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FaultScore report

1992 Buick Riviera problems

Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 1992 Buick Riviera with NHTSA between 1995 and 2006. The largest single group is the airbags.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Buick Riviera
—

Not graded

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

How this is worked out

The numbers

17

Complaints

3

Crashes reported

1

Fires reported

2

Injuries reported

How 1992 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 1992 Buick Riviera

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

Airbags 3 17.6%

3 crashes, 1 fires

Acceleration & Cruise Control 2 11.8%
Suspension 2 11.8%
Brakes 2 11.8%
Equipment & Accessories 1 5.9%
Seat Belts 1 5.9%

Median failure at 172,000 miles

Tires 1 5.9%
Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 1 5.9%
Lights 1 5.9%
Steering 1 5.9%

Median failure at 172,000 miles

Electrical System 1 5.9%
Engine & Cooling 1 5.9%

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.

Apr 1995 peak 5 Aug 2006

Recalls on the 1992 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.

Recall 1991132 128 units in Canada

Steering

THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT TO STEERING RACK LOWER COUPLING PINCH BOLT MAY BE MISSING. THIS COULD RESULT IN SHAFT DISENGAGEMENT AND LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. CORRECTION: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND, IF NECESSARY, A PINCH BOLT WILL BE INSTALLED.

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.

Morton Grove, IL Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT ILLEGALLY, AND CONSUMER HIT OTHER CAR ON REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED BUICK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #895662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Paul, MN Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 30 MPH AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #837976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Westfield, NJ Crash Fire 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT END ACCIDENT; VEHICLE HIT TELEPHONE POLE. TT

NHTSA complaint #964142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

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

at 172,000 miles Cincinnati, OH

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SEAT BELT CATCHES AND WILL NOT FEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO MENTIONED, NHTSA RECALL # 113343 PERTAINING TO THE SEAT BELT WEBBING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 9/27/2006 - THE VEHICLW WAS ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE STEERING SHAFT COUPLER RECALL 91V-157000. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LOCK UP.

NHTSA complaint #10166142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 172,000 miles Cincinnati, OH

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SEAT BELT CATCHES AND WILL NOT FEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO MENTIONED, NHTSA RECALL # 113343 PERTAINING TO THE SEAT BELT WEBBING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 9/27/2006 - THE VEHICLW WAS ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE STEERING SHAFT COUPLER RECALL 91V-157000. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LOCK UP.

NHTSA complaint #10166142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Morton Grove, IL Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT ILLEGALLY, AND CONSUMER HIT OTHER CAR ON REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED BUICK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #895662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Meriden, CT

TIRES

COOPER TIRE LIFE LINER, CLASSIC II, 205/70R15 WAS ON A BUICK, RIVIERA, 1992. WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED RIGHT FRONT TIRE SUDDENLY EXPLODED, CAUSING TREAD TO SEPARATE FROM SIDEWALL. THIS HAPPENED AFTER TRAVELING A SHORT DISTANCE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #870831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Loudon, TN

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

VEHICLE WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE GAUGE RED LINE APPEARED AND THE BRAKES BECAME VERY SPONGY. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL. CONSUMER SAID THAT WITH REDUCED TRAFFIC AND INCREASED SPEED, COOLING OCCURED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EFFECTIVENESS RETURNED. CONTACTED DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #845826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Loudon, TN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

VEHICLE WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE GAUGE RED LINE APPEARED AND THE BRAKES BECAME VERY SPONGY. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL. CONSUMER SAID THAT WITH REDUCED TRAFFIC AND INCREASED SPEED, COOLING OCCURED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EFFECTIVENESS RETURNED. CONTACTED DEALER.

NHTSA complaint #845826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Peters, MO

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #840973 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ST Paul, MN Crash

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 30 MPH AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #837976 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Wellsboro, PA

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

EVAPORATOR CORE FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK.

NHTSA complaint #542363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Port Charlotte, FL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER

INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR, AND CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER REPLACED WITH A "NEW" MASTER CYLINDER.

NHTSA complaint #818432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Palo Alpo, CA

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ENGINE DID NOT DEACCELERATE AFTER RELEASING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, INSTEAD, ACCELERATED HIGH SPEED, DRIVER KEPT BRAKES APPLIED TO AVOID HIGH SPEED, NO WARNING, TWO OCCURRANCES WITHIN 10 DAYS, CAUSE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA complaint #813582 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Chino Hills, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

PURCHASE CAR NEW THE SENTINEL LIGHT DOESN'T WORK . TT

NHTSA complaint #976319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Westfield, NJ Crash Fire 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT END ACCIDENT; VEHICLE HIT TELEPHONE POLE. TT

NHTSA complaint #964142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenville, KY

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER

WINDSHIELD WIPERS SKIP ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD, CUTTING THE VISION IN HALF, DEALER SAID WIPER DESIGN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. TT TT

NHTSA complaint #963707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenville, KY

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA complaint #963707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenville, KY

SUSPENSION

WEAK STRUTS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BOTTOM OUT/SQUEAKS.

NHTSA complaint #963707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Greenville, KY

SUSPENSION:REAR

REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT WHEN THERE ARE PASSENGERS IN REAR SEAT.

NHTSA complaint #963707 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.