2002 Buick Regal Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Mar 11, 2024 · 117 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Regal years
More complaints than other years 9th of 24 for complaints
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.

Buick Regal
BUICK REGAL SIXTH GENERATION (OPEL INSIGNIA B) China. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2002 Buick Regal problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Electrical System36 · ~86,200 mi
Engine33 · ~135,500 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling17 · ~85,486 mi
Visibility7 · ~56,000 mi
Exterior Lighting6 · ~97,500 mi
Seats5 · ~83,700 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline4 · ~54,917 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4 · ~20,675 mi
Steering4 · ~57,946 mi
Unknown or Other4 · ~34,195 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Electrical System3631%86,200——
Engine3328%135,500——
Engine and Engine Cooling1715%85,486——
Visibility76%56,000——
Exterior Lighting65%97,500——
Seats54%83,700——
Fuel System, Gasoline43%54,917——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic43%20,675——
Steering43%57,946——
Unknown or Other43%34,195——
Wheels43%60,000——
Power Train33%65,500——
Structure33%135,000——
Suspension33%93,323——
Vehicle Speed Control33%107,000——
Seat Belts22%44,000——
Service Brakes22%———
Air Bags11%135,000——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)11%148,000——
Equipment11%56,000——
Fuel System, Other11%29,489——
Service Brakes, Air11%29,489——
Tires11%32,100——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2016, with 18 complaints
2002: 420022003: 42004: 820042005: 62006: 820062007: 62008: 820082009: 42010: 820102011: 42012: 520122013: 22014: 1420142015: 92016: 182016182017: 42018: 120182019: 12020: 120202021: 12024: 12024

n = 117 complaints · Source: NHTSA

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:engineOct 26, 2015 · NHTSA campaign 15V701000 · 1,003,556 vehicles

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 engine’s 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 coolingApr 8, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V116000 · 1,497,516 vehicles

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 engineâ’s front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engineâ’s 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 coolingMar 12, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V118000 · 207,542 vehicles

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 engineâ’s front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engineâ’s 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 there’s recalls and never fixed

Electrical System · received Mar 11, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11576552

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…

Engine · received Mar 3, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11398872

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…

Engine · received Feb 14, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 11309280

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…

Engine · received Jan 30, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11173098

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…

Service Brakes · received Nov 17, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11152122

Other Buick Regal years

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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.