1997 Buick Skylark Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Skylark years
- More complaints than other years 3rd of 5 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 79 complaints with NHTSA about the 1997 Buick Skylark. That ranks 3rd out of 5 Skylark model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (15 complaints, 19%), typically at around 55,000 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 7 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 79owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1997 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 15 | 19% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 13 | 16% | 54,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 12 | 15% | 56,167 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 13% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 8% | 43,749 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 8% | 123,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 6% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 5 | 6% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 4% | 8,250 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 1% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1997 Buick Skylark recalls (3)
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.
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: The protective cover for the underhood fuse center was omitted. Without this cover, the positive terminal bolt on the fuse block is exposed and can contact the insulated negative battery cable. If the insulation on the negative cable becomes sufficiently worn, an electrical short circuit can occur between the positive terminal and negative cable resulting in extremely high current flow.
Risk: This high current flow can cause arcing and result in an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect these vehicles for the presence of the protective cover and, if necessary, install a protective cover to the underhood fuse center.
Fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: During assembly of the left rear quarter panel, some welds were missed. This does not comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 301, "fuel system integrity."
Risk: In the event of a rear end collision, the vehicle sheet metal structure will not perform as designed causing unexpected damage to the fuel tank or fuel lines, resulting in fuel leakage. If this is a fuel leak and an ignition source, a fire could occur.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for the missing welds and, if necessary, place three whelds between the involved panels applying primer, sealer and anti-corrosion materials.
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.
The entire time i have owned this car, there have been issues with the abs - especially when the road is wet and driving down hill. When applying the brakes in these conditions, the car does not always stop even when pushing the brake pedal to the floor. You will here a clicking or grinding type of…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 buick skylark. The contact stated that the air bags deployed unexpectedly. A police report was not filed and an injury was sustained. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure and the current mileage was 140,000…
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 buick skylark. The contact stated that the anti-theft system would activate independently, causing the vehicle to stall without warning. The failure was recurring with the illumination of the anti-theft warning light. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start…
1997 buick skylark. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle recall *tgw the consumer was informed there was a short in the wiring system which was causing the battery to die. The consumer referenced recall # 02v070000.
The car had been stalling for more than a year but not as frequent. The most dangerous time it stalled was in the middle of interstate 240n. My wife and child was with me. It was rush hour and there were lots of traffic. We were terrified! Once i merged over to the side of the highway, we had to…
Other Buick Skylark years
← 1996 Skylark · 1998 Skylark →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 Skylark | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 Skylark | 24 | 1 |
| 1997 | 79 | 3 |
| 1996 Skylark | 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 1997 Buick Skylark?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, air bags problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 15 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1997 Buick Skylark?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1997 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 1997 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.