Dodge RAM VAN vs Buick Skylark

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure	Dodge RAM VAN	Buick Skylark
Complaints on file	304	753
Model years covered	1989–2003	1981–2000
Worst model year	1999	1997
Best model year	1995	1998
Crashes reported	24	62
Fires reported	34	25
Injuries reported	26	44
Deaths reported	0	2
Most complained-about part	Electrical System	Brakes
Share of complaints involving harm	27.6%	17.7%

Dodge RAM VAN by year

1 1 3 4 9 17 36 26 38 56 35 40 16 22

89 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Electrical System 40 13.2%

Brakes 37 12.2%

Transmission & Drivetrain 28 9.2%

Body & Structure 27 8.9%

Steering 25 8.2%

Suspension 23 7.6%

Engine & Cooling 21 6.9%

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 18 5.9%

Buick Skylark by year

5 3 1 27 11 10 17 18 37 46 48 54 95 119 116 111 34 1

81 82 83 84 85 86 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 00

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Brakes 123 16.3%

Electrical System 121 16.1%

Engine & Cooling 114 15.1%

Airbags 53 7.0%

Steering 43 5.7%

Transmission & Drivetrain 41 5.4%

Acceleration & Cruise Control 41 5.4%

Seat Belts 32 4.2%