Total Complaints
21 filings
BUICK PARK AVENUE · model year
1988 BUICK PARK AVENUE
21 NHTSA complaints, 5 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988BUICKPARK AVENUE carries 21 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 5 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1988 PARK AVENUE is steering:rack and pinion with 3 filings, followed by steering:hydraulic power assist system (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2). 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 1988 PARK AVENUE. 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.
21
Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
5 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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 3 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030213WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS
*OHIO TRAFFIC SAFETY REPORT* THE LUG NUTS ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS LOOSE, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO DETACH FROM THE UNIT. *JG *JB
20030212EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
THE HEADLIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING.*JB
20010411STEERING
WHEN STARTING CAR AND BACKING UP WHILE TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, STEERING LOCKS UP.*AK
20010319POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO BACKWARDS. CONSUMER STATED IT WAS TRANSMISSION.*AK
20001023CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER
PAINT ON OUTSIDE OF CAR IS FADING WITH APPEARANCE OF WHITE PATCHES.
19990629CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
UPON IMPACT FROM A COLLISION, DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
19990322ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT ANY INDICATION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19980421SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
THE MECHANISM THAT HOLDS THE BRAKE SHOE TO THE BACKING PLATE FELL OFF, CAUSING THE BRAKE DRUM TO BE DESTROYED. THE BRAKE DRUM WAS REPLACED ON 11/12/97 AND SHOES WERE REPLACED ON 6/2/29, 5/24/95 AND 10/8//97. ON 10/15/97 MASTER CYLINDER SPRING POPPED LOOSE, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO LOCK UP. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. NO PROLBEM WITH BRAKES AT THIS TIME. *AK
19980421SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
THE MECHANISM THAT HOLDS THE BRAKE SHOE TO THE BACKING PLATE FELL OFF, CAUSING THE BRAKE DRUM TO BE DESTROYED. THE BRAKE DRUM WAS REPLACED ON 11/12/97 AND SHOES WERE REPLACED ON 6/2/29, 5/24/95 AND 10/8//97. ON 10/15/97 MASTER CYLINDER SPRING POPPED LOOSE, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO LOCK UP. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN CORRECTED. NO PROLBEM WITH BRAKES AT THIS TIME. *AK
19970827VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THE DESIGN OF THE POWER WINDOWS IN THE REAR ARE MADE SO THAT CHILDREN COULD ROLL THE WINDOWS DOWN AND FALL THROUGH; HAS NOT SEEN DEALER. *AK
19970128SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTILOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP.
19970106CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
OWNER STATES THAT WHILE SITTING IN PARKING LOT AND PUTTING CAR IN GEAR THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF, OWNER ALSO NOTES THAT HER FOOT WAS ON BRAKES THE WHOLE TIME AND SHE COULD NOT SLOW DOWN VEHICLE AND HIT A BUILDING. *AK
19970106CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
OWNER STATES THAT WHILE SITTING IN PARKING LOT AND PUTTING CAR IN GEAR THE VEHICLE TOOK OFF, OWNER ALSO NOTES THAT HER FOOT WAS ON BRAKES THE WHOLE TIME AND SHE COULD NOT SLOW DOWN VEHICLE AND HIT A BUILDING. *AK
19961231SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTILOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP TWICE.
19961205STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
EXTERIOR PAINT ON THE TOP AND ON TRUNK OXIDIZED AND CAME OFF. *AK
19961104STEERING:RACK AND PINION
FAILURE ON THE RACK AND PINION STEERING, WHEN DRIVING IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO STEER. *AK
19960410STEERING:RACK AND PINION
STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE, DEALER NEEDS TO REPLACE ENTIRE RACK AND PINION COMPONENTS. *AK
19960404STEERING:RACK AND PINION
COLD POWER STEERING. *SD
19960325CrashSTEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THERE WAS NO STEERING, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT, CAR WAS TOTALED. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
19950622STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AND THE FRONT STRUCTURE HOOD CAME OFF AND HIT ANOTHER CAR THERE WAS NO DAMAGE . TT
Compare 1988BUICKPARK AVENUE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BUICK PARK AVENUE have?▼
The 1988 BUICK PARK AVENUE has 21 NHTSA complaints, 5 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BUICK PARK AVENUE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BUICK PARK AVENUE is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1988 BUICK PARK AVENUE 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.