AI Damage1995 Buick Riviera: common problems
Owners of the 1995 Buick Riviera filed 130 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 130
- involving a crash
- 7
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 16% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 16% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 10% of all complaints
- 7 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 6% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 21 complaints (16% of all).
- Seat belts: 21 complaints (16% of all).
- Powertrain: 18 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 17 complaints (13% of all).
- Service brakes: 14 complaints (11% 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 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 130 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 18 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 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.
In addition the car seems to be loosing 2nd gear, car vibrates and makes noises at lower speeds.
Drivers door lock failed, trapping passenger in vehicle, contributing to fatality.
Consumer son was in an accident passenger side air bag deployed and blew out the window driver side air deployed after car stopped . Tt
Consumer was in accident passenger and driver side seat went back to the rear of the vehicle. Tt the going back of the seat during the accident was a builtin safety according to the dealer. The consumer was concerned was about passengers who might be seating on rear seats.
Frontal collision impact 12:00 position speed 50 mph, drivers air bag did not deploy. Tt
While driving at 25 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The traction control warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle later failed to start. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired.
Foul smell then parked and went inside mall came back car had been on fire.
The contact stated while driving, the engine stalled. The vehicle was restarted however, the failure recurred seven times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing however, the mechanic was unable to detect a failure. The approximate failure mileage was 25,678.
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 2,953 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 8% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Riviera has 18 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 130, above average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1995 Buick Riviera?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, seat belts, powertrain. Total complaints: 130. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (13%), steering or power steering problems (11%), stalls while driving (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1995 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 1995 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 1995 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.