IllustrationSTEERING COLUMN LITERALLY FELL IN LAP TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS!! VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR BOTH TIMES. IS THIS A DEFECT? *AK
1994 Buick Skylark
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 Skylark 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: 7 of 68 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 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
68 reportsWHILE DRIVING HORN WILL GO OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. HAD TO TAKE FUSE OUT IN ORDER FOR THE HORN TO STOP. DEALER SAID THEY NEED TO REPLACE THE HORN AND AIRBAG SYSTEM IN ORDER TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK
PIN HOLDING TILT STEERING WHEEL DISLODGED, MAKING STEERING DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL WON'T STAY IN PLACE. *AK
LOCAL DEALER SAYS HEAD CYLINDER CRACKED, NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. BUICK CONTACTED. REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE DEFECT. SAME PROBLEM AS ODI ID 711886 1993 SKYLARKS RECALLED FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM
I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT I HAVE A CRACKED HEAD IN THE CYLINDER. THE CAR HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR, IT HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. WE HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES EIGHT TIMES. COULD THERE BE APOSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE SINCE THE CAR HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. THE MECHANIC THOUGHT I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH A CRACKED HEAD. THIS…
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I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT I HAVE A CRACKED HEAD IN THE CYLINDER. THE CAR HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR, IT HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. WE HAVE REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES EIGHT TIMES. COULD THERE BE APOSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE SINCE THE CAR HAS NEVER OVERHEATED. THE MECHANIC THOUGHT I BOUGHT THIS CAR WITH A CRACKED HEAD. THIS CAR WAS A DEMO MODEL FROM THE DEALERSHIP
IE99096, THE VEHICLE HAD A NO START CONDITION, AND WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. AS RESULT, IT STARTED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE AND CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGES. THIS BEGAN AFTER THIRD ATTEMPT TO CRANK VEHICLE. WITHIN SEVERAL MINUTES VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES. *AK
NO SUMMARY
PIN HOLDING THE STEERING WHEEL (TILT) DISLODGED, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO BECOME LOOSE ON TWO OCCASIONS. MJS
FIRE CAUSED BY A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (WIREHARNESS) IN STEERING COLUMN & IGNITION SYSTEM, MELTED THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN, DASH AREA, DRIVERS SEAT, INTERIOR ROOF, AND DASH. I WANT MY CAR REPLACED. I LOVED THAT CARE AND I WILL NEVER GET FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY WHAT THE CAR WAS REALLY WORTH TO ME. LET ME KNOW WHA…
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FIRE CAUSED BY A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (WIREHARNESS) IN STEERING COLUMN & IGNITION SYSTEM, MELTED THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN, DASH AREA, DRIVERS SEAT, INTERIOR ROOF, AND DASH. I WANT MY CAR REPLACED. I LOVED THAT CARE AND I WILL NEVER GET FROM THE INSURANCE COMPANY WHAT THE CAR WAS REALLY WORTH TO ME. LET ME KNOW WHAT I CAN DO TO HAVE THIS CAR REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THANKS, SHARYN R. SCHNAAK. *AK
BRAKE SYSTEM OVERHEATING CAUSING ROTORS TO WARP CONTINUALLY.
Official recalls
200V287000 · Electrical System:starter Assembly
Oct 2, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE STARTER FAILS TO ENGAGE AND THE DRIVER HOLD THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, PRODUCING HEAT THAT CAN MELT SWITCH PARTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT AND VERIFY THAT THE VEHICLE WILL START WITH A PROPERLY CHARGED BATTERY IN GOOD OPERATING CONDITION (ADEQUATE RESERVE CAPACITY, OR COLD CRANKING AMPS). THIS CAMPAIGN DOES NOT COVER BATTERY REPLACEMENT OR UNRELATED STARTING SYSTEM OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REPAIRS.
94V122000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly
Jul 1, 1994
THESE VEHICLES WERE CONSTRUCTED WITH WELDS IN THE REAR COMPARTMENT PAN ASSEMBLY THAT ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS PERTAINING TO FUEL TANK LEAKAGE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT COLLISION. THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLIES DO NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CAN RESULT IN AN INCREASED RISK OF A VEHICLE FIRE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR IMPACT COLLISION.
Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL RIVETS ADJACENT TO THE LOCATIONS WHERE THE SUSPECT WELDS ARE LOCATED.
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
1EA00007 · Steering Column Fires
Opened Mar 3, 2000 · Closed Feb 7, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
There is no summary currently available