IllustrationWHILE LEANING BACK IN SEAT THE SEATBACK OF THE SEAT BROKE IN HALF. *AK
1995 Buick Riviera
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Riviera years →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: 22 of 130 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports4 fire reports5 injury reports
What owners actually said
130 reportsTHE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE MECHANICAL FAILURE WHICH MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STALL UNEXPECTEDLY. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY HEARD A LOUD NOISE. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER, AND DEALER DISCOVERED THAT TURBO CHARGER WHICH SITS ON TOP OF THE MOTOR HAD FAILED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH WENT TO APPLY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL LOCKED UP, ABS LIGHT CAME ON, AND MADE A STRANGE NOISE. *AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPING TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES, AND WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION THE VEHICLE SLAMS INTO GEAR. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE.*AK
POWER STEERING GEAR BOX FAILED, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STREERING CONTROL. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
DRIVERS SIDE MIRROR HAS WATER INSIDE,VISABILITY IS ABOUT 40%.DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE SAYING GLASS IS NOT COVERD. MIRROR IS SUPPOSED TO CHANGE FROM LIGHT TO DARK WHEN HEADLIGHTS HIT IT, IT DOESN'T WORK. *AK
ELECTRICAL DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *ADJ
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING. WHILE DRINING POWER STEERING FAILED AND VEHICLE HAD A LOW RPM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Official recalls
100V057000 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
Feb 28, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE REAR SHOULDER BELT(S) DO NOT RETRACT. A RETAINER COULD SEPARATE FROM A REAR SEAT SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR WHICH RESULTS IN THE RETRACTOR RETURN SPRING BECOMING DISENGAGED.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT MAY RECEIVE MORE SEVERE INJURIES IF THERE IS EXCESSIVE SLACK IN THE SHOULDER BELT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT BOTH REAR SHOULDER BELT RETRACTORS FOR CORRECT FUNCTION AND INSTALL A SPRING COVER RETAINING STRAP TO EACH RETRACTOR. IF A RETRACTOR DOES NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY, IT WILL BE REPLACED.
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
2EA00006 · Rear Seat Belt Retractor
Opened Feb 22, 2000 · Closed Mar 6, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:rear/other
IN ITS LETTER DATED FEBRUARY 25, 2000 TO NHTSA, GENERAL MOTORS STATED THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL OF 85,253 MODEL YEAR 1995 BUICK RIVIERA AND OLDSMOBILE AURORA VEHICLES FOR THE DEFECT IN THE OUTBOARD REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLIES.
PE99059 · Rear Seat Belt Retractor
Opened Sep 15, 1999 · Closed Feb 22, 2000
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:rear/other
COMPLAINTS GENERALLY STATED THAT ONE OR BOTH OUTBOARD REAR SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AT ALL AND ARE USELESS.IT IS EVIDENT THAT THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT PROVIDE ANY TENSION AND HAVE EXCESS SLACK.THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY HAS A PLASTIC COVER NEXT TO THE RETRACTOR RETURN SPRING.ACCORDING TO GENERAL MOTORS (GM), HEAT MAY SOFTEN, WARP AND DEFLECT THE PLASTIC SPRING COVER ALLOWING THE RETURN SPRING TO DISENGAGE THROUGH AND JAM IN THE SPRING COVER ACCESS HOLE RENDERING THE RETURN SPRING NONFUNCTIONAL.TO ELIMANATE THE PROBLEM, GM CHANGED THE SPRING COVER MATERIAL AND ACCESS HOLE AT THE BEGINNING OF PRODUCTION OF MODEL YEAR (MY) 1996 BUICK RIVIERA AND OLDSMOBILE AURORA VEHICLES.BOTH COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS HAVE DECLINED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM MY 1995 SUBJECT VEHICLES TO MY 1996 VEHICLES.