Buick Regal Reliability
4,440 NHTSA complaints (1982–2020). Complaint rate: 648.5 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: Avoid the 1998–2001 Buick Regal. The 2014–2020 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: ENGINE.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Buick Regal Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 422 | 1.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 363 | 1.9% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 150 | 9.3% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 149 | 0.0% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 146 | 1.4% |
| STEERING | 134 | 4.5% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 124 | 1.6% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 112 | 3.6% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 101 | 26.7% |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 101 | 2.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983GOOD | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | View 1983View→ |
| 1984GOOD | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | View 1984View→ |
| 1985GOOD | — | 10 | 2 | — | View 1985View→ |
| 1986GOOD | — | 14 | 2 | 3 | View 1986View→ |
| 1987GOOD | — | 28 | 3 | — | View 1987View→ |
| 1988 | — | 181 | 13 | 1 | View 1988View→ |
| 1989 | — | 150 | 9 | 3 | View 1989View→ |
| 1990 | — | 107 | 7 | 1 | View 1990View→ |
| 1991AVOID | — | 303 | 23 | 7 | View 1991View→ |
| 1992AVOID | — | 204 | 12 | 6 | View 1992View→ |
| 1993 | — | 118 | 8 | 3 | View 1993View→ |
| 1994 | — | 146 | 9 | 3 | View 1994View→ |
| 1995AVOID | — | 218 | 19 | 5 | View 1995View→ |
| 1996AVOID | — | 273 | 19 | 22 | View 1996View→ |
| 1997 | — | 174 | 3 | 19 | View 1997View→ |
| 1998AVOID | — | 376 | 8 | 47 | View 1998View→ |
| 1999AVOID | — | 301 | 8 | 51 | View 1999View→ |
| 2000AVOID | — | 245 | 19 | 35 | View 2000View→ |
| 2001AVOID | — | 229 | 7 | 55 | View 2001View→ |
| 2002 | — | 150 | 4 | 26 | View 2002View→ |
| 2003 | — | 139 | 7 | 18 | View 2003View→ |
| 2004 | — | 94 | 0 | 2 | View 2004View→ |
| 2005GOOD | — | 8 | 1 | — | View 2005View→ |
| 2010GOOD | — | 2 | 0 | — | View 2010View→ |
| 2011AVOID | — | 438 | 13 | 14 | View 2011View→ |
| 2012 | — | 137 | 5 | 4 | View 2012View→ |
| 2013 | — | 130 | 9 | 4 | View 2013View→ |
| 2014GOOD | — | 50 | 3 | — | View 2014View→ |
| 2015GOOD | — | 50 | 1 | 1 | View 2015View→ |
| 2016GOOD | — | 61 | 0 | — | View 2016View→ |
| 2017GOOD | — | 26 | 1 | 3 | View 2017View→ |
| 2018GOOD | — | 33 | 8 | — | View 2018View→ |
| 2019GOOD | — | 29 | 0 | — | View 2019View→ |
| 2020GOOD | — | 3 | 0 | — | View 2020View→ |
See also: Buick Regalaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
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