Problems · by component

1999 Buick Regal engine and engine cooling problems

44 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Buick Regal cite engine and engine cooling, 17% of all 252 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 3 recalls on this component.

Complaints
44
17% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
19
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE TOOLS AND PARTS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PART WOULD BE SUPPLIED TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. UPDATED 05/26/16*LJ *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2016Engine and engine cooling, EngineODI 10852000
“1999 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE DEFECT AND REPAIR ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER DID NOT STATE WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. *JB THE CONSUMER HAS SINCE SENT IN A RECALL NOTICE, REGARDING THE ENGINE. UPDATED 04/12/16.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 30, 2015Engine and engine coolingODI 10836196
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DESTROYED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE BEGAN FROM DROPS OF ENGINE OIL ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER: 08V118000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED TO THE CONTACT THAT DUE TO THE FIRE AND BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PRE-OWNED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ASSIST WITH THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 01/20/12*LJ UPDATED 01/20/12”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 23, 2011Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10441070
“THIS 1999 BUICK REGAL SERIAL NUMBER [XXX] WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE AND NO ONE WAS IN IT. THE CAR CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE. THE CAR ENGINE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND SET THE TWO CARS THAT WERE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE CAR ON FIRE, AS WELL AS THE GARAGE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 8, 2010Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10365002
“IN JUNE 2009 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR 1999 BUICK REGAL THAT THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTED ENGINE FIRES AND THEY WERE ISSUING A RECALL. I HAVE OWNED MY CAR FOR APPROX. 7 YEARS AND THOUGH I PLANNED ON TAKING IT IN TO GET THE RECALL REPAIRED, I HADN'T HAD A CHANCE TO DO IT YET AS OF 9/1/09. I HAD ACTUALLY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE PRIOR WEEK TO SEE IF I HAD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AND THEY SAID NO, TO JUST COME BY ANYTIME. I WORK 6 DAYS A WEEK AND TAKING IT WAS GOING TO BE HARD FOR ME BUT I HAVE ALWAYS GOTTEN IT DONE IN THE PAST. ANYWAY, I DROVE THE CAR 11 MILES FROM MY MOMS HOUSE TO MY HOUSE ON THE 1ST. AND WHEN I GOT HOME I CARRIED IN SOME GROCERIES AND SENT MY SON OUTSIDE TO GET THE REST. HE CAME BACK IN YELLING THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE! MY HUSBAND WHO WAS HOME POPPED UP THE HOOD AND FLAMES WERE ABOUT A FOOT HIGH. I HAD PARKED RIGHT BY THE HOUSE AND HE GRABBED THE HOSE AND MY SONS SWEATSHIRT AND TOGETHER HE AND MY SON PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE BURNED AREA IS RIGHT WHERE THE RECALL DESCRIBED THE FIRE COULD HAPPEN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY REFERRED ME TO THE BUICK RECALL LINE. I CALLED THEM AND THEY TOOK MY INFO. 2 WEEKS LATER I GET A LETTER THAT SAYS MY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 21, 2009Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10289273

Showing 6 of 44 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

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

3 recalls on this component

Engine and engine cooling: engine

Free remedy

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

Engine and engine coolingReported Oct 26, 2015NHTSA 15V701000

Engine and engine cooling

Free remedy

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 1,497,516 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL, MY 1998-2003 CHEVROLET LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND IMPALA, MY 1998-1999 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE, MY 1997-2003 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L V6 NATURALLY ASPIRATED ENGINE. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH DROPS OF ENGINE OIL MAY BE DEPOSITED ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD THROUGH HARD BRAKING.

Engine and engine coolingReported Apr 8, 2009NHTSA 09V116000

Engine and engine cooling

Free remedy

GM IS RECALLING 207,542 MY 1997-2003 BUICK REGAL AND PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 3.8L SUPERCHARGED V-6 ENGINE. THESE VEHICLES HAVE HIGHER FRONT ROCKER COVER GASKET TEMPERATURES, CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR EARLIER DEGRADATION OF THE FRONT ROCKER COVER GASKET AND EVENTUAL OIL SEEPAGE.

Engine and engine coolingReported Mar 12, 2008NHTSA 08V118000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 9, 2026

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