35 of the 439 complaints filed about the Buick Riviera are about the transmission — 8% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1995.
35
Complaints
8%
Share of all complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING, BEGAN TO SMELL ODOR OF FUEL IN THE CABIN. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD, OPENED HOOD TO WITNESS FUEL SUPPLY LINE TO REAR FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAKING ON TO TOP OF ENGINE. FUEL CONTINUED TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE EVEN AFTER I SHUT OFF THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10547659 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
TRACTION LIGHT STAYS ON WITH CAUSE UNKNOWN. THE OWNER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT HE PROBABLY RAN THROUGH SOME WATER. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #8019252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON, WHICH COULD INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE OR BRAKES PER OWNER'S MANUAL. CONTACTED DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #8018154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
MODULATOR AFFECTS ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL, CAN CAUSE WHEEL LOCK-UP AND STEERING PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #764952 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE AND LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8006051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO SHIFT PROPERLY DUE TO GEARS GRINDING IN TRANSMISSION. ENGINE WAS SUPER CHARGED, BUT NOT TRANSMISSION. AT TRANSMISSION CENTER, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BEARINGS WERE FAILING AND CAUSED THE GRINDING. *AK
NHTSA complaint #8005787 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
UPON STOPPING VEHICLE HAS TO PRESS BRAKES DOWN HARD TO HOLD VEHICLE IN PLACE. VEHICLE JUMPS IF BRAKES ARE NOT HELD DOWN FIRMLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8000828 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
GOES OUT OF HIGH GEAR WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-65.
NHTSA complaint #752079 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND PARKED WITH KEYS OUT. THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL WITH NO OCCUPANT AND EVENTUALLY HIT A TRUCK. THE KEYS WILL COME OUT OF THE IGNITION IN ANY GEAR CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL IF NOT COMPLETELY IN PARK, A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY SAY IT IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. IN ADDITION THE CAR SEEMS TO BE LOOSING 2ND GEAR, CAR VIBRATES AND MAKES NOISES AT LOWER SPEEDS.
NHTSA complaint #748640 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AND COULD NOT BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. MECHANIC STATED INSIDE OF TRANSMISSION LOOKED LIKE IT EXPLODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK
NHTSA complaint #889088 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE VEHICLE IS STOPPED IN GEAR EXTREME VIBRATIONS OCCURS. DEALER CAN NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #878692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAYED ON/NEEDED FOR SNOWY CONDITIONS HERE IN NEW ENGLAND. REPL'D BRAKE PRESS. MOD.VALVE. HEAT ON DRIVERS SIDE DOESN'T THROW OUT MUCH HOT AIR. HAD IT CHK'D TWICE/O-RINGS REPL'D/ AND IT STILL ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY -(11/2000) NEW OIL PAN NEEDED.
NHTSA complaint #736558 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE AIR CONDITIONING AND TRANASMISSION HAVE BEEN CHECKED OUT A NUMBER OF TIMES AND THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG , THE TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES DOES NOT SHIFT AND STICKS IN FIRST GEAR , THE AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT BLOW COOL OR COLD AIR WHEN IT IS HOT AND MUGGY OUT. IT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BLOW COOL AIR ON ONE SIDE AND HOT AIR ON ANOTHER.
NHTSA complaint #735019 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH TRANSMISSION MADE A LOUD NOISE THEN A GRINDING NOISE WAS COMING FROM TRANSMISSION.VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE POWER, AND HAD TO BE TOWE TECHNICIAN DID NOT EXPLAIN WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED.
NHTSA complaint #869376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
PUMP IN TRANSMISSION BROKE WITHOUT WARNING OF PENDING PROBLEMS ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS.
NHTSA complaint #727827 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
BOTH REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT, ENGINE HAS SEVERE SKIP WHEN ACSENDING HILL IN OVERDRIVE 9DEALER CANNOT DIAGNOSE) AND ANTI-LOCK/ TRACTION LIGHT COME ON, OCCASIONALLY BRAKES SEEM TO STICK AFTER COMING TO STOP.
NHTSA complaint #725728 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
#1.TRACTION OFF LIGHT CAME ON & STAYED ON. REPLACED PMC. #2. REAR SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT. RETRACTOR NEEDS REPLACING.
NHTSA complaint #724074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE STARTED MAKING NOISES UNDER THE HOOD. ALSO, WHEN PUTTING IN REVERSE THE RPMS WOULD MOVE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT. DEALER SAID VEHICLE NEEDED NEW TRANSMISSION..
NHTSA complaint #858660 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AT 35,000 MILES IN APRIL 1999. I DID NOT TAKE INTO DEALER UNTIL DECEMBER 1999 BECAUSE I DID NOT KNOW THIS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ABS SYSTEM FAILURE. SO, INSTEAD OF TAKING TO DEALER AND FOR POTENTIAL MAJOR EXPENSE OF CORRECTING TRACTION CONTROL PROBLEM I CHOSE TO LIVE WITHOUT TRACTION CONTROL. IN DECEMBER 1999 I TOOK IT IN TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I WAS TIRED OF LOOKING AT THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON. WAS INFORMED ABS SYSTEM HAD FAILED AND REPLACED VALVE KIT. COST WAS $870.76!!! VEHICLE ALSO MADE A POPPING NOISE IN FRONT SUSPENSION WHEN MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN. WAS ADVISED THAT LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS DEFECTIVE AND THEY REPLACED SAME DATE. TOTAL COST $378.25. DID NOT SOLVE POPPING NOISE ON RIGHT TURNS.
NHTSA complaint #716066 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
AFTER STOPPING AT AN UNCONTROLLED INTERSECTION, MY FRONT BUMPER WAS INTO THE TRAFFIC LANE SO I BACKED UP ABOUT TWO FEET IN CASE A CAR WAS COMING FROM MY LEFT THAT I MIGHT NOT SEE. I SHIFTED BACK INTO DRIVE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY SO I COULD PROCEED ACROSS THE LANES AND COMPLETE MY LEFT TURN. THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLOW TO ENGAGE COMPLETELY INTO DRIVE AND LURCHED FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE IT LET ME ACCELERATE INTO MY LEFT TURN. I WAS ALMOST BROADSIDED ON MY RIGHT AS THIS TRANSMISSION NEEDED A LONG PAUSE BEFORE ENGAGING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE. I HAVE HAD THIS TRANSMISSION OPENED UP AND REPAIRED BY MY BUICK DEALER TWICE IN TWO YEARS. BUICK HAS PUBLISHED MULTIPLE SERVICE BULLETINS DEALING WITH HARSH SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE AND ALSO HARSH SHIFTING IN GENERAL. I TOOK THE CAR AGAIN INTO DON SNELL BUICK ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2 AND ASKED THEM TO REPLACE THIS FAULTY TRANSMISSION OR SEE IF ANOTHER SERVICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN ISSUED. AFTER TWO DAYS IN WHICH I HAD SOME NORMAL 30000 MILE SERV ICE DONE, THE SERVICE FOREMAN POLITELY TOLD ME THAT THIS PAUSE CAN'T BE FIXED AND I HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT. THE PROBLEM ONLY SEEMS TO BE IN THE RIVIERA MODEL NOT OTHER BUICKS. IN THIS DAY OF FASTER AND FASTER COMPUTERS, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS TRANSMISSION MUST PAUSE FOR A FEW SECONDS TO ENGAGE IN DRIVE FROM REVERSE. HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAS THIS CAUSED OR WILL CAUSE IN THE FUTURE? I GUESS SINCE THE RIVIERA IS NO LONGER MADE , THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE WILL FADE AWAY IN BUICK'S EYES. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN NUDGE BUICK INTO ISSUING A FIX FOR THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #714376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.