IllustrationWHILE DRIVING, BEGAN TO SMELL ODOR OF FUEL IN THE CABIN. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD, OPENED HOOD TO WITNESS FUEL SUPPLY LINE TO REAR FUEL INJECTOR RAIL LEAKING ON TO TOP OF ENGINE. FUEL CONTINUED TO LEAK ONTO ENGINE EVEN AFTER I SHUT OFF THE CAR. *TR
1995 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: 22 of 130 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports
Power Train complaints
18 reportsTRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE AND LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND PARKED WITH KEYS OUT. THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL WITH NO OCCUPANT AND EVENTUALLY HIT A TRUCK. THE KEYS WILL COME OUT OF THE IGNITION IN ANY GEAR CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL IF NOT COMPLETELY IN PARK, A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY SAY IT IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. IN ADDITION…
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THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND PARKED WITH KEYS OUT. THE CAR BEGAN TO ROLL WITH NO OCCUPANT AND EVENTUALLY HIT A TRUCK. THE KEYS WILL COME OUT OF THE IGNITION IN ANY GEAR CAUSING THE CAR TO ROLL IF NOT COMPLETELY IN PARK, A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY SAY IT IS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. IN ADDITION THE CAR SEEMS TO BE LOOSING 2ND GEAR, CAR VIBRATES AND MAKES NOISES AT LOWER SPEEDS.*AK
TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING AND COULD NOT BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. MECHANIC STATED INSIDE OF TRANSMISSION LOOKED LIKE IT EXPLODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. NO PRIOR WARNING. *AK *JB
TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT STAYED ON/NEEDED FOR SNOWY CONDITIONS HERE IN NEW ENGLAND. REPL'D BRAKE PRESS. MOD.VALVE. HEAT ON DRIVERS SIDE DOESN'T THROW OUT MUCH HOT AIR. HAD IT CHK'D TWICE/O-RINGS REPL'D/ AND IT STILL ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY -(11/2000) NEW OIL PAN NEEDED. *AK
THE AIR CONDITIONING AND TRANASMISSION HAVE BEEN CHECKED OUT A NUMBER OF TIMES AND THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG , THE TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES DOES NOT SHIFT AND STICKS IN FIRST GEAR , THE AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT BLOW COOL OR COLD AIR WHEN IT IS HOT AND MUGGY OUT. IT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BLOW COOL AIR ON ONE SIDE AND HOT …
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THE AIR CONDITIONING AND TRANASMISSION HAVE BEEN CHECKED OUT A NUMBER OF TIMES AND THE DEALER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG , THE TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES DOES NOT SHIFT AND STICKS IN FIRST GEAR , THE AIR CONDITIONING DOES NOT BLOW COOL OR COLD AIR WHEN IT IS HOT AND MUGGY OUT. IT HAS BEEN KNOWN TO BLOW COOL AIR ON ONE SIDE AND HOT AIR ON ANOTHER.
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH TRANSMISSION MADE A LOUD NOISE THEN A GRINDING NOISE WAS COMING FROM TRANSMISSION.VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE POWER, AND HAD TO BE TOWE TECHNICIAN DID NOT EXPLAIN WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. *AK
PUMP IN TRANSMISSION BROKE WITHOUT WARNING OF PENDING PROBLEMS ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *AK
BOTH REAR OUTBOARD SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT, ENGINE HAS SEVERE SKIP WHEN ACSENDING HILL IN OVERDRIVE 9DEALER CANNOT DIAGNOSE) AND ANTI-LOCK/ TRACTION LIGHT COME ON, OCCASIONALLY BRAKES SEEM TO STICK AFTER COMING TO STOP. *AK
#1.TRACTION OFF LIGHT CAME ON & STAYED ON. REPLACED PMC. #2. REAR SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACT. RETRACTOR NEEDS REPLACING.
Official recalls
100V057000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
Feb 28, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR SHOULDER BELT(S) DO NOT RETRACT. A RETAINER COULD SEPARATE FROM A REAR SEAT SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR WHICH RESULTS IN THE RETRACTOR RETURN SPRING BECOMING DISENGAGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT MAY RECEIVE MORE SEVERE INJURIES IF THERE IS EXCESSIVE SLACK IN THE SHOULDER BELT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH REAR SHOULDER BELT RETRACTORS FOR CORRECT FUNCTION AND INSTALL A SPRING COVER RETAINING STRAP TO EACH RETRACTOR. IF A RETRACTOR DOES NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY, IT WILL BE REPLACED.
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
2EA00006 · Rear Seat Belt Retractor
Opened Feb 22, 2000 · Closed Mar 6, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:rear/other
IN ITS LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 25, 2000 TO NHTSA, GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF 85,253 MODEL YEAR 1995 BUICK RIVIERA AND OLDSMOBILE AURORA VEHICLES FOR THE DEFECT IN THE OUTBOARD REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLIES.
PE99059 · Rear Seat Belt Retractor
Opened Sep 15, 1999 · Closed Feb 22, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:rear/other
COMPLAINTS GENERALLY STATED THAT ONE OR BOTH OUTBOARD REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AT ALL AND ARE USELESS.IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT PROVIDE ANY TENSION AND HAVE EXCESS SLACK.THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY HAS A PLASTIC COVER NEXT TO THE RETRACTOR RETURN SPRING.ACCORDING TO GENERAL MOTORS (GM), HEAT MAY SOFTEN, WARP AND DEFLECT THE PLASTIC SPRING COVER ALLOWING THE RETURN SPRING TO DISENGAGE THROUGH AND JAM IN THE SPRING COVER ACCESS HOLE RENDERING THE RETURN SPRING NONFUNCTIONAL.TO ELIMANATE THE PROBLEM, GM CHANGED THE SPRING COVER MATERIAL AND ACCESS HOLE AT THE BEGINNING OF PRODUCTION OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1996 BUICK RIVIERA AND OLDSMOBILE AURORA VEHICLES.BOTH COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS HAVE DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM MY 1995 SUBJECT VEHICLES TO MY 1996 VEHICLES.