Total Complaints
3 filings
BUICK BUICK · model year
1996 BUICK BUICK
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996BUICKBUICK carries 3 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 BUICK is suspension with 1 filings, followed by visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:windshield:electrical heating element (1) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1996 BUICK. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020610ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
TO START THE ENGINE , AND THE CAR WAS PUSHED INTO ST STALL BY.THE SS TUBE UNDER THE CAR AND THE SS MANIFOLD ON THE MOTOR BLOCK ARE CONNECTED VIE A THIN-WALLED PLASRIC TUBE, WHICH IS HEAT-SHRINKE UNDER THE CAR AND CONNECTED TO THE MANIFOLD BY A FLIMSY PLASTIC CONNECTOR. BOTH CONNECTORS BROKE ( OF COURSE THEY MUST BRAKE EVENTUALLY THRU AGE ETC), AND THE GAS SPILLED ONTO THE HOT MOTOR BLOCK, FORMING A PUDDLE AND VAPORIZING , THUS FORMING AN EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE WAITING TO BE IGNITED FROM THE HOT EXHAUST MAMNIFOLD. *AK REFERENCED IN EA02-030
20000623VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
ON AND WHILE DRIVING IN ADVERSE WEATHER IF DEFROST/DEFOGGER IS ENGAGED THEN ALL INSIDE LIGHTS COME ON AND STAYS ON UNTIL DEFROST/DEFOGGER IS DISENGAGED, CAUSES BIG PROBLEMS ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAYS/HIGHWAYS BECAUSE I CAN'T USE THE WINDOW CLEARING TOOLS AS I NEED TO. AND THE MANUAL STATES TO REPORT IF THE SECURITY LIGHT STAYS ON ANYWAY AS IT MAY BE CAUSE FOR SERIOUS PROBLEMS IN FUTURE. *AK
19960417SUSPENSION
AXLE BROKE, MAKING NOISE. *DSH
Compare 1996BUICKBUICK to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 BUICK BUICK have?▼
The 1996 BUICK BUICK has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 BUICK BUICK?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 BUICK BUICK is SUSPENSION with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE.
Is the 1996 BUICK BUICK safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.