Engine complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 3 | 16% | 39,000 miles |
| 2018 | 5 | 26% | 22,000 miles |
| 2016 | 6 | 15% | 50,000 miles |
| 2015 | 9 | 27% | 54,000 miles |
| 2014 | 9 | 24% | 69,000 miles |
| 2013 | 10 | 11% | 81,000 miles |
| 2012 | 21 | 23% | 73,000 miles |
| 2011 | 111 | 40% | 70,000 miles |
| 2004 | 25 | 38% | 98,000 miles |
| 2003 | 35 | 35% | 142,000 miles |
| 2002 | 49 | 42% | 95,000 miles |
| 2001 | 86 | 46% | 111,000 miles |
| 2000 | 61 | 33% | 110,000 miles |
| 1999 | 91 | 37% | 102,000 miles |
| 1998 | 83 | 27% | 120,000 miles |
| 1997 | 41 | 30% | 125,000 miles |
| 1996 | 38 | 19% | 90,000 miles |
| 1995 | 20 | 12% | 103,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2019 Buick Regal. The contact stated that when he attempted to start his vehicle there was no battery power, and no clicking sounds from the ignition. The contact stated that the instrument panel was blank. The contact stated that he had the vehicle jump started and the vehicle operated normally. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated and then turned off after the vehicle was turned on. The contact also heard an abnormal whistling noise coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the dead battery failure was an ongoing failure. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery and electrical system were working as designed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000.
PCV system failed causing excess pressure to blow out the rear main seal and crankcase seal resulting in an oil leak. No lights and no codes were on the dashboard. The only symptom was a high pitched squealing sound during very cold weather. The problem has been reproduced by the dealer. The problem first appeared the first winter owning the vehicle.
The check engine light is always on and has not been diagnosed (as of yet) by Circle Buick - Highland, IN. There is an auto-engine-shutoff feature when the vehicle stops at traffic lights, and when you resume driving there can be a lengthy delay and/or an engine & transmission jolt after the brake pedal is released. The vehicle must be retested every two years for emissions compliance for IN, but cannot do so because of the check engine light never going off. This is a safety issue not to get hit from behind in local traffic. [redacted]
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 off with this message. This issue has been reported for this vehicle in NHTSA Bulletin #10252775. However, the manufacturer is stating that it doesn't link to the cars VIN #. With 10 years + of vehicles in the GM family showing this issue and the issue being all over the internet, the issue must be reported for this vehicle.
The contact owns a 2016 Buick Regal. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started sputtering. The contact veered to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle for 5-10 minutes. The contact stated that upon restarting the vehicle, the failure was no longer present. The contact drove to the residence. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the cylinder #1 coil pack and spark plug needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where all the coil packs and sparks plugs were replaced; however, the failure recurred several days later. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, where it was determined that the failure was related to TSB Number: 16-NA-383 (Engine and Engine Cooling). …
My Buick stops when driving unknown when it's a surprise lights and dash go off almost got hit took to mechanics it's the 2016-17 "throw away motor" ad they call it does not last and gets"metal pieces" to ruin motor and turbo as I have noticed speed issues and dying unexpectedly it's the regal turbo 2.0 v-6 motor a should be recall I've seen online since at mechanic and a large issue why no recall and I'm reporting this ty
The contact owns a 2015 Buick Regal. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, upon reaching a stop light, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power and was able to restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who determined that the engine was experiencing a vacuum leak. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,000.
The contact owned a 2015 Buick Regal. The contact stated that while powered off, a civilian observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle then exploded. The contact stated that a vehicle parked next to the vehicle had damage from the fire. The origin of the fire was unknown. The fire department extinguished the fire and a fire department report was made available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Related recalls (4)
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 › Engine
General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 2, 2015, that they are is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured April 9, 2003, to June 1, 2003, 2004 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 8, 2003, to June 23, 2003, and 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles manufactured April 7, 2003, to…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free of charge.
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…
NHTSA investigations
Engine compartment fires
Engine compartment fire
By letter dated March 12, 2008, general motors corp. (GM) has notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (identified by NHTSA recall number 08v-118) to address a defect in approximately 207,542 model year (my) 1997-2003 Buick regal gs and Pontiac grand prix gtp vehicles equipped with the l67 supercharged version of GM's 3800 series ii v6 engine.the recalled regal gs vehicles were built from August 1996…
Frequently asked questions
Which Buick Regal years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2011 (111), 1999 (91), 2001 (86), 1998 (83) and 2000 (61) model years. Engine complaints make up 40% of all complaints for the 2011.
Is there a recall for Buick Regal engine problems?
Yes — 4 recalls, including 15V-701 (manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe, Oct 26, 2015); 15V-201 (engine, Apr 6, 2015); 09V-116 (engine and engine cooling, Apr 8, 2009). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Buick Regal engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 96,000 miles; 17% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the engine (60 mentions), followed by the engine › gasoline (43).
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.