Buick ELECTRA problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
24 owner complaints analyzed
29 distinct recall campaigns
82,628 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1965 to 1991 model years. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 24 complaints (12.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 20.8% |
| Steering behavior | 4 | 16.7% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 12.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 2 |
| Steering:Rack And Pinion | 2 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:Starter Assembly | 1 |
Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 2; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 2; Steering:Rack And Pinion: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Starter Assembly: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 1 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 20 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 11 |
| 1996 | 2 |
| 2000 | 3 |
| 2001 | 1 |
| 2002 | 2 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
1995: 11; 1996: 2; 2000: 3; 2001: 1; 2002: 2; 2003: 1; 2004: 1; 2009: 1; 2016: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 966896 · 1995-06-14 (June 14, 1995)
BRAKE POWER BOOSTER FAILURE, LOSS OF BRAKING, INVOLVED IN RECALL 87V93000. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 966896 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 972180 · 1995-09-19 (September 19, 1995)
BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE, REPLACED TWO TIMES, BRAKE PEDAL BECAME HARD TO APPLY. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 972180 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 974549 · 1995-11-03 (November 3, 1995)
TIMING CHAIN BROKE, RESULTING IN STEERING ABILITY LOST, REPLACED TIMING BELT. TTWHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND FAILED TO RESTART, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NO DEFECT IN THE PART.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 974549 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 961233 · 1995-03-06 (March 6, 1995)
DURING MORNING START UP YOU CAN NOT MANIPULATE THE STEERING. TT
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 961233 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 734703 · 2000-10-19 (October 19, 2000)
THE CRANK SENSOR-WHICH CONTROLS ENGINE TIMING-THE BRACKET ITS HOUSED IN CAN WORK LOOSE DURING NORMAL DRIVING CAUSING THE SENSOR TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE MAGNET CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL W/NO WARNING. IT HAPPENED FIRST LASTE YEAR IN JULY-99 HAD IT REPLACED BY DEALER USING OE PART. WORKED LOOSE THIS YEAR OCT-00, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL ON BUSY STREET AND BARELY MADE IT TO THE SIDE. CONTACT DEALER-WOULD NOT REPLACE PART-MADE US BUY ANOTHER....
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 734703 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10101544 · 2004-11-22 (November 22, 2004)
WHILE APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND REPLACED IT. A FEW WEEKS LATER WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO DO SO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE ACCELERATO…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10101544 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1975 | 2 |
| 1976 | 2 |
| 1977 | 2 |
| 1978 | 1 |
| 1979 | 2 |
| 1981 | 2 |
| 1982 | 1 |
| 1984 | 2 |
| 1986 | 3 |
| 1987 | 2 |
| 1988 | 0 |
| 1989 | 0 |
| 1990 | 1 |
| 1991 | 0 |
1975: 2; 1976: 2; 1977: 2; 1978: 1; 1979: 2; 1981: 2; 1982: 1; 1984: 2; 1986: 3; 1987: 2; 1988: 0; 1989: 0; 1990: 1; 1991: 0
Year-by-year records
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Change in recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0 | 1 | Not available |
| 1966 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1970 | 0 | 2 | Not available |
| 1971 | 0 | 3 | +1 |
| 1972 | 0 | 2 | -1 |
| 1974 | 0 | 1 | Not available |
| 1975 | 0 | 2 | +1 |
| 1976 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1977 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 1978 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| 1979 | 0 | 2 | +1 |
| 1981 | 0 | 2 | Not available |
| 1982 | 0 | 1 | -1 |
| 1984 | 2 | 2 | Not available |
| 1986 | 7 | 3 | Not available |
| 1987 | 3 | 2 | -1 |
| 1988 | 5 | 0 | -2 |
| 1989 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 3 | 1 | +1 |
| 1991 | 2 | 0 | -1 |