1998 Buick RivieraProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 29 owner complaints about the 1998 Buick Riviera, most often about the steering. It has no vehicle safety recalls on record.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 21, 2016. Updated daily.
Where the 1998 Buick Riviera has problems
29 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 7 | 0 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 5 | 0 |
| Engine | 4 | 1 |
| Tires | 3 | 2 |
| Seats | 3 | 2 |
| Power train | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 |
| 7 other systems | 7 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1998 Buick Riviera recalls and how many were fixed
No vehicle safety recalls are on record for this model year.
1998 vs. every other Riviera year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Riviera median. How we score
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1998 Buick Riviera, and the recalls they led to.
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRESLed to recall 04V-090
What Riviera owners report
Recent steering complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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…
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…
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
Own a 1998 Riviera?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.