BuickSkylark1984Overview/buick/skylark/1984/base/

1984 Buick Skylark

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 Skylark.

The 1984 Buick Skylark is a model that belongs to the Skylark series and is equipped with a gasoline engine requiring a three‑quart oil capacity, with recommended viscosities of 20W‑20, 10W‑30, or 10W‑40. Its reliability record shows 26 total owner complaints, primarily concerning steering, and four documented recalls. The broader complaint history spans model years 1990‑2000, placing the 1984 model year outside that range and indicating that its reliability cannot be directly evaluated from the supplied statistics.

Model year199819971996199519941993199219911984

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-20 / 10W-30 / 10W-40OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length181.1 in
Overall width69.3 in
Overall height53.1 in
Wheelbase104.7 in
Curb weight2531 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)64/36

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3 qt of 20W-20 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity3 qt
Engine OilABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine OilABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity3.0 qt

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The federal record shows a clear upward trend in complaints from 1990 (31 complaints) to 1995 (100 complaints), with a subsequent plateau and slight decline through 1998 and 2000. Recalls remained low during this period, ranging from 1 to 6, while investigations were generally minimal, and TSBs increased steadily from 1 in 1990 to 67 in 1995 before falling again. The 1984 Buick Skylark’s top complaint areas—Steering (6), Engine & Engine Cooling (5), Service Brakes, Hydraulic (3), and Electrical System (2)—suggest that it would have fallen into the early‑to‑mid‑1990s pattern of increasing complaints, though the specific trend for 1984 is not captured in the federal data. With only one fire complaint and no crash complaints reported for 1984, the vehicle appears to have had relatively few safety‑related issues compared to later years. Given the lack of post‑1995 data for the 1984 model and the rising trend in complaints during the mid‑1990s, it would be prudent to proceed with caution and ensure a thorough mechanical inspection before purchasing.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
26
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 26 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Steering6
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Electrical System2
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Suspension2
Structure1
Fuel System, Other1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

85V034000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 29/03/1985

THE FUEL SYSTEM MAY LEAK AT THE THROTTLE BODY INJECTION FUEL FEED PIPE CONNECTION. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THIS LEAKAGE COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE WHICH COULD SPREAD TO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND CAUSE BURN… Remedy: REPLACE THE FUEL FEED PIPE.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Skylark. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1984 Skylark take?

3 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40 OR 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40, BELOW 20 degrees F: 5W-20 OR 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1984 Skylark have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.