Total Complaints
10 filings
BUICK SKYLARK · model year
1986 BUICK SKYLARK
10 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986BUICKSKYLARK carries 10 consumer safety complaints 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 1986 SKYLARK is seat belts:front:retractor with 2 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (1) and visibility:windshield wiper/washer:switch/wiring (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 1986 SKYLARK. 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.
10
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER:LPG SYSTEMS:TANK VALVE/GAUGE | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040621EQUIPMENT:RECREATIONAL VEHICLE/TRAILER:LPG SYSTEMS:TANK VALVE/GAUGE
I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT. I COMMUTE ABOUT 50 MILES TO SCHOOL AND BACK. I WAS IN BRICK NJ ON RT 70 ABOUT TO ENTER THE PARKWAY WHEN I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY HOOD. BEFORE THIS HAPPENED I WAS USING GALLONS OF COOLANT IN MY CAR. I PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT AND OPENED MY HOOD SO THE CAR COULD COOL. IT WAS THEN DRIVE ABLE TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC WHERE HE REPLACED MY INTAKE GASKET. DURING THE DURATION OF THIS DAY EVENT I HAD TO MISS 1 CLASS AND HAD TO ASK MY FATHER TO DRIVE ME SO I WOULDNT MISS MY OTHER TWO EXAMS FOR THE DAY. THE INTAKE COST ME 527.35. *AK
Mileage: 72,060
20040621STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT. I COMMUTE ABOUT 50 MILES TO SCHOOL AND BACK. I WAS IN BRICK NJ ON RT 70 ABOUT TO ENTER THE PARKWAY WHEN I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT OF MY HOOD. BEFORE THIS HAPPENED I WAS USING GALLONS OF COOLANT IN MY CAR. I PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT AND OPENED MY HOOD SO THE CAR COULD COOL. IT WAS THEN DRIVE ABLE TO THE NEAREST MECHANIC WHERE HE REPLACED MY INTAKE GASKET. DURING THE DURATION OF THIS DAY EVENT I HAD TO MISS 1 CLASS AND HAD TO ASK MY FATHER TO DRIVE ME SO I WOULDNT MISS MY OTHER TWO EXAMS FOR THE DAY. THE INTAKE COST ME 527.35. *AK
Mileage: 72,060
20040422EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
ELECTRONIC DASHBOARD FAILURE.
Mileage: 197,967
19990508SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FOR BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE INOPERABLE, RENDERING SEATBELT UNUSABLE. THE PLUNGER ACTIVATED BY THE CLOSING OF FRONT CAR DOORS HAS A CABLE ATTATCHED TO RELEASE THE BELTS. THE CABLE FOR BOTH FRONT DOORS IS BROKEN. THIS CAUSES THE SEAT BELTS TO REMAIN LOCKED, THEREFORE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER CANNOT USE THEIR RESTRAINTS. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURING OR MATERIALS DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY THE AUTOMAKER OR SUPPLIER.
19980518ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP FAILED.
19980518ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILED.
19970424WHEELS
WHEEL FELL OFF. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT)
19970311VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING
WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL NOT STAY ON , HAVE TO HOLD SWITCH IN WHEN DRIVING. HAD VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIR OF WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND THEY STILL WON'T WORK. *AK
19961018ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ENGINE HEAD GASKET/ALSO OVERHEATED. *AK
19950718SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FAILURE, SEAT BELT WILL NOT COME OUT OF ITS HOUSING. TT
Compare 1986BUICKSKYLARK to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 BUICK SKYLARK have?▼
The 1986 BUICK SKYLARK has 10 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 BUICK SKYLARK?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 BUICK SKYLARK is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:SWITCH/WIRING.
Is the 1986 BUICK SKYLARK 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.