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#BS-1981-BUISKY-4BF2

1981 Buick Skylark

Based on reports from 5 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Recalls
2
TSBs
0
✅

Preliminary Verdict

Green Light

Based on 5 complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation ComponentsHIGH

1 owners reported service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components issues.

!Inspect the Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission ControlMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 3 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components (1 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components1 (20%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control1 (20%)
Vehicle Speed Control:linkages1 (20%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission1 (20%)
Fuel System, Gasoline:carburetor System1 (20%)

1981 Buick Skylark: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components complaints account for 20% of all reports filed for the 1981 Buick Skylark, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA.

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control complaints account for 20% of all reports filed for the 1981 Buick Skylark, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Vehicle Speed Control:linkages Issues

Vehicle Speed Control:linkages complaints account for 20% of all reports filed for the 1981 Buick Skylark, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to vehicle speed control:linkages-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 20% of all reports filed for the 1981 Buick Skylark, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

80V129000Nov 1980

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSEMBLED WITH THE POWER STEERING HOSE INCORRECTLY ROUTED. THE POWER STEERING HOSE MAY THEN CONTACT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, RESULTING IN DETERIORATION AND EVENTUAL FAILURE OF THE HOSE AND LEAKAGE OF POWER STEERING FLUID ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.

81V038000Mar 1981

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

THE ENGINE-TO-BODY GROUND CABLE ON CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING MANUFACTURE. THE CABLE COULD EVENTUALLY BREAK DUE TO THE RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND BODY DURING VEHICLE OPERATION.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Buick Skylark is the 1995 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 5 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Buick Skylark Model Years

20001999199819971996199519941993199219911990198919881987198619851984198319821981198019791978197719761975197419731972197119701969196819671966
View all Buick Skylark years →

1981 Buick Skylark: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1981 Buick Skylark?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1981 Buick Skylark is related to the service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components, with 1 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1981 Buick Skylark reliable?
The 1981 Buick Skylark has 5 complaints, 0 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1981 Buick Skylark problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1981 Buick Skylark have any recalls?
Yes, the 1981 Buick Skylark has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Buick Skylark problems start?
Mileage data is limited for this vehicle. The full report analyzes available data to identify failure patterns by mileage range.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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