RoadVitals

1996 Buick Riviera Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Sep 2, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
18%
of 44 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Buick Riviera submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesSteering
Filed Sep 2, 2014

COULD NOT GET FIRST INCIDENT DATE ENTERED. THIS IS CURRENT TIME STARTED IN 2013. HAVE HAD REPAIRED 5 TIMES AND NEEDS AGAIN. WHEN DRIVING ON FREEWAY ABOVE 60 MILES PER HOUR AND HAVE TO BRAKE HEAVILY IT WILL START TO SHAKE AND SHIMMY STEERING COLUMN FIXED 2 TIMES THIS YEAR, AS IT LOOSENS UP AND YOU CAN MOVE IT UP TO TWO INCHES BACK AND FORTH. *TR

NHTSA ID
10630201
Incident
Sep 2, 2014
Mileage
126,861 mi
BrakesEngineTransmission
Filed Sep 9, 2002

TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON, WHICH COULD INDICATE A PROBLEM WITH ENGINE OR BRAKES PER OWNER'S MANUAL. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK

NHTSA ID
8018154
Brakes
Filed Aug 9, 2002

TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED WHEN TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT WAS ON, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS NOT WORKING*AK CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THE ABS LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE TO INDICATE THERE WAS A MALFUNCTION WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. *TT *JB

NHTSA ID
8015955
Incident
Jul 25, 2002
Mileage
63,689 mi
BrakesTransmission
Filed Jul 30, 2002

MODULATOR AFFECTS ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL, CAN CAUSE WHEEL LOCK-UP AND STEERING PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID
764952
Incident
Jul 5, 2002
Brakes
Filed Feb 6, 2002

WHILE IN REVERSE AND APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOORBOARD. OWNER DISCOVERED BRAKE FLUID POURING FROM BRAKE LINE. BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED, WHICH CAUSED A HOLE IN LINE. DEALER NOT NOTIFIED.*AK *JG

NHTSA ID
566311
Incident
Sep 11, 2001
Mileage
30,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Aug 2, 2000

SINCE PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE, IT HAS BEEN IN FOR BRAKES ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, BRAKES SEEM TO WEAR PREMATURELY. *AK

NHTSA ID
726449
Incident
Jun 7, 1999
BrakesElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Jun 13, 2000

STEERING WHEEL HAS LOCKED ON OCCASION AND REQUIRED REPAIR, STEERING COLUMN IS LOOSE DUE TO LOOSE BOLTS AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *MJS

NHTSA ID
552641
Incident
May 22, 2000
BrakesEngineVisibility
Filed Nov 19, 1999

DEALER HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL, BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. THE BRAKE MODULE JUST DID THE SAME THING IT DID LAST YEAR AND WE JUST HAD THE OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED. FOR THIS EXPENISVE A CAR, IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP CONSTANTLY AND IS UNRELIABLE. WE HAVE NEVER IN THE LAST NINE CARS HAD ANY OF THEM BE IN THE SHOP LIKE THIS. THIS IS REGRETFULLY OUR FIRST AND LAST BUICK AT THIS RATE. THE CAR IS LOVELY, BUT CAN'T BE TRUSTED ON OVER A TWO HOUR TRIP. *AK

NHTSA ID
715035
Incident
Nov 19, 1999

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .