Total Complaints
17 filings
BUICK RIVIERA · model year
1992 BUICK RIVIERA
17 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1992BUICKRIVIERA carries 17 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 3 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 1992 RIVIERA is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by air bags:frontal (2) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer (1). 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 1992 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.
17
Complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
3 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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20060821STEERING:RACK AND PINION
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SEAT BELT CATCHES AND WILL NOT FEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO MENTIONED, NHTSA RECALL # 113343 PERTAINING TO THE SEAT BELT WEBBING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 9/27/2006 - THE VEHICLW WAS ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE STEERING SHAFT COUPLER RECALL 91V-157000. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LOCK UP. *NM
Mileage: 172,000
20060821SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER SEAT BELT CATCHES AND WILL NOT FEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO MENTIONED, NHTSA RECALL # 113343 PERTAINING TO THE SEAT BELT WEBBING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. UPDATED 9/27/2006 - THE VEHICLW WAS ALSO NOT INCLUDED IN THE STEERING SHAFT COUPLER RECALL 91V-157000. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LOCK UP. *NM
Mileage: 172,000
20010904CrashAIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLED OUT OF A PARKING LOT ILLEGALLY, AND CONSUMER HIT OTHER CAR ON REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED BUICK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
20000919TIRES
COOPER TIRE LIFE LINER, CLASSIC II, 205/70R15 WAS ON A BUICK, RIVIERA, 1992. WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED RIGHT FRONT TIRE SUDDENLY EXPLODED, CAUSING TREAD TO SEPARATE FROM SIDEWALL. THIS HAPPENED AFTER TRAVELING A SHORT DISTANCE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19990915SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE GAUGE RED LINE APPEARED AND THE BRAKES BECAME VERY SPONGY. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL. CONSUMER SAID THAT WITH REDUCED TRAFFIC AND INCREASED SPEED, COOLING OCCURED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EFFECTIVENESS RETURNED. CONTACTED DEALER. *ML
19990915ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
VEHICLE WAS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, EXTERIOR TEMPERATURE GAUGE RED LINE APPEARED AND THE BRAKES BECAME VERY SPONGY. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL. CONSUMER SAID THAT WITH REDUCED TRAFFIC AND INCREASED SPEED, COOLING OCCURED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EFFECTIVENESS RETURNED. CONTACTED DEALER. *ML
19990623ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
19990514CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 30 MPH AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
19981127EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
EVAPORATOR CORE FAILED CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK.
19971106SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS, CAUSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO GO TO THE FLOOR, AND CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER REPLACED WITH A "NEW" MASTER CYLINDER. *AK
19970627VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
ENGINE DID NOT DEACCELERATE AFTER RELEASING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, INSTEAD, ACCELERATED HIGH SPEED, DRIVER KEPT BRAKES APPLIED TO AVOID HIGH SPEED, NO WARNING, TWO OCCURRANCES WITHIN 10 DAYS, CAUSE UNKNOWN.
19951208EXTERIOR LIGHTING
PURCHASE CAR NEW THE SENTINEL LIGHT DOESN'T WORK . TT
19950421CrashFireAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING FRONT END ACCIDENT; VEHICLE HIT TELEPHONE POLE. TT
19950413VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS SKIP ACROSS THE WINDSHIELD, CUTTING THE VISION IN HALF, DEALER SAID WIPER DESIGN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. TT TT
19950413VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES WHILE DRIVING. *AK
19950413SUSPENSION:REAR
REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT WHEN THERE ARE PASSENGERS IN REAR SEAT. *AK
19950413SUSPENSION
WEAK STRUTS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BOTTOM OUT/SQUEAKS. *AK
Compare 1992BUICKRIVIERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1992 BUICK RIVIERA have?▼
The 1992 BUICK RIVIERA has 17 NHTSA complaints, 3 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 BUICK RIVIERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1992 BUICK RIVIERA is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER.
Is the 1992 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.