Total Complaints
9 filings
BUICK BUICK · model year
1997 BUICK BUICK
9 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997BUICKBUICK carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1997 BUICK is service brakes, hydraulic:fluid with 2 filings, followed by tires (1) and power train:automatic transmission (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 1997 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.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID | 2 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20071118FireSTEERING
CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE DRIVEWAY, WITH NO KEY AND IN PARK. MY SON HAD COME IN THE HOUSE AND SAID MOM YOUR CAR IS SMOKING. I HAD PARKED THE CAR APPROX 20 MINS BEFORE AFTER A 6 MILE TRIP, IT WAS WINTER, THANK GOD I DID NOT PARK IN THE GARAGE OR IT WOULD HAVE GONE UP IN SMOKE TOO, AS I LIVE IN THE COUNTRY AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME FOR THE TRUCKS TO ARRIVE. I AM GLAD I WAS NOT A YOUNG MOM WITH KIDS IN CAR SEATS WHICH TAKES ALOT OF TIME. SCARED THE CRAP OUTTA US, CAUSE THE GARAGE (TOOLS, WOOD, VEHICLES, STUFF WAS SO VERY CLOSE TO THE CAR AND GARAGE IS VERY CLOSE TO OUR HOME(KEEPSAKES, EVERYTHING). *TR
Mileage: 60,000
20060810STEERING:RACK AND PINION
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS STEERING AND THE POWER STEERING DID NOT FUNCTION. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE RACK AND PINION THAT WAS NOTED ON RECALL NUMBER 03V527000. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.
20020514SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID
THERE WAS A THUMPING SOUND AFTER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, A TECHNICIAN INDICATED THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE BRIDGED THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER GASKET AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE BRAKE FLUID BUILT UP ON THE BRAKE LINING/PAD OF THE BRAKE SHOE, THE BRAKE FLUID IS MANUFACTURED WITH A SILICONE BASE, WHICH APPARENTLY COATS THE BRAKE LINING, AND CAN NOT BE REMOVED, THEREFORE THERE IS POTENTIAL BRAKE FAILURE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE SILICONE IN THE BRAKE FLUID FORMULATION.*JB
20011015SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID
THERE WAS A THUMPING SOUND AFTER THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, A TECHNICIAN INDICATED THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE BRIDGED THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER GASKET AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE BRAKE FLUID BUILT UP ON THE BRAKE LINING/PAD OF THE BRAKE SHOE, THE BRAKE FLUID IS MANUFACTURED WITH A SILICONE BASE, WHICH APPARENTLY COATS THE BRAKE LINING, AND CAN NOT BE REMOVED, THEREFORE THERE IS POTENTIAL BRAKE FAILURE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PROBLEM IS THE SILICONE IN THE BRAKE FLUID FORMULATION.*JB
19991227ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE HESITATES WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS CONSUMER CONCERNED ABOUT BEING REAR ENDED. NLM
19990511VISIBILITY:REARVIEW MIRRORS/DEVICES:EXTERIOR
BOTH SIDE MIRRORS ARE TO SMALL CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *YC
19990412ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED. *YC
19981119POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING DIFFICULTY WHEN ENGAGING INTO REVERSE.
19971003TIRES
TIRE BLEW OUT, CAUSING ACCIDENT. (NEW JERSEY STATE POLICE REPORT)
Compare 1997BUICKBUICK to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 BUICK BUICK have?▼
The 1997 BUICK BUICK has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 BUICK BUICK?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 BUICK BUICK is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FLUID with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1997 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.