NHTSA lists 8 safety recalls and 194 owner complaints for the 2001 Buick Regal. Most complaints involve engine (52) and engine and engine cooling (35). The EPA rates it 20–21 mpg combined.
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.
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.
DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Complaints for each Regal model year we’ve synced.
| Model year | NHTSA complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 207 |
| 1998 | 312 |
| 1999 | 252 |
| 2000 | 196 |
| 2001 | 194 |
| 2002 | 129 |
| 2003 | 104 |
| 2004 | 66 |
| 2011 | 280 |
| 2012 | 92 |
| 2013 | 91 |
| 2014 | 38 |
| 2015 | 33 |
| 2016 | 41 |
| 2017 | 20 |
| 2018 | 19 |
| 2019 | 20 |
| 2020 | 2 |
“On [XXX], my son drove the car to Wendy’s to get lunch around 12:30 pm. He returned, parked the car in the driveway. My son entered the house and while we were eating lunch the doorbell rang, it was the police informing us that my car was on fire in the driveway. The fire department was called and they eventually extinguished the fire which started under the hood of the car. The jaws of life were used to cut the hood of the car loose to fully extinguish the fire. The car is destroyed. There is no fixing it. Marion, Virginia Fire Department extinguished the fire and stated that a report could be obtained but they were positive the fire started in the engine.”
“2001 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PARTS NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR DEFECTIVE RECALL NOTICE 15757. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAD AN OVERHEATING PROBLEM. *JB”
“The 2001 buick regal that we have has very inadequate head lights as far as im concerned it is a wiring problem dims are so dim that it's like you have no head lights at all bright are just bright enough to almost see 50 to 100 feet in front of vehicle also this buick is not the only gm vehicle I have experienced this on the 98 buick century's have same head light problem some what worse though also our 2002 chevy venture van has same extremely dim dims on all three vehicles brights are substituted for dims I have tried to rimity the problem by cleaning oxidation from lenses also replacing head lamp bulbs on one vehicle lenses had condensation inside lenses replaced both lenses but the results were same extremely dim dims and still had to substitute brights for dims to see also thought batterie might be getting weak both van and buick have new batteries and alternator on Both are charging strong and to specification so after all that still have head lamp problem no worse no better”
Towing, payload and dimensions aren’t in the EPA or NHTSA data, so we don’t list them.
| Version | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regal Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.8 L · Front-Wheel Drive | 17 | 28 | 21 | $2,950 | 423 |
| Regal Auto 4-spd, 6 cyl, 3.8 L, Sup Charg · Front-Wheel Drive | 16 | 26 | 20 | $3,850 | 444 |
| Item | Miles | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine oil & filter | 5,000–10,000 mi | 6–12 months | Follow the oil-life monitor if fitted |
| Tire rotation | 5,000–7,500 mi | Every oil change | Check pressure monthly |
| Engine air filter | 15,000–30,000 mi | 1–2 years | Sooner in dusty areas |
| Cabin air filter | 15,000–25,000 mi | 1–2 years | |
| Brake fluid | — | 2–3 years | Absorbs moisture over time |
| Coolant | 60,000–100,000 mi | 5–10 years | Long-life coolants last longer |
| Spark plugs | 60,000–100,000 mi | — | Iridium/platinum plugs at the long end |
| 12V battery | — | 3–5 years | Heat shortens battery life |
8 safety recalls as of Nov 9, 2026, according to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check your VIN to see whether your car is included and whether the repair was done.
Owners filed 194 complaints with NHTSA. The most-cited components are engine (52), engine and engine cooling (35), electrical system (33). Complaints are unverified owner reports and aren't adjusted for how many cars were sold.
The EPA rates the 2001 Buick Regal at 20–21 mpg combined, depending on engine and drivetrain (2 versions rated).