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1986 Buick SkylarkProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 8 owner complaints about the 1986 Buick Skylark, most often about the seat belts. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints80 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem2Seat belts

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 21, 2004. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1986 Buick Skylark has problems

8 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Seat belts20
Engine and engine cooling20
Equipment20
Electrical system10
Structure10
Visibility10
Wheels10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1986 Buick Skylark recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Buick.

Best & worst years

1986 vs. every other Skylark 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 Skylark median. How we score

'66'67'68'70'71'75'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'00
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1986 Buick Skylark, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SEAT BELT SEPARATIONEA91045 · closed Oct 26, 1992
    No recall
  2. SAFETY BELT CUT AT D-RINGPE91099 · closed Nov 7, 1991
    No recall
In owners' words

What Skylark owners report

Recent seat belts complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FOR BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE INOPERABLE, RENDERING SEATBELT UNUSABLE. THE PLUNGER ACTIVATED BY THE CLOSING OF FRONT CAR DOORS HAS A CABLE ATTATCHED TO RELEASE THE BELTS. THE CABLE FOR BOTH FRONT DOORS IS BROKEN. THIS CAUSES THE SEAT BELTS TO REMAIN LOCKED, THEREFORE DRIVER AND…
Complaint 706329 · May 8, 1999

Own a 1986 Skylark?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.