1996 Buick Skylark Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Skylark years
- More complaints than other years 1st of 5 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 85 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Buick Skylark. That is the most of any Skylark model year in the database (5 years). The most reported problem area is air bags (18 complaints, 21%), typically at around 97,000 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 1 fire, 9 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 85owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Buick Skylark 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 18 | 21% | 97,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 15 | 18% | 92,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 15 | 18% | 62,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 15% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 8 | 9% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 4 | 5% | 95,280 | — | — |
| Visibility | 4 | 5% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 2% | 75,170 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Buick Skylark recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition:switch
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.
Risk: If the switch is damaged, a fire could occur in the steering column, even with the engine off and the key removed.
Fix: Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, pontiac at 1-800-762-2737, buick at 1-800-521-7300, or oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537.
Interior lighting
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with the potential for the interior lamps to come on unexpectedly while the vehicles are being driven. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 101, "controls and displays."
Risk: The interior lamps coming on unexpectedly could startle a driver causing a momentary loss of control increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will run a diagnostic test on the lamp control module and, if necessary, replace it.
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
Problem: The steering column lower pinch bolt was not properly tightened during assembly.
Risk: An undertorqued pinch bolt can rattle and cause looseness in the steering system. If the pinch bolt backed out of the joint completely, rotation of the steering shaft against the connector could cause increasing looseness in the steering system and result in loss of steering and an accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the steering column pinch bolt for correct torque and, if necessary, tighten the bolt to the specified torque.
Air bags:frontal
Problem: During deployment of the passenger air bag, the air bag fabric can snag on a reinforcement inside the instrument panel, causing the expanding air bag to lift the instrument panel pad and then deploy under the instrument panel instead of through the door in the instrument panel.
Risk: In a crash, the front seat passenger could receive more severe injuries if he or she contacts a broken reinforcement or if the snagging affects the deployment of the air bag.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the instrument panel pads and, if necessary, install a plastic edge protector to the instrument panel pad reinforcement. On certain early-production vehicles, the instrument panel pad will be replaced.
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.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick skylark. When the contact started the vehicle, the driver's side air bag deployed. The driver sustained injuries to the face, neck, chest, right shoulder, and mouth. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was…
Airbag deployment, on may 5 2016, 10 pm, went out to put windows up in car, vehicle was stationary,opened door, leaned in to turn on key, when i turned on key, heard loud explosion, two thoughts before i blacked out, thought i had been shot & what the hell was pulling me backwards so fast, came to…
The airbag exploded while i was driving the car and then caused the horn to continuously go off. Not five minutes into my drive it went off while i was accelerating from being stopped at a red light. I was pulled over on a side street when the horn started going off. The air bag bruised and burned…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick skylark. The contact stated that the driver side seat belt was defective. The contact stated that the seat belt was installed backwards and there were two right hand seat belts in the vehicle. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of…
Went to start to car after driving all afternoon and passenger side airbag deployed causing damage to the dash and windshield. *tr
Other Buick Skylark years
← 1995 Skylark · 1997 Skylark →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 Skylark | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 Skylark | 24 | 1 |
| 1997 Skylark | 79 | 3 |
| 1996 | 85 | 4 |
| 1995 Skylark | 85 | 1 |
See all Buick Skylark 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 Skylark?
Owners most often report air bags, electrical system, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 18 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Buick Skylark?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Buick Skylark a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Skylark model years, the 1996 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.