IllustrationTHE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. *AK
1990 Buick Riviera
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →16Owner complaints
Model-year median: 1
4Recall campaignsView recall details →
1InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1990 Buick Riviera
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 16 owner complaints · 4 recall campaigns · 1 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 4 reports
- Air Bags: 3 reports
- Exterior Lighting: 3 reports
- Electrical System: 2 reports
- Power Train: 2 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
- 95V110000 — Seat Belts:front:webbing
- 91V158000 — Service Brakes, Hydraulic:brake Fluid Low Warning: Lamp
- 90V164000 — Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift
- 90V028000 — Seat Belts:front:retractor
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Riviera years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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
Exterior Lighting complaints
3 reportsVEHICLE LOST ALL LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF SIGHT.
WHILE DRIVING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR, CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO SMOKE. REPLACED TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR.
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect 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
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.