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1990 Buick Riviera

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 1 of 16 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Power Train complaints

2 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 1997
Power Train

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY ON HIS VEHICLE COMES AND GOES . WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER GOES THERE IS NO WAY OF TELLING THE SPEED OF VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #814128

Mileage unknown · Oct 9, 1996
Power Train

PURCHASED CAR NEW, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AND SECOND TRANSMISSION STILL SLIPS OUT OF GEAR . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK

NHTSA ODI #803373

Official recalls

4

95V110000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing

May 31, 1995

THE FRONT OUTER SHOULDER BELT WEB SEW STOP CAN BECOME STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. THE BELT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT OF THE RETRACTOR AND SOME OCCUPANTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FASTEN THE BELT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN PREVENT A PERSON FROM USING THEIR RESTRAINT SYSTEM RESULTING IN AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A WEBBING STOP BUTTON IF THE CUSTOMER REQUESTS REPAIR.

91V158000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:brake Fluid Low Warning: Lamp

Sep 13, 1991

BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT MAY NOT LIGHT WHEN IGNITION IS IN THE "ON" POSITION, THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, AND THE SHIFT SELECTOR IS IN THE PARK OR NEUTRAL GEAR RANGE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: VEHICLES WOULD NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 101AND 105.

Remedy: REPLACE THE PROM IN THE BODY COMPUTER MODULE TO PREVENT THIS CONDITION FROM OCCURRING.

90V164000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift

Sep 6, 1990

TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE FROM THE FLOOR SHIFT CONTROL WITH LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DRIVER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE ACTUAL GEARPOSITION THE TRANSAXLE IS IN, WHICH COULD RESULT IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENTAND AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.

Remedy: INSTALL A TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO PREVENT CABLE DISENGAGEMENT.

90V028000 · Seat Belts:front:retractor

Feb 12, 1990

MISALIGNED REAR SEAT SAFETY BELT SHOULDER RETRACTOR ASSEMBLIES COULD CAUSE PENDULUM INTERFERENCE, CAUSING THE BELT TO REMAIN IN LOCKED POSITION OR TO TRAVEL FREELY WITHOUT LOCKING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A PANIC STOP OR ACCIDENT, IF THE BELT RETRACTOR INERTIA LOCK DOES NOT ENGAGE, THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT WOULD HAVE AN INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY.

Remedy: REALIGN REAR SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA94010 · Seat Belt Retractor Fails

Opened Feb 28, 1994 · Closed Jun 16, 1995

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:retractor

There is no summary currently available