Buick Park Avenue Problems by Year
NHTSA has 1,004 owner complaints and 13 safety recalls on file for the Buick Park Avenue, across 11 model years (1995–2005). The 1998 model year has the most complaints (246). The most reported problem area overall is engine and engine cooling.
Buick Park Avenue years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Park Avenue year: 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1998 Park Avenue: 246 complaints, 2 recalls
- 1997 Park Avenue: 219 complaints, 3 recalls
- 1999 Park Avenue: 140 complaints, 3 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2005 Park Avenue: 8 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2004 Park Avenue: 12 complaints, 0 recalls
- 2002 Park Avenue: 32 complaints, 1 recall
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Buick Park Avenue problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 236 | 9 | 1 |
| Electrical System problems | 134 | 11 | 1 |
| Seat Belts problems | 120 | 9 | 3 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 98 | 8 | 5 |
| Steering | 83 | 9 | 2 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 77 | 10 | 0 |
| Power Train | 64 | 9 | 2 |
| Structure | 56 | 10 | 1 |
| Suspension | 48 | 9 | 0 |
| Visibility | 47 | 10 | 0 |
| Air Bags | 37 | 9 | 13 |
| Tires | 31 | 11 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 31 | 7 | 8 |
| Engine | 29 | 9 | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 23 | 8 | 0 |
| Seats | 23 | 7 | 0 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 16 | 7 | 0 |
| Wheels | 16 | 9 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Equipment | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 8 | 5 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Electronic Stability Control | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Buick Park Avenue problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 1998: engine and engine cooling (97)
- 1997: seat belts (52)
All Buick Park Avenue model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Park Avenue | 8 | 0 | — | Wheels | |
| 2004 Park Avenue | 12 | 0 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Park Avenue | 33 | 1 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2002 Park Avenue | 32 | 1 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2001 Park Avenue | 57 | 2 | — | Electrical System | About as many complaints as other years |
| 2000 Park Avenue | 81 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | More complaints than other years |
| 1999 Park Avenue | 140 | 3 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 Park Avenue | 246 | 2 | — | Engine and Engine Cooling | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Park Avenue | 219 | 3 | — | Seat Belts | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1996 Park Avenue | 59 | 3 | — | Air Bags | About as many complaints as other years |
| 1995 Park Avenue | 117 | 1 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Buick: all Buick models · Buick VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Buick Park Avenue years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1995 (117), 1997 (219), 1998 (246), 1999 (140) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Park Avenue year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Buick Park Avenue?
Engine and Engine Cooling, with 236 complaints across 9 model years.
How many recalls does the Buick Park Avenue have?
13 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.