Buick Cascada Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data
Comparing used Buick Cascada options? We analyzed 4 model years (2016–2019) using real NHTSA complaint and recall data so you can spot stronger years, avoid riskier ones, and know what to inspect before buying.
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- Accident & damage history
- Odometer rollback records
- Open recalls & title brands
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the Buick Cascada has 52 owner complaints and 1 safety recall across model years 2016–2019. The most reported issue area is STRUCTURE. 2016 drew the most complaints; 2019 drew the fewest.
- Make
- Buick
- Model
- Cascada
- Model years analyzed
- 2016–2019 (4 years)
- Total NHTSA complaints
- 52
- Safety recall campaigns
- 1
- Crash-related complaints
- 1
- Fire-related complaints
- 0
- Worst model year (by complaints)
- 2016 (21 complaints)
- Best model year (fewest complaints)
- 2019 (5 complaints)
- Top reported issue area
- STRUCTURE
- Reliability signal
- Average
By model year
Buick Cascada: which years to avoid & which to buy
Based on total NHTSA owner complaints per model year. Higher complaint counts indicate a riskier year to buy used — lower counts suggest a cleaner reliability record.
These years have the most owner complaints. Inspect carefully and always run a VIN check.
These years have the fewest owner complaints on record — lower risk starting points.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA NCAP crash test ratings
New Car Assessment ProgramNCAP crash tests measure how well a vehicle protects occupants in controlled frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Stars are awarded per category (5 = safest). These laboratory results are independent of owner complaints and are performed by NHTSA engineers on new production vehicles.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings
What the complaint data suggests
AverageThe BUICK CASCADA has 52 NHTSA complaints and 1 recalls on record. 1 complaints involve crash-related incidents. This data reflects owner-reported issues submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
- 52 total complaints filed with NHTSA
- 1 federal recall campaign
- 1 crash-related complaints on record
- Review NHTSA complaint history for the most-reported components
- Check recall completion status at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Verify service records for frequently complained components
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with elevated complaint rates.
Consult the by-year breakdown to identify model years with fewer reported issues.
- Run a VIN check on the specific vehicle you are considering
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Request service records for the most-reported complaint components
- Have a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle before purchase
Problems by model year (best vs. worst)
Source: NHTSA public complaints database. Updated: Aug 2026
Safety recalls
NHTSA safety recalls
1 recall foundSafety recalls are mandatory repair campaigns ordered by NHTSA when a vehicle defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety. Manufacturers are required to fix recalled vehicles free of charge. Always verify open recalls before buying a used car.
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
Source: NHTSA Recalls Database. Data covers model years 2016–2019. Always run a VIN-specific check below for the most up-to-date open recall status.
Common problems
What goes wrong most often
The vehicle systems owners complain about most, ranked from all 52 NHTSA complaints — these are the areas to inspect first on a used car.
Owner complaints
NHTSA complaint reports
52 totalThese are consumer-submitted safety complaints filed directly with NHTSA. Each complaint describes a real owner's experience. Complaints flagged as crash-related or fire-related are highlighted.
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Cascada. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal squealing sound. The vehicle was subsequently taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a PCV valve failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 19,000.
Buick Cascada back window on the convertible tops coming apart, causing flooding inside the car, also there's a danger the window will come out driving down the road. Buick refuses to do anything.
The rear window of the convertible top starts to pull away from the top itself. Could separate and displace entirely causing damage or injury behind.
The back window on the convertible top has separated from the fabric. Buick dealership said it was not a covered item under the extended warranty. We tried to glue it back down but it keeps separating all around. Dangerous situation because it could separate completely during travel and cause an accident/injury to others. Should be a recall item since it is being reported by several other Cascada owners.
See attached document for complaint.
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Cascada. The contact stated that when his wife entered the vehicle, the rear passenger’s side window automatically rolled down when the vehicle was started. The contact was unable to confirm if any warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V844000 (Visibility). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Read 14 more owner reports
The motor is out of the seat belt presenter on the driver's side. It does not present and makes a horrible sound. This part was ordered in July, 2024. I've contacted the dealer and Buick directly to find out when I can expect the part to be replaced. They've told me that the back is on an extended back order. I asked if the part could be replaced with a used part. They told me that because it's a safety-sensitive part, it has to be replaced with a new part. But this part has been on back order for months with no delivery in sight, and they expect me to drive my car like this with this "safety" issue compromised.
The rear window on the Cascada is known to separate from the convertible top material, likely due to an insufficient amount of primer used during the assembly process, which creates stress points allowing the material to separate from the glass. Once this bond has started to fail, it is eventually going to lead to the glass completely falling off the car. It is likely that the glass separating could render the rear defrost inoperable, too, decreasing visibility. NHTSA bulletin 17-NA-216 describes this problem; why was no recall ever issued?
My convertible top is not lining up with the windows. When it rain water on the floor . U don’t see where it’s coming from . I just see large amount of water
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Cascada. The contact stated that the rear windshield glass had begun to separate from the convertible top headliner. The contact attempted to repair the failure by using epoxy glue, but the failure returned over time. The contact took the vehicle to a dealer where she was provided a quote to replace the top. Upon investigation, the contact discovered a service bulletin Manufacturer Communication Number: 17NA216 which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
My rear window of my car is becoming unglued from the top. I talked to the GM dealership nearby, and they told me I needed a new top. There was a memo put out in 2019 stating that this was happening due to not having enough primer from the manufacturer. This is a safety hazard. If my window falls out, it can create a crash and harm any vehicle behind me. If GM knew this part was bad because of a manufacturer, they should be liable to fix the problem.
My back window glass on convertible too is coming unsealed from the convertible top, if I pay to replace the top this has been reported 6 times already, and will happen again. Pointless to pay $3,000 dollars to have my top replaced. The glass is going to end up coming completely unsealed and fly off and hit someone’s car and cause an accident. My car has low milage and is financed under a reputable Buick dealership. This needs to be recalled immediately! The pictures I submitted are from a week ago, and the glass is now even more separated from the fabric.
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Cascada. The contact stated that the rear windshield separated from the convertible top making it difficult to secure the top of the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer who stated that the window and top of the vehicle needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the Vin was not under recall. The approximate failure mileage was 18,000.
I PURCHASED MY 2016 BUICK CASCADA IN 2017, IN THE SUMMER OF 2018 I NOTICED THE PAINT CHIPPING OFF ALL 4 OF MY RIMS. THEN IN DECEMBER OF 2020 I NOTICED THE BACK WINDOW STARTED TO BECOME UNATTACHED FROM THE CONVERTIBLE TOP. THE VEHICLE IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME I NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TOP, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. I PAID $38,000 FOR A VEHICLE THAT IS FALLING APART. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY GENERAL MOTORS IT'S NOT HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS?
THE BACK WINDOW IS COMING AWAY FROM THE FABRIC TOP. HAD BEEN GETTING WORSE FOR MONTHS. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO GM. I WAS TOLD TO TAKE MY CAR TO DEALERSHIP I DID THAT MONTHS AGO, WHEN I STILL HAD WARRANTY. NOTHING WAS DONE. I HAVE TAKEN IT AGAIN TO DEALERSHIP BECAUSE THE WINDOW IS COMING OUT MORE. I NOW HAVE TO GET IT FIXED AND I HAVE TO PAY A PORTION OF THE COST OF A NEW TOP, SINCE THE WINDOW CANNOT BE PUT BACK PROPERLY. I AM MAD THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT HELP WHEN IT FIRST STARTED AND THAT MOW. I HAVE TO PAY SOME NOW THAT I AM OUT OF WARRANTY.
THE REAR GLASS WINDOW IS LIFTING ON THE BOTTOM LEFT CORNER. MY HUSBAND JUST NOTICED IT ONE DAY. A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS RELEASED BY GM IN NOVEMBER, 2019 REGARDING THIS ISSUE. MY INSURANCE WON'T COVER IT AS IT WAS NOT CAUSED BY AN OUTSIDE FORCE. SAFETY HAZARD: IF I DRIVE WITH MY WINDOWS OPEN AND TOP UP, I'M AFRAID THE PRESSURE WILL CAUSE THE WINDOW TO DETACH, WHICH WOULD INJURE ANY VEHICLE BEHIND ME. THIS SHOULD BE A GM RECALL. THE GLASS CAN NOT BE REPLACED WITHOUT REPLACING THE ENTIRE SOFT TOP.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BUICK CASCADA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND/OR SHUT COMPLETELY OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO ED MORRIS AUTO BLVD (10133 US HWY 19, PORT RICHIE, FL) ON FIFTEEN SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THE SAME FAILURE. DURING THE SERVICE VISITS, THE BATTERY AND TURBO CHARGER WERE REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
ON TWO (2) OCCASIONS DURING A TWO WEEK PERIOD THE FRONT BREAKS HAVE LOCKED WHILE IN MOTION (ONCE ON A CITY STREET & ONCE ON LOCAL HIGHWAY) BRAKES WERE REPLACED ON FIRST EVENT & VEHICLE IS BEING INSPECTED AFTER TOWING TO BUICK DEALER AFTER SECOND EVENT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 BUICK CASCADA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 MPH, THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A CURB. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AXELROD GMC BUICK (PARMA, OH, 216-661-5060) FOR AN OIL CHANGE, THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE. THE INVESTIGATOR WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS OFFERED A RENTAL VEHICLE WHILE THE DEALER KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR INVESTIGATION. WHEN THE CONTACT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THAT ALL PARTS OF THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING THE STEERING WHEEL AND SEATS, VIBRATED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES AND DID NOT TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING AS EXPECTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6,000.
LETTER FROM SENATOR GILLIBRAND ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE ASSISTANCE IN GETTING GM TO PROVIDE PARTS FOR THE REPAIR OF 2016 BUICK CASCADE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED FRONT END DAMAGE IN A COLLISION ON JUNE 23 ,2016 AND THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. *JB
Showing 20 of 52 total NHTSA complaints. Source: NHTSA Complaints Database
Check the exact car
Before you buy, check the exact Buick Cascada
These pages show model-year patterns across 4 years. Enter a VIN to verify the exact vehicle's accident history, title brands, odometer records, and open recall status before purchase.
The basics
How to read this data
Complaints, recalls, investigations — here’s what each number actually tells you about a used Buick Cascada, in plain English.
What is an NHTSA Complaint?
An NHTSA safety complaint is a report filed directly by a vehicle owner or driver describing a safety-related issue. Anyone can submit a complaint at NHTSA.gov. The number of complaints is a signal of how common a problem is — but complaints per model-year matter more than raw totals, since popular vehicles naturally receive more reports. The Buick Cascada has 52 complaints on record across 4 model years.
What is a Safety Recall?
A safety recall is a mandatory campaign issued by NHTSA when a vehicle component poses an unreasonable risk to safety or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. Unlike complaints (which are owner-reported), recalls are formally investigated and confirmed by regulators. Manufacturers must fix recalled vehicles free of charge. The Buick Cascada has 1 recall campaign in the NHTSA database.
What Are Crash Complaints?
Crash complaints are NHTSA filings where the owner indicates a crash occurred as part of the incident. 1 of the Buick Cascada's 52 complaints involved a crash. This metric is particularly important because it indicates how often defects resulted in actual collisions — a key safety signal beyond general reliability.
How Is the Reliability Verdict Calculated?
The reliability verdict (Average) is generated by analyzing the vehicle's total complaints, recall history, crash complaint ratio, fire complaint ratio, and top component failures relative to class averages. This verdict gives buyers a quick interpretation before they review year-level details and VIN-level history. It should be treated as one decision input, not a substitute for a VIN-specific report.
Why Do Newer Years Have Fewer Complaints?
Newer model years appear to have fewer complaints because there has been less time for owners to file them. Complaints accumulate over years of ownership. A 2020 model year vehicle will typically show fewer complaints than a 2015 model year even if it is less reliable — simply because fewer owners have had time to report issues. Focus on complaints per year of market presence when comparing across model years.
Fleet Data vs. Individual VIN
Everything on this page reflects aggregated data across all Buick Cascada vehicles on the road — not any specific car. Two Buick Cascada vehicles of the same year can have very different histories: one may have been in three accidents and have an open recall; another may be clean. A VIN check gives you the individual car's history: accidents, title brands, odometer records, service history, and real-time recall status.
What Are NHTSA Investigations?
When NHTSA receives a pattern of related safety complaints, it opens a formal investigation. A Preliminary Evaluation (PE) is the first stage — NHTSA determines if a safety defect may exist. If evidence is strong, it escalates to an Engineering Analysis (EA), which can result in a mandatory recall. The Buick Cascada has 0 investigations on record (0 active). Investigations listed above may have already led to the recalls shown on this page.
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By state
Check a Buick Cascada by state
Title-branding rules, flood-damage exposure, and salvage laws vary by state. Run a free VIN check or explore state-specific vehicle history guidance before buying a used Buick Cascada.
Research more
Keep researching before you buy
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Buick Cascada reliability — frequently asked questions
Is the Buick Cascada reliable?
Average. The Buick Cascada has 52 NHTSA owner complaints and 1 recall campaign across model years. A commonly reported issue area is STRUCTURE. Use year-level data as a pattern guide, then verify the exact car with a VIN check before purchase.
Which Buick Cascada years to avoid?
Years with the most NHTSA complaints: 2016 (21 complaints), 2017 (15 complaints), 2018 (11 complaints). Use these years as a shortlist for deeper inspection, and always run a VIN check on the exact vehicle before purchase.
What are the most common Buick Cascada problems?
Top reported issues: STRUCTURE (15 complaints); ENGINE (14 complaints); UNKNOWN OR OTHER (10 complaints).
Does the Buick Cascada have recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign have been issued for the Buick Cascada. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls or run a VIN check to see if your specific vehicle has open recalls.