1996 Buick Riviera Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Riviera years
- About as many complaints as other years 2nd of 6 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 44 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Buick Riviera. That ranks 2nd out of 6 Riviera model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (8 complaints, 18%), typically at around 135,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 44owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Buick Riviera problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 8 | 18% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 16% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 16% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 16% | 46,845 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 14% | 123,800 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 9% | 126,861 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | 132,550 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2% | 126,861 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Buick Riviera recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system
Problem: A backfire during engine starting can cause breakage of the upper intake manifold.
Risk: This condition can cause a no-start condition and possibly an engine compartment fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module programming. Until the campaign repair is made, the vehicle hood should be shut whenever starting the vehicle to reduce the chance of personal injury.
Electrical system:ignition:anti-theft:control module
Problem: These vehicles were assembled with a malfunction alarm, lighting and locking (mall) module that can contain a damaged capacitor. If the capacitor is damaged, the "key in the ignition" warning chime and the driver seat belt unbuckled warning chime and indicator lamp may not work. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 114, "theft protection" and fmvss no. 208, "occupant crash protection." in addition, other chime reminder functions, interior lighting controls, and power door locking features are also affected.
Risk: Consequence of non-compliance; the driver may not be aware that the key was left in the ignition or that the safety belt was not buckled.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if required, replace the mall module.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine compartment fires (EA02030) — opened Oct 22, 2002, closed Mar 9, 2004, led to recall 04V090000.
- Rear seat belt retractor (PE99059) — opened Sep 15, 1999, closed Feb 22, 2000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I smelled gas. I opened the hood, removed the engine cover & fuel was spraying from the plastic fuel line, the size of a pinhole. I contacted the dealer to order a new fuel line and was told the fuel line part #25648136 is discontinued, as soon as i find one left somewhere, i will be taking to an…
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…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick riviera. The contact stated that after refueling the vehicle, there was a strong gasoline odor. The contact noticed that the fuel tank was fractured from excessive corrosion causing fuel to leak. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick riviera. The contact stated that the front driver side seat belt failed. The contact stated that he attempted to put the seat belt on but it failed to connect. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection but they did not provide the cause of failure, just…
Seat belt failure: the seat belt fastener(clasp/hook) on my 1996 buick riviera vin # [xxx] has failed. Insertion of the male end of the belt into the female fastener fails to result in the unit locking. Buick states they have no recall on this issue or any responsibility to repair it. The rear…
Other Buick Riviera years
← 1995 Riviera · 1997 Riviera →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 Riviera | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 Riviera | 6 | 0 |
| 1998 Riviera | 29 | 0 |
| 1997 Riviera | 43 | 0 |
| 1996 | 44 | 2 |
| 1995 Riviera | 130 | 1 |
See all Buick Riviera problems by year, every Buick model, or the Buick VIN decoder.
Similar Buick models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Buick Riviera?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, power train, seat belts problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Buick Riviera?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Buick Riviera a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Riviera model years, the 1996 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.