AI Damage1998 Buick Skylark: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Buick Skylark filed 24 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 24
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 21% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 21% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 17% of all complaints
- 4 Engine and cooling 13% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 6 Seat belts 8% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 8% of all complaints
- 8 Equipment 4% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 5 complaints (21% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 5 complaints (21% of all).
- Air bags: 4 complaints (17% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (13% of all).
- Service brakes: 3 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.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 24 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 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
Tl* the contact was a passenger in a 1998 buick skylark. While driving approximately 50 mph, another vehicle ran a red light and crashed into the vehicle. The air bags deployed and a police report was filed.
During collision no deployment of airbags caused injury to passengers.
While parked, the vehicle was not able to start and the anti-theft warning light illuminated. The contact mentioned that it took multiple attempts to start the vehicle. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the starter failed and needed to be replaced.
Manifold gasket failed, leaking coolant into engine oil.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick skylark. The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the front drivers side air bags deployed. No crash occurred and no injuries were reported. Neither the manufacturer, nor the dealer were made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 193,000.
Also the airbag light would illuminate on the instrument control after it rained. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealership. The failure mileage was 46000. Updated 1/28/10 updated 02/03/10.
Dt: contact stated that on 7-11-05 had a new alternator put in. It failed on 8-13-05., and it was replaced on 8-14-05. It is not showing up on the tester as consistent. It was arching and draining the battery. The part number for the alternator was #8225-7.
Consumer complained about ignition switch problem. When turning the key vehicle will not start.
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 7,585 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Skylark has 28 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 24, about average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle 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
- Skylark 19823 sources
- Skylark 19848 sources
- Skylark 19856 sources
- Skylark 19868 sources
- Skylark 198814 sources
- Skylark 19894 sources
- Skylark 199019 sources
- Skylark 199138 sources
- Skylark 199232 sources
- Skylark 199346 sources
- Skylark 199468 sources
- Skylark 199585 sources
- Skylark 199685 sources
- Skylark 199779 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Buick Skylark?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, vehicle speed control, air bags. Total complaints: 24. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: airbag warning light (4%), hesitation when accelerating (4%), won't start (4%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 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 1998 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 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.