Brake complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
ABS brake light illuminated and stayed on. Vehicle has to be shut down and restarted to disengage. Dealer has repaired problem once, but it seemed to have reoccurd. Consumer stated that the problem still exist.
The entire time I have owned this car, there have been issues with the ABS - especially when the road is wet and driving down hill. When applying the brakes in these conditions, the car does not always stop even when pushing the brake pedal to the floor. You will here a clicking or grinding type of noise. It's not the pads or rotors because it happens when they have been replaced. In these conditions, I have to make sure I have plenty of room so I won't hit the car in front of me. I have on several occasions not been able to stop at a red light and gone through the intersection. It happens more frequently in icy conditions even when driving super slow. From reading other online complaints, I see I'm not the only one. I believe this is a manufacturer's safety defect.
When the brakes are applied the pedal becomes soft, causing extended stopping distances which resulted in two minor collisions. The passenger sustained minor injuries.also, brake pads were replaced . Manufacturer has been notified.
The braking system when applied would cause the vehicle to slide in the rain also, in dry weather it still would slide/jump/jerk and make a noise. Speed at 35 MPH or les., dealer contacted two times, states it is the design, problem still exists.
Since I bought the car 01/17/97, I have had numerous problems: emergenchy/parking brake pops out when parking the car and putting parking brake on, brakes fail to perform properly and brake pads wear down excessivly, dash board (check engine, ABS, ets, seat belt light blinks when wearing and doesnt blink when not wearing occassionally, theft system light comes on but I do not have a theft system)and dome lights come on sparatically, sometimes the dome light comes on when car of off and no one near car, recall was performed since than it only happens about half as much. …
While vehicle was in reverse, vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. When brakes were applied, pedal went to the floor, causing loss of vehicle control which resulted in a collision. Consumer has been told that there is nothing worng with the brakes, however this incident has happened twice.
Intermittantly, the brake pedal goes to floor while braking, extending stoppping distance. Goodyear and monroe mufflers/ brakes unable to diagnose, GM dealership unable to find a problem. I am returning car to dealership to have ABS and master cylinder replaced (cost of about $1500.00) because I don't know what else to do. Hopefully, this will fix the problem, it just is not safe to drive this way.
Frequently asked questions
Which Buick Skylark years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (17), 1996 (16) and 1997 (16) model years. Brake complaints make up 20% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Buick Skylark brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for any Buick Skylark model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Buick Skylark brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles; 0% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (31 mentions), followed by the foundation components (7).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.