1997 Buick Riviera: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 48 complaints
48
Total Complaints
94,386mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
3
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

83,250 25th Percentile
94,386 Median Mileage
139,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
3
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
3
STEERING
3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
3
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2
STRUCTURE:BODY
2

Severity Assessment

3
Crashes
5
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED WHILE BRAKING, RESULTING IN A CRASH. *AK"
"BRAKE PROBLEMS; WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH, THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED BECAUSE OF WARPING. ON 7/21/97 OWNER BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER FOR SAME PROBLEM. AT THAT TIME AN ADJUSTMENT WAS MADE TO THE ROTORS. DEALER STATED THAT ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN WITH 9, 504 MILES. ON 11/24/97 BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER FO..."
"BRAKE PROBLEMS; WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGH, THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED BECAUSE OF WARPING. ON 7/21/97 OWNER BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER FOR SAME PROBLEM. AT THAT TIME AN ADJUSTMENT WAS MADE TO THE ROTORS. DEALER STATED THAT ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN WITH 9, 504 MILES. ON 11/24/97 BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER FO..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28