1992 Buick Skylark

Routine

Owners filed 32 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic › antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. It has been recalled 3 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip4
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline3
000
Electrical System › Ignition3
000
Vehicle Speed Control2
200
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar2
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch2
100
Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery2
000
Visibility › Windshield1
000
Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal1
100
Structure1
000

3 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly › Filler Pipe and Cap92V106000
Filed Jul 17, 199220 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH AN INCORRECT SUSPENSION UPPER SPRING SEAT AT THE RIGHT-REAR POSITION. IF THE VEHICLE IS INVOLVED IN A REAR IMPACT ACCIDENT, THE RIGHT-HAND REAR WHEEL HOUSE FLANGE COULD SEVER THE FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE AND SPILL FUEL.

Risk. THESE VEHICLES ARE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FMVSS 301,FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY. SPILLED FUEL IN A LOW SPEED ACCIDENT CAN RESULT IN AFIRE.

Remedy. INSPECT AND REPLACE INCORRECT UPPER SPRING SEAT WITH THE CORRECT PART.

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner91V182000
Filed Oct 21, 19911,851 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. THE PASSENGER'S SIDE EASY-ENTRY SEAT ADJUSTER MAY FAIL FULLY LOCK INTO POSITION AFTER THE SEAT BACK HAS BEEN TILTED FORWARD AND THE SEAT SLID FORWARD, THEN RETURNED TO ITS ORIGINAL POSTITION.

Risk. IF THE SEAT ADJUSTER FAILS TO LOCK INTO POSITION, THEPASSENGER SEAT WOULD SLIDE FORWARD IN THE EVENT OF A SUDDEN STOP OR ACCIDENT.OCCUPANTS OF THE PASSENGER SEAT WOULD FACE INCREASED RISK OF SERIOUS INJURY.

Remedy. REPLACE THE ADJUSTER ASSEMBLY ON THE SEAT.

Power Train › Manual Transmission › Column Shift Assembly91V184000
Filed Oct 21, 19911,573 vehiclesGeneral Motors Corp.

Defect. A MISADJUSTMENT OF THE PARK LOCK CABLE IN THE COLUMN SHIFT ASSEMBLY MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THE STEERING COLUMN TO LOCK WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AND THE IGNITION SWITCH IS IN THE OFF POSITION.

Risk. LOCKING OF THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS INMOTION RESULTS IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND INCREASED RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy. ADJUST THE PARK LOCK CABLE, AND REROUTE AND RESTRAIN THE BRAKE TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK HARNESS AND CONNECTOR.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Aug 21, 2001FL

VEHICLE 330 ENGINE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY STALL AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. VEHICLE BEEN INTO DEALER SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Lever and Linkage › Column Shift
Filed Jan 26, 2001ID

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED SEVERAL YEARS AGO. INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN IN PARK, THE TRANSMISSION SELECTOR WILL NOT MOVE OUT OF PARK. I HAVE WORKED AROUND IT BY TILTING THE STEERING WHEEL UP AND DOWN SHARPLY SEVERAL TIMES WHEN THIS OCCURS AND IT WILL THEN ALLOW THE SHIFT. SOMETIMES THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY, SOMETIMES IT IS SEVERAL MONTHS IN BETWEEN FAILURES. I JUST DISCOVERED THAT GM HAD A SAFETY RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM I 1993. SINCE I DID NOT OWN THE CAR THEN, I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER THE THEN OWNER WAS NOTIFIED OR WHETHER THE BTSI SOLENOID WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME UNDER THE RECALL PROGRAM. HOW CAN I FIND OUT IT (1) MY CAR WAS SUBJECT TO THE RECALL, (2) IF THE RECALL WORK WAS EVER DONE AND (3) IF I AM ELIGIBLE TO HAVE IT DONE NOW, ASSUMING IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUT WASN'T. IF SO, WHOM DO I CONTACT. THANK YOU FOR WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU CAN PROVIDE.*AK

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Jan 25, 2001TX

VEHICLE STALLS AT SLOW SPEEDS. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES.*AK

Structure
Filed Aug 24, 2000IN

WHEN RAINING, WATER LEAKS AND SETTLES ON THE RIGHT FRONT FLOOR. *SLC

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit BreakersFire
Filed Apr 28, 2000MI

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. I REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH, FUSIBLE LINK, AND STARTER WHEN THE IGNITION STARTED TO SMOKE/BURN WHEN STARTING IN THE PARKING LOT. THE REPLACEMENT STARTER FAILED 3 MONTHS LATER AND THE REPLACEMENT FUSIBLE LINK 4 MONTHS LATER. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE POWER WINDOWS REPAIRED 3 TIMES, THE POWER LOCKS TWICE, THE BATTERY TWICE, AND THE TURN SIGNAL/MULTIFUNCTION LEVER ONCE IN 3 1/2 YEARS. A POWER LOCK BROKE AGAIN A FEW WEEKS AGO. *AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock SwitchCrash
Filed Apr 26, 2000OH

WHILE CAR WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF, VEHICLE SOMEWAY JUMPED OUT OF OF PARK AND ROLLED ACROSS THE LOT, HITTING ANOTHER PARKED CAR. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS UNSAFE. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery
Filed Jan 31, 2000MN

THE CRIMP ON THE CONNECTOR FOR THE INJECTOR PUMP, FUEL SUPPLY HOSE FAILED, CAUSING THE RUBBER FUEL LINE TO COME LOOSE FROM THE CONNECTOR. GAS FROM THE FUEL PUMP SPRAYED INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY THIS OCCURRED JUST AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND NO FIRE OR EXPLOSION OCCURED. IT APPEARED TO BE A POORLY CRIMPED CONNECTOR, AND COULD POSE A SERIOUS HAZARD IN OTHER VEHICLES IF NOT A ISOLATED INCIDENT.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Dec 10, 1999SC

COOLING SYSTEM FAILURE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Aug 9, 1999CA

VEHICLE SHUDDERS/VIBRATES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed May 12, 1999IL

THIS IS THE SECOND ENGINE FOR THIS CAR. *MJS

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Mar 5, 1999MD

WITHOUT WARNING THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AND IT THREW A ROD, BUICK SAID THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED IF THE HEAD WAS CRACKED BUT IT WASN'T WITH ONLY 74000 MILES ON THE CAR THIS SHOULD NOT OF HAPPENED BUICK ALSO SAID THAT IT WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE QUAD 4 MOTOR AND THE MANUFACTURE EXTENED THE WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE WITH THIS IN MIND THEY WILL NOT HELP I KNOW THAT THIS IS'NT A SAFETY ISSUSE DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE THANKYOU MAROFF

Visibility › Windshield
Filed Jan 4, 1998NY

THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW FAILS TO ROLL UP OR DOWN. ALL OTHER WINDOWS DO NOT ROLL PROPERLY. WINDOWS DISENGAGE FROM RUN CHANNEL DUE TO INSUFFICIENT CHANNEL DEPTH.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Dec 11, 1997NC

ANTI LOCK BRAKES ENGAGE UNNECESSARILY, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Nov 14, 1997VA

SAFETY CABLE FOR COLUMN GEAR SHIFT FAILED TO WORK ALLOWING CHILD TO SHIFT GEARS, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Nov 5, 1997IN

MOTOR PACK ASSEMBLY ON THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED.

Exterior Lighting › Hazard Flashing Warning Lights › Unit
Filed Oct 4, 1997NY

WARNING LIGHT FAILED WHEN LIGHTS LEFT ON AND KEYS IN IGNITION.

Seat Belts › Rear/Other
Filed Aug 1, 1997NY

VEHICLE'S REAR LAP BELTS WERE IN LOCKED POSITION, AND THE WHOLE LAP BELT AND ANCHOR CAME OUT OF BACK SEAT. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK CONSUMER STATES BOTH BELTS CAME UNMOUNTED AND OUT OF THE SEAT, CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE ANY CHILDREN AND THESE BELTS ARE HARDLY USED. *SLC

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch
Filed Jul 9, 1997CO

TRANSMISSION SOLENOID FAILED AFTER RECALL REPAIR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
Filed Jun 19, 1997MS

BRAKE CLIP FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKING POWER.

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed May 16, 1997CT

KEY INTERMITTENTLY FAILS TO TURN IN IGNITION SWITCH, MUST TURN STEERING WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE VEHICLE WILL START.

20 of 32 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1996
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20001000Routine
199824300Routine
199779500Routine
199685610Routine
199585140Routine
199468241Fatalities reported
199346100Routine
1992 — this page32310Routine
199138210Routine
199019210Routine

Compare every Skylark year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jul 17, 1992. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.