AI Damage1994 Buick Roadmaster: common problems
Owners of the 1994 Buick Roadmaster filed 85 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 85
- involving a crash
- 11
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 4 Suspension 12% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 8% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 8% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 7% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 21 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 15 complaints (18% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 12 complaints (14% of all).
- Suspension: 10 complaints (12% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 7 complaints (8% of all), 5 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.
- 5.7 L · petrol · 8 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: RWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 85 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 21 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Air bags | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 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.
While driving on highway at 40-45 mph at the end of a rain shower, driving straight way with no warning, the rear end of the vehicle began to slide to the right, the vehicle went completely out of control, crossed three lanes of traffic and collided with a van. Vehicle was totalled. Dealer not aware of the problem.
Driving at very low speed 5mph, impact 6:00 position, driver's seat fell backwards, seatback failure.
Dual air bags did not deploy after hitting a dump truck with the right front side of the vehicle at 50mph.
The consumer was in an accident and the driver and passenger side air bags did not deploy and the passenger side seat belt came out the buckle.
Sudden unintended acceleration, unknown source of problem. Tt
Vehicle was rear ended and passenger's air bag did not deploy.
Went and filled the fuel tank with fuel , I went about 100 yards to another store , stayed in the store about 30 minutes , when I came out I noticed fuel on the ground on the left side around the fuel tank
Tl contact owns a 1994 buick roadmaster. He noticed a small amount of gasoline near the fuel tank. He immediately notified the dealer to have the vehicle inspected and didn't receive a response.
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 3,931 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 11% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Roadmaster has 37 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 85, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1994 Buick Roadmaster?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 85. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (6%), airbags did not deploy (4%), overheating, coolant loss (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1994 Buick Roadmaster?
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 1994 Buick Roadmaster 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 1994 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.