Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1984 Buick Skylark
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Steering
622.2%
Brakes
518.5%
Engine & Cooling
518.5%
Fuel & Propulsion
311.1%
Suspension
311.1%
Electrical System
27.4%
0 crashes, 1 fires
Lights
13.7%
Body & Structure
13.7%
Transmission & Drivetrain
13.7%
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 1995peak 12Aug 1997
NHTSA investigations into the 1984 Buick Skylark
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA87006Opened 16 Dec 1986Closed 19 Sep 1988STEERING
POWER ST. ASSIST
SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER:GM HAS DEVELOPED A SPLITRING FIELD REPAIR KIT AND IS EXTENDING THE WARRANRY ON ALL 1982-84 A,J, AND X, BODY CARS AND 1985 C,BODY CARS.THE WARRANTY APPLIES TO CARSTHAT ARE FOR 50,000 MILES OR 5 YRS.IT INCLUDES REIMBURSEMENT FOR PREVIOUSREPAIRS.ANALYSIS:WEARING OF THE RACK AND PINION HOUSING AND LOW AMBIENT TEMPCAN CAUSE TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER ASSIST.TEFLON O RINGS FAIL TO SEALOFF INTERNAL PRESSURE.STATUS:EVALUATING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OFFER BY GM.======
PE85016Opened 3 Dec 1984Closed 22 Mar 1985ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Recalls on the 1984 Buick Skylark
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.
United States — NHTSA
06E043000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.
Risk: THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
85V034000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
THE FUEL SYSTEM MAY LEAK AT THE THROTTLE BODY INJECTION FUEL FEED PIPE CONNECTION. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE WHICH COULD SPREAD TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CAUSE BURN INJURIES TO OCCUPANTS.
84V153000
SUSPENSION:REAR
THE REAR AXLE CONTROL ARM LOCATES AND HELPS CONTROL AXLE MOVEMENT; IT ATTACHES TO THE FRAME WITH A BRACKET. THE REAR CONTROL ARM BRACKET ATTACHING BOLTS USED ON SOME OF THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY FRACTURE. FRACTURE OF ALL FOUR BOLTS ON ONE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE CAN RESULT IN THE CONTROL ARM DROPPING ENOUGH TO CUT THE REAR BRAKE HOSE. A SEVERED BRAKE HOSE WOULD RESULT IN BRAKE FLUID LOSS AND PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY.
84V011000
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
SOME VEHICLES HAVE BUCKET SEAT BACK LOCKS THAT DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD 207, ANCHORAGE OF SEATS. IN EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT BACK LOCK MAY NOT FUNCTION.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 19850322,394 units in Canada
ON VEHICLES WITH 2.5L ENGINES. THE FUEL SYSTEM MAY LEAK AT THE THROTTLE BODY INJECTION FUEL FEED PIPE CONNECTION PRESENTING THE POSSIBILITY OF AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Recall 1984151577 units in Canada
THE REAR CONTROL ARM BRACKET ATTACHING BOLTS USED ON CERTAIN OF THESE VEHICLES MAY FRACTURE. FAILURE OF ALL FOUR BOLTS ON ONE SIDE CAN RESULT IN THE CONTROL ARM DROPPING ENOUGH TO CUT THE REAR BRAKE HOSE. SUCH A CUT WOULD RESULT IN FLUID LOSS AND PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING ACTION. THIS WOULD CAUSE INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCES AND SHOULD A FAILURE OCCUR WHILE TRHE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT A TIME WHEN MINIMAL STOPPING DISTANCES ARE REQUIRED, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.