FaultScore

Worst years for a Buick Regal

Owners have filed 4,456 complaints about the Buick Regal with NHTSA across model years 1978 to 2020. More of them are about the brakes than anything else.

Avoid

1996 Buick Regal

273 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly brakes.

Cleanest on record

2004 Buick Regal

94 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Buick Regal year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2020 3 0 0 Electrical System
2019 A 29 0 0 20,324 Transmission & Drivetrain
2018 C 33 8 0 22,000 Brakes
2017 B 26 1 3 76,000 Brakes
2016 B 61 0 0 24,966 Steering
2015 C 50 1 1 25,000 Engine & Cooling
2014 B 51 3 0 47,000 Engine & Cooling
2013 C 137 12 4 60,000 Lights
2012 C 138 5 4 59,763 Lights
2011 D 441 13 14 69,000 Engine & Cooling
2010 2 0 0 Engine & Cooling
2009 1 0 0 Engine & Cooling
2008 1 0 0 Electrical System
2005 8 1 0 Brakes
2004 A 94 0 2 95,000 Electrical System
2003 C 139 7 18 97,987 Engine & Cooling
2002 C 150 4 26 85,000 Engine & Cooling
2001 D 229 7 55 94,382 Engine & Cooling
2000 D 245 19 35 98,157 Engine & Cooling
1999 D 301 8 51 89,477 Engine & Cooling
1998 D 376 8 47 91,000 Engine & Cooling
1997 C 174 3 19 106,500 Engine & Cooling
1996 D 273 19 22 85,000 Brakes
1995 D 218 19 5 96,329 Airbags
1994 C 146 9 3 105,000 Brakes
1993 C 118 8 3 Brakes
1992 204 12 6 109,500 Brakes
1991 303 23 7 80,000 Brakes
1990 107 7 1 Brakes
1989 150 9 3 Brakes
1988 181 13 1 155,925 Brakes
1987 28 3 0 60,000 Brakes
1986 14 2 3 Acceleration & Cruise Control
1985 10 2 0 Engine & Cooling
1984 6 0 1 Engine & Cooling
1983 4 0 1 Engine & Cooling
1982 1 1 0 Acceleration & Cruise Control
1979 3 0 0 Tires
1978 1 0 0 Brakes

What breaks on a Buick Regal

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Brakes 867 19.5%

Worst in 1991

Engine & Cooling 811 18.2%

Worst in 2011

Electrical System 591 13.3%

Worst in 2011

Steering 325 7.3%

Worst in 1998

Lights 241 5.4%

Worst in 2011

Worst in 2011

Worst in 1998

Airbags 149 3.3%

Worst in 1995

Body & Structure 149 3.3%

Worst in 1991

Worst in 1996

Worst in 2011

Worst in 2001

Seat Belts 123 2.8%

Worst in 1992

Suspension 102 2.3%

Worst in 1996

Exactly what failed on a Buick Regal

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 150 16.2%
Caliper 112 12.1%
Rotor 101 10.9%
Disc 98 10.6%
Engine 89 9.6%
Foundation Components 86 9.3%
Rack AND Pinion 80 8.6%
Automatic Transmission 73 7.9%
Gasoline 71 7.7%
Frontal 68 7.3%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Buick Regal, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 69 Jul 2026

Buick Regal problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the Buick Regal

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.