Problems · by component

2001 Buick Regal engine problems

52 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Buick Regal cite engine, 27% of all 194 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
52
27% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
25
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 1, 2024EngineFire reportedODI 11569322
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING FLAMES APPEARED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED WITH THE ENGINE ON FLAMES WERE SUDDENLY PRESENT COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTS WERE TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN LOOK UP INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 30, 2020Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 11322853
“RECALL FIXED THE FRONT VALVE COVER AND THE REAR ONE SHOULD OF BEEN DONE ALSO DUE TO THE LEAKING OF OIL THAT COULD POTENTIALLY START A FIRE FROM LEAKING ON THE BLOCK AND POSSIBLY BURN ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 8, 2020EngineODI 11316888
“I WAS DRIVING DOING ALMOST 50 WHEN IT SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I JUST LET THE CAR COAST TO A STOP, THE SECOND TIME WAS EXACTLY THE SAME EXCEPT I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL WHILE I STILL HAD A GOOD BIT OF SPEED AND CRUNK IT BACK UP. THE CAR ALWAYS CRANK RIGHT BACK UP WITH NO PROBLEM AND DRIVES FINE. I'VE CHANGE MY FUSES AND CERTAIN LIGHTS (LOW TIRE, LOW COOLANT, CHECK ENGINE)ON THE DASHBOARD WON'T GO OFF AND I JUST RECENTLY HAD MY CAR INSPECTED IN WHICH IT PASSED”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2019Steering, Power train, EngineODI 11288811
“I BOUGHT THIS CAR A YEAR AGO. TODAY I TRIED TO CRANK THE CAR WHILE SITTING IN MY YARD A BIG BOOM HAPPENED AND THE CAR ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE PLASTIC COVERING MELTED OFF THE ENGINE AS WELL AS SOME OF THE BACK PART OF THE ENGINE IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE RECALLS ASSOCIATED MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBERN150757 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER15V701”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 4, 2018Structure, EngineFire reportedODI 11066849
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND PULLING INTO A PARKING LOT, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONTACT EXITED THE VEHICLE AND RAN INTO FERRY FACILITY TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE WHETHER A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND THE REMNANT WAS TOWED AWAY. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. APPROXIMATELY SEVEN MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. *BF *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2017EngineFire reportedODI 11022320

Showing 6 of 52 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.