FaultScore report
Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 1988 Buick Skylark with NHTSA between 1995 and 2001. The largest single group is the brakes.
17
Complaints
3
Crashes reported
2
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
Click any bar to open that year's report.
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
2 crashes, 0 fires
1 crashes, 0 fires
0 crashes, 2 fires
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.
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.
BRAKE PERFORMANCE
===
BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS
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 runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not always mirror the American ones.
Engine
NOTE: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.3 LITRE ENGINE. IN SUB ZERO TEMPERATURES, MOISTURE FROM THE CRANKCASE VENTILATION SYSTEM COULD CAUSE ICE BUILDUP BEHIND THE THROTTLE BLADE THEREBY PREVENTING THE THROTTLE FROM RETURNING TO IDLE WHEN THE ACCERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. CORRECTION: AN ENGINE VENTILATION KIT WILL BE INSTALLED ON AFFECTED VEHICLES TO PREVENT MOISTURE ACCUMULATION IN THE CRANKCASE.
Emissions
Certain vehicles may not comply with CMVSS 1103 - Exhaust Emissions. Cracks may develop in the casing of the integrated direct ignition coil. Correction: Ignition coils will be inspected and replaced if necessary.
Fuel System
ON VEHICLES WITH QUAD 4 ENGINES, THE FRONT FUEL FEED ASSEMBLY COULD CRACK OR SEPARATE AT THE COUPLING ON THE ENGINE END OF THE ASSEMBLY, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK INTO THE UNDERHOOD AREA. THIS WOULD CREATE THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. CORRECTION: FRONT FUEL FEED HOSE ASSEMBLY WILL BE REPLACED ON AFFECTED VEHICLES.
Electrical
VEHICLES WITH ELECTRONIC DIGITAL INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MAY EXPERIENCE UNEXPECTED LOSS OF TAIL LAMP AND SIDE MARKER LAMP FUNCTION, REDUCING OTHER DRIVERS' ABILITY TO SEE THE VEHICLE, WHICH MIGHT LEAD TO A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CORRECTION: HEADLIGHT SWITCH PANEL WILL BE REPLACED ON AFFECTED VEHICLES.
Recalls cover specific build ranges, so check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or, in Canada, Transport Canada.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
STARTED THE VEHICLE AND PUT THE GEAR IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS WITHOUT PUTTING FOOT ON GAS PEDAL. PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND WENT INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S BACK YARD AND HIT A TREE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #822708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND CAR CUT OFF, RESTARTED AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. RAISED HOOD AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH. INSURANCE EXPERT SAID CAUSE OF FIRE WAS FROM FUEL FEED HOSE . *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #817637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND CAR CUT OFF, RESTARTED AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. RAISED HOOD AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH. INSURANCE EXPERT SAID CAUSE OF FIRE WAS FROM FUEL FEED HOSE . *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #817637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING AND PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE TAKES OFF AND THE ONLY WAY THE VEHICLE WILL STOP IF THE DRIVER HIT SOMETHING. ALSO DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL PICK UP SPEED NOT WHEN VEHICLE IS ON LEVEL ROAD.
NHTSA complaint #814967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
BRAKE PEDAL TOO CLOSE TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING THEM TO BE DEPRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #503811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
SUSPENSION
WHILE DRIVING OVER RAILROAD VEHICLE WILL START SHAKING. CONSUMER HAS TO STOP, THEN VEHICLE WILL DRIVE FINE. SOMETIMES HAS TO KEEP ACCELERATING SO ENGINE WON'T SHUT DOWN.
NHTSA complaint #881327 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
PAINT IS PEELING BADLY. VARIOUS SOURCES OF INFORMATION INDICATE A DEFECT WITH CERTAIN NEW PAINT FORMULAS USED DURING THE MID TO LATE 1980'S CAUSING CHIPPING AND PEELING ON NUMEROUS MODELS OF VEHICLES MADE DURING THIS PERIOD. NO SAFETY DEFECT.
NHTSA complaint #731519 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #705437 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
TIRES FAILED (TRIBUNE P 185/80/R13).
NHTSA complaint #604473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #604473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #604473 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
STARTED THE VEHICLE AND PUT THE GEAR IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS WITHOUT PUTTING FOOT ON GAS PEDAL. PUT VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL, THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF CONTROL AND WENT INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S BACK YARD AND HIT A TREE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER.
NHTSA complaint #822708 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
INADEQUATE OR SOFT BRAKES CONTRIBUTED TO A CRASH.
NHTSA complaint #532785 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND CAR CUT OFF, RESTARTED AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. RAISED HOOD AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH. INSURANCE EXPERT SAID CAUSE OF FIRE WAS FROM FUEL FEED HOSE . *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #817637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM:FUEL RAIL
DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AND CAR CUT OFF, RESTARTED AND ATTEMPTED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD, NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. RAISED HOOD AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH. INSURANCE EXPERT SAID CAUSE OF FIRE WAS FROM FUEL FEED HOSE . *AK *SLC
NHTSA complaint #817637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATES, AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE VEHICLE IS STILL ACCELERATES. CAUSE OF THIS ACCELERATION IS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #815105 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING AND PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE TAKES OFF AND THE ONLY WAY THE VEHICLE WILL STOP IF THE DRIVER HIT SOMETHING. ALSO DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WILL PICK UP SPEED NOT WHEN VEHICLE IS ON LEVEL ROAD.
NHTSA complaint #814967 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
DURING VEHICLE OPERATION THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS BEEN A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM AND THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #805592 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
BRAKE PEDAL TOO CLOSE TO ACCELERATOR PEDAL, CAUSING THEM TO BE DEPRESSED SIMULTANEOUSLY, RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #503811 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE THE HEADLIGHT WENT OFF BY THEMSELVES. TT
NHTSA complaint #970407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT WILL NOT COME OUT OF THE DOOR. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT
NHTSA complaint #967015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE HEAD GASKET BLOW AND ENGINE LOCKED UP NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. TT
NHTSA complaint #958142 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.