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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 →

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

What owners actually said

130 reports
147,000 miles · Oct 17, 2006
Engine And Engine Cooling

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING AND THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATING THE COOLANT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WAS ILLUMINATED. THE COOLANT WAS REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THERE WAS A LEAK INTO UPPER PLENUM AND UPPER MANIFOLD. THE GASKETS WERE REPLACED AND THE MANIFOLD WA…

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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING AND THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATING THE COOLANT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WAS ILLUMINATED. THE COOLANT WAS REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THERE WAS A LEAK INTO UPPER PLENUM AND UPPER MANIFOLD. THE GASKETS WERE REPLACED AND THE MANIFOLD WAS CLEANED. THE PROBLEM RETURNED A YEAR LATER, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. THE SAME REPAIRS WERE MADE AS WELL AS VALVES AND ADAPTERS WERE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM RETURNED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SAME REPAIR SHOP.

NHTSA ODI #10171097

59,000 miles · Apr 22, 2006
Fuel System, Gasoline

FOUR YEARS AGO I FILED A REPORT OF WHAT I CONSIDERED A DANGEROUS PART FAILURE ON OUR 1995 BUICK RIVIERA, IN THAT A FUEL LINE HAD DEVELOPED A PIN HOLE AND GAS WAS SPRAYING OUT OVER THE ENGINE. I ALSO WROTE A LETTE TO GENERAL MOTORS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM BUT I NEVER HEARD BACK FROM ANYONE. THIS WEEK WE AGAIN SMELLED GAS WHEN …

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FOUR YEARS AGO I FILED A REPORT OF WHAT I CONSIDERED A DANGEROUS PART FAILURE ON OUR 1995 BUICK RIVIERA, IN THAT A FUEL LINE HAD DEVELOPED A PIN HOLE AND GAS WAS SPRAYING OUT OVER THE ENGINE. I ALSO WROTE A LETTE TO GENERAL MOTORS REGARDING THIS PROBLEM BUT I NEVER HEARD BACK FROM ANYONE. THIS WEEK WE AGAIN SMELLED GAS WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL LINE WHICH WAS REPLACED IN 4/02 HAD AGAIN FAILED AND GAS WAS SPRAYING OUT INTO INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE COST OF REPAIR THEN WAS APRX $90 AND I WOULD EXPECT IT TO BE MORE THAN THAT NOW, TO REPAIR SOMETHING WHICH CONSIDERING THE SAFETY ASPECT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO A FACTORY RECALL AND REPLACED WITH A HEAVY DUTY LINE. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10155892

Mileage unknown · Aug 3, 2005
Suspension

DT: CONTACT WAS GOING TO BUY A CAR FROM FALLS CHRYSLER JEEP AND DODGE. IT WAS A 1995 BUICK RIVIERA. HE CRAWLED UP UNDER THE CAR AND SAW THE WHOLE ARM THAT COE OUT FROM THE SUB FRAME THAT HOLD THE WHEEL ON WAS RUSTED THROUGH PAPER THIN. HE DID NOT BUY THE VEHICLE BUT LATER CALLED TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE RUST HE NOTICED ,AND THEY…

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DT: CONTACT WAS GOING TO BUY A CAR FROM FALLS CHRYSLER JEEP AND DODGE. IT WAS A 1995 BUICK RIVIERA. HE CRAWLED UP UNDER THE CAR AND SAW THE WHOLE ARM THAT COE OUT FROM THE SUB FRAME THAT HOLD THE WHEEL ON WAS RUSTED THROUGH PAPER THIN. HE DID NOT BUY THE VEHICLE BUT LATER CALLED TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE RUST HE NOTICED ,AND THEY TOLD HIM THEY HAD SOLD THE VEHICLE TO SOMEONE, AND THEY HAD SIGNED THREE DIFFERENT PAPERS. HE DID NOT CARE IF THE CAR BROKE DOWN AFTER IT LEF TTHE LOT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10131344

75,200 miles · May 6, 2005
Seat Belts

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT SUPPORT THE DRIVER. OWNER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *NM ON 5/32004 CONSUMER WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A 18 WHEELER. THEY REPLACED THE SEAT BELT WITH A NEW ONE AND THE SAME PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. THE C…

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VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT. THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT SUPPORT THE DRIVER. OWNER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *NM ON 5/32004 CONSUMER WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A 18 WHEELER. THEY REPLACED THE SEAT BELT WITH A NEW ONE AND THE SAME PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE DESIGN OF THIS GM BELT IS DEFECTIVE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT PROVIDE PROTECTION DURING SIDE IMPACT ACCIDENTS. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES ALL BUICK RIVIERA'S NEED TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED WITH BELTS THAT WILL WORK AND GIVE PROTECTION . *BF *NM

NHTSA ODI #10108594

76,410 miles · Apr 15, 2005
Fuel System, Gasoline

WHILE DRIVING COULD SMELL STRONG FUEL ODOR. OPENED HOOD, AND FOUND PLASTIC FUEL LINE SPRAYING FUEL OVER ENGINE. SHUT ENGINE OFF AND FUEL CONTINUED TO SPRAY. MY BROTHER WILL REPAIR AND SAVE OLD PARTS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10117914

35,705 miles · Nov 1, 2004
Seat Belts

THE REAR SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT AS WELL AS THE RIGHT SIDE. THE REAR SEATS WERE RARELY USED. THIS FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE DEFECT DESCRIBED IN RECALL 00V057000 REAR SHOULDER BELTS BUT THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10099142

80,000 miles · Jun 1, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

PLASTIC RADIOR TANK CRACKS. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH GM VEHICLES IN GENERAL. I HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. CRACK SEEMS TO START AT MOUNTING BOLT FOR RADIOR. I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED GM VEHICLES AND CURRENTLY OWN 3 HOWEVER, AT THE COST OF $400.00+ TO REPLACE MY PLASTIC RADIOR, I MA…

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PLASTIC RADIOR TANK CRACKS. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH GM VEHICLES IN GENERAL. I HAVE TALKED WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. CRACK SEEMS TO START AT MOUNTING BOLT FOR RADIOR. I HAVE ALWAYS OWNED GM VEHICLES AND CURRENTLY OWN 3 HOWEVER, AT THE COST OF $400.00+ TO REPLACE MY PLASTIC RADIOR, I MAY HAVE TO RECONSIDER MY FUTURE PURCHASES.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10074593

Mileage unknown · May 24, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING AT 25-50 MPH ENGINE AUTOMATICALLY SHUTS DOWN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10074125

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2004
Steering

PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE AT LOW RPM'S. PUMP WAS REPLACED WITHOUT RESOLVE OF ISSUE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10067548

63,523 miles · Apr 20, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline

A GASOLINE ODOR ENTERED THE PASSENGER CABIN. THE CONSUMER ASSESSED THE PROBLEM, AND FOUND THE FUEL LINE HAD A LEAK AND WAS SPRAYING GASOLINE ONTO THE ENGINE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ODI #10063151

Official recalls

1

00V057000 · 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

2

EA00006 · 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.