Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1997 Buick Regal owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. …
Steering seemed to lock at near full travel either direction on several occasions, but would "release" with a hard pull back toward center. Last incident, upon pull back, wife heard a "pop" and steering effort seemed markedly reduced. When inspecting, I found bottom pinion shaft cover in rack housing to be missing, but found it in driveway near where last lock up was. It had grease and lots of "shrapnel" , seemingly hard plastic, that was wiped off and cap put back into housing. Steering has not locked since, but feels vague and loose near end of travel either direction. Car only has 51K miles.
1997 Regal Buick recall no. 03v52700 was completed on vehicle on 3/18/04 (steering rack and pinion) vehicle had roughly 22,000. Same problem has occurred again with 54,733 miles. Vehicle driven around town. Can't drive have to have vehicle towed steering uncontrollable. Called GM will not replace. This is a very serious safety issue. Problem was just patched. GM should have to replace because of safety issue. Someone could be injured possibly killed. My complaint is that GM should have to replace the steering rack and pinion. There was no accident but could have caused an accident.
My wife is complaining of a hard left steer on her 1997 Buick Regal. The problem does not occur on each turn at this time, but could result in loss of steering. Buick's customer hot line is refusing to make the repair on her car. They claim that this car is not involved with the recall # 03062. Yet the recall shows this recall covers the Buick Regal model built between 08-01-96 through 07-31-97. This car was built in this time frame. This could cause my wife to have an accident with the potential of fatal injuries.
Tl contact owns a 1997 Buick Regal. The contact stated that it was difficult to turn the steering wheel and requires a lot of effort. He feels it is a safety hazard because he is unable to steer properly. General motors stated that nothing could be done because his VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign id number 03V527000 (steering:rack and pinion), even though the failures are identical. The GM recall number is 03062. The failure and current mileages were 128,281. Updated 02-14-08.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 Buick Regal. The contact stated while making a right turn, the vehicle would loose power steering. The NHTSA campaign id number: 08V118000 (steering), but the VIN was not a part of the recall. The dealer and manufacturer were notified, but denied assistance with the failure. The failure was not remedied. The failure mileage was 137,000 and the current mileage was 137,025.
Loss of power steering assist when turning to the left. Dealer says power steering rack is binding when turned to the left. Will have to replace, my cost. I see a number of similar complaints on this site. GM had a recall (11/15/2002) for this problem on same model year for cavalier, sunfire, lumina/venture, silhouette, transport, and grand prix (Regal's sibling). What about Regal?
After taking my car to the mechanic 6 times to repair the service engine soon/ABS light/trac off light coming on, he replaced the left front wheel bearing with a more expensive model and replaced the module on the ABS pump that has the circuit board and pump gears. The problem went away for approx. 1 1/2 weeks and now is back! Am going to the mechanic to see what is going on.
Consumer received recall 03V527000 notice regarding rack and pinion failure. Vehicle was taken to the dealer for recall repairs. Dealer replaced the bearings on the steering column. Three weeks later, rack and pinion became defective and it was hard to steer. Vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who informed the consumer that a new rack and pinion was needed.
Related recalls
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.
NHTSA investigations
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…
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…
Steering complaints in other Regal years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 1997 Buick Regal?
NHTSA has 37 complaints about the steering of the 1997 Buick Regal, 27% of the model year's 136 complaints. The component named most often is rack and pinion (15 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1997 Buick Regal steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 03V-527 (rack and pinion, Dec 11, 2003). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1997 Buick Regal steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to steering problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.