1986 Buick Electra Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1986 Buick Electra, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes960.0%
- Engine213.3%
- Body & structure16.7%
- Driver assistance16.7%
- Electrical16.7%
- Transmission16.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH POWER ASSIST WITHIN BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO PULL EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO AVOID ACCIDENT. DEALER HAD REPLACED BRAKE SYSYTEM, BUT DEFECT HAS REOCCURRED WITHIN 150 MILES. *AK
RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 87V613000, ABS BRAKES. TOOK VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS. WORK WAS DONE. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. TOOK VEHICLE BACK. MECHANIC SAID SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE. ORDERED ANOTHER FROM MANUFACTURER. REPLACED SWITCH AGAIN, WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE. REPLACED OLD SWITCH THAT WORKED W/SWITCH THAT DIDN'T. THEN REPLACED NEW W/OLD SWITCH. NOT SATISFIED W/RECALL. *AK
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CRANK SENSOR-WHICH CONTROLS ENGINE TIMING-THE BRACKET ITS HOUSED IN CAN WORK LOOSE DURING NORMAL DRIVING CAUSING THE SENSOR TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE MAGNET CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL W/NO WARNING. IT HAPPENED FIRST LASTE YEAR IN JULY-99 HAD IT REPLACED BY DEALER USING OE PART. WORKED LOOSE THIS YEAR OCT-00, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL ON BUSY STREET AND BARELY MADE IT TO THE SIDE. CONTACT DEALER-WOULD NOT REPLACE PART-MADE US BUY ANOTHER....
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED, ALSO BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY PRIOR TO RECALL (87V-093). *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE REAR DOORS WILL NOT OPEN IF NOT USED VERY OFTEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED, ALSO BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY PRIOR TO RECALL (87V-093). *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
ANTI-LOCK BRAKES FAILED, ALSO BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY PRIOR TO RECALL (87V-093). *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION FAILURE, TWICE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .