121 of the
753 complaints filed about the Buick Skylark
are about the electrical system —
16% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1995.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO START AND THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT IT TOOK MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V036000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.
NHTSA complaint #10837851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO START AND THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT IT TOOK MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V036000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,000.
NHTSA complaint #10837851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK SKYLARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WOULD ACTIVATE INDEPENDENTLY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ANTI-THEFT WARNING LIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER OR CENTRAL COMPUTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS THEN REFERRED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR POSSIBLE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54000.
NHTSA complaint #10576917 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ON 11/14/2012 I BOUGHT AN EXCIDE CAR BATTERY FROM NATIONAL AUTO IN BANGOR, PA. BATTERY RAN FOR ABOUT 2 MOS. THEN STARTED TO GIVE ME PROBLEMS. AFTER SITTING FOR 2 DAYS IT WOULD NOT START. HAD CAR BATTERY JUMPED 3 TIMES. BETWEEN 01/ 2013 AND 02/ 10/2013. BATTERY COMPLETELY DEAD ON 02/11/2013. WAS PUT ON SLOW CHARGE AND RAN FOR ANOTHER 2 DAYS AND DIED AGAIN. TOOK BATTERY BACK TO NATIONAL AUTO ON 02/17/2013. BEFORE TAKING IT THERE I HAD ALTERNATOR, STARTER AND WIRES CHECKED .. EVERYTHING OK.. RETURNED TO STORE. SERVICE PERSON CHECKED IT AND SAID BATTERY WAS CHARGED...TOLD HIM IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE IT WAS DEAD IN CAR AND WE JUST TOOK IT OUT. HE GAVE ME ANOTHER BATTERY. WORKED FINE UNTIL PALM SUNDAY...DEAD BATTERY...AAA CAME OUT AND JUMPED CAR...WORKED UNTIL 04/04/2013. CALLED CAR STOP ABOUT PROBLEM....GUY SENT OUT.. HE CHECKED BATTERY OUTPUT ONLY 10...NEED 12 VOLTS TO START CAR. ALSO HAD STARTER AND ALTERNATOR CHECKED AGAIN...NO PROBLEMS THERE. TOOK CAR TO SHOP NEXT DAY...NEW BATTERY INSTALLED. CALLED NATIONAL AUTO ABOUT PROBLEM....TOLD TO BRING IT BACK... I DID SO THIS MORNING 04/07/2013 AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE IT IS HOLDING A CHARGE HE CAN'T GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK...I TOLD HIM " WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO WITH 2 BATTERIES" TOLD ME TO BRING IT BACK WHEN STORE MANAGER IS THERE ON TUES AM OR WED. I AM A 68 YR OLD SENIOR WOMAN...I FEEL LIKE I AM BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO KEEP GOING BACK...I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTRA HUNDRED DOLLARS TO SPEND JUST TO LET BATTERY SIT IN CELLAR. I WANT MY MONEY BACK. I AM NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THIS BRAND BATTERY.
NHTSA complaint #10507409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1997 BUICK SKYLARK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE RECALL *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING SYSTEM WHICH WAS CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 02V070000.
NHTSA complaint #10433382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
1997 BUICK SKYLARK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE RECALL *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING SYSTEM WHICH WAS CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE. THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 02V070000.
NHTSA complaint #10433382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CAR HAD BEEN STALLING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR BUT NOT AS FREQUENT. THE MOST DANGEROUS TIME IT STALLED WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE 240N. MY WIFE AND CHILD WAS WITH ME. IT WAS RUSH HOUR AND THERE WERE LOTS OF TRAFFIC. WE WERE TERRIFIED! ONCE I MERGED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, WE HAD TO WAIT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR STARTED AGAIN. MIND YOU, WE ARE ON THE SIDE OF A BUSY AND DANGEROUS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. I NOTICED WHEN I TRIED TO START THE CAR AFTER IT HAD STALLED, THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WAS FLASHING. I HAD NO IDEA WHY THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WAS FLASHING OR IF IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE CAR NOT STARTING. I CALLED A TECHNICIAN I KNOW AND EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THE CAR SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS TO START BUT KEEP STALLING. HE ASKED ME TO LOOK AT THE DASH AND TELL HIM WHAT I SAW. THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT WAS FLASHING, IT REMAINED ON FOR A WHILE, THEN IT WENT OUT AFTER ABOUT 15 MINUTES. HE TOLD ME TO TRY TO START THE CAR AGAIN. IT STARTED. THIS (THE CAR STALLS, WAIT AWHILE, THEN IT STARTS) WENT ON FOR AWHILE. ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2009, I WENT OUT TO START THE CAR TO TAKE MY CHILD TO SCHOOL AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. TO THIS DAY, I CAN NOT GET MY CAR TO START AND THE THEFT SYSTEM LIGHT IS STILL FLASHING. THERE ARE SEVERAL PEOPLE I KNOW WHO OWN BUICK SKYLARKS AND ARE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE THEFT SYSTEM. SOME HAVE GOTTEN SEVERAL THINGS REPLACED SUCH AS THE KEY, THE SWITCH, ETC AND HAVE YET TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM CORRECTED. IT SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE BUICK SKYLARKS THEFT SYSTEM MANUFACTURED AROUND 1997! IS THERE ANYTHING BEING DONE OR WILL THERE BE SOMETHING DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM? THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES AND/OR DEATHS!
NHTSA complaint #10291114 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK SKYLARK. ALL OF THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WERE FLUCTUATING UP AND DOWN. NEITHER THE SPEEDOMETER NOR THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED ACCURATE READINGS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND THAT THE REPAIR WOULD BE THE CONTACT'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 02V070000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86,000.
NHTSA complaint #10240572 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE ON VACATION WE TOOK A TRIP. ON THE WAY HOME AT NIGHT ALL ELECTRICITY DEVICES STARTED TO DIE. I GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE DIED AND WOULDN'T START. I HAD IT TOWED HOME AND IT HASN'T STARTED SINCE. I TURN THE KEY AND GET NOTHING. WHEN I TURN THE KEY ON, THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM LIGHT IS LIT AND NEVER GOES OUT. THE BATTERY IS FULLY CHARGED AND I CAN START THE CAR IF I JUMP THE STARTER BUT NOT FROM THE KEY. ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL DEVICES WORK FINE.
NHTSA complaint #10203522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ENGINE HESITATED, THEN STALLED COMPLETELY. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER ASSIST STEERING, AND POWER ASSIST BRAKING. AFTER BEING RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE STALLED SEVERAL MORE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR ERVICE. PREVIOUSLY, THE ON-BOARD COMPUTER WAS REPLACED BY A SERVICE DEALER IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK UPDATED 12/01/06.
NHTSA complaint #10166235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN FAILED, THE FUSE WAS INSPECTED AND HAD MELTED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE HORN SWITCH STUCK CAUSING THE HORN TO SHORT OUT AND THE WIRING HARNESS TO MELT. THE HORN, HORN RELAY, AND WIRING HARNESS WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10148440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN FAILED, THE FUSE WAS INSPECTED AND HAD MELTED. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE HORN SWITCH STUCK CAUSING THE HORN TO SHORT OUT AND THE WIRING HARNESS TO MELT. THE HORN, HORN RELAY, AND WIRING HARNESS WERE REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #10148440 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT: CONTACT STATED THAT ON 7-11-05 HAD A NEW ALTERNATOR PUT IN. IT FAILED ON 8-13-05., AND IT WAS REPLACED ON 8-14-05. IT IS NOT SHOWING UP ON THE TESTER AS CONSISTENT. IT WAS ARCHING AND DRAINING THE BATTERY. THE PART NUMBER FOR THE ALTERNATOR WAS #8225-7. THEY WILL REPLACE IT IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME; BUT THAT DID NOT HELP THE CALL NOW BECAUSE CAR DIED THE FREEWAY. A MECHANIC TOLD HER THEY WERE PUTTING BAD REGULATORS IN THESE ALTERNATORS. THIS INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES;: CAR QUEST, AND BBB INDUSTRIES; 5640 COMMERCE EAST, MOBILE, AL 36619. PALLADIUM; BOX 2710 RONOAKE, VA 24001.
NHTSA complaint #10133015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN AUG 2001 I HAD TO HAVE THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER ON THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED DUE THE HEADLIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS BECOMING NON OPERATIVE. IN FEB 2002 I STARTED TO HAVE RANDOM OCCURENCES OF THE HEADLIGHTS BEING NONFUNCTIONAL WHILE THE SWITCH WAS BEING OPERATED, USUALLY AFTER TURNING THE SWITCH ON AND OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. IN JUNE 2003 THE LEFT AND RIGHT TURN SIGNALS STARTED TO RANDOMLY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. SOMETIMES THE SIGNAL WOULD NOT COME ON AT ALL WHEN ACTIVATED, OTHER TIMES THE SIGNAL WOULD STAY ON, EVEN THOUGH THE TURN WOULD BE COMPLETED. IN SEPT 2003 THE LEFT SIGNAL WILL NOT OPERATE NORMALLY, WHEN THE DRIVER ACTIVATES THE SIGNAL INDICTACTING A LEFT TURN, THE SIGNAL WILL ACTIVATE, BUT IT WILL NOT BLINK, THE LIGHT JUST COMES ON AND STAYS LIKE THAT. THE DRIVER HAS TO MANUALLY MOVE THE SWITCH IN THE ON AND OFF POSISTION IN A CONTINOUS MOTION TO USE THE SIGNAL. THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS OPERATE IN A NORMAL FASHION WHEN ACTIVATED. ALL THE LAMPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THE OWNER, AND THE WIRING HAS BEEN INSPECTED.
NHTSA complaint #10045539 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA RECALL 02-V-070-000: IF THE ENGINE FAILED TO START AND THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO HOLD THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENTS FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH AND SOMETIMES PRODUCE ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE RECALL, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BURNING FOUR STARTERS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WITHOUT A WARRANTY. *AK *SCC (THIS DOCUMENT IS AN ADD TO)
NHTSA complaint #10040337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
NHTSA RECALL 02-V-070-000: IF THE ENGINE FAILED TO START AND THE DRIVER WOULD HAVE TO HOLD THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENTS FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH AND SOMETIMES PRODUCE ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR THE RECALL, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BURNING FOUR STARTERS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WITHOUT A WARRANTY. *AK *SCC (THIS DOCUMENT IS AN ADD TO)
NHTSA complaint #10040337 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.