Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Buick Regal problems

Owners filed 207 complaints about the 1996 Buick Regal with NHTSA between Nov 1995 and Oct 2019. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (37).

Complaints
207
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
16
Reported by owners
Injuries
22
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic37
  2. Engine and engine cooling36
  3. Electrical system24
  4. Air bags21
  5. Steering18
  6. Fuel system, gasoline17
  7. Suspension11
  8. Structure9
  9. Seat belts9
  10. Power train9
  11. Vehicle speed control8
  12. Visibility7
  13. Seats3
  14. Exterior lighting3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19951
199613
199732
199821
199922
200015
200111
200217
200316
200427
20057
20067
20073
20084
20091
20103
20110
20121
20130
20140
20153
20161
20170
20181
20191

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

37 reports3 crashes1 related recall
“THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH HIS VEHICLE MAKING A DRAGGING/SPINNING TYPE NOISE. HE STATED IT SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS NOT CONNECTING WITH SOMETHING IN THE DRIVE LINE. HE ALSO STATED HE WENT TO THE COMPUTER AND LOOKED HIS TYPE VEHICLE UP AND READ THAT THIS YEAR VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LINE AND THE LEFT WHEEL, WHICH CAN CAUSE WEAR AND TEAR ON THE BRAKE LINE. HE SAYS ALSO THAT WHEN HE TAKES OFF HE HEARS A WHINING NOISE AND IT GETS LOUDER WITH INCREASED SPEED. HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. BUT SAYS IT WILL COST APPROX. $85.00 PER HOUR FOR THEM TO CHECK IT OUT. HE SAYS THIS IS TOO COSTLY. THEN HE SAYS HE IS TOLD THAT IT COULD COST HIM $2300.00 NOT INCLUDING LABOR. *JB *TC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 1, 2004Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10091491

Engine and engine cooling

36 reports5 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL LE. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN UNUSUAL LOUD EXPLOSION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. SHE OPENED THE HOOD TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE AND WAS EXHUMED WITH THICK SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TOP MANIFOLD MELTED. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE MANIFOLD, INJECTORS, SENSOR WIRES, PCV VALVES, AND HOSES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 24, 2010Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10321739

Electrical system

24 reports7 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT FACILITY FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND FAILURE CODES: C1265 (REAR ABS MOTOR CIRCUIT SHORTED TO GROUND) AND C1286 (EBCM/EBTCM FAILED TO ILLUMINATE THE RED BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR) WERE LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (DON BROWN CHEVROLET, 2244 S KINGS HIGHWAY BLVD, ST. LOUIS, MO 63110, (314) 282-7887) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CODES INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A REAR MOTOR SHORT TO THE GROUND AND THE ELECTRIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE ACTIVATED THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS. FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WOULD BE PERFORMED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2018Electrical system, Service brakesODI 11088823

Air bags

21 reports7 crashes
“ON JULY 17, 2019 AT 8:40AM, I GOT INTO MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY. I TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE AIRBAG EXPLODED. (THE CAR WAS NOT STARTED.) THE AIRBAG SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN BEING FIRED AND A POWDER LIKE SUBSTANCE IMMEDIATELY FILLED THE CAR. THE AIRBAG ITSELF HIT ME IN THE ABDOMINAL AREA. I FOUND THE DOOR HANDLE, OPENED THE DOOR, AND ROLLED OUT OF THE CAR ONTO THE GROUND. AT THIS TIME, I YELLED FOR MY SON. MY SON PICKED ME UP OFF THE GROUND AND CALLED AN AMBULANCE DUE TO ME BEING IN A SEVERE AMOUNT OF PAIN AND IN SHOCK. I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE AND OBSERVED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. I HAD SEVERAL FOLLOW-UP APPOINTMENTS THAT CONTINUE TO THIS DAY. INSURANCE CAME TO LOOK AT CAR, FILLED OUT PAPERWORK, AND SAID THEY WERE GOING TO TOTAL THE VEHICLE. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN MOVED SINCE THIS INCIDENT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 2, 2019Air bagsODI 11265621

Steering

18 reports2 crashes1 related recall
“1996 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THE BALL BEARING WENT THROUGH THE GEAR BOX WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL, ON THE STEERING. HOWEVER, HE WAS INFORMED HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 3, 2015SteeringCrash reportedODI 10660661

Fuel system, gasoline

17 reports5 fires1 related recall
“VEHICLE BACK FIRE THROUGH THE INTAKE AND SMOKE ROLLS OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE, NORMALLY START GOOD AFTER SITTING OVER NIGHT, BUT GO TO START IT AGAIN IT WILL BACK FIRE OR THE ENGINE IDLE IS VERY ERRATIC BEFORE IT WILL SMOOTH OUT. I REPLACE SPARK PLUG, SPARK PLUG WIRES, CAM SENSOR, PCV VALVE, FUEL FILTER CHECK BATTERY CONNECTION. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 24, 2009Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasolineODI 10269816
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.