Buick Roadmaster recall history and complaint patterns

Comprehensive recall and complaint data for the Buick Roadmaster, sourced from official National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) records.

Last updated: (NHTSA data snapshot)

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At a Glance

Total Recalls 17
Total Complaints 452
Years Covered 1989–1999

Stats focus on model years from 1960 onwards. Earlier years appear in the detailed table below where data exists.

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Key Takeaways

A quick scan of where recalls and complaints concentrate for the Buick Roadmaster, based on aggregated NHTSA counts and campaign metadata.

Recall Themes

Instead of listing long campaign narratives, this groups recall campaigns into a few recurring areas. Each theme links back to official notices as evidence.

Other

3 campaigns · Years: 1994–1996

These campaigns do not fit a single dominant theme, or the component taxonomy is broad.

Official notices (evidence):

Seats and restraints

2 campaigns · Years: 1991–1992

These campaigns relate to seats, belts, airbags restraint integration, or child restraint anchoring components.

Official notices (evidence):

Airbags

1 campaign · Years: 1995–1996

These campaigns relate to airbag system components and deployment/airbag readiness issues.

Official notices (evidence):

Brakes

1 campaign · Years: 1992

These campaigns relate to braking system components that can affect stopping performance or warning behavior.

Official notices (evidence):
  • 97V217000 · Service brakes, hydraulic: Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

Engine and cooling

1 campaign · Years: 1994

These campaigns relate to engine or cooling components where failures can lead to stalling or overheating risk.

Official notices (evidence):
  • 94V049000 · Engine and engine cooling: Hoses/lines/piping/fittings

Fuel and emissions

1 campaign · Years: 1994

These campaigns relate to fuel delivery or emissions components where leaks or failures can raise safety risk.

Official notices (evidence):

Powertrain

1 campaign · Years: 1995

These campaigns relate to drivetrain or transmission components that can affect shifting, power delivery, or control.

Official notices (evidence):

Steering and suspension

1 campaign · Years: 1994–1995

These campaigns relate to steering or suspension components that can affect vehicle control or stability.

Official notices (evidence):

Most Reported Issues

Across all model years, the most frequently reported areas for the Buick Roadmaster in NHTSA complaint data are Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Air bags:frontal, Vehicle speed control.

Jump to Model Year

Year-by-Year Overview

Each row shows how often this model appears in NHTSA recalls and consumer complaints for a given model year. These are counts of campaigns and complaints, not risk predictions.

Model Year Recalls Complaints Details
1999 0 1 Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Child seat.
1996 2 62 Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Engine and engine cooling:cooling system, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump.
1995 5 76 Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Vehicle speed control, Engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline, Power train:automatic transmission.
1994 5 132 Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Air bags:frontal, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Structure:body:door.
1993 0 65 Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Air bags:frontal, Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Visibility:windshield.
1992 3 105 Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, Air bags:frontal, Power train:automatic transmission.
1991 2 9 Both recalls and complaints recorded.
Top complaint areas: Latches/locks/linkages:hood:latch, Air bags:frontal, Electrical system:ignition:module.
1989 0 2 Complaints recorded; no recall campaigns issued.
Top complaint areas: Suspension:front, Suspension:front:control arm.

What to Do Next

Check Your VIN on NHTSA.gov

Recall Evidence by Year

A compact evidence view of recall campaigns that include this model. The default text is an original summary line, with official notice text available on demand.

Most common areas involved: Wheels , Air bags and Vehicle speed control

Show recall evidence by year

1996

  • Air bags: Safety recall involving the air bags area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (95V215000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: These vehicles were shipped with both the supplemental inflatable restraint caution label and a roof rack caution label installed on the same side of the sun visor. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no.208, "Occupant crash protection."
  • Wheels: Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs: Safety recall involving the wheels area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (96V245000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: The wheel lug nuts were not tightened to the proper specification during assembly.

1995

  • Vehicle speed control: Springs: Safety recall involving the vehicle speed control area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (95V082000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: These vehicles fail to conform to fmvss no. 124, "Accelerator control systems." At low temperatures, excessive friction can occur in the accelerator pedal assembly.
  • Air bags: Safety recall involving the air bags area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (95V215000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: These vehicles were shipped with both the supplemental inflatable restraint caution label and a roof rack caution label installed on the same side of the sun visor. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no.208, "Occupant crash protection."
  • Power train: Automatic transmission: Safety recall involving the power train area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (95V221000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: These vehicles were produced with an improperly adjusted transmission shift control linkage. This does not meet with the requirements of fmvss no. 114, "Theft protection."
  • Suspension: Lower ball joint: Safety recall involving the suspension area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (96V019000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: Defective lower control arm ball joint attachment nuts were not properly torqued and can loosen.
  • Wheels: Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs: Safety recall involving the wheels area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (96V245000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: The wheel lug nuts were not tightened to the proper specification during assembly.

1994

  • Engine and engine cooling: Hoses/lines/piping/fittings: Safety recall involving the engine and engine cooling area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (94V049000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: The engine oil cooler inlet hose may have been installed too close to the steering gear causing chafing. The chafing can eventually wear through the hose's protective sleeve resulting in engine oil leaking onto the engine.
  • Wheels: Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs: Safety recall involving the wheels area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (94V076000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: Paint on the wheel mounting surfaces can act as a shim between the wheel and the rotor/drum. As the vehicle is driven, the wheel imbeds into the paint, loosening the lug nut and causing a loss of clamp load.
  • Fuel system, gasoline: Mounting: Safety recall involving the fuel system area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (94V210000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: The fuel tank attachment strap fasteners were not properly tightened. The fasteners can completely detach, eventually allowing the fuel tank to sag and the bottom of the tank to strike the roadway.
  • Vehicle speed control: Springs: Safety recall involving the vehicle speed control area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (95V082000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: These vehicles fail to conform to fmvss no. 124, "Accelerator control systems." At low temperatures, excessive friction can occur in the accelerator pedal assembly.
  • Suspension: Lower ball joint: Safety recall involving the suspension area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (96V019000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: Defective lower control arm ball joint attachment nuts were not properly torqued and can loosen.

1992

  • Latches/locks/linkages: Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (91V186000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: Secondary hood latch assemblies can corrode, causing a high latch release effort and possibly preventing the hood from latching properly when it is closed.
  • Seat belts: Safety recall involving the seat belts area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (92V094000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: The shoulder belt guide loop plastic covering may crack and expose the steel sub-plate.
  • Service brakes, hydraulic: Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: Safety recall involving the service brakes area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (97V217000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The antilock brake system (abs) modulator can corrode and leak fluid from the front brake circuit.

1991

  • Latches/locks/linkages: Safety recall involving the latches/locks/linkages area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (91V186000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: Secondary hood latch assemblies can corrode, causing a high latch release effort and possibly preventing the hood from latching properly when it is closed.
  • Seat belts: Safety recall involving the seat belts area. See the official notice for the exact defect, risk, and remedy details.
    View official NHTSA notice (92V094000) →
    Show official notice text
    Summary: The shoulder belt guide loop plastic covering may crack and expose the steel sub-plate.

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⚠️ Important Safety Information

Recall Explained provides independent analysis of official NHTSA data. This site does not replace the official NHTSA VIN lookup and should not be treated as legal or safety advice for your specific vehicle.

For any safety concerns: Always check your VIN on the official NHTSA site and contact an authorized dealer.

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