IllustrationVEHICLE HESITATE D BEFORE ACCELERATING. DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
1990 Buick Riviera
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Riviera years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 1 of 16 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
16 reportsABS BRAKING PROBLEM, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS NOISE AND LESS BRAKING POWER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AND UPON ATTEMTPING TO STOP, BRAKE PEDAL GOT VERY HARD, CAUSING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO SKID OUT INTO TRAFFIC. IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED PART NUMBER 1646523, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES CONTINUALLY FAILING, SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS HOWEVER CONTINUES TO FAIL, ALMOST RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. MJS
CONSUMER HAS A COMPLAINT CONCERNING DEALER/MANUFACTURER'S. REFUSAL TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE DRIVER'S AIR BAG. *AK
THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. *AK
VEHICLE LOST ALL LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF SIGHT.
RIGHT ENGINE CRADLE RUSTED.
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY ON HIS VEHICLE COMES AND GOES . WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER GOES THERE IS NO WAY OF TELLING THE SPEED OF VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK
OWNER STATES THAT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG. OWNER QUESTIONS THE SAFETY OF THE AIRBAGS. *AK
Official recalls
495V110000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
May 31, 1995
THE FRONT OUTER SHOULDER BELT WEB SEW STOP CAN BECOME STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. THE BELT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT OF THE RETRACTOR AND SOME OCCUPANTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FASTEN THE BELT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN PREVENT A PERSON FROM USING THEIR RESTRAINT SYSTEM RESULTING IN AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A WEBBING STOP BUTTON IF THE CUSTOMER REQUESTS REPAIR.
91V158000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:brake Fluid Low Warning: Lamp
Sep 13, 1991
BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT MAY NOT LIGHT WHEN IGNITION IS IN THE "ON" POSITION, THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, AND THE SHIFT SELECTOR IS IN THE PARK OR NEUTRAL GEAR RANGE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: VEHICLES WOULD NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 101AND 105.
Remedy: REPLACE THE PROM IN THE BODY COMPUTER MODULE TO PREVENT THIS CONDITION FROM OCCURRING.
90V164000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
Sep 6, 1990
TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE FROM THE FLOOR SHIFT CONTROL WITH LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE ACTUAL GEARPOSITION THE TRANSAXLE IS IN, WHICH COULD RESULT IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENTAND AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: INSTALL A TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO PREVENT CABLE DISENGAGEMENT.
90V028000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor
Feb 12, 1990
MISALIGNED REAR SEAT SAFETY BELT SHOULDER RETRACTOR ASSEMBLIES COULD CAUSE PENDULUM INTERFERENCE, CAUSING THE BELT TO REMAIN IN LOCKED POSITION OR TO TRAVEL FREELY WITHOUT LOCKING.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A PANIC STOP OR ACCIDENT, IF THE BELT RETRACTOR INERTIA LOCK DOES NOT ENGAGE, THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT WOULD HAVE AN INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY.
Remedy: REALIGN REAR SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA94010 · Seat Belt Retractor Fails
Opened Feb 28, 1994 · Closed Jun 16, 1995
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:retractor
There is no summary currently available