1998 Buick Park Avenue: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Buick Park Avenue filed 246 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 246
involving a crash: 7

What fails most often

1 Engine and cooling 39% of all complaints
2 Fuel system 13% of all complaints
3 Seat belts 13% of all complaints
4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
5 Service brakes 7% of all complaints
6 Suspension 5% of all complaints
7 Powertrain 5% of all complaints
8 Steering 5% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Engine and cooling: 97 complaints (39% of all).
Fuel system: 33 complaints (13% of all).
Seat belts: 32 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 28 complaints (11% of all).
Service brakes: 17 complaints (7% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

3.8 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 5 complaints
3.8 L · petrol · turbo · 6 cylnamed in 5 complaints
automatic, 4-speed

Drive: FWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 246 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire40 · 16%
seat belts27 · 11%
stalls while driving17 · 7%
warning lights, check engine15 · 6%
won't start11 · 4%
overheating, coolant loss11 · 4%
steering or power steering problems10 · 4%
vibration10 · 4%
rust, corrosion9 · 4%
engine failure or replacement7 · 3%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Engine and cooling	97	0
Fuel system	33	0
Seat belts	32	1
Electrical system	28	0
Service brakes	17	1
Suspension	13	0
Powertrain	12	1
Steering	12	0
Structure	10	0
Latches, locks, linkages	7	0
Vehicle speed control	6	2
Visibility	6	0
Tires	5	0
Air bags	3	1

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The seat belt never held him. Consumer sustained seat belt burns across the collar bone. About 2 years ago shoulder belts were repaired due to a recall.
Seat belts · crash · 2003-12-29 · NHTSA complaint #10052066
The vehicle finally stopped, and vehicle died out and the air bags did not deploy.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2002-08-28 · NHTSA complaint #567033
While vehical was parked with engine running, it popped into gear and rolled away, making impact with neighbors house.
Powertrain · crash · 2001-07-23 · NHTSA complaint #748409
Vehicle suddenly surged, causing the vehicle to accelerate, while the brakes were applied, resulting in a minor collision. Manufacturer has been notified.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 1999-08-16 · NHTSA complaint #845085
Takata recall. Received post card for airbag recall. I called the 888 number & went on the internet as directed. No one can identify my vehicle. That's the problem. Call doris at [phone] where do I go for this recall live in roswell, new mexico I'm afraid something terrible will happen.
Air bags · 2017-10-25 · NHTSA complaint #11039570
While the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the passenger side seat belt was twisted. As a result, the seat belt failed to retract and became jammed in the retractor. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.
Seat belts · 2016-02-19 · NHTSA complaint #10837084
The contact stated that the driver and front passenger side seat belts were not properly retracting and detracting. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 00v117000 (seat belts).
Seat belts · 2015-09-11 · NHTSA complaint #10763105
At that time I discovered that both new front tires were already ruined due to the cradle/frame assembly which was rusted out. This cost me $863. Yesterday - 08/12/2015 the fuel pressure regulator went out. Upon my investigation I discovered this was a recall issue. I was told it had been fixed..
Suspension · 2015-08-13 · NHTSA complaint #10748582

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

199812
199918
200025
200123
200245
200338
200439
200513
20066
20076
20087
20091
20101
20114
20123
20131
20141
20152
20161
20171

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 1,648 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 4% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Park Avenue has 60 complaints (23 years in the data). This year has 246, above average.

What to check before buying

Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Buick Park Avenue?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, fuel system, seat belts. Total complaints: 246. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (16%), seat belts (11%), stalls while driving (7%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Buick Park Avenue?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1998 Buick Park Avenue from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1998 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.