RecallMyCar

1996 Buick Skylark Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 1996 Buick Skylark, and owners have filed 85 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
85
owner complaints to NHTSA
7 / 1
complaints citing a crash / fire
21–23
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 1996 Buick Skylark

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Switch (electrical system)

    NHTSA 02V070000 Reported 1,589,948 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    On certain passenger vehicles. If the engine fails to start and the driver holds the key in the "start" position for an extended period, high current flows through the ignition switch, and sometimes produces enough heat to melt internal switch parts.

    Remedy: Dealers will install a relay kit in these vehicles to prevent high current from flowing through the ignition switch. Owner notification began march 27, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an…

  2. Interior lighting

    NHTSA 98V027000 Reported 249,420 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles were built with the potential for the interior lamps to come on unexpectedly while the vehicles are being driven. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 101, "controls and displays."

    Remedy: Dealers will run a diagnostic test on the lamp control module and, if necessary, replace it.

  3. Steering wheel/handle bar (steering)

    NHTSA 96V249000 Reported 424 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    The steering column lower pinch bolt was not properly tightened during assembly.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the steering column pinch bolt for correct torque and, if necessary, tighten the bolt to the specified torque.

  4. Air bags: frontal

    NHTSA 96V211000 Reported 48,689 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    During deployment of the passenger air bag, the air bag fabric can snag on a reinforcement inside the instrument panel, causing the expanding air bag to lift the instrument panel pad and then deploy under the instrument panel instead of through the door in the instrument panel.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the instrument panel pads and, if necessary, install a plastic edge protector to the instrument panel pad reinforcement. On certain early-production vehicles, the instrument panel pad will be…

85 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1996 Buick Skylark have filed 85 complaints with NHTSA; 7 describe a crash and 1 describe a fire. Reports cite 9 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 95,118 miles. Complaints peaked in 1997 with 13 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick skylark. When the contact started the vehicle, the driver's side air bag deployed. The driver sustained injuries to the face, neck, chest, right shoulder, and mouth.”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 7, 2016 · Air bags

“AIRBAG deployment, on may 5 2016, 10 pm, went out to put windows up in car, vehicle was stationary,opened door, leaned in to turn on key, when i turned on key, heard loud explosion, two thoughts befor”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, May 31, 2016 · Air bags

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1996 Buick Skylark. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined21–23 mpg
City / Highway18–19 / 27–29
FuelRegular
EPA classCompact Cars
Engine4/6 cyl, 2.4/3.1 L
TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Compare Buick Skylark model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Buick Skylark model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1966 Buick Skylark10
1967 Buick Skylark20
1968 Buick Skylark10
1970 Buick Skylark10
1971 Buick Skylark10
1975 Buick Skylark10
1977 Buick Skylark20
1978 Buick Skylark20
1979 Buick Skylark10
1980 Buick Skylark90
1981 Buick Skylark21
1982 Buick Skylark33
1983 Buick Skylark11
1984 Buick Skylark38
1985 Buick Skylark16
1986 Buick Skylark18
1987 Buick Skylark10
1988 Buick Skylark314
1989 Buick Skylark24
1990 Buick Skylark119
1991 Buick Skylark138
1992 Buick Skylark332
1993 Buick Skylark146
1994 Buick Skylark268
1995 Buick Skylark185
1996 Buick Skylark485
1997 Buick Skylark379
1998 Buick Skylark124
2000 Buick Skylark01

Checking a specific 1996 Buick Skylark

How do I know if my 1996 Buick Skylark has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 1996 Buick Skylark; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Buick dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 02V070000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Buick models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.