Total Complaints
5 filings
BUICK ELECTRA · model year
1983 BUICK ELECTRA
5 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1983BUICKELECTRA carries 5 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, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1983 ELECTRA is seat belts:front:anchorage with 2 filings, followed by exterior lighting:headlights (1) and exterior lighting:brake lights (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1983 ELECTRA. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990308SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVER'S SEAT BELT FAILED, UNABLE TO GET REPLACEMENT DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.
19981005EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON THE BRAKES LIGHTS ARE ACTIVATED.
19981005EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
WHEN BRAKING THE BRAKES LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON.
19981005EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS
NEW HAZARD FLASHERS DO NOT FUNCTION.
19980611SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
DRIVERS SEAT BELT NO LONGER WORKS, NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, DEALER SAID THE MANUFACTURE NO LONGER MAKES THIS PART.
Compare 1983BUICKELECTRA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1983 BUICK ELECTRA have?▼
The 1983 BUICK ELECTRA has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1983 BUICK ELECTRA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1983 BUICK ELECTRA is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS and EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS.
Is the 1983 BUICK ELECTRA 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1983 BUICK ELECTRA; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.