1996 Buick Regal Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Regal years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 204 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Buick Regal. That ranks 4th out of 24 Regal model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (39 complaints, 19%), typically at around 14,950 miles. Complaints mention 14 crashes, 16 fires, 21 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 6 defect investigations involving it.
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- 204owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 6NHTSA investigations
- 14complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Buick Regal problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 39 | 19% | 14,950 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 36 | 18% | 82,559 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 24 | 12% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 21 | 10% | 98,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 18 | 9% | 68,544 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 17 | 8% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 10 | 5% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 10 | 5% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 10 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 9 | 4% | 61,090 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 9 | 4% | 149,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 1% | 216,628 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 1% | 216,628 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 1% | 195,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Buick Regal recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:rack and pinion
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Risk: If this occurs, the pinion shaft can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
Fix: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080; chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
Fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection system
Problem: A backfire during engine starting can cause breakage of the upper intake manifold.
Risk: This condition can cause a no-start condition and possibly an engine compartment fire.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module programming. Until the campaign repair is made, the vehicle hood should be shut whenever starting the vehicle to reduce the chance of personal injury.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: The left front brake line can contact the transaxle mounting bracket or attachment bolt.
Risk: This condition can cause the brake line to wear through, resulting in loss of brake fluid and eventual loss of one-half of the vehicle's brake system, increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicle for proper brake line clearance and reposition those brake lines found to have less than minimal clearance. Additionally, those brake lines found to have an indentation caused by the contact will be replaced and properly routed.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Power rack and pinion steering failure (EA03019) — opened Sep 15, 2003, closed Dec 18, 2003, led to recall 03V527000.
- Power rack and pinion steering failure (RQ03001) — opened Jan 2, 2003, closed Sep 15, 2003.
- Engine compartment fires (EA02030) — opened Oct 22, 2002, closed Mar 9, 2004, led to recall 04V090000.
- Engine compartment fires (PE02050) — opened Jun 13, 2002, closed Oct 22, 2002.
- Inadvertent air bag deployment (EA99026) — opened Aug 31, 1999, closed Dec 28, 2001, led to recall 00V171000.
- Inappropriate air bag deployment (EA96023) — opened Sep 27, 1996, closed Feb 13, 1998.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
On july 17, 2019 at 8:40am, i got into my car in my driveway. I turned the key in the ignition and the airbag exploded. (the car was not started.) the airbag sounded like a shotgun being fired and a powder like substance immediately filled the car. The airbag itself hit me in the abdominal area. I…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT FACILITY FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND FAILURE CODES: C1265 (REAR ABS MOTOR CIRCUIT SHORTED TO GROUND) AND C1286 (EBCM/EBTCM FAILED TO ILLUMINATE…
Drivers side door does not open from inside or outside. The door does not work with key either. Lock seems to working but door does not open. The car only has 60,000 miles on it. This is a very common problem with this car and should be a recall.
While merging onto the freeway, i was taking my car to be smogged. At speed, i noticed a little white puff of smoke emit from the right side of the engine bay. As i proceeded to start moving to the shoulder, this puff had turned into a gray plume. As i finally reached the shoulder, the entire front…
My car started to not start after being driven and shortly after did not want to start in a simple idle. Somehow fuel has been getting trapped in a pressurized line and i'm having to release the fuel out. Oil leaked into the spark plugs caused a pilot flame. I have read multiple accounts of this…
Other Buick Regal years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Regal | 2 | 2 |
| 2019 Regal | 19 | 3 |
| 2018 Regal | 19 | 3 |
| 2017 Regal | 20 | 0 |
| 2016 Regal | 41 | 1 |
| 2015 Regal | 33 | 0 |
| 2014 Regal | 38 | 2 |
| 2013 Regal | 91 | 6 |
| 2012 Regal | 92 | 7 |
| 2011 Regal | 280 | 4 |
| 2010 Regal | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 Regal | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 Regal | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 Regal | 4 | 0 |
| 2004 Regal | 66 | 2 |
| 2003 Regal | 101 | 3 |
| 2002 Regal | 117 | 3 |
| 2001 Regal | 187 | 6 |
| 2000 Regal | 184 | 8 |
| 1999 Regal | 246 | 6 |
| 1998 Regal | 302 | 6 |
| 1997 Regal | 136 | 7 |
| 1996 | 204 | 3 |
| 1995 Regal | 173 | 8 |
See all Buick Regal problems by year, every Buick model, or the Buick VIN decoder.
Similar Buick models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Buick Regal?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, engine and engine cooling, electrical system problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 39 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Buick Regal?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Buick Regal a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Regal model years, the 1996 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.