Buick Regal Problems by Year
NHTSA has 2,358 owner complaints and 43 safety recalls on file for the Buick Regal, across 24 model years (1995–2020). The 1998 model year has the most complaints (302). The most reported problem area overall is electrical system.
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Buick Regal years to avoid? What the complaint data shows
These model years drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Regal year: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2011. Look at what owners reported before buying one, and check the VIN for open recalls.
Model years with the most complaints
- 1998 Regal: 302 complaints, 6 recalls
- 2011 Regal: 280 complaints, 4 recalls
- 1999 Regal: 246 complaints, 6 recalls
Model years with the fewest complaints
- 2008 Regal: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2009 Regal: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
- 2010 Regal: 1 complaint, 0 recalls
Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold or how long each year has been on the road, so newer and less popular years naturally have fewer complaints. Use them to spot problem patterns, not as a safety ranking.
Most common Buick Regal problems (all years)
| Problem area | Complaints | Model years | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 487 | 22 | 7 |
| Engine problems | 421 | 21 | 5 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 293 | 13 | 1 |
| Steering problems | 279 | 19 | 8 |
| Exterior Lighting problems | 196 | 17 | 2 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 177 | 16 | 13 |
| Power Train problems | 157 | 19 | 10 |
| Air Bags problems | 134 | 15 | 40 |
| Visibility problems | 108 | 12 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 90 | 18 | 7 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 80 | 17 | 9 |
| Suspension | 70 | 17 | 2 |
| Structure | 69 | 15 | 6 |
| Seats | 60 | 12 | 1 |
| Tires | 50 | 17 | 3 |
| Seat Belts | 48 | 12 | 10 |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 45 | 14 | 4 |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 43 | 12 | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 40 | 10 | 0 |
| Equipment | 39 | 13 | 2 |
| Wheels | 34 | 13 | 1 |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 16 | 7 | 0 |
| Visibility/wiper | 14 | 8 | 0 |
| Fuel System, Other | 8 | 7 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Parking Brake | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Firerelated | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Buick Regal problems by model year
Problem areas with enough reports for their own page.
- 2011: engine (108) · electrical system (75)
- 2001: engine (52)
- 1998: steering (76) · engine and engine cooling (55) · electrical system (51)
All Buick Regal model years
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Crash rating | Top problem | Compared with other years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Regal | 2 | 2 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2019 Regal | 19 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2018 Regal | 19 | 3 | — | Service Brakes | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2017 Regal | 20 | 0 | 5★ | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2016 Regal | 41 | 1 | 5★ | Steering | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2015 Regal | 33 | 0 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2014 Regal | 38 | 2 | 5★ | Engine | Far fewer complaints than other years |
| 2013 Regal | 91 | 6 | 5★ | Exterior Lighting | More complaints than other years |
| 2012 Regal | 92 | 7 | 5★ | Exterior Lighting | More complaints than other years |
| 2011 Regal | 280 | 4 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2010 Regal | 1 | 0 | — | Engine | |
| 2009 Regal | 1 | 0 | — | Engine | |
| 2008 Regal | 1 | 0 | — | Electrical System | |
| 2005 Regal | 4 | 0 | — | Suspension | |
| 2004 Regal | 66 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Fewer complaints than other years |
| 2003 Regal | 101 | 3 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2002 Regal | 117 | 3 | — | Electrical System | More complaints than other years |
| 2001 Regal | 187 | 6 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 2000 Regal | 184 | 8 | — | Electrical System | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1999 Regal | 246 | 6 | — | Engine | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1998 Regal | 302 | 6 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1997 Regal | 136 | 7 | — | Steering | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1996 Regal | 204 | 3 | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Far more complaints than other years |
| 1995 Regal | 173 | 8 | — | Air Bags | Far more complaints than other years |
More from Buick: all Buick models · Buick VIN decoder
Frequently asked questions
Which Buick Regal years should you stay away from?
By NHTSA complaints, 1995 (173), 1996 (204), 1997 (136), 1998 (302), 1999 (246), 2000 (184), 2001 (187), 2011 (280) drew at least twice as many complaints as a typical Regal year. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, and newer years have had less time to collect complaints.
What is the biggest problem with the Buick Regal?
Electrical System, with 487 complaints across 22 model years.
How many recalls does the Buick Regal have?
43 safety recalls across all model years. Each model year page lists its recalls and fixes.