61 of the 107 complaints about the 1990 Buick Regal are about the braking system — 57% of everything reported for this model year.
61
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE APPLYING BRAKES AT 20 MPH BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ,AND VEHICLE CONTINUE ON BEFORE STOPPING. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AKI
NHTSA complaint #8013481 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS WOULD LOCK UP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. HAD BRAKES REPLACED TWICE DUE TO PADS WEARING EXCESSIVELY. MECHANIC INDICATED CAUSE OF PROBLEM WAS MASTER CYLINDER.
NHTSA complaint #895395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS WOULD LOCK UP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. HAD BRAKES REPLACED TWICE DUE TO PADS WEARING EXCESSIVELY. MECHANIC INDICATED CAUSE OF PROBLEM WAS MASTER CYLINDER.
NHTSA complaint #895395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
REAR CALIPERS CONSITANTLY FAILING.
NHTSA complaint #751070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #886981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
REAR BRAKES FAILED. YH
NHTSA complaint #552855 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR . OWNER HAS TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. DEALER SAYS NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. BRAKES ARE COMPLETELY GONE AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #843419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES ON MY 1990 BUICK REGAL. AFTER MANY REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS TO THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM . I DISCOVERED THAT THE ROOT CAUSE WAS THE MALFUNCTION OF THE REAR BRAKES. THE REAR CALIPERS ARE DESIGNED, THAT WHEN THEY CORRODE THE BRAKING ACTION IS DIMINISHED AND EVENTUALLY STOPS WHEN THE CALIPERS ARE COMPLETELY FROZEN. THIS FAILURE CAUSES SUBSEQUENT PROBLEMS : 1. BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES NOW CARRY MORE BREAKING LOAD THE PAD WEARS OUT VERY QUICKLY. 2. BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES NOW CARRY MORE BREAKING LOAD THE ROTORS WILL WARP AND REQUIRE FREQUENT TURNING, WHICH EVENTUALLY RENDERS THE ROTOR BELOW SPECIFIED THICKNESS AND MUST BE REPLACED . 3. THE REAR CALIPERS CAN SOMETIMES LOCK IN THE ENGAGED POSITION. THIS WILL CAUSE EXCESS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HEAT IN THE BRAKES. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY RUIN ROTORS AND MAY PRESENT A FIRE HAZARD. 4. THE LACK OF BREAKING IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE CAUSES AN IMBALANCE IN THE BREAKING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WILL CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LERCH SIDEWAYS IN AN EMERGENCY BREAKING SITUATION AS THE INERTIA FROM THE REAR IS NOT IMPEDED, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP WITH ANY CONTROL. I HAVE EXPERIENCED ALL 4 OF THESE CONDITIONS ON MY VEHICLE. ITEMS 1-3 ARE TROUBLESOME BECAUSE THE COST IMPACT HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT . BUT THE 4TH ITEM IS CAUSE FOR MY GREATEST CONCERN AS I SEE THIS AS A SERIOUS LIFE AND SAFETY DEFECT. I HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND THE EFFECT OF THIS CONDITION WHEN MAKING AN EMERGENCY BREAKING MANEUVER. MY VEHICLE LITERALLY SNAPPED SIDEWAYS INTO THE ONCOMING LANE WHEN I HAD TO JAMB ON THE BREAKS. LUCKILY BECAUSE THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT, I WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AND EVENTUALLY STOP THE VEHICLE. AN ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT FACTOR IS, THERE IS NO ADVANCED INDICATION THAT THE REAR CALIPERS HAVE FROZEN OR NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, PUTTING THE SAFETY OF OPERATOR AND PASSENGERS AT SIGNIFICANT RISK. THIS MUST EFFECT ALL THE OTHER GM MODELS THAT HAVE THE
NHTSA complaint #700020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES/FADING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN TWO COLLISIONS DUE TO THE BRAKES NOT ENGAGING AND GIVING SUFFICIENT BRAKING DISTANCE.
NHTSA complaint #522007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #522007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
REAR BRAKE ROTORS FAILED AND REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #514265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:CALIPER
CALIPERS WERE FROZE UP , CAUSING ROTORS TO BURN.
NHTSA complaint #514265 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, BRAKES MAKE GRINDING NOISE AND DON'T CATCH WELL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN EVERY YEAR AND HAD EVERYTHING REPLACED BUT IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #807682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
THE REAR BRAKES FREEZE UP AND THERE ARE NO REAR BRAKING ABILITY. REPAIRED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND THE PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING.
NHTSA complaint #806547 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
ABS BRAKE FAILURE, CORROSION OF DISC CALIPERS ON THE REAR, CAUSING BRAKE LOCKUP AND EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKES, REPLACEMENT OF DISC PADS AND ROTORS.
NHTSA complaint #802299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKE FAILURE, CORROSION OF DISC CALIPERS ON THE REAR, CAUSING BRAKE LOCKUP AND EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKES, REPLACEMENT OF DISC PADS AND ROTORS.
NHTSA complaint #802299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
ABS BRAKE FAILURE, CORROSION OF DISC CALIPERS ON THE REAR, CAUSING BRAKE LOCKUP AND EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKES, REPLACEMENT OF DISC PADS AND ROTORS.
NHTSA complaint #802299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ABS BRAKE FAILURE, CORROSION OF DISC CALIPERS ON THE REAR, CAUSING BRAKE LOCKUP AND EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKES, REPLACEMENT OF DISC PADS AND ROTORS.
NHTSA complaint #802299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
THE REAR CALIPER IS WEARING OUT TO OFTEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #802957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES OVERHEAT, CAUSING FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #503359 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
REAR BRAKES FAILED, DUE TO RUSTY CALIPERS AND ROTORS ON THE LEFT SIDE, AND RIGHT SIDE PAD FALLING APART.
NHTSA complaint #504692 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
REAR BRAKES CORRODED, CAUSING POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE.
NHTSA complaint #483892 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR.
NHTSA complaint #503186 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
FRONT BRAKES FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #502212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
REAR BRAKES FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #502212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
REPLACED REAR BRAKES 4 TIMES DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR.
NHTSA complaint #980333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
REPLACED REAR BRAKES 4 TIMES DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR.
NHTSA complaint #980333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKE PADS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #483810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ROTORS REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #483810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR BRAKE FAILURE. TT
NHTSA complaint #976741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.