Most common 1997 Buick Regal problems
Share of the 136 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Buick Regal complaints by model year
Best Regal years: 2020, 2017, 2018. Years to avoid: 2011, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1999. Compare all years →
1997 Buick Regal recalls (7)
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
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.
Remedy: 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.
Engine and engine cooling
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine's front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine's plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge.
Engine and engine cooling
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.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine's front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine's plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, along with the 1-3-5 spark…
Steering › Rack and pinion
Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on February 5, 2004.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Linkages
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The windshield wipers May stop working due to a separation between the drive pin and crescent in the crank arm assembly.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect these vehicles for the presence of a plastic water deflector and, if necessary, replace the wiper motor crank arm and install a water deflector.
Exterior lighting › Headlights
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The owner manuals do not contain the requirement information pertaining to the vehicle headlamp aiming device. This does not comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Remedy: Owners will be mailed an owner manual's insert which contains the appropriate information.
Show 1 more recall
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The right front brake pipe can contact the piower steering assembly causing the brake line to wear through.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect for proper clearance between the brake line and power steering assembly. Assemblies found to be out of position will be repositioned and all assemblies secured to maintain proper clearances.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 6 possible defects involving the 1997 Buick Regal:
Power rack and pinion steering failure
GM conducted a safety recall (NHTSA # 02V286) to address a steering defect pertaining to a lower pinion bearing (lpb) within the rack and pinion steering gear (r&p). The recall covered 1,159,156 model year 1997-1998 Pontiac grand prix vehicles built between March 1, 1996 and October 31, 1997, 1996-1998 Pontiac trans sport, Chevrolet lumina apv, Chevrolet venture, Oldsmobile silhouette minivans, and Chevrolet…
Windshield wiper
Incidents of wiper failure (owner reports and warranty) are very high, and many of the reports indicate that the failures are still occurring in 1999.
Engine compartment fires
Windshield wiper
By letter dated December 12, 1999, GM notified NHTSA of its plans to conduct a safety related defect campaign to remedy 155,149 of the subject vehicles.the vehicle population for the campaign includes the 1997 Buick regal/century and Pontiac gran prix models built during the period from the start of production through May 1, 1997.GM determined that the wipers installed prior to this date could stop working, usually…
Power rack and pinion steering failure
GM's letter to NHTSA dated December 11, 2003, expands its original recall (NHTSA 02V286) to include certain w-body vehicles: 96-97 olds cutlass supreme; 98 olds intrigue; 97-98 olds cutlass; 97-98 Chevy lumina, monte carlo and malibu; 96 Pontiac grand prix; and 96-98 Buick regal.the number of vehicles recalled is 750,283.GM determined that failure of the rack and pinion is related to damage of the lower pinion…
Engine compartment fires
Ea02-030 is closed with gmea02-030 is closed with GM?s actions in 03v-473 and 04v-090 recalling approximately 529,000 my 1998-99 c- and h-body vehicles equipped with defective fuel pressure regulators.these vehicles were equipped with plastic intake manifolds that are unable to contain pressures that occur in some backfire events and defective fuel pressure regulators with leaking diaphragms that can provide a…
What 1997 Buick Regal owners say
Engine & cooling all 41 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Buick Regal. The contact stated that the engine caught fire while driving. The fire department extinguished the fire and stated that the fire originated in the engine compartment. The contact was not injured. The contact received a notice for NHTSA campaign number: 15V701000 (engine and engine cooling) after the failure occurred. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 1997 Buick Regal. While parked, the vehicle burst into flames. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was not filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V701000 (engine and engine cooling). The failure recurred two weeks after the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 195,000.
Steering all 37 →
Was driving my 1997 Buick Regal gs 3.8 when I had my son in the car went to turn left and when in the turn all the lights start to flash and the car shut down .. Had to have it towed later to find out it is the ignition switch now car is sitting will not start all lights flash will not crank or turn over ... Before all that happened when I would make a left turn you could hear a clicking coming from the drivers side tire and the lights would come on ... Everything you touched on the steering wheel , turn signals , windshield wipers anything would make all cluster lights come on and shut down the car . Thank god knowone was injured or killed
The service vehicle soon/ABS warning light/and trac off light lit and the car lurched as if the brakes were applied at the left front wheel. The error code was c1225, which is too much speed at the left front wheel. The bearing and sensor was replaced 3 times and the problem still occurred. The mechanic also replaced the ABS pump module (the electronic part of the ABS unit) and then had to upgrade the left front wheel bearing and sensor to another brand that was 2x as expensive. The ABS problem affected the steering (making it harder to steer and more noisy), and also affected the shifting of the transmission. The online warnings said that it could damage the transmission if not corrected. I even tried replacing the module of the traction control unit under the dash. …
Electrical system
Was driving my 1997 Buick Regal gs 3.8 when I had my son in the car went to turn left and when in the turn all the lights start to flash and the car shut down .. Had to have it towed later to find out it is the ignition switch now car is sitting will not start all lights flash will not crank or turn over ... Before all that happened when I would make a left turn you could hear a clicking coming from the drivers side tire and the lights would come on ... Everything you touched on the steering wheel , turn signals , windshield wipers anything would make all cluster lights come on and shut down the car . Thank god knowone was injured or killed
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Buick Regal. While driving approximately 35 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle suddenly shut off. Approximately ten minutes later, the vehicle was able to be restarted and operated normally. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 138,000. The VIN was invalid. Consumer stated dealership is now closed and will be taking it to a repair shop. Updated 12/20/18
1997 Buick Regal engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 27 / 20 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl supercharged | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 16 / 26 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: Midsize car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Buick Regal a good car?
Based on 136 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Regal rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Regal at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Buick Regal?
The engine & cooling — 41 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the steering (37) and electrical system (18).
How many recalls does the 1997 Buick Regal have?
There are 7 recalls for the 1997 Buick Regal, the most recent from October 26, 2015 (manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Buick Regal?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2017 and 2018. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2011, 1998, 1996, 1995 and 1999. See the full Buick Regal years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Buick Regal problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 106,000 miles; 15% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.