AI Damage1991 Buick Riviera: common problems
Owners of the 1991 Buick Riviera filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 50% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 25% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 5 Parking brake 13% of all complaints
- 6 Powertrain 13% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 13% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (50% of all).
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (13% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Parking brake: 1 complaints (13% of all).
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 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The seatbelt in the front does not pull out. When it rains or snows the brake cause the vehicle to have extended stopping distance. Dealer notified. Please provide additional information. Ts
When applying brake under normal braking situations there is extended braking distance. Front rotors have been replaced 3 times, and calipers once. Please add further deatails.
In hot weather, engine overheats and sometimes will not restart after shutoff, consumer has to let it set a few minutes before it will start, thermostat has been replaced, radiator has been cleaned, engine has been serviced, and anti freeze has been changed, however engine continues to overheat.
While driving the driver can't determine how fast vehicle is traveling and how much fuel is in the vehicle because the speedometer doesn't work at all. Contacted the dealer, but refused to fix the vehicle because they said the vehicle isn't under warranty.
When brakes were applied the car did not stop at all. Buick states the booster had been modified to improve brakes. However, dealer states the booster is a safety hazard.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 11,896 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Riviera has 18 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1991 Buick Riviera?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, seat belts, air bags. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (25%), overheating, coolant loss (13%), rollaway, parking brake (13%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1991 Buick Riviera?
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 1991 Buick Riviera 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 1991 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.