2002 Buick Regal Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Regal years
- More complaints than other years 9th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 117 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Buick Regal. That ranks 9th out of 24 Regal model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (36 complaints, 31%), typically at around 86,200 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 23 fires, 3 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.

- 117owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 36 | 31% | 86,200 | — | — |
| Engine | 33 | 28% | 135,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 17 | 15% | 85,486 | — | — |
| Visibility | 7 | 6% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 5% | 97,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 4% | 83,700 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 3% | 54,917 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 3% | 20,675 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 3% | 57,946 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 3% | 34,195 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 3% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 3% | 65,500 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 3% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 3% | 93,323 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 3% | 107,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 2% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 1% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 1% | 148,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | 29,489 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 1% | 29,489 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 1% | 32,100 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Buick Regal recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe; engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
Risk: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
Fix: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engineÂs front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 buick regal, my 1998-2003 chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l v6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.
Risk: If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engineâs front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engineâs plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, and pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or http://www.pontiac.com or http:www.gmownercenter.com.
Engine and engine cooling
Problem: Gm is recalling 207,542 my 1997-2003 buick regal and pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l supercharged v-6 engine. These vehicles have higher front rocker cover gasket temperatures, creating the potential for earlier degradation of the front rocker cover gasket and eventual oil seepage.
Risk: Certain underhood fires may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and, in some instances, the fire may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond.
Fix: Dealers will replace the engineâs front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engineâs plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, along with the 1-3-5 spark plug wire retainers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. , free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Until the remedy is completed, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions (1) that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, car port, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle. The dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or through their website at <a href=http://www.gmownercenter.com>http://www.gmownercenter.com</a> .
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
- Engine compartment fire (EA07008) — opened Jun 12, 2007, closed May 1, 2008, led to recall 08V118000.
- Engine compartment fires (EA02030) — opened Oct 22, 2002, closed Mar 9, 2004, led to recall 04V090000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Dealership sold car knowing thereâs recalls and never fixed
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 buick regal. The contact was driving at 45 mph, when he detected a burning odor and saw smoke coming from under the hood. The check engine light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed as a false sensor, oil leak, and brake…
Tl* the contact's son owned a 2002 buick regal. The contact stated while driving 25 mph, she saw smoke exiting the front of the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she parked the vehicle on the side of the road and when she opened the hood she saw fire…
My car as a engine issue every year around or near feb crazy but true i have had my car saftey recall fixed but not properly stated another dealership in sunnyvale during investigation from gm but nothing was done about it once again i had another fire from cover and still nothing was done due to…
My car was in driving mode on the road in newark california and speed limit 35 mph all of the sudden my car without warning without any issues prior to this just stopped locked up brakes locked up steering wheel car still running but won't let me accelerate car radios on toast on my battery just…
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 | 117 | 3 |
| 2001 Regal | 187 | 6 |
| 2000 Regal | 184 | 8 |
| 1999 Regal | 246 | 6 |
| 1998 Regal | 302 | 6 |
| 1997 Regal | 136 | 7 |
| 1996 Regal | 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 2002 Buick Regal?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 36 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Buick Regal?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 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 2002 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.