- The problem
- The front outer shoulder belt web sew stop can become stuck in the retractor. The belt can be difficult to pull out of the retractor and some occupants may not be able to fasten the belt.
- The risk
- This condition can prevent a person from using their restraint system resulting in an increased risk of injury in an accident.
- The fix
- Dealer will install a webbing stop button if the customer requests repair.
Vehicle safety record
1990 Buick Riviera Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 1990 Buick Riviera with NHTSA, most often about the brakes (5) and the airbags (3). Those complaints describe 1 crash. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in May 1995 for the webbing. For comparison, the 1989 has 9 and the 1991 has 8.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical Riviera year, for its age
#92 most complained-about 1990 vehicle
- Complaints
- 17
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 1990 Buick Riviera problems
Share of all 17 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
1990 Buick Riviera recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Brake indicator light may not light when ignition is in the "on" position, the parking brake is applied, and the shift selector is in the park or neutral gear range.
- The risk
- Vehicles would not meet the requirements of fmvss 101and 105.
- The fix
- Replace the prom in the body computer module to prevent this condition from occurring.
- The problem
- Threaded inflator components may have been damaged during assembly which may allow components to separate when inflator receives a signal to deploy the air bag.
- The risk
- Inflator component separation allows hot combustion gasesto escape into the passenger compartment which could result in injuries to vehicle occupants.
- The fix
- Replace air bag modules containing potentially defective inflators.
- The problem
- Transaxle shift control cable may disengage from the from the floor shift control with loss of gear indicator reference and shift selector operation.
- The risk
- Driver would not be able to determine actual gearposition the transaxle is in, which could result in unexpected vehicle movementand an accident without prior warning.
- The fix
- Install a transaxle shift control cable retaining clip to prevent cable disengagement.
- The problem
- Misaligned rear seat safety belt shoulder retractor assemblies could cause pendulum interference, causing the belt to remain in locked position or to travel freely without locking.
- The risk
- In the event of a panic stop or accident, if the belt retractor inertia lock does not engage, the rear seat occupant would have an increased likelihood of injury.
- The fix
- REALIGN REAR SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY.
What owners say
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17 complaints about the 1990 Buick Riviera
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Vehicle hesitate d before accelerating. Dealership will be notified. *Ak
Abs braking problem, when applying brakes there is noise and less braking power. *Ak
While driving and upon attemtping to stop, brake pedal got very hard, causing complete brake failure. This caused consumer to skid out into traffic. It has been an ongoing problem. Consumer has contacted dealer. Dealer has replaced part number 1646523, problem still occurs. Please provide any further details.*Ak
Anti-lock brakes continually failing, several replacements however continues to fail, almost resulting in vehicle accidents due to loss of control. Mjs
Consumer has a complaint concerning dealer/manufacturer's. Refusal to replace defective driver's air bag. *Ak
The headlights went out while driving and the cruise control was on when the headlights went out. *Ak
Vehicle lost all lighting while driving causing complete loss of sight.
RIGHT ENGINE CRADLE RUSTED.
Consumer states that the speedometer display on his vehicle comes and goes . When the speedometer goes there is no way of telling the speed of vehicle. Manufacturer will be contacted. *Ak
Owner states that vehicle was involved in an accident while traveling at 30 mph and there was no deployment of the driver's side airbag. Owner questions the safety of the airbags. *Ak
While driving an electrical short in the turn signal indicator, caused the steering column to smoke. Replaced turn signal indicator.
Purchased car new, the transmission was replaced by dealer and second transmission still slips out of gear . Please describe .*Ak
Vehicle's dashboard becomes inoperative intermittently due to an electrical short that the dlr cannot locate.This occurs with prior warning.*Ak
The horn buttons fell off and now the driver has no horn. Buick has redesigned the horn mechanism. Tt at first the horn was repaird with super glue. After a year, both buttons were replaced. *Yh
Air bag warning light came on, due to air bag being inoperative, prior to recall.(90E043004) *dsh
Consumer was driving try to stop there is a slow process in stopping have abs anti-lock brake system . Tt
Valve bloc of abs system failed, causing loss of brakes. *Tw
Buick Riviera: every year compared
All Riviera years1990 Buick Riviera vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 Buick Riviera | 17 | 5 | F | |
| 1990 Buick Regal | 80 | 9 | F | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Lesabre | 50 | 1 | F | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Century | 33 | 2 | C | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Reatta | 29 | 4 | F | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Electra Park Ave | 20 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Skylark | 19 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 1990 Buick Estate | 1 | 0 | A | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 1990 Buick Riviera
Does the 1990 Buick Riviera have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 1990 Buick Riviera: webbing (May 1995); lamp (September 1991); frontal (October 1990); floor shift (September 1990) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Buick Riviera?
How many complaints has the 1990 Buick Riviera had?
17 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on September 30, 1994 and the latest on September 13, 2004. Of these, 1 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 1990 Buick Riviera a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 12 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Buick Riviera year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Buick Riviera years have the most complaints?
1995 (130), 1996 (44), 1997 (43). See every Buick Riviera year compared.
What should I do if my 1990 Buick Riviera has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data