FaultScore

2003 Buick Regal steering problems

10 of the 139 complaints about the 2003 Buick Regal are about the steering — 7% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 32,000 miles.

A

10

Complaints

0

Crashes

0

Fires

0

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Steering 8 80.0%
TIE ROD Assembly 1 10.0%
Power Steering Fluid 1 10.0%

Steering across every Buick Regal year

1991 12 4.3%
1995 14 5.0%
1996 21 7.5%
1997 40 14.3%
1998 78 28.0%
1999 31 11.1%
2000 32 11.5%
2001 14 5.0%
2003 10 3.6%
2011 17 6.1%
2016 10 3.6%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 200,000 miles Graytown, OH

STEERING

MY 03 BUICK REGAL LS WILL SHUTOFF SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT, OR WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNAL. I CAN NOT FIND THE PAPERWORK, BUT I REMEMBER A RECALL FOR THIS ABOUT 5 TO 8 YEARS AGO. WE DID HAVE IT ADDRESSED, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS COME BACK. TODAY'S DATE IS 1/9/17 AND MY WIFE HAD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN TO HER ON 1/4/17 WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND CURVE. SHE WAS NOT TURNING OR USING HER TURN SIGNAL. I ONLY HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME ONCE WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN USING MY TURN SIGNAL. MY MOTHER ALSO HAS AN 03 REGAL GS AND ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NO CURRENT RECALL NOR WAS THERE EVER ONE FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT I KNOW WE HAD IT ADDRESSED ABOUT 5 TO 8 YEARS AGO.

NHTSA complaint #10943795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Taneyville, MO

STEERING

SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN 65 S HEADING TOWARD BRANDON FROM SPRINGFIELD, CAN'T GET BELT ON, AND IT WON'T EVEN TURN OVER WITHOUT A JUMP.

NHTSA complaint #10934325 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Frankfort, IN

STEERING

ON THE EARLY MORNING OF 03/08/2016 AROUND 5:50AM ON MY WAY TO WORK, THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AS I WAS TRYING TO TURN LEFT ON TO A COUNTY ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND ALMOST WENT DOWN THE DITCH DUE TO THE STEERING WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE CAR CONTINUING TO GET TO MY DESTINATION. AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION, THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AS SOON AS I USED THE TURN SIGNAL (I WAS TURNING RIGHT THIS TIME). I RESTART THE CAR AGAIN AFTER PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. THIS PROBLEM IS NOW WILL OCCUR EACH TIME I USE EITHER TURN SIGNAL LEFT OR RIGHT. I CONSIDER THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE ACCIDENT CAN OCCUR IF SOMEONE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO REACT WHEN IT HAPPEN THE 1ST TIME ON A BUSY ROAD.

NHTSA complaint #10846290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Cleveland, OH

STEERING

MY IGNITION KEY WOULDN'T COME TO OFF POSITION WHEN I TURN OFF THE ENGINE. KEY WOULDN'T COME OUT FROM THE IGNITION CYLINDER AND I HAD TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE CAR AND MANUALLY LOCK THE CAR. AS A RESULT IT WOULD DRAIN THE BATTERY AND THE CAR IS UNDER A HIGH RISK OF CAR BEING STOLEN AND AT THE TIMES THE STEERING WOULD GET LOCKED. THANK YOU

NHTSA complaint #10760461 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 103,000 miles Anchorage, AK

STEERING

ENGINE DIED WHILE SIGNALING A LEFT TURN GOING ABOUT 45 MPH. ALMOST REAR ENDED. CHANGED IGNITION SWITCH MODULE. NO REPEAT RECURRENCE.

NHTSA complaint #10606795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 45,352 miles Roxboro, NC

STEERING

AT NIGHT IF THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ARE ON, AND I MEET A VEHICLE WHILE MOVING THROUGH A RIGHT CURVE, THE DIMMER SWITCH CANNOT BE ACTIVATED BECAUSE IT HITS THE BACK OF THE STEERING WHEEL. SINCE THIS OCCURS ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE AT NIGHT TO GO HOME, I'M AFRAID IT COULD BLIND ANOTHER DRIVER AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE GOTTEN BAD REACTIONS FROM OTHER DRIVERS WHEN I CAN'T DIM THE LIGHTS AND MEET THEM ON THE ROAD. (I DON'T WANT TO BE THE VICTIM OF ROAD RAGE.) I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2004. THE SWITCH BROKE A FEW YEARS BACK AND IT WAS REPLACED, BUT THE NEW ONE STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT WAS THE ONLY MODEL OF SWITCH IN HIS CATALOG. IT HAS A DESIGN FLAW. IT THE TURN SIGNAL HANDLE WAS DESIGNED TO BE PUSH AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL INSTEAD OF PULLING IT TOWARD THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10597801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 5,905 miles Absecon, NJ

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:POWER STEERING FLUID

LOST POWER STEERING FLUID IN MY 2003 BUICK REGAL DUE TO A HOLE IN THE POWER STEERING RETURN LINE. THE HOLE DEVELOPED AS A RESULT OF THE LINE RUBBING AGAINST TRANSMISSION FILLER TUBE. THIS IS DESIGN FAULT AND IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. THE ODOMETER READING AT THE TIME OF THIS FAILURE WAS 5905.

NHTSA complaint #10199425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 31,500 miles Conroe, TX

STEERING

STEERING/LINKAGE/DRIVE SHAFT PROBLEM AT 31,000 MILES/3 YEARS 11/06; 1/07. 2 OCCURRENCES OF LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN BACKING AND TURNING OUT OF DRIVEWAY OR ANY PARKING SPACE. DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME. FIRST TIME DEALER LUBED INTERMEDIATE DRIVE SHAFT, WHICH CURED PROBLEM FOR COUPLE OF MONTHS. SECOND TIME DEALER COULD NOT HEAR NOISE, BUT SAID THEY WOULD LUBE SAME PART AGAIN. NOISE WAS NOT FIXED.

NHTSA complaint #10182084 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 2,000 miles Miami, FL

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2003 BUICK REGAL AT ANY RATE OF SPEED AND TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. HE FELT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE. THE DEALER FIXED THE VEHICLE TEMPORARILY APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES BY LUBRICATING THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. EACH TIME IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED THE REPAIR WOULD LAST ABOUT 4 WEEKS. GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM ,AND STATED THEY WERE WORKING ON IT.

NHTSA complaint #10181664 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 32,000 miles Catskill, NY

STEERING

THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BECAME LOOSE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER, ESPECIALLY ON SLOWER SPEED. *AK THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *SC

NHTSA complaint #10101385 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2003 Buick Regal problems

← Full 2003 Buick Regal report