FaultScore

Buick Skylark airbag problems

53 of the 753 complaints filed about the Buick Skylark are about the airbag system — 7% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1996.

53

Complaints

7%

Share of all complaints

20

Crashes

1

Fires

Airbags complaints by model year

1993 Skylark 1 1.9%
1994 Skylark 6 11.3%
1995 Skylark 12 22.6%

Median failure at 119,500 miles

1996 Skylark 18 34.0%

Median failure at 97,000 miles

1997 Skylark 12 22.6%

Median failure at 56,166 miles

1998 Skylark 4 7.5%

Median failure at 144,500 miles

What owners said

1995 Buick Skylark at 150,000 miles Novato, CA

AIR BAGS

AIRBAG IS WORN OUT. HORN QUIT WORKING. THERE IS STILL NO RECALL ON THIS. MORE FAULTY DESIGN. THERE IS NO EXCUSE TO HAVE A DESIGN WHERE THE HORN WON'T WORK.

NHTSA complaint #11055140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Buick Skylark at 149,000 miles Novato, CA

AIR BAGS

AIRBAG DEVELOPS A PROBLEM WHERE THE HORN IS VERY SENSITIVE AND SOMETIMES DEPLOYS ON ITS OWN. OTHER TIMES IT WON'T WORK AT ALL. A HORN GOING OFF AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES COULD CONFUSE OTHER DRIVERS AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.THE PARTICULAR PART HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED BY GM BUT THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THEM NOT ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #11006057 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Buick Skylark at 68,818 miles Detriot, MI 1 injured

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK SKYLARK. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE FACE, NECK, CHEST, RIGHT SHOULDER, AND MOUTH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,818.

NHTSA complaint #10883305 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Buick Skylark at 120,000 miles Mountain Home, AR 1 injured

AIR BAGS

AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT, ON MAY 5 2016, 10 PM, WENT OUT TO PUT WINDOWS UP IN CAR, VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY,OPENED DOOR, LEANED IN TO TURN ON KEY, WHEN I TURNED ON KEY, HEARD LOUD EXPLOSION, TWO THOUGHTS BEFORE I BLACKED OUT, THOUGHT I HAD BEEN SHOT & WHAT THE HELL WAS PULLING ME BACKWARDS SO FAST, CAME TO IN A FEW SECONDS LAYING ON THE GROUND, NOTICED THAT AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED, COULD NOT GET UP & CRAWLED TO HOUSE, THIS WAS A VERY VIOLENT & TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE, WENT TO HOSPITAL WHERE THEY XRAYED MY NECK & FOUND NO BROKEN BONES, MY FACE WAS ACTUALLY 2 TO 3 INCHES AWAY FROM STEERING WHEEL WHEN DEPLOYMENT HAPPENED, I BELIEVE THE ATTACHED HINGE PARTS THAT OPENED WHEN BAG DEPLOYED ACTUALLY HIT ME IN FACE, BRUISED LIP & BLOOD BLISTERS ON LEFT SIDE OF MY FACE, THOUGH MY NECK WAS NOT BROKEN, HOSPITAL DID NOT CHECK ME FOR CUNCUSION PROBABLY DUE TO THE FACT I DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE, I AM POSITIVE I HAD ONE, STILL HAVING PROBLEMS FOCUSING, ALONG WITH EXCESSIVE FORGETFULNESS, FOR THREE DAYS I COULD FEEL THAT MY BODY HAD BEEN TWISTED AWAY FROM MY SPINE, THIS WAS VERY VIOLENT AND HOPE THAT IT NEVER HAPPENS TO ANYONE ELSE, STILL RECOVERING.

NHTSA complaint #10871513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Buick Skylark at 96,000 miles Lakeland, FL Crash 2 injured

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT WAS A PASSENGER IN A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. DUE TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE EYES AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA complaint #10734483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Buick Skylark at 97,000 miles Michigan City, IN 1 injured

AIR BAGS

THE AIRBAG EXPLODED WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THEN CAUSED THE HORN TO CONTINUOUSLY GO OFF. NOT FIVE MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE IT WENT OFF WHILE I WAS ACCELERATING FROM BEING STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I WAS PULLED OVER ON A SIDE STREET WHEN THE HORN STARTED GOING OFF. THE AIR BAG BRUISED AND BURNED MY LEFT ARM, HOWEVER MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. I HAD A WATER LEAK SOMEWHERE THAT CAUSED WATER TO BUILD UP PRIMARILY ON MY DRIVER SIDE FLOOR BOARD, HOWEVER EVENTUALLY THE BACK FLOOR BOARDS BECAME WET AS WELL. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE WATER CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION AND SET OFF THE AIR BAG. IT SEEMS STANDING WATER IS AN ISSUE FOR THESE CARS AND CAN CAUSE AN ISSUE WITH A CONTROL BOX LOCATED UNDER THE SEAT, WHICH IS AN AWFUL COMBINATION. THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN WAY WORSE THAN IT WAS, AND IT FORCED ME TO BUY A NEW CARE EARLIER THAN I WAS FINANCIALLY PREPARED TO DO.

NHTSA complaint #10717763 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1995 Buick Skylark at 90,000 miles Gaithersburg, MD

AIR BAGS

MY HORN STOPPED WORKING. THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO THE HORN SWITCH. MY MECHANIC COULD NOT REPLACE THE HORN SWITCH BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY, WHICH HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED. I HAD TO HAVE A BYPASS SWITCH INSTALLED ON THE DASHBOARD, WHICH IS INCONVENIENT AND AWKWARD TO USE. IN MY OPINION, THE HORN IS A MORE IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE THAN THE AIR BAG. I AM 71 YEARS OLD AND HAVE NEVER SEEN AN AIR BAG DEPLOY, BUT MY HORN HAS PREVENTED ACCIDENTS MANY TIMES.

NHTSA complaint #10650040 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Buick Skylark at 140,000 miles Minneapolis, MN 1 injured

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK SKYLARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UNEXPECTEDLY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND AN INJURY WAS SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA complaint #10597478 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Buick Skylark at 209,000 miles Milwaukee, WI

AIR BAGS

WENT TO START TO CAR AFTER DRIVING ALL AFTERNOON AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE DASH AND WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA complaint #10583735 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Buick Skylark Blue Ridge, VA 1 injured

AIR BAGS

WHEN CAR PUT IN REVERSE, AIRBAG DEPLOYED CAUSING KNOT AND BRUISING TO ARM. 4/14/14 CALLED 800-222-1020 AND SPOKE TO FRANKLIN THAT STATED AIRBAGS ARE NOT COVERED EVEN FOR DEFECT AFTER WARRANTY OF CAR IS OVER. CALLED BERGLUND LOCAL DEALER IN ROANOKE VA AND SPOKE TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID $99 TO EVEN LOOK AT AIRBAG. CALLED INSURANCE AND FILED CLAIM AND ADJUSTOR SAID OBVIOUS DEFECT IN AIRBAG SINCE NO EXTERIOR DAMAGE TO CAR. WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE ME? I AM HANDLING THIS SITUATION FOR MY AUNT, THAT ACTUALLY OWNS THE CAR. THANKS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #10579622 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Buick Skylark at 193,000 miles Pequot Lakes, MN

AIR BAGS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. NO CRASH OCCURRED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER, NOR THE DEALER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,000.

NHTSA complaint #10410566 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Buick Skylark at 82,000 miles Bradenton, FL 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

ON JULY 30 2008 THE DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED IN MY 1996 BUICK SKYLARK. I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT WHEN THIS OCCURRED. MINOR INJURIES BRUISES AND A SMALL CUT ON MY CHEST AREA. AFTER REVIEWING THE RECALLS ON THIS CAR, I REALIZE THAT I HAVE OTHER PROBLEMS RELATED TO OTHER RECALLS. UPON CONTACTING THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER, I WAS TOLD MY CAR DID NOT MATCH ANY OF THE RECALL COMPANIES? PERHAPS IT SHOULD HAVE MADE THE CAMPAIGN LIST.

NHTSA complaint #10237518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Buick Skylark at 47,500 miles Martinsburg, WV

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

I GOT A LETTER FROM GM , BUICK MOTOR DIVISION, THAT WAS A " CUSTOMER ADVISORY" NOT A RECALL THAT SAID IF MY 1996 BUICK HAS EVER BEEN WET OR HAD WATER SOAK THE FLOOR BOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THE AIR BAGS MIGHT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME DUE TO A MALFUNCTION OF THE CONTROL BOX LOCATED UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. IT SAID I NEED TO HAVE THE CAR SERVICED ASAP TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM IF IT HAS INDEED BEEN WET . AND IT HAS BEEN WET ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE DOOR GASKETS AND REAR WINDOW SEAL AND POSSIBLY THE TRUNK GASKET. I FEEL THAT GM SHOULD PAY AT THE LEAST FOR THE DEALER TO DECIDE IF THE CONTROL BOX NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR NOT . IF NOT FOR THE REPAIRS NEEDED TO INSURE THAT THE AIR BAGS DON'T DEPLOY FOR NO REASON WHILE I'M GOING DOWN THE ROAD CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. AIR BAGS ARE SUPPOSED TO HELP YOU NOT HURT YOU. J.M.K.

NHTSA complaint #10231912 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Buick Skylark Nacortes, WA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK SKYLARK. ON JUNE 18, 2008, THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN OWNER'S MANUAL SUPPLEMENT PERTAINING TO THE AIR BAG CONTROLLER MODULE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. HE IS OUTRAGED BECAUSE GM IS REFUSING TO MAKE ANY REPAIRS TO THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE LETTER MENTIONED THAT CONSUMERS HAVE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES DUE TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPOSED TO WATER. THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000.

NHTSA complaint #10231625 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Buick Skylark at 57,300 miles Sylvan Beach, NY

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON WHILE DRIVING !

NHTSA complaint #10178307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1998 Buick Skylark Hamburg, NY 1 injured

AIR BAGS

I WAS INJURED WHEN THE AIRBAG OF A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK (N BODY) DEPLOYED WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO IMPACT, IN FACT THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN A BUILDING AND NOT EVEN IN MOTION. I SUSTAINED A BRAIN SHEAR INJURY AND I AM STILL RECOVERING. I KNOW OF TWO OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE THIS OCCURRED IN N BODY GM VEHICLES. GENERAL MOTORS PAID FOR THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE BUT HAS NOT CONTACTED ME IN REGARD TO MY INJURIES OR LOST WAGES.(I WAS OUT OF WORK 2 MONTHS AND RECENTLY RETURNED ON A LIMITED BASIS. GENERAL MOTORS BLAMES THE DEPLOYMENT ON MOISTURE ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. I LIVE IN WESTERN NEW YORK WHERE WITH OUR WEATHER IT IS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO HAVE MOISTURE ON THE FLOOR. ONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED A DEPLOYMENT IS ALSO INJURED. PLEASE LOOK IN TO THIS MATTER AS THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY IS VERY GREAT. THANKS MIKE HALL PS I HAVE THE PARTS FROM THE DEPLOYMENT THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN.

NHTSA complaint #10115975 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Buick Skylark at 55,033 miles Pearl River, LA

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #10108700 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1996 Buick Skylark at 140,000 miles Lebo, KS

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE CONSUMER WAS WARMING UP THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO ONE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED FRONT WINDSHIELD BROKE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE.

NHTSA complaint #10059824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Buick Skylark at 43,749 miles Summerville, SC

AIR BAGS

WHILE PARKING HORN CONTINUOUSLY SOUNDED. THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER KNOB BROKE OFF. THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AIR BAG SYSTEM IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE HORN FAILURE AND REPLACED THE SHIFTER KNOB. *AK *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10038189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1997 Buick Skylark Birmingham, AL Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL

AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG. VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HIT AND RUN ACCIDENT WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO HIT A TELEPHONE POLE. UPON IMPACT, FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT. DRIVER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #10033831 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Buick Skylark problems