IllustrationCONSUMER NOTICED STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT TURN LEFT OR RIGHT WHILE TRAVELING OVER PUDDLES. *AK
1997 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: 10 of 43 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.
- Steering. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports5 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
43 reportsAS I TURNED THE SWITCH ON, THE CAR BACK FIRED AND THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING IN THE CAR AND IT WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, I IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT. MY HUSBAND WHO HAD HEARD THE BACK FIRE FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE, OPENED THE HOOD, AND THE FIRE WAS ALREADY BLAZING. WE TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT …
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AS I TURNED THE SWITCH ON, THE CAR BACK FIRED AND THEN SMOKE STARTED COMING IN THE CAR AND IT WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, I IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT. MY HUSBAND WHO HAD HEARD THE BACK FIRE FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE, OPENED THE HOOD, AND THE FIRE WAS ALREADY BLAZING. WE TRIED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BUT ENDED UP CALLING THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE CARE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *JB
THE CONSUMER SAYS THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO NOT START, EXCEPT AFTER TURNING THE KEY TO START, THEN WAIT EXACTLY 3 MINUTES AND IT WOULD START EACH TIME WITH NO FAILURES. ALL THE POWER WORKED EXCEPT NO START OR NOISE AND NO CRANK WITHOUT SECURITY READ OUT BY THE SPEEDOMETER. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WITHO…
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THE CONSUMER SAYS THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO NOT START, EXCEPT AFTER TURNING THE KEY TO START, THEN WAIT EXACTLY 3 MINUTES AND IT WOULD START EACH TIME WITH NO FAILURES. ALL THE POWER WORKED EXCEPT NO START OR NOISE AND NO CRANK WITHOUT SECURITY READ OUT BY THE SPEEDOMETER. THE CONSUMER HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WITHOUT OUT FAILURE AND THEY STATED THAT THEY STARTED THE VEHICLE 25-30 TIMES WITH OUT FAILURE. THE DEALER REMOVED THE DASH IN ORDER TO REPAIR, AND IT NOW HAS A RATTLE IN THE DASH. *SCC
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH ON GRAVEL ROAD AND NO WARNING THE AIR BAG INADVERTENTLY DEPLOY CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. MR CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO FIX DEFECT DUE TO THE MILES ON THE VEHICLE. PH 09-DEC-2002
VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO HAVING DIFFICULTY RESTARTING ONCE IT HAS BEEN SHUT OFF. THE OWNER WOULD HAVE TO WAIT SEVERAL MINUTES OR LONGER BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART. WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE COMPUTER AND THEY CAN NOT REPLACE IT. NLM
WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING TO THE LEFT, STEERING WHEEL WILL BECOME VERY STIFF AND HARD TO TURN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND HAS SERVICED VEHICLE BEFORE. THIS WILL BE THE 2ND TIME.*AK DEALER HAS REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR, THIS STOPPED THE HARD STEERING, HOWEVER THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE, JUST RECENTLY VEHICLE FAILED TO STEER LE…
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WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING TO THE LEFT, STEERING WHEEL WILL BECOME VERY STIFF AND HARD TO TURN. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND HAS SERVICED VEHICLE BEFORE. THIS WILL BE THE 2ND TIME.*AK DEALER HAS REPLACED THE STEERING GEAR, THIS STOPPED THE HARD STEERING, HOWEVER THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE, JUST RECENTLY VEHICLE FAILED TO STEER LEFT AND DEALER WILL NOT REPLACE THE STEERING GEAR DUE TO VEHICLE NOT BEING PURCHASED NEW. *SLC
DEFECTIVE STEERING
THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. *JG
GOES OUT OF HIGH GEAR WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 35-65. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1EA02030 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Oct 22, 2002 · Closed Mar 9, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Gasoline; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery; Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Additional source detail variants (3)
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.
Fuel System, Gasoline
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME BACKFIRE EVENTS AND DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH LEAKING DIAPHRAGMS THAT CAN PROVIDE A SOURCE OF FUEL TO PRODUCE A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-FUEL MIXTURE IN THE MANIFOLD.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY ODI THAT NO SAFETY DEFECT EXISTS IN THE VEHICLES THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN GM?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE INCIDENCE OF MANIFOLD RUPTURES AND RELATED FIRES IN OTHER MY 1995-2002 GM PASSENGER CARS EQUIPPED WITH THE SUBJECT INTAKE MANIFOLD.FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, SEE THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.