1990 Buick Riviera problems
The Buick Riviera is a personal luxury car that was marketed by Buick from 1963 to 1999, with the exception of the 1994 model year.
As General Motors' first entry into the personal luxury car market segment, the Riviera was highly praised by automotive journalists upon its high-profile debut. It was a ground-up design on a new GM E platform debuting for the 1963 model year and was also Buick's first unique Riviera model.
Unlike its subsequent GM E platform stablemates, the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado, the Riviera was initially a front engine/rear-wheel drive platform, switching to front-wheel drive starting with the 1979 model year.
While the early models stayed close to their original form, eight subsequent generations varied substantially in size and styling. A total of 1,127,261 Rivieras were produced.
The Riviera name was resurrected for two concept cars that were displayed at auto shows in 2007 and in 2013.
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Common 1990 Buick Riviera problems
Based on the complaints from owners of the 1990 Buick Riviera, several common problems have been identified:
- Check Engine Light Due to Gas Cap Issue:
- Owners have reported issues with the check engine light being triggered due to problems with the gas cap. This can lead to issues with emissions control and overall engine performance.
- Oil Leaks From Intake and Valve Covers:
- Another common problem is oil leaks originating from the intake and valve covers. These leaks can result in oil seepage, potentially leading to engine damage if not addressed promptly.
- High Pressure Power Steering Hose Leakage:
- Owners have experienced leaks in the high-pressure power steering hose, causing a loss of power steering fluid. This can result in difficulty steering the vehicle, posing a safety risk.
Each of these issues can impact the performance, safety, and reliability of the 1990 Buick Riviera. It is essential for owners to address these problems promptly to ensure the proper functioning of their vehicles.
How much is a 1990 Buick Riviera worth?
The value of a used 1990 Buick Riviera ranges from $1,509 to $6,696, based on vehicle condition, mileage, and options.
What was the last year Buick Riviera was made?
The Buick Riviera is a personal luxury car that was marketed by Buick from 1963 to 1999, with the exception of the 1994 model year.
How fast can a Buick Riviera go?
Performance
| 30 - 70 mph | 8.7 s |
|---|---|
| 0 - 90 mph | 18.8 s |
| 0 - 100 mph | 24.5 s |
| 1/4 mile | 16.5 s @ 79.5 mph |
| Top speed | 190 kph (118 mph) |
How long is a 1990 Buick Riviera?
198.3 in.
Used 1990 Buick Riviera - Specs & Features
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 198.3 in. |
| Overall width without mirrors | 71.7 in. |
| Height | 53.6 in. |
| Wheelbase | 108.0 in. |
How much is a 1990 Buick Riviera worth?
The value of a used 1990 Buick Riviera ranges from $1,509 to $6,696, based on vehicle condition, mileage, and options.
How long is a 1990 Buick Riviera?
198.3 in.
Used 1990 Buick Riviera - Specs & Features
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Length | 198.3 in. |
| Overall width without mirrors | 71.7 in. |
| Height | 53.6 in. |
| Wheelbase | 108.0 in. |
Why won't my Buick Riviera start?
The most common reasons a Buick Riviera won't start are a dead battery, an alternator problem, or failed starter.
How fast is a Buick Riviera?
Performance
| 30 - 70 mph | 8.7 s |
|---|---|
| 0 - 90 mph | 18.8 s |
| 0 - 100 mph | 24.5 s |
| 1/4 mile | 16.5 s @ 79.5 mph |
| Top speed | 190 kph (118 mph) |
1990 Buick Riviera car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Buick Riviera problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Service brakes problems
- Hydraulic problems
- Air bags problems
- Exterior lighting problems
- Power train problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 1990 Buick Riviera vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
1990 Buick Riviera complaints
The NHTSA has received 17 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 1990 Buick Riviera.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2004-08-13
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
- Summary: VEHICLE HESITATE D BEFORE ACCELERATING. DEALERSHIP WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2001-07-30
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C8LY
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- Summary: ABS BRAKING PROBLEM, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS NOISE AND LESS BRAKING POWER. *AK
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C1U4
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- Summary: WHILE DRIVING AND UPON ATTEMTPING TO STOP, BRAKE PEDAL GOT VERY HARD, CAUSING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO SKID OUT INTO TRAFFIC. IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED PART NUMBER 1646523, PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1998-08-01
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C5LU
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- Summary: ANTI-LOCK BRAKES CONTINUALLY FAILING, SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS HOWEVER CONTINUES TO FAIL, ALMOST RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENTS DUE TO LOSS OF CONTROL. MJS
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1998-07-21
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C0LU
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: CONSUMER HAS A COMPLAINT CONCERNING DEALER/MANUFACTURER'S. REFUSAL TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE DRIVER'S AIR BAG. *AK
EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1997-09-22
- VIN: 1G4EZE13CXL
- Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Summary: THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. *AK
EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1997-09-22
- VIN: 1G4EZE13CXL
- Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Summary: VEHICLE LOST ALL LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING CAUSING COMPLETE LOSS OF SIGHT.
STRUCTURE PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1997-08-15
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C3LU
- Components: STRUCTURE
- Summary: RIGHT ENGINE CRADLE RUSTED.
POWER TRAIN PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1997-07-14
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C5LU
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAY ON HIS VEHICLE COMES AND GOES . WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER GOES THERE IS NO WAY OF TELLING THE SPEED OF VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- Crash: 1
- VIN: 1G4EZ13COLU
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: OWNER STATES THAT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHILE TRAVELING AT 30 MPH AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG. OWNER QUESTIONS THE SAFETY OF THE AIRBAGS. *AK
EXTERIOR LIGHTING PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1996-12-25
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C1LU
- Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- Summary: WHILE DRIVING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR, CAUSED THE STEERING COLUMN TO SMOKE. REPLACED TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR.
POWER TRAIN PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- Components: POWER TRAIN
- Summary: PURCHASED CAR NEW, THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED BY DEALER AND SECOND TRANSMISSION STILL SLIPS OUT OF GEAR . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: VEHICLE'S DASHBOARD BECOMES INOPERATIVE INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT THAT THE DLR CANNOT LOCATE.THIS OCCURS WITH PRIOR WARNING.*AK
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1994-04-01
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C5LU
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Summary: THE HORN BUTTONS FELL OFF AND NOW THE DRIVER HAS NO HORN. BUICK HAS REDESIGNED THE HORN MECHANISM. TT AT FIRST THE HORN WAS REPAIRD WITH SUPER GLUE. AFTER A YEAR, BOTH BUTTONS WERE REPLACED. *YH
AIR BAGS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1995-08-01
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C4LU
- Components: AIR BAGS
- Summary: AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, DUE TO AIR BAG BEING INOPERATIVE, PRIOR TO RECALL.(90E043004) *DSH
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
- VIN: 1G4EZ13C5LU
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- Summary: CONSUMER WAS DRIVING TRY TO STOP THERE IS A SLOW PROCESS IN STOPPING HAVE ABS ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM . TT
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1994-06-18
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- Summary: VALVE BLOC OF ABS SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES. *TW
1990 Buick Riviera recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 5 recalls for different components of the 1990 Buick Riviera.
- Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Components: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
- Summary: THE FRONT OUTER SHOULDER BELT WEB SEW STOP CAN BECOME STUCK IN THE RETRACTOR. THE BELT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO PULL OUT OF THE RETRACTOR AND SOME OCCUPANTS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FASTEN THE BELT.
- Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN PREVENT A PERSON FROM USING THEIR RESTRAINT SYSTEM RESULTING IN AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.
- Remedy: DEALER WILL INSTALL A WEBBING STOP BUTTON IF THE CUSTOMER REQUESTS REPAIR.
- Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Components: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:BRAKE FLUID LOW WARNING: LAMP
- Summary: BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT MAY NOT LIGHT WHEN IGNITION IS IN THE "ON" POSITION, THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED, AND THE SHIFT SELECTOR IS IN THE PARK OR NEUTRAL GEAR RANGE.
- Consequence: VEHICLES WOULD NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 101AND 105.
- Remedy: REPLACE THE PROM IN THE BODY COMPUTER MODULE TO PREVENT THIS CONDITION FROM OCCURRING.
- Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
- Summary: THREADED INFLATOR COMPONENTS MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY WHICH MAY ALLOW COMPONENTS TO SEPARATE WHEN INFLATOR RECEIVES A SIGNAL TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAG.
- Consequence: INFLATOR COMPONENT SEPARATION ALLOWS HOT COMBUSTION GASESTO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.
- Remedy: REPLACE AIR BAG MODULES CONTAINING POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE INFLATORS.
- Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Components: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
- Summary: TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE MAY DISENGAGE FROM THE FROM THE FLOOR SHIFT CONTROL WITH LOSS OF GEAR INDICATOR REFERENCE AND SHIFT SELECTOR OPERATION.
- Consequence: DRIVER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE ACTUAL GEARPOSITION THE TRANSAXLE IS IN, WHICH COULD RESULT IN UNEXPECTED VEHICLE MOVEMENTAND AN ACCIDENT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
- Remedy: INSTALL A TRANSAXLE SHIFT CONTROL CABLE RETAINING CLIP TO PREVENT CABLE DISENGAGEMENT.
- Manufacturer: GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
- Components: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
- Summary: MISALIGNED REAR SEAT SAFETY BELT SHOULDER RETRACTOR ASSEMBLIES COULD CAUSE PENDULUM INTERFERENCE, CAUSING THE BELT TO REMAIN IN LOCKED POSITION OR TO TRAVEL FREELY WITHOUT LOCKING.
- Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A PANIC STOP OR ACCIDENT, IF THE BELT RETRACTOR INERTIA LOCK DOES NOT ENGAGE, THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT WOULD HAVE AN INCREASED LIKELIHOOD OF INJURY.
- Remedy: REALIGN REAR SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY.
Positive 1990 Buick Riviera car reviews
Additional sources
More sources of information about 1990 Buick Riviera problems:
1990 Buick Riviera Problems and Complaints - 19 Issues
Problem with your 1990 Buick Riviera? Our list of 19 known complaints reported by owners can help you fix your 1990 Buick Riviera.
1990 Riviera dash problems - Buick Riviera - Antique Automobile ...
Jun 27, 2008 ... Hello. I have a 1990 Buick Riviera with some dash problems. First, my dash lights no longer dim, or even com one.
Q&A: Troubleshooting 1990 Buick Riviera's Electronic Dashboard
Apr 20, 2010 ... If the entire dash is going blank there are only 2 likely possibilities; either you have a faulty electrical connection where the wiring harness ...
Infamous 1990 Reatta "00 Error - Electrical Problem" issue - Buick ...
Apr 27, 2011 ... This is becoming a more common failure on the 90/91 cars as the electronics in the IPC age. This is a problem I am actively working on, and ...
Q&A: Troubleshooting Dash to Panel Error in 1990 Buick Riviera
Apr 8, 2012 ... This is a common problem that is usually caused by one of three things: A bad connection at the dash, a bad key switch, or a bad dash unit. when ...
Other years of Buick Riviera
Are you having problems with your 1990 Buick Riviera?
Blaze Kiehn 2024-06-07
I love this car! It's great!
Al Lowe 2024-04-29
The tape player broke about a month after I bought it, but overall my first car served me very well as a high schooler. I never had any major problems with it. After 5 years, I finally sold it because I was moving and didn't take care of it cosmetically. Despite being over 20 years old, I am still so proud that my first car took care of me.
Jules Davis 2024-03-06
Wonderful, graceful lines, great, deep dark cranberry red babe magnet. If only I were young enough to handle a babe. 8-)
Kevon Reinger 2024-01-21
Just wanted to share that I recently purchased a 1990 Riviera from a lovely couple in Mitchell, Indiana. The car has been garaged and has only 104,000 miles on it, so the body is in immaculate condition. I'm really impressed with the engine and how comfortable the vehicle is. The best part? I got it for under $3,000! It looks and drives just as well as a newer, more expensive automobile. :)