1996 Buick Roadmaster Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Roadmaster years
- Not enough data 1st of 3 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Buick Roadmaster. That is the most of any Roadmaster model year in the database (3 years). The most reported problem area is steering (8 complaints, 15%), typically at around 78,916 miles. Complaints mention 3 crashes, 1 fire, 3 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 52owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 3complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Buick Roadmaster 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 8 | 15% | 78,916 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 12% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 12% | 165,983 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 5 | 10% | 19,254 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 8% | 67,863 | — | — |
| Tires | 4 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 6% | 165,983 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 4% | 142,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% | 165,983 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 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 Roadmaster recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Problem: The wheel lug nuts were not tightened to the proper specification during assembly.
Risk: This condition could result in a fracture of the wheel studs causing the wheel to separate from the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will tighten the vehicle's wheel lug nuts to the proper specification.
Air bags
Problem: These vehicles were shipped with both the supplemental inflatable restraint caution label and a roof rack caution label installed on the same side of the sun visor. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no.208, "occupant crash protection."
Risk: Consequence of non-compliance: operators could fail to notice and heed the warning labels.
Fix: A new roof rack caution label, with installation instructions, will be sent directly to owners. Owners will install the label or have their dealer install the label for them.
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
- Rear wheel separation (EA96007) — opened May 31, 1996, closed Dec 24, 1996.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1996 Buick Roadmaster. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the steering wheel was steering to the left while the vehicle was going to the right as well as while steering to the right the vehicle was going to the left. The dealer or independent mechanic was…
I was on the way home the car started to make a grinding type of noise as well as a bounce and came to a stop a a red light to turn left and as i was turning left my right front tire fell off bouncing away bent my front passenger fender as well as trim i had to pay a tow truck $150 to take my car…
Car all of a sudden darts left then has a large amount play in steering . Then it may not do it for four or five days then it may go the other way. This is a high mileage car but i see where there is another one listed as doing the same thing. *tr
The lower control arm ball joint broke off when i started to drive the car in a parking lot on october 31, 2006. I had to have a new lower arm and ball joint installed on the car since a bolt had sheared holding the ball joint to the arm. Buick had a previous recall on this, but my car was…
Upon leaving for work in the morning, my 1996 buick roadmaster with 56,600 miles would not start. I had the car towed to a local auto repair garage. Went to pick up car a couple of days later and the mechanic told me i was lucky there had not been a fire or explosion due to the smoldering fuel pump…
Other Buick Roadmaster years
← 1995 Roadmaster · 1999 Roadmaster →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 Roadmaster | 1 | 0 |
| 1996 | 52 | 2 |
| 1995 Roadmaster | 50 | 5 |
See all Buick Roadmaster 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 Roadmaster?
Owners most often report steering, engine and engine cooling, suspension problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 8 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Buick Roadmaster?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Buick Roadmaster a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Roadmaster model years, the 1996 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.