Total Complaints
7 filings
BUICK RIVIERA · model year
1985 BUICK RIVIERA
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985BUICKRIVIERA carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 7 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 1985 RIVIERA is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 4 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (3). 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 1985 RIVIERA. 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.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
7
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 3 |
Recent Complaints
20020514FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE SUFFERED DISABLING FIRE DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE OF FIRE APPEARED TO BE FUEL SYSTEM RELATED, CARBURATOR WAS STILL WET WITH FUEL RESIDUE. ( OHIO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT REPORT) *JG
20020514FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
VEHICLE SUFFERED DISABLING FIRE DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE OF FIRE APPEARED TO BE FUEL SYSTEM RELATED, CARBURATOR WAS STILL WET WITH FUEL RESIDUE. ( OHIO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT REPORT) *JG
20020314FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE SUFFERED DISABLING FIRE DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE OF FIRE APPEARED TO BE FUEL SYSTEM RELATED, CARBURATOR WAS STILL WET WITH FUEL RESIDUE. ( OHIO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT REPORT) *JG
20020314FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
VEHICLE SUFFERED DISABLING FIRE DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE OF FIRE APPEARED TO BE FUEL SYSTEM RELATED, CARBURATOR WAS STILL WET WITH FUEL RESIDUE. ( OHIO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT REPORT) *JG
20020314FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE SUFFERED DISABLING FIRE DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE OF FIRE APPEARED TO BE FUEL SYSTEM RELATED, CARBURATOR WAS STILL WET WITH FUEL RESIDUE. ( OHIO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT REPORT) *JG
20020314FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
VEHICLE SUFFERED DISABLING FIRE DAMAGE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE OF FIRE APPEARED TO BE FUEL SYSTEM RELATED, CARBURATOR WAS STILL WET WITH FUEL RESIDUE. ( OHIO TRAFFIC ACCIDENT REPORT) *JG
20010828FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WHILE DRIVING, FIRE DEVELOPED AND TOTALLY DESTROYED VEHICLE, POSSIBLY ENGINE RELATED. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT. *SLC
Compare 1985BUICKRIVIERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 BUICK RIVIERA have?▼
The 1985 BUICK RIVIERA has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 7 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 BUICK RIVIERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 BUICK RIVIERA is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1985 BUICK RIVIERA 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.