involved harm

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

Anaheim, CA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

DURING COLLISION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG AND THE SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED, RESULTING IN INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #515341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anaheim, CA Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

DURING COLLISION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG AND THE SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED, RESULTING IN INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #515341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anaheim, CA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN INJURIES THAT INCLUDED CONTUSIONS.

NHTSA complaint #515341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anaheim, CA Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED TO RESTRAIN OCCUPANT.

NHTSA complaint #515341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

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

at 200,000 miles Owings Mills, MD

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

THE SEATBELT IN THE FRONT DOES NOT PULL OUT. WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS THE BRAKE CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA complaint #10005955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 200,000 miles Owings Mills, MD

SEAT BELTS:FRONT

THE SEATBELT IN THE FRONT DOES NOT PULL OUT. WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS THE BRAKE CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA complaint #10005955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hastings, MN

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN APPLYING BRAKE UNDER NORMAL BRAKING SITUATIONS THERE IS EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE. FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND CALIPERS ONCE. PLEASE ADD FURTHER DEATAILS.

NHTSA complaint #8013064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Hastings, MN

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC

WHEN APPLYING BRAKE UNDER NORMAL BRAKING SITUATIONS THERE IS EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE. FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND CALIPERS ONCE. PLEASE ADD FURTHER DEATAILS.

NHTSA complaint #8013064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Springfield, PA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING, TACKOMETER FAILED, CRUISE CONTROL FAILED, AND VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION CHECKED. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #563848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Springfield, PA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING, TACKOMETER FAILED, CRUISE CONTROL FAILED, AND VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION CHECKED. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #563848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Springfield, PA

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

IN HOT WEATHER, ENGINE OVERHEATS AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT RESTART AFTER SHUTOFF, CONSUMER HAS TO LET IT SET A FEW MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START, THERMOSTAT HAS BEEN REPLACED, RADIATOR HAS BEEN CLEANED, ENGINE HAS BEEN SERVICED, AND ANTI FREEZE HAS BEEN CHANGED, HOWEVER ENGINE CONTINUES TO OVERHEAT. *SLC

NHTSA complaint #563848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anaheim, CA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

DURING COLLISION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG AND THE SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED, RESULTING IN INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #515341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anaheim, CA Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

DURING COLLISION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG AND THE SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED, RESULTING IN INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #515341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Washington, DC

POWER TRAIN

WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER CAN'T DETERMINE HOW FAST VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AND HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY SAID THE VEHICLE ISN'T UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA complaint #828394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lugoff, SC

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE CAR DID NOT STOP AT ALL. BUICK STATES THE BOOSTER HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO IMPROVE BRAKES. HOWEVER, DEALER STATES THE BOOSTER IS A SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #827783 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Lugoff, SC

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM

WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE CAR DID NOT STOP AT ALL. BUICK STATES THE BOOSTER HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO IMPROVE BRAKES. HOWEVER, DEALER STATES THE BOOSTER IS A SAFETY HAZARD.

NHTSA complaint #827783 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anaheim, CA Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN INJURIES THAT INCLUDED CONTUSIONS.

NHTSA complaint #515341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Anaheim, CA Crash 2 injured

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE

THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED TO RESTRAIN OCCUPANT.

NHTSA complaint #515341 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST. Peters, MO

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL

PARKING BRAKE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA complaint #974353 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Spokane, WA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST

THE VACUUM IS NOT WORKING EARLY IN MORNING. TT

NHTSA complaint #972366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.