1985 Buick Skylark

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

6Owner complaints

Model-year median: 3

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

3Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1985 Buick Skylark

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 6 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 3 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Engine And Engine Cooling: 2 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline: 2 reports
Steering: 2 reports
Unknown Or Other: 1 reports
Visibility: 1 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

84V132000 — Vehicle Speed Control:springs

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Skylark years →

Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling

2 Fuel System, Gasoline

2 Steering

2 Unknown Or Other

1 Visibility

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: 0 of 6 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 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Steering. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports1 fire reports0 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

2 reports

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Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2000

Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

Read full complaint

HI! I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS APPLICABLE IF I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I WAS ON THE FREEWAY...CAR JUST DIED, NO PROBLEM WITH RESTARTING, JUST LIKE NO FUEL GOING TO MOTOR, AFTER COOLING DOWN FOR A WHILE , IT WAS "OKAY"MECHANIC COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I FINALLY HAD TO GO TO GET A CATALYTIC CONVERTOR, IN NOV./1999 AND NOW IN JANUARY OF 2000, I NEED A NEW CONVERTOR, AGAIN. THE REPAIRMAN SAID IT WAS RUNNING TOO RICH, CAUSING THE INSIDE OF THE CONVERTOR TO MELT, AND THEN BREAK INSIDE. A NEW ONE IN 2 MONTHS??? PLEASE EXCUSE THIS PLEA IF I AM NOT SUPPOSE TO BE WRITING AS THE SECOND OWNER. THE FIRST OWNER WAS A LITTLE OLD LADY, AND THOSE ARE ORIGINAL MILES. I GOT THE CAR AT 16,500 MILES. YOU WOULD THINK IT WAS A GOOD THING TO HAVE SO FEW MILES...APPARENTLY NOT. HELP??!! THANKS IN ADVANCE. CAMIE GLEGHORN. *AK

NHTSA ODI #717192

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 1999

Engine And Engine CoolingFire

ENGINE FAILED RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE UNDER THE HOOD AND QUICKLY SPREAD TO THE REST OF THE VEHICLE.(OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT) NLM

NHTSA ODI #549322

Recall campaigns

84V132000 · Vehicle Speed Control:springs

Oct 16, 1984

THE THROTTLE LINKAGE MAY BIND BECAUSE DURING NORMAL OPERATION, THE THROTTLE BODY CASE MAY INTERFERE WITH THE LINKAGE. THIS INTERFERENCE COULD PREVENT THE THROTTLE FROM CLOSING EVEN THOUGH THE DRIVER HAS REMOVED HIS FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Not supplied

Remedy: THE DEALER WILL INSPECT VEHICLES AND IMPROVE THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE AND THROTTLE BODY CASING IF NEEDED, AT NO CHARGE TO OWNER.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

Defect investigations

EA91045 · Seat Belt Separation

Opened Nov 7, 1991 · Closed Oct 26, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

There is no summary currently available

EA87006 · Power St. Assist

Opened Dec 16, 1986 · Closed Sep 19, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER:GM HAS DEVELOPED A SPLITRING FIELD REPAIR KIT AND IS EXTENDING THE WARRANRY ON ALL 1982-84 A,J, AND X, BODY CARS AND 1985 C,BODY CARS.THE WARRANTY APPLIES TO CARSTHAT ARE FOR 50,000 MILES OR 5 YRS.IT INCLUDES REIMBURSEMENT FOR PREVIOUSREPAIRS.ANALYSIS:WEARING OF THE RACK AND PINION HOUSING AND LOW AMBIENT TEMPCAN CAUSE TEMPORARY LOSS OF POWER ASSIST.TEFLON O RINGS FAIL TO SEALOFF INTERNAL PRESSURE.STATUS:EVALUATING THE EXTENDED WARRANTY OFFER BY GM.======

EA86025 · Windshield Wipers

Opened Aug 25, 1986 · Closed Mar 2, 1988

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Visibility

SUMMARY:GM BELIEVES THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED THROUGH ITS PUBLI-CATION OF 7 SERVICE BULLETINS CONCERNING THIS MATTER. IN ADDITION, GMDOES NOT BELIEVE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILURE REPRESENTS A SAFETY HAZARD.ANALYSIS: THREE FAILURE MODES HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED; INSULATING FILM MAYBUILD UP BETWEEN THE BRUSH FACE AND THE COMMUTATOR OF THE WIPER MOTOR,CORROSION MAY FORM IN THE WIPER MOTOR BRUSH AND DISENGAGEMENT OF THEWIPER ARMS MAY OCCUR. IN VIEW OF THE EXISTING LEGAL PRECEDENT, THE LARGENUMBER OF WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING WIPER MOTOR FAILURES (114,000) ANDTHE HIGH WIPER MOTOR AND MOTOR KIT PART SALES (251,000), IT IS IMPERATIVETHAT THIS MATTER RECEIVE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT.STATUS: GM RESPONSE DATED 2/23/87. ANALYZING AS TIME PERMITS.EA CLOSED 3/2/88.=== D@

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.