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1996 Buick Roadmaster Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Serious

62 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.34 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious95V215000

Air Bags

CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: OPERATORS COULD FAIL TO NOTICE AND HEED THE WARNING LABELS.

Remedy & full details

A NEW ROOF RACK CAUTION LABEL, WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, WILL BE SENT DIRECTLY TO OWNERS. OWNERS WILL INSTALL THE LABEL OR HAVE THEIR DEALER INSTALL THE LABEL FOR THEM.

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."

Moderate96V245000

Wheels:Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs

THIS CONDITION COULD RESULT IN A FRACTURE OF THE WHEEL STUDS CAUSING THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE VEHICLE'S WHEEL LUG NUTS TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION.

THE WHEEL LUG NUTS WERE NOT TIGHTENED TO THE PROPER SPECIFICATION DURING ASSEMBLY.

Complaint volume

62 this model-year 8 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

3Crashes
1Fires
3Injuries
0Deaths

Across 62 complaints. Severity Index 0.34.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Engine And Engine Cooling…4 · 6%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…3 · 5%Fuel System, Gasoline · D…3 · 5%Power Train · Automatic T…2 · 3%Vehicle Speed Control · C…2 · 3%Vehicle Speed Control2 · 3%Suspension · Front2 · 3%Seats2 · 3%
  1. Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System — 4 reports
  2. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 3 reports
  3. Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump — 3 reports
  4. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 2 reports
  5. Vehicle Speed Control:Cables — 2 reports
  6. Vehicle Speed Control — 2 reports
  7. Suspension:Front — 2 reports
  8. Seats — 2 reports
  9. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 2 reports
  10. Steering — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (5) · 1996

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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