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1997 Buick Skylark Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

111 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.45 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical02V070000

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

IF THE SWITCH IS DAMAGED, A FIRE COULD OCCUR IN THE STEERING COLUMN, EVEN WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED.

Remedy & full details

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 AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, PONTIAC AT 1-800-762-2737, BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.

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.

Critical07E021000

Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Pressure Relief Devices

FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

Critical07E015000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel Pump

STALLED VEHICLE CAN raises the risk of A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy & full details

DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE MRAS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 1-877-335-7443.

CERTAIN DELPHI AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMP MODULES / MODULE RESERVOIR ASSEMBLIES (MRA) THAT WERE SOLD FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED VEHICLES. DURING PRODUCTION THE MRAS VENT AND FUEL RETURN TUBES WERE REVERSED. THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN THE VEHICLE NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY (IDLE ROUGH AND/OR STALL) DUE TO AN OVERLY RICH FUEL BLEND OR THE VEHICLE'S EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CARBON CANISTER MAY LEAK FUEL.

Critical97V059000

Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood

THIS HIGH CURRENT FLOW CAN CAUSE ARCING AND RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES FOR THE PRESENCE OF THE PROTECTIVE COVER AND, IF NECESSARY, INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER TO THE UNDERHOOD FUSE CENTER.

THE PROTECTIVE COVER FOR THE UNDERHOOD FUSE CENTER WAS OMITTED. WITHOUT THIS COVER, THE POSITIVE TERMINAL BOLT ON THE FUSE BLOCK IS EXPOSED AND CAN CONTACT THE INSULATED NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE. IF THE INSULATION ON THE NEGATIVE CABLE BECOMES SUFFICIENTLY WORN, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT CAN OCCUR BETWEEN THE POSITIVE TERMINAL AND NEGATIVE CABLE RESULTING IN EXTREMELY HIGH CURRENT FLOW.

Critical96V212000

Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly

IN THE EVENT OF A REAR END COLLISION, THE VEHICLE SHEET METAL STRUCTURE WILL NOT PERFORM AS DESIGNED CAUSING UNEXPECTED DAMAGE TO THE FUEL TANK OR FUEL LINES, RESULTING IN FUEL LEAKAGE.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR THE MISSING WELDS AND, IF NECESSARY, PLACE THREE WHELDS BETWEEN THE INVOLVED PANELS APPLYING PRIMER, SEALER AND ANTI-CORROSION MATERIALS.

DURING ASSEMBLY OF THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL, SOME WELDS WERE MISSED. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 301, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY."

Complaint volume

111 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

9Crashes
0Fires
8Injuries
0Deaths

Across 111 complaints. Severity Index 0.45.

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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic…11 · 10%Engine And Engine Cooling…8 · 7%Air Bags · Frontal7 · 6%Electrical System · Ignit…6 · 5%Vehicle Speed Control4 · 4%Power Train · Automatic T…4 · 4%Air Bags4 · 4%Seat Belts · Front · Anch…3 · 3%
  1. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 11 reports
  2. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline — 8 reports
  3. Air Bags:Frontal — 7 reports
  4. Electrical System:Ignition:Switch — 6 reports
  5. Vehicle Speed Control — 4 reports
  6. Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch — 4 reports
  7. Air Bags — 4 reports
  8. Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage — 3 reports
  9. Seats:Front Assembly:Recliner — 2 reports
  10. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components — 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 (1) · 1996 (6) · 1997 · 1998 (3)

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.