Total Complaints
16 filings
BUICK RIVIERA · model year
1991 BUICK RIVIERA
16 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991BUICKRIVIERA carries 16 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 8 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 1991 RIVIERA is air bags with 2 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2) and vehicle speed control (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 1991 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.
16
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
8
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST | 1 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030130SEAT BELTS:FRONT
THE SEATBELT IN THE FRONT DOES NOT PULL OUT. WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS THE BRAKE CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Mileage: 200,000
20030130SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
THE SEATBELT IN THE FRONT DOES NOT PULL OUT. WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS THE BRAKE CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
Mileage: 200,000
20020701SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING BRAKE UNDER NORMAL BRAKING SITUATIONS THERE IS EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE. FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND CALIPERS ONCE. PLEASE ADD FURTHER DEATAILS.*AK
20020701SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WHEN APPLYING BRAKE UNDER NORMAL BRAKING SITUATIONS THERE IS EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE. FRONT ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES, AND CALIPERS ONCE. PLEASE ADD FURTHER DEATAILS.*AK
20020514VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING, TACKOMETER FAILED, CRUISE CONTROL FAILED, AND VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION CHECKED. *SLC
20011227ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
IN HOT WEATHER, ENGINE OVERHEATS AND SOMETIMES WILL NOT RESTART AFTER SHUTOFF, CONSUMER HAS TO LET IT SET A FEW MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START, THERMOSTAT HAS BEEN REPLACED, RADIATOR HAS BEEN CLEANED, ENGINE HAS BEEN SERVICED, AND ANTI FREEZE HAS BEEN CHANGED, HOWEVER ENGINE CONTINUES TO OVERHEAT. *SLC
20011227VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING, TACKOMETER FAILED, CRUISE CONTROL FAILED, AND VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CONSUMER HAD TRANSMISSION CHECKED. *SLC
19981020CrashAIR BAGS
DURING COLLISION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG AND THE SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED, RESULTING IN INJURIES.
19981020CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
DURING COLLISION, NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAG AND THE SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED, RESULTING IN INJURIES.
19980930POWER TRAIN
WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER CAN'T DETERMINE HOW FAST VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AND HOW MUCH FUEL IS IN THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK AT ALL. CONTACTED THE DEALER, BUT REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY SAID THE VEHICLE ISN'T UNDER WARRANTY. *AK
19980910SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:VACUUM
WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE CAR DID NOT STOP AT ALL. BUICK STATES THE BOOSTER HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO IMPROVE BRAKES. HOWEVER, DEALER STATES THE BOOSTER IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *AK
19980910SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE CAR DID NOT STOP AT ALL. BUICK STATES THE BOOSTER HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO IMPROVE BRAKES. HOWEVER, DEALER STATES THE BOOSTER IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *AK
19970821CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED TO RESTRAIN OCCUPANT.
19970821CrashAIR BAGS
THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN INJURIES THAT INCLUDED CONTUSIONS.
19951101PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
PARKING BRAKE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950925SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST
THE VACUUM IS NOT WORKING EARLY IN MORNING. TT
Compare 1991BUICKRIVIERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 BUICK RIVIERA have?▼
The 1991 BUICK RIVIERA has 16 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 8 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 BUICK RIVIERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 BUICK RIVIERA is AIR BAGS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1991 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.