Buick Regal
Owners filed 2,973 complaints across 29 model years of the Buick Regal. The 1998 drew the most (302); the 2010 the fewest (1).
Model years29
Complaints2,973
Recalls118
Fires269
Deaths5
Every Buick Regal model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2 | 2 | — | — | Tires | Routine | |
| 2019 | 19 | 3 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2018 | 19 | 3 | — | 5 | Service Brakes | Routine | |
| 2017 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | Routine | |
| 2016 | 41 | 1 | — | — | Steering | Routine | |
| 2015 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2014 | 38 | 2 | — | 1 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2013 | 91 | 6 | 2 | 6 | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2012 | 92 | 7 | 2 | 3 | Exterior Lighting | Routine | |
| 2011 | 279 | 4 | 7 | 7 | Engine | Above average | |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2005 | 4 | 0 | — | 1 | Suspension › Front › Hub | Routine | |
| 2004 | 66 | 4 | 2 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2003 | 101 | 5 | 14 | 5 | Engine | Routine | |
| 2002 | 117 | 5 | 23 | 2 | Engine | High concern | |
| 2001 | 187 | 8 | 48 | 5 | Engine | High concern | |
| 2000 | 184 | 10 | 30 | 12 | Electrical System | High concern | |
| 1999 | 246 | 8 | 44 | 8 | Engine | Fatalities reported | |
| 1998 | 302 | 7 | 41 | 7 | Steering › Rack and Pinion | High concern | |
| 1997 | 136 | 8 | 19 | 3 | Steering › Rack and Pinion | Routine | |
| 1996 | 204 | 4 | 16 | 14 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Above average | |
| 1995 | 173 | 8 | 4 | 16 | Air Bags › Frontal | Routine | |
| 1994 | 110 | 3 | 2 | 6 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Routine | |
| 1993 | 85 | 2 | 3 | 7 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Fatalities reported | |
| 1992 | 144 | 2 | 5 | 11 | Seat Belts › Front › Retractor | Fatalities reported | |
| 1991 | 200 | 7 | 4 | 13 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | Above average | |
| 1990 | 77 | 9 | 1 | 7 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper | Fatalities reported |
Which Buick Regal years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 1998 is the weakest year on record, with 302 complaints concentrated in the steering › rack and pinion. It carries 7 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.