Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Buick Regal problems

Owners filed 252 complaints about the 1999 Buick Regal with NHTSA between Feb 1999 and Jan 2021. The most-cited component is engine (49).

Complaints
252
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
8
Reported by owners
Fires
44
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine49
  2. Engine and engine cooling44
  3. Electrical system43
  4. Steering31
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic23
  6. Visibility20
  7. Power train10
  8. Seat belts10
  9. Equipment9
  10. Suspension7
  11. Exterior lighting7
  12. Wheels7
  13. Tires6
  14. Vehicle speed control5

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
199913
200013
200114
200213
200325
200425
200510
200622
200719
200814
20097
20106
20116
20123
20130
20143
201514
201638
20173
20181
20192
20200
20211

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

Engine

49 reports23 fires
“07/25/2021 STARTED THE MOTOR, IN STATIONARY IN PERSONAL DRIVEWAY, IN IDLE IT BEGAN TO PUFF THICK WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAIL PIPE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TURNED ENGINE OFF WITHIN 15 SECONDS OF STARTING THE ENGINE. LEFT VEHICLE OFF FOR 24 HRS, AND TRIED TO TURN THE MOTOR BACK ON AND THE ENGINE SEIZED AND WOULD NOT CRANK OVER. TRIED 3-5 ADDITIONAL TIMES TO START ENGINE, WITH THE SAME OUTCOME. SINCE THIS OCCURENCE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LEFT UNDRIVEABLE AND STILL REMAINS IN PERSONAL DRIVEWAY. RECALL NUMBER: 240412”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 10, 2021Vehicle speed control, Engine, Visibility/wiperODI 11387360

Engine and engine cooling

44 reports19 fires3 related recalls
“1999 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE OIL DEPOSITED ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD CAN CAUSE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE RECALL NOTICE. CONSUMER SEEKS COMPENSATION FOR NEW VEHICLE AFTER RECALLED VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. *SMD”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2016Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10872013

Electrical system

43 reports4 fires
“WEIRD ENGINE NOISE , WHEN SWITCHING THE IGNITION SWITCH SOMETIMES DELAY, ALSO DASH LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS ALSO AC DOESN'T WORK AND LOW OIL , LOW AIR , AND LOW COOLANT LIGHTS TURN ON EVEN IF ALL OF THEM ARE FULL AT THE RIGHT LEVEL .”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 17, 2019Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11289542

Steering

31 reports2 related recalls
“AUGUST 2017', THE STEERING BEGAN TO PULL VERY SLIGHTLY LEFT AND RIGHT AT ALL SPEEDS BUT MORE NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEEDS OR WHEN TURNING THE WHEELS AT A STOP WITH A VERY SLIGHT CLUNK NOISE THAT GOT LOUDER OVER THE YEAR. VISIBLE INSPECTION AT MY REPAIR SHOP DURING A FLAT REAR TIRE REPAIR DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WORN OUT OR DAMAGED BUT SUGGESTED MAYBE A BALL JOINT COULD BE GETTING OLD ENOUGH TO NEED REPLACED AS IT DID HAVE ABOUT 158,000 OR SO MILES ON IT BUT THEY COULDN'T INDICATE IF IT WAS A BALL JOINT SPECIFICALLY AS THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL MOVEMENT OR NOISE FROM ONE. I ALSO CHECKED AND FOUND NO ISSUES WITH ANY COMPONENT UNDERNEATH. NO LEAKS AND POWER STEERING FLUID WAS GOOD.THEN SEPTEMBER 7, 2018', WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN THE STEERING MADE A LOUD CLUNK STEERING LEFT AND REALLY BEGAN TO PULL ESPECIALLY LEFT. I GOT IT HOME 3 MILES LATER AND PUT IT ON RAMPS AND HAD SOMEONE WORK THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH AND I FOUND THE CLUNK IS COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY. YOU CAN LITERALLY SEE IT JUMP WHEN IT CLUNKS. AFTER THIS STATIONARY TEST THE STEERING WAS MUCH WORSE, THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE F THE BLOCK WITH OUT HEAVY EFFORT ON THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2018SteeringODI 11128826

Service brakes, hydraulic

23 reports1 crash1 related recall
“COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE 1999 BUICK REGAL. WHILE LEAVING A CAR WASH, EXPERIENCED A TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. SUBSEQUENT MECHANICAL WORK DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE TWO SEVERELY CORRODED BRAKE LINES, ONE FRONT AND ONE REAR BRAKE LINE, BOTH LEAKING BRAKE FLUID.. (THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE HAD CATASTROPHIC RESULTS AS WE WERE PLANNING AN 850 MILE TRIP THE NEXT DAY IN THIS CAR.) MECHANIC SAID THESE BRAKE LINES WERE NOT STAINLESS STEEL , DID NOT APPEAR TO BE PROTECTED BY ANY COATING, AND "WE SEE THIS CORROSION ON CARS FROM THE NORTH". THE CAR LIVED IN CHICAGO FOR ITS FIRST 6 YEARS. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 18, 2011Service brakes, hydraulic, Parking brakeODI 10413365

Visibility

20 reports
“THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER DOORS BOTH HAVE ELECTRICAL WINDOWS, BOTH WINDOW MOTORS HAVE GONE OUT, THEY WERE STUCK DOWN. IN JUNE 2010 THE BACK PASSENGER WINDOW MOTOR HAS DONE THE SAME, IT IS STUCK ROLLED DOWN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2010VisibilityODI 10345871
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.