AI Damage1990 Buick Skylark: common problems
Owners of the 1990 Buick Skylark filed 19 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 19
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 37% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 26% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 21% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 16% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 16% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 16% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
- 8 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 7 complaints (37% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 5 complaints (26% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (21% of all).
- Steering: 3 complaints (16% of all).
- Structure: 3 complaints (16% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.3 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 3-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 19 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 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Seats | 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.
Car ran off the road and the automatic seat belt did not lock which caused driver to hit head on the steering wheel. Please more information.
1990 buick skylark (quad 4 engine)-chronic stalling due to faulty lockup torque converter.coil housing was replaced 3x in six years .alldata lists tech. Service bulletins concerning these problems.letters to gm and buick field zone office seeking restitution received no response whatsoever.
Also has a defective fuel line hose, which during morning car warm-up, car started smoking, which came from under car from the vac. Line(fuel line). Had the line repaired but tranny is still a problem.
Severe grinding noise when turning the steering wheel,even at a slight turn. Been repaired but it is still doing it.
Main rear bumper support has rusted away - it's gone. Gm claims because the warranty is expired, they are not responsible. The car only has approx 103,000 miles on it and the rest of the car is in great shape! All I want is a recall for them to replace this bumper so I can sell it with a clear concience!
Vehicle has been stalling intermittently, mostly at 50 mph. Also accelerates on its own intermittently. . Dealer replaced crank senor assembly.
Consumer has replaced alternator four times. A mechanic was telling him "alternator was built too fragile for amount of ampage." please provide any additional information.
While driving and making turns vehicle is hard to steer. Contacted dealer . Steering mechanism has rusted and loosened from the firewalls.
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 8,437 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Skylark has 28 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 19, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
- Skylark 19823 sources
- Skylark 19848 sources
- Skylark 19856 sources
- Skylark 19868 sources
- Skylark 198814 sources
- Skylark 19894 sources
- Skylark 199138 sources
- Skylark 199232 sources
- Skylark 199346 sources
- Skylark 199468 sources
- Skylark 199585 sources
- Skylark 199685 sources
- Skylark 199779 sources
- Skylark 199824 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Buick Skylark?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, powertrain. Total complaints: 19. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (16%), stalls while driving (16%), smoke, burning smell, fire (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 Buick Skylark?
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 1990 Buick Skylark 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 1990 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.