Total Complaints
1 filings
BUICK RIVIERA · model year
1988 BUICK RIVIERA
1 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988BUICKRIVIERA carries 1 consumer safety complaint 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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1988 RIVIERA is structure:frame and members with 1 filings. 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 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.
1
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 |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010723STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
I WAS CHNAGING MY OWN OIL WHEN I NOTICED A PART OF THE UNIBODY SUB-FRAME NEAR THE STEERING CONTROL ARM WAS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. I HAD IT INSPECTED BY A PROFESSIONAL FABRICATOR WHO TOLD ME THAT IT WAS AN ORIGINAL DEFECT, THAT IT WAS NOT PROPERLY POWDER COATED OR ANOTHER TYPE OF FACTORY CONTAMINATION BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY SPOT ON THE CAR SHOWING SIGNIFICANT RUST. THERE IS ONE OTHER 1988 BUICK RIVIERA IN TOWN AND JUST RECENTLY THERE CAR FAILED IN EXACTLY THE SAME SPOT. COINCIDENCE DOES NOT SEEM LIKELY. ARE THERE OTHER ACCIDENTS OR HIGHWAY DEATHS THAT HAVE BEN REPORTED FOR THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL YEAR AS MINE.THANK YOU FOR YOR TIME AND CONSIDERATION REGARDING THIS MATTER. PLEASE ADVISE WITH INFORMATION THAT YOU FIND.*AK
Compare 1988BUICKRIVIERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BUICK RIVIERA have?▼
The 1988 BUICK RIVIERA has 1 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BUICK RIVIERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BUICK RIVIERA is STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include various components.
Is the 1988 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.