Problems · by component

1999 Buick Regal electrical system problems

43 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Buick Regal cite electrical system, 17% of all 252 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
43
17% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH IN MARCH, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CONTACT WALKED HOME TO CALL HER HUSBAND. WHEN THE CONTACT STATED AND HER HUSBAND ARRIVED BACK TO THE VEHICLE, IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED TO THE GROUND. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE AT THE SCENE AND REPORTS WERE FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE REMNANT OF THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2016, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 08V118000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 99V356000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 9, 2016Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 10905002
“I CALLED A GM MOTORS DEALER AND THEY TELL ME THAT THEIR IS NO RECALLS ON MY CAR, BUT WHEN I LOOKED ON THIS SITE, THEIR IS 8 CODES WITH THE ONE RECALL I JUST GOT DONE NOT LONG AGO!! I WANT MY CAR FIXED!”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 13, 2016Steering, Suspension, Electrical systemODI 10884645
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ENGINE OIL LEAKED ONTO THE MANIFOLD CAUSING SMOKE AND STRONG BURNING ODORS IN THE VEHICLE AS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE WAS PERSISTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 4, 2016Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 10817566
“ENGINE EXPLOSION AND FIRE VEHICLE WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY ENGINE OFF. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY ENGINE FIRE. FLAMES WERE 20 FT HIGH. FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED BUT I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND WATER FROM MY GARDEN HOSE. WHEN THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED THE FIRE WAS ALREADY OUT. MY EVALUATION IS THE FOLLOWING: THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION WAS SO GREAT THAT IT SPLIT OPEN/CRACKED THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD (UPPER PLANUM). IT ALSO LIFTED THE FUEL RAIL FROM THE ENGINE AND SOME INJECTORS CAME LOOSE, FUEL THEN SPILLED ON THE ENGINE AND FIRE IMMEDIATELY ENSUED. THE PLASTIC FUEL LINES ALSO POPPED OFF THE FUEL INJECTORS RAIL, THIS SPILLED EVEN MORE FUEL AND FED THE FIRE EVEN MORE. I CANNOT BELIEVE BUICK/GM USE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS (UPPER PLANUM) AND PLASTIC FUEL LINE INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I BELIEVE IF THE MANIFOLD AND FUEL LINES HAD BEEN MADE OF METAL, THE EXPLOSION OR BACKFIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN CONTAINED AND MINIMAL DAMAGE WITH NO FIRE WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE FIRE CONSUMED THE PLASTIC FUEL LINE WHICH THEN SPILLED EVEN MORE FUEL ONTO THE ON GOING FIRE. I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND NUMEROUS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 26, 2015Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineFire reportedODI 10816262
“MY INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE(UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY AND ONCE OUT OF POCKET TO THE TUNE OF $1800). ALL THE GAUGES, MILEAGE, GAS, WATER AND OIL GAUGE, BATTERY, GEAR SHIFT AND OTHERS ARE NOT ILLUMINATED. THIS POSES A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE DRIVER IS UNAWARE OF THE WARNINGS AND SETTINGS. WHEN GAS GAUGE IS INOPERABLE, A SHUTDOWN ON THE EXPRESSWAY OR ROADWAY IS DANGEROUS AND POSSIBLY DEADLY. CAR CAN OVERHEAT IF GAUGE IS NOT REGISTERING PROPER LEVEL. WINDOW MOTORS FREQUENTLY ARE INOPERABLE CAUSING WATER INTRUSION AND WINDOW FOG WHICH IS DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 23, 2015Electrical systemODI 10811912

Showing 6 of 43 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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