IllustrationHORN SOUNDED CONSTANTLY. DEALER DETERMINED THAT CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *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 reportsTHIS IS COMMON ON 1995 BUICKS.IT'S IN THE AIR BAG STEERING HUB.ABOUT $800 TO REPLACE.GM/BUICK HAS PAID FOR OTHERS ,WHY WONT THEY FIX MINE? *AK
ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH HORN GOING ON BY ITSELF. TOLD BY DEALER THAT HORN AND AIRBAGS ARE TIRED TOGETHER AND THAT THE AIRBAG HAS COLAPSED, CAUSING HORN TO GO ON. DEALER SAYS THEY MUST REPLACE AIRBAG, COST $900.00. HAVE CONTACTED BUICK, AND BOTH BUICK AND DEALER REFUSE TO HELP. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I DOUBT A COLAPSED AIRBAG…
Read full complaint
ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH HORN GOING ON BY ITSELF. TOLD BY DEALER THAT HORN AND AIRBAGS ARE TIRED TOGETHER AND THAT THE AIRBAG HAS COLAPSED, CAUSING HORN TO GO ON. DEALER SAYS THEY MUST REPLACE AIRBAG, COST $900.00. HAVE CONTACTED BUICK, AND BOTH BUICK AND DEALER REFUSE TO HELP. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I DOUBT A COLAPSED AIRBAG WILL WORK. THE HORN GOING ON BY ITSELF COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I'VE NOTICED FROM SEARCHING YOUR WEBSITE THAT 1994 AND 1995 BUICKS HAVE THIS PROBLEM IN MOST MODELS. NHTSA HAS MANY COMPLAINTS ON FILE FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH BUICK, ESPECIALLY 1995 SKYLARKS AND 1994 ROADMASTERS. PLEASE HELP ME. THANK YOU.*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…
Read full complaint
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
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 45MPH. THERE WAS A DELAY IN DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS HIT FIRST ON FRONT LEFT , THEN IN THE REAR, AND FINALLY ON FRONT RIGHT. THEN, VEHICLE WENT INTO A SPIN, AND AFTER IT STOPPED, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY WHEN AI…
Read full complaint
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AT 45MPH. THERE WAS A DELAY IN DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS, CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS HIT FIRST ON FRONT LEFT , THEN IN THE REAR, AND FINALLY ON FRONT RIGHT. THEN, VEHICLE WENT INTO A SPIN, AND AFTER IT STOPPED, AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY WHEN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR OOV-057 OF THE REAR SEAT BELT, THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER ALSO REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT BELT SINCE THEY FAILED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE REAR (NOT RETRACTING), THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIR OF THE FRONT SEAT BELTS BUT FEELS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED WITH THE R…
Read full complaint
THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HAVE RECALL REPAIR OOV-057 OF THE REAR SEAT BELT, THE CONSUMER REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER ALSO REPLACE THE FRONT SEAT BELT SINCE THEY FAILED IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE REAR (NOT RETRACTING), THE CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIR OF THE FRONT SEAT BELTS BUT FEELS THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED WITH THE REAR ONES SINCE THEY EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE. NLM
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
LEFT FRONT ABS HUB FAILURE - BRAKES PULSATED AT LOW SPEED WITHOUT FOOT ON BRAKES PRIOR TO ABS WARNIG LIGHT BEING ACTIVATED WHICH WOULD SHUT DOWN THE SYSTEM. *AK
VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED. *AK DRIVEING THIS VEHICLE ON FREE WAY COULD BE DANGEROUS, BECAUSE IT COMPLETELY STALLS. *YH
RECALL 00 V 057 000. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, STATE PARK MOTORS IN WINTERSVILLE, OH 43953, 740-264-3113, TO SCHEDULE AND APPOINTMENT FOR THE RACALL ON 1-DEC-2000. AS OF TO DATE, DEALER WAS TELLING CONSUMER THAT PARTS WERE ON BACK ORDER. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
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.