Recalls (4)
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 1990 Buick Riviera. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗INTERIOR SYSTEMS:SHOULDER BELTS
- 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.
BRAKES:HYDRAULIC:LAMP LIGHT:BRAKE WARNING
- 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.
POWER TRAIN:TRANSMISSION:AUTOMATIC:LEVER AND LINKA
- 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.
INTERIOR SYSTEMS:ACTIVE RESTRAINTS:BELT RETRACTORS
- 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.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (16)
16 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The service brakes is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 16 |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 4 | 25% |
| Air bags | 3 | 18.8% |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 18.8% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 12.5% |
| Power train | 2 | 12.5% |
| Engine and engine cooling | 1 | 6.3% |
| Structure | 1 | 6.3% |
How 1990 compares with other Riviera years
Best and worst Riviera years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | 2 | 1 |
| 1987 | 5 | 1 |
| 1988 | 1 | 0 |
| 1989 | 9 | 2 |
| 1990 | 16 | 4 |
| 1991 | 8 | 1 |
| 1992 | 12 | 2 |
| 1993 | 5 | 1 |
| 1995 | 130 | 1 |
| 1996 | 44 | 2 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 19 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $3,550
- CO₂ tailpipe
- 468 g/mi
- EPA class
- Midsize Cars
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 19 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic | Front-Wheel Drive | 16 / 25 / 19 | $3,550 | 468 |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 1990 Riviera for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1990 Buick Riviera FAQ
How many recalls does the 1990 Buick Riviera have?
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns: 95V110000 (seat belt), 91V158000 (brake), 90V164000 (power train), 90V028000 (seat belt). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1990 Buick Riviera problems?
Owners filed 16 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (4), Air bags (3), Exterior lighting (3) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 1990 Buick Riviera get?
EPA rates the 3.8 L 6-cyl · 4-speed automatic version at 16 city, 25 highway and 19 combined mpg.
How does the 1990 Riviera compare with other years?
Among the 1986–1996 Buick Riviera model years at least five years old, the 1988 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 1995 the most (130). The 1990 drew 16. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.