1998 Buick Riviera Recalls
No NHTSA recalls on record for the 1998 Buick Riviera. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 43 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Complaints by component
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“It started out as a small oil leak, but I recently noticed the leak has expanded significantly. It's difficult to pinpoint the leak, but an oil pan under the car shows significant puddling of oil. A sealer/conditioner doesn't appear to have been affected. While online, I noted that the 3800cc 3.8l…”
“About two months ago, when fueling my vehicle, I noticed a puddle of gasoline in the vicinity of the left rear wheel, inline with the fuel filler door. I had noted the check engine light subsequently came on and code 0440 (or a variant of that, I cannot recall with 100% certainty. When I had some…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick riviera. While entering the vehicle, the contact noticed engine oil on the ground under the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the valve cover gasket failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vin was not…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick riviera. While entering the vehicle, the contact noticed engine oil on the ground under the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the valve cover gasket failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vin was not…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick riviera. While stopped, the contact noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment of the vehicle. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The contact was a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the valve cover gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was…”
“Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick riviera. While the vehicle was parked, there was a puddle of oil dripping near the engine area. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 300,000.”
“I started my car, 98 buick riviera, and turned the seat heater on. I came back 5 minutes later and started driving my car to work. About 4 minutes after I left my house I started smelling smoke like something was burning but I was very near my work so I just kept going. At work when I stepped out…”
“Steering wheel has developed a very significant "wobble" which exists regardless of what tilt position it is in. The wobble is diagonal, from northeast to southwest in direction, and the apparent pivot point of the wobble is just behind instrument panel level. Had car at dealer for other work, and…”
Defect investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME…
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME…
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1998 Buick Riviera as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.