1998 BUICK RIVIERA Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
IT STARTED OUT AS A SMALL OIL LEAK, BUT I RECENTLY NOTICED THE LEAK HAS EXPANDED SIGNIFICANTLY. IT'S DIFFICULT TO PINPOINT THE LEAK, BUT AN OIL PAN UNDER THE CAR SHOWS SIGNIFICANT PUDDLING OF OIL. A SEALER/CONDITIONER DOESN'T APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. WHILE ONLINE, I NOTED THAT THE 3800CC 3.8...
Mileage: 161,000
ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, WHEN FUELING MY VEHICLE, I NOTICED A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE IN THE VICINITY OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL, INLINE WITH THE FUEL FILLER DOOR. I HAD NOTED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SUBSEQUENTLY CAME ON AND CODE 0440 (OR A VARIANT OF THAT, I CANNOT RECALL WITH 100% CERTAINTY. WHEN I HAD SOME ...
Mileage: 161,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK RIVIERA. WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED ENGINE OIL ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT IN...
Mileage: 56,513
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK RIVIERA. WHILE ENTERING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED ENGINE OIL ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT IN...
Mileage: 56,513
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK RIVIERA. WHILE STOPPED, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT WAS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NO...
Mileage: 170,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK RIVIERA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THERE WAS A PUDDLE OF OIL DRIPPING NEAR THE ENGINE AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.
Mileage: 300,000
I STARTED MY CAR, 98 BUICK RIVIERA, AND TURNED THE SEAT HEATER ON. I CAME BACK 5 MINUTES LATER AND STARTED DRIVING MY CAR TO WORK. ABOUT 4 MINUTES AFTER I LEFT MY HOUSE I STARTED SMELLING SMOKE LIKE SOMETHING WAS BURNING BUT I WAS VERY NEAR MY WORK SO I JUST KEPT GOING. AT WORK WHEN I STEPPED OUT OF...
Mileage: 200,000
STEERING WHEEL HAS DEVELOPED A VERY SIGNIFICANT "WOBBLE" WHICH EXISTS REGARDLESS OF WHAT TILT POSITION IT IS IN. THE WOBBLE IS DIAGONAL, FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST IN DIRECTION, AND THE APPARENT PIVOT POINT OF THE WOBBLE IS JUST BEHIND INSTRUMENT PANEL LEVEL. HAD CAR AT DEALER FOR OTHER WORK, AND...
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK RIVIERA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD NOT STOP WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WITH BOTH FEET. HE DROVE ON THE SHOULDER AND HAD TO PLACE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL FOR IT TO STOP. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD NOTICED TH...
Mileage: 57,617
DRIVERS SEAT BELT STITCHING COMING APART AND WILL NOT HOLD IN A ACCIDENT. THREAD USED EITHER ROTTED OR DEFECTIVE. ARMSTRONG SERVICE DEPT SENT ME TO A AUTO UPHOLSTERY SHOP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, THEY REFUSED TO DO IT STATING THAT IT WAS AGAINST THE LAW FOR THEM TO WORK ON IT AND TO RETURN TO THE DEALE...
STEERING WHEEL TILT IS HARD TO UNLOCK. STEERING WHEEL HAS MOVEMENT WHEN LOCKED IN PLACE. FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, IT BROKE AND YOU COULD NOT KEEP WHEEL IN THE SET POSITION. THIS CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO MOVE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES OR TURNING CORNERS. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LOCK PIN WAS BROKEN IN...
RACK AND PINION FAILURE AS WELL AS THE STEERING LOCKING UP WHEN MAKING LEFT HAND TURNS.*MR THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL OF OTHER GM MODELS, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *CB *JB
INTERMITTENTLY HORN BECAME INOPERABLE, OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S SAFETY. DEALER COULD NOT FIND CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
Mileage: 58,000
WHEN MAKING TURNS THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY OTHER DETAILS. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITH NO WARNING POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING FLUID, MAKING IT HARD TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WILL SURGE FORWARD. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. DEALER UNABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO SHIFT PROPERLY DUE TO GEARS GRINDING IN TRANSMISSION. ENGINE WAS SUPER CHARGED, BUT NOT TRANSMISSION. AT TRANSMISSION CENTER, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BEARINGS WERE FAILING AND CAUSED THE GRINDING. *AK *YH
UPON STOPPING VEHICLE HAS TO PRESS BRAKES DOWN HARD TO HOLD VEHICLE IN PLACE. VEHICLE JUMPS IF BRAKES ARE NOT HELD DOWN FIRMLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
UPON STOPPING VEHICLE HAS TO PRESS BRAKES DOWN HARD TO HOLD VEHICLE IN PLACE. VEHICLE JUMPS IF BRAKES ARE NOT HELD DOWN FIRMLY. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED WIND NOISE ON RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT WINDOWS.
ENGINE MOUNT FAILED AND WAS REPLACED (THE J1490 BRACKET).
THE ANTENNA MOTOR AND RADIO HAD FAILED AND WAS REPLACED.
PASSENGER SIDE SEAT REPLACED DUE TO STICHING AND COLORING.
DISC BRAKE SPLASH (H0170)RIGHT REAR HAD TO BE REPLACED.
FRONT STRUT BEARING HAD TO BE REPLACED.
CONSUMER PURCHASED TWO NEW TIRES DUE TO FLATS AND THE LOST OF AIR IN A TIRE THAT COULD NOT BE REPLACED. THE FIRST TIRE WENT FLAT FOUR TIMES DUE TO WEAR AROUND THE WHEEL COVERING (TIRE INFO NOT GIVEN).
CONSUMER PURCHASED TWO NEW TIRES DUE TO FLATS AND THE LOST OF AIR IN A TIRE THAT COULD NOT BE REPLACED. THE FIRST TIRE WENT FLAT FOUR TIMES DUE TO WEAR AROUND THE WHEEL COVERING (TIRE INFO NOT GIVEN).
WHEN TRYING TO BLOW HORN IT BLOWS INTERMITTENTLY. HORN HAS BEEN FIXED TWICE, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK DEALER FOUND LOOSE HORN CONNECTIONS. WHINING NOISE PRESENT WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. *SLC
WHEN TRYING TO BLOW HORN IT BLOWS INTERMITTENTLY. HORN HAS BEEN FIXED TWICE, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK DEALER FOUND LOOSE HORN CONNECTIONS. WHINING NOISE PRESENT WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. *SLC
CONSUMER STATES HORN IS INOPERABLE AT TIMES, ON ONE OCCASION HE HAD TO HIT THE HORN PAD SIX TIMES BEFORE THE HORN WOULD SOUND, DEALER HAS REPAIRED/REPLACED PARTS ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS. FUEL GAUGE SENDING UNIT FAILED. EMERGENCY BRAKE NEEDED ADJUSTED, THE PEDAL WAS NOT RETURNING ALL THE WAY UP ...
CONSUMER STATES HORN IS INOPERABLE AT TIMES, ON ONE OCCASION HE HAD TO HIT THE HORN PAD SIX TIMES BEFORE THE HORN WOULD SOUND, DEALER HAS REPAIRED/REPLACED PARTS ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS. FUEL GAUGE SENDING UNIT FAILED. EMERGENCY BRAKE NEEDED ADJUSTED, THE PEDAL WAS NOT RETURNING ALL THE WAY UP ...
CONSUMER STATES HORN IS INOPERABLE AT TIMES, ON ONE OCCASION HE HAD TO HIT THE HORN PAD SIX TIMES BEFORE THE HORN WOULD SOUND, DEALER HAS REPAIRED/REPLACED PARTS ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS. FUEL GAUGE SENDING UNIT FAILED. EMERGENCY BRAKE NEEDED ADJUSTED, THE PEDAL WAS NOT RETURNING ALL THE WAY UP ...
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH AND ALL FOUR TIRES' TREAD SEPARATED, AND VEHICLE VEERED INTO MEDIAN STRIP.*AK
VEHICLE WAS REARENDED WHILE AT A STANDSTILL. DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS DUE TO BACK BREAKING. BOTTOM OF TRACKS WAS TWISTED. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE IS STOPPED IN GEAR EXTREME VIBRATIONS OCCURS. DEALER CAN NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
PE00 020; WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40MHP ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE THREW HIM SIDEWAYS AND HE HITS SOME BUSHES VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED.*AK
ROTORS ON DISC BRAKES ARE RUSTING AND WARPING CAUSING IMPROPER BRAKE ACTION AND CAUSED ONE NEAR ACCIDENT INCIDENT WHERE MY WIFE WAS UNABLE TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE BUMPING THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER. THE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE FIRST 15,000 MILES. BUICK HAS STATED...
WHEN CONSUMER IS TRAVELING ABOUT SEVENTY MPH THE VEHICLE VIBRATES, AND WILL AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO THE OTHER LANE. VEHICLE HAD ROTORS REPLACED TWICE ALREADY, BUT STILL NEEDS A SET OF ROTORS. *AK *ML
WHEN CONSUMER IS TRAVELING ABOUT SEVENTY MPH THE VEHICLE VIBRATES, AND WILL AUTOMATICALLY GO INTO THE OTHER LANE. VEHICLE HAD ROTORS REPLACED TWICE ALREADY, BUT STILL NEEDS A SET OF ROTORS. *AK *ML
WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKES THE VEHICLE DOESN'T STOP. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
STEERING RACK AND PINION FAILED. YH