IllustrationWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. THIS MADE STEERING WHEEL HARD TO TURN. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
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
What owners actually said
130 reportsI WAS TOLD THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED AS WELL AS THE LOWER INTAKE(PLENUM). (3.8L V6) THE WORK WAS PERFORMED BY A FIRESTONE RETAIL STORE IN MYRTLE BEACH, SC. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND WHAT WERE THE REPAIR COSTS? I SURE AM CURIOUS. AS FAR AS PAINT, I HAD THE CAR PAINTED FOR $1000.00.
BRAKES HAVE A TENDENCY TO MOMENTARILY DELAY IN STOPPING. NOTICED THIS PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES UPON LEAVING PARKING LOTS AT SLOW SPEEDS (5 - 10 MPH). PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN BARELY ACCELERATING & THEN APPLYING BRAKE TO STOP. CAN FEEL BRAKES LOCK UP UNDER BRAKE PEDAL. HASN'T CREATED AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY …
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BRAKES HAVE A TENDENCY TO MOMENTARILY DELAY IN STOPPING. NOTICED THIS PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES UPON LEAVING PARKING LOTS AT SLOW SPEEDS (5 - 10 MPH). PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN BARELY ACCELERATING & THEN APPLYING BRAKE TO STOP. CAN FEEL BRAKES LOCK UP UNDER BRAKE PEDAL. HASN'T CREATED AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY IN THE WINTER TIME. NEVER HAD ANY LIGHTS OR WARNING PROBLEMS WITH THE ABS OR TRACTION CONTROL. HAVE ALSO NOTICED PROBLEM IN THE FRONT WHEELS WHILE MANUEVERING TIRES FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. FEELS LIKE TIRES POPPING AGAINST THE WHEEL WELL (EXAMPLE ONLY). TOOK VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP TO HAVE LOOKED AT SEVERAL TIMES. THEY SAY IT'S THE TRACTION CONTROL & THAT IT'S NORMAL. BRAKES SEEM TO PULSATE. REPLACEMENT ON ROTORS & BRAKES. *LA
DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DEFLATED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. IN ADDITION, HORN FAILED AND CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. *AK
BELOW IS THE SAME THING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO ME FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. DEALER AND MECHANIC CANNOT SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING. MAKE: BUICK MODEL: RIVIERA YEAR: 1995 COMPLAINT NUMBER: 725331 SUMMARY: WHILE DRIVING 25-50 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING, T…
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BELOW IS THE SAME THING THAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO ME FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS. DEALER AND MECHANIC CANNOT SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING. MAKE: BUICK MODEL: RIVIERA YEAR: 1995 COMPLAINT NUMBER: 725331 SUMMARY: WHILE DRIVING 25-50 MPH, WITHOUT WARNING, THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING POWER STEERING LOSS, AND THE INTERIOR LOCKS OPEN AND CLOSE RAPPIDLY. ONLY AFTER COASTING OFF THE HIGHWAY COMING TO A STOP, PUTTING THE CAR IN "PARK" TURNING OFF THE IGNITION, AND WAITING A COUPLE OF MINUTES WILL THE CAR RESTART. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE! NEED A RESOLUTION, BECAUSE THE FAMILY REFUSES TO ENTER THE CAR.*AK
AN ODD SMELL ENTERED VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING . CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER HOOD, AND NOTICED FUEL LINE WAS SPRAYING FUEL ONTO MANIFOLD. *AK
PAINT IS SPLITTING, THEN BLISTERING AND FINALLY POPPING CLEAR OF THE PRIMER. THIS STARTED ALONG BOTH FRONT FENDER 'SEAMS' WHERE THEY MEET THE HOOD. PROBLEM THEN BEGAN ALONG TOP AND BACK SIDE OF TRUNK; THEN REAR FENDERS AND FINALLY INVOLVED ALL PANELS OF THE VEHICLE WITHIN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD. PRIMER SHOWS FIRST AS A GREEN SHADE…
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PAINT IS SPLITTING, THEN BLISTERING AND FINALLY POPPING CLEAR OF THE PRIMER. THIS STARTED ALONG BOTH FRONT FENDER 'SEAMS' WHERE THEY MEET THE HOOD. PROBLEM THEN BEGAN ALONG TOP AND BACK SIDE OF TRUNK; THEN REAR FENDERS AND FINALLY INVOLVED ALL PANELS OF THE VEHICLE WITHIN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD. PRIMER SHOWS FIRST AS A GREEN SHADE THAT FADES TO GREY. GM TELLS ME THIS IS 'EXCESSIVE ULTRAVIOLET EXPOSURE' EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE IS GARAGE KEPT - EVIDENTLY THESE CARS SUFFER FROM SUNBURN? OVER 50% OF THE PAINT ON THIS VEHICLE IS INVOLVED.
THE ABS AND TRACTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ABS CONTROL MODULE AND THE MODULATION VALVE. THE WIRING HARNESS WAS REPLACED. THE EGR SYSTEM FAILED. *AK *NLM
NAR 03-27-2003 MR ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION OR COOLANT LEAK INSPECT FOR MATERIAL DEGRADATION/ REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLDS. 1995-97 BUICK RIVIERA, 1995-98- BUICK LESABRE, PARK AVENUE, 1996-98 BUICK REGAL, 1998 CHEV LUMINA, MONTE CARLO, 1995-98 OLDSMOBILE 98, 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, 1995-98 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, 1997-9…
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NAR 03-27-2003 MR ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION OR COOLANT LEAK INSPECT FOR MATERIAL DEGRADATION/ REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLDS. 1995-97 BUICK RIVIERA, 1995-98- BUICK LESABRE, PARK AVENUE, 1996-98 BUICK REGAL, 1998 CHEV LUMINA, MONTE CARLO, 1995-98 OLDSMOBILE 98, 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, 1995-98 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE, 1997-98 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX. *CB
THE HORN WORKED INTERMITTENTLY.*JB
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.