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1998 Buick Skylark

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

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

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 8 of 24 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports

Air Bags complaints

4 reports
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96,000 miles · Jul 16, 2015
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT WAS A PASSENGER IN A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. DUE TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE EYES AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK …

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT WAS A PASSENGER IN A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. DUE TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE EYES AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

NHTSA ODI #10734483

193,000 miles · Jul 5, 2011
Air Bags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. NO CRASH OCCURRED AND NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. NEITHER THE MANUFACTURER, NOR THE DEALER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,000.

NHTSA ODI #10410566

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2005
Air BagsInjury

I WAS INJURED WHEN THE AIRBAG OF A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK (N BODY) DEPLOYED WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO IMPACT, IN FACT THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN A BUILDING AND NOT EVEN IN MOTION. I SUSTAINED A BRAIN SHEAR INJURY AND I AM STILL RECOVERING. I KNOW OF TWO OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE THIS OCCURRED IN N BODY GM VEHICLES. GENERA…

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I WAS INJURED WHEN THE AIRBAG OF A 1998 BUICK SKYLARK (N BODY) DEPLOYED WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO IMPACT, IN FACT THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN A BUILDING AND NOT EVEN IN MOTION. I SUSTAINED A BRAIN SHEAR INJURY AND I AM STILL RECOVERING. I KNOW OF TWO OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE THIS OCCURRED IN N BODY GM VEHICLES. GENERAL MOTORS PAID FOR THE REPAIR OF THE VEHICLE BUT HAS NOT CONTACTED ME IN REGARD TO MY INJURIES OR LOST WAGES.(I WAS OUT OF WORK 2 MONTHS AND RECENTLY RETURNED ON A LIMITED BASIS. GENERAL MOTORS BLAMES THE DEPLOYMENT ON MOISTURE ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. I LIVE IN WESTERN NEW YORK WHERE WITH OUR WEATHER IT IS IMPOSSIBLE NOT TO HAVE MOISTURE ON THE FLOOR. ONE OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCED A DEPLOYMENT IS ALSO INJURED. PLEASE LOOK IN TO THIS MATTER AS THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY IS VERY GREAT. THANKS MIKE HALL PS I HAVE THE PARTS FROM THE DEPLOYMENT THAT I WAS INVOLVED IN. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10115975

Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 1998
Air BagsCrashInjury

DURING COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS CAUSED INJURY TO PASSENGERS.

NHTSA ODI #541600

Official recalls

1

04V036000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Jan 27, 2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. IF THE ENGINE FAILS TO START AND THE DRIVER HOLDS THE KEY IN THE "START" POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD, HIGH CURRENT FLOWS THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND SOMETIMES PRODUCES ENOUGH HEAT TO MELT INTERNAL SWITCH PARTS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THE FIRE COULD SPREAD TO THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR, WHICH COULD INJURE OCCUPANTS OR CAUSE DAMAGE TO ADJOINING STRUCTURES.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A RELAY KIT IN THESE VEHICLES TO PREVENT HIGH CURRENT FROM FLOWING THROUGH THE IGNITION SWITCH, AND CHECK THAT YOUR CAR WILL START WITH A PROPERLY CHARGED BATTERY AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BEGIN ON MARCH 1, 2004. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CHECK THEIR VEHICLE ONLINE BY GOING TO WWW.MYGMLINK.COM AND ENTERING THE VEHICLE'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.