2018 Buick Regal Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Regal years
- Far fewer complaints than other years 18th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 19 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Buick Regal. That ranks 18th out of 24 Regal model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes (7 complaints, 37%), typically at around 169 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 4 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 19owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 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 | 7 | 37% | 169 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 26% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 4 | 21% | 11,125 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 3 | 16% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 11% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 11% | 10,085 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 11% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 5% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 5% | 85,164 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 5% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 5% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 5% | 29,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Buick Regal recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:electric:control module:software; service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuum
Problem: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Buick Regal vehicles. In the event of a vacuum-power brake assist failure, a software error in the electronic brake control module (EBCM) may result in a loss of power brake assist. As such, these vehicles fail to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 135, "Light vehicle brake systems."
Risk: A loss of power brake assist can extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the EBCM software, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters advising owners of the safety risk were mailed on August 19, 2022. Owner notification letters were mailed September 16, 2022. Owners may contact Buick's customer service at 1-800-521-7300.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and 2018 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18279.
Seat belts:rear/other
Problem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Buick Regal vehicles. During the manufacturing process, the rear seat belts may have been improperly routed around the bolster bracket on the rear outboard seats, which can cause inadequate restraint of the passengers.
Risk: If the seat belt fails to adequately restrain the passengers in a crash, it can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear outboard seat belts, correcting the routing of the seat belts as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 14, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 18117.
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
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My car was part of recall number 22V465, which was supposed to fix a problem with the electronic brake assist system. The recall repair was done in 2023, but after my battery recently died, the same problem has come back â my brakes are very firm, and I have to press hard to stop. The car is…
This issue is related to the gear shifter on the vehicle. When stopping the car and putting it into park the dashboard shows the message "Shift to Park." this vehicle has only 50,000 miles on it and this issue cause safety issues as the battery on the vehicle will drain as the car can't be turned…
Was driving home from work and my brakes suddenly stopped working, if I press all the way down on the brakes they somewhat work. Checked brake fluid and brake lines and everything seems fine. Could this be from vacuum power brake assist fail?
Increased stopping distance during certain brake vacuum loss events. My check engine light goes on and off periodically. When Iâm at a red light my whole car shuts off and goes into a neutral mode then once I press the brake it starts back up.
The contact owns a 2018 Buick Regal equipped with General Tires, Tire Line: Unknown, Tire Size: 245/45R18, and DOT Number: Unknown. The contact stated that after traveling over 3,000 miles and driving at an undisclosed speed, upon reaching his destination, he became aware that an abnormal buddle…
Other Buick Regal years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Regal | 2 | 2 |
| 2019 Regal | 19 | 3 |
| 2018 | 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 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 2018 Buick Regal?
Owners most often report service brakes, engine, unknown or other problems. The top one, service brakes, accounts for 7 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Buick Regal?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 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 2018 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.