Total Complaints
9 filings
BUICK RIVIERA · model year
1993 BUICK RIVIERA
9 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1993BUICKRIVIERA carries 9 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, 4 injuries, and 2 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 1993 RIVIERA is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by interior lighting (1) and electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery (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 1993 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.
9
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
2
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20050310WHEELS
THREE OF THE ALUMINUM WHEELS , BOTH FRONT AND ONE RIGHT REAR, ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEM WITH AIR PRESSURE LOSS. EVERY THREE DAYS CONSUMER HAS TO REPLACE AIR IN ALL THREE TIRES. ALL THE TIRES AND THE STEMS WERE REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED.THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK
Mileage: 1,200
19990921CrashFatalSTEERING
DAUGHTER WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 45MPH, ACCORDING TO POLICE REPORT, HAD LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AFTER SWERVING. HIT ENBANKMENT ON DRIVER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE FLIPPED END OVER END. DRIVER DIED. *AK
19990921CrashFatalAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DAUGHTER WAS TRAVELING APPROX. 45MPH, ACCORDING TO POLICE REPORT, HAD LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AFTER SWERVING. HIT ENBANKMENT ON DRIVER'S SIDE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE FLIPPED END OVER END. DRIVER DIED. *AK
19990802SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
THE BRAKE PADS ARE RUBBING AGAINST THE BRAKE DISC CAUSING THEM TO PREMATURELY WEAR. BRAKES PADS BROKE APART WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. CONSUMER WAS NOT APPLYING BRAKES AT THIS TIME ALL PARTS OF BRAKES WHERE DISTROYED.*YC.ET.
19990309CrashAIR BAGS
NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG IN ACCIDENT, RESULTING IN INJURIES.
19990308CrashSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY.
19961204ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL SHORT, WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE CONSOLE LIGHTS GO OFF AND VEHICLE STALLS, LIGHTS WILL FLASH. *AK DEALER FOUND A LOOSE CONNECTION TO THE BATTERY WHICH WAS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEMS, DEALER DID NOT CHARGE CONSUMER FOR REPAIRS AND PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. *SLC
19961204INTERIOR LIGHTING
ELECTRICAL SHORT, WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE CONSOLE LIGHTS GO OFF AND VEHICLE STALLS, LIGHTS WILL FLASH. *AK DEALER FOUND A LOOSE CONNECTION TO THE BATTERY WHICH WAS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEMS, DEALER DID NOT CHARGE CONSUMER FOR REPAIRS AND PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. *SLC
19961204ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
ELECTRICAL SHORT, WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE CONSOLE LIGHTS GO OFF AND VEHICLE STALLS, LIGHTS WILL FLASH. *AK DEALER FOUND A LOOSE CONNECTION TO THE BATTERY WHICH WAS WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEMS, DEALER DID NOT CHARGE CONSUMER FOR REPAIRS AND PROBLEM SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. *SLC
Compare 1993BUICKRIVIERA to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1993 BUICK RIVIERA have?▼
The 1993 BUICK RIVIERA has 9 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1993 BUICK RIVIERA?▼
The most-complained component for the 1993 BUICK RIVIERA is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include INTERIOR LIGHTING and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY.
Is the 1993 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.