Problems · by component

2002 Buick Regal engine problems

33 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Buick Regal cite engine, 26% of all 129 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
33
26% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
15
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH, WHEN HE DETECTED A BURNING ODOR AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FALSE SENSOR, OIL LEAK, AND BRAKE FLUID LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WILLIAM BUICK GMC (8201 SOUTH BLVD, CHARLOTTE, NC 28273) BUT WAS INFORMED THE RECALL REPAIR COULD NOT BE DONE BECAUSE OF RUST UNDER THE HOOD AND LIABILITY ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 3, 2021EngineFire reportedODI 11398872
“TL* THE CONTACT'S SON OWNED A 2002 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SHE SAW SMOKE EXITING THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE PARKED THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WHEN SHE OPENED THE HOOD SHE SAW FIRE LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT STATED SHE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE CONTACT STATED RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) TWO WEEKS AFTER THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT CALLED GLENDENNING MOTOR COMPANY (1100 E SOUTH ST, MT AYR, IA 50854) TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER SHE WAS INFORMED NO ASSISTANCE COULD BE OFFERED AS THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 14, 2020EngineFire reportedODI 11309280
“MY CAR AS A ENGINE ISSUE EVERY YEAR AROUND OR NEAR FEB CRAZY BUT TRUE I HAVE HAD MY CAR SAFTEY RECALL FIXED BUT NOT PROPERLY STATED ANOTHER DEALERSHIP IN SUNNYVALE DURING INVESTIGATION FROM GM BUT NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT IT ONCE AGAIN I HAD ANOTHER FIRE FROM COVER AND STILL NOTHING WAS DONE DUE TO MY LOST TIME AND SUFFER OF THIS REOCCURRING ISSUE THAT SEEMS TO NEVER BE PROPERLY FIXED OR ADDRESSED STILL I SUFFER FROM THIS CAR ALL MY NEW 'FIX' TO THAT SAFETY RECALL HAS A BIGGER PROBLEM STILL GASKET IS CRACKED BY LOOKS SINCE THE DAY IT WAS REPLACED AND THE PLASTIC RETAINING CLIPS ARE MELTING AND BURNING MY SPARK PLUGS TO THAT CLIP IS BURNING AND FREMONT DEALERSHIP WON'T EVEN GIVE ME TIME OR DAY GM IS RED FLAGED MY PHONE NUMBER AND NOW AFTER I GET MY MOTOERMOUNTS FIXED AND ALL THE MONEY I PUT INTO KEEPING MY CAR UP AND RUNNING IT STILL FAILS ME TO POINT THAT MY ENGINE JUST STARTED KNOCKING REALLY LOUD DAY AFTER I GOT OIL CHANGE AND NO WARNING LIGHT OR ANYTHING THAT COULD HELP EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM AND TOWED TO MY CAR SHOP TO FIND OUT MY CAR RESULTS AND I HEAR IT'S A BAD ENGINE I NEED TO REPLACE IT AS OF JANUARY 21 2019 GO WITHOUT A CAR DUE TO A GM BAD ENGINE ALL…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 30, 2019EngineODI 11173098
“MY CAR WAS IN DRIVING MODE ON THE ROAD IN NEWARK CALIFORNIA AND SPEED LIMIT 35 MPH ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY CAR WITHOUT WARNING WITHOUT ANY ISSUES PRIOR TO THIS JUST STOPPED LOCKED UP BRAKES LOCKED UP STEERING WHEEL CAR STILL RUNNING BUT WON'T LET ME ACCELERATE CAR RADIOS ON TOAST ON MY BATTERY JUST EVERYTHING LOCKED UP OUT OF NOWHERE NO WARNING SIGNS SCARE THE HECK OUT OF ME I JUST HAD TO LET IT KEEP ROLLING TO LOOK INTO A STOP AND GOT IT TOWED HOME NOW EVERY TIME WE TURN ON THE CAR IF I HAD THE BLINKER ON IT SHUT OFF THE CAR WON'T DRIVE IT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH POWER ALMOST LIKE ELECTRICAL ISSUE HIM A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WASN'T COMING ON NOW IS I HAVE CODES U1040,C1225,C1226,C1232, C1233,C1248, WHY IS THIS CAR SO UNSAFE AND WHY CAN'T ANY REAL ACTIONS BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY ITS OLD BUT VERY MAJOR ISSUE IN ALL THESE MAKES OF YEAR LOOK IT UP AND SEE SAME THING EVERY WHERE I AM LUCKY I?M STILL ALIVE DUE TO ALL MY FAIRIES WITH RECALL 15757 AND ALL OTHER MAJOR ISSUES THAT NEVER BEEN REALLY DEALT WITH I SUBMIT A CLAIM ALMOST EVERY 2 YEARS WHEN MY CAR CATCHES FIRE 4X AND NOW THIS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE!! NEVER GOT ANY OUT COME ON ANY OF THESE BIG ISSUES AND THIS IS MY SAFE OPTION…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 17, 2018Power train, Service brakes, EngineODI 11152122
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK REGAL. WHILE STATIONARY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE BEAUTY COVER WHERE OIL HAD LEAKED ONTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE THE FIRST TIME. THE FIRE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME WITHIN THE SAME DAY AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. FREMONT BUICK GMC IN FREMONT, CALIFORNIA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FIRES AND REQUESTED THAT THE CONTACT PAY FOR A VEHICLE INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE FULLY INSPECTED. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RETAINERS ON THE VEHICLE WERE INSTALLED IMPROPERLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,100. *LN *BF UPDATED 7/26/18*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2017EngineFire reportedODI 11032795
“SECOND TIME AROUND MY BUICK REGAL CAUGHT ON FIRE AS IT SAT IN DRIVEWAY MY CAR HAS BEEN A VIN THAT FIT THE SAFTEY RECALL SINCE 2007 3RD OR 4TH ONE SINCE I BOUGHT MY CAR FROM DEALERSHIP MY CAR HAS 5 RECALLS WHICH 3 ARE RECALL CAMPAIGN SO DEALER FIXED ONLY PART OF THE RECALL IN FEB 18 2016 I WAS SENT ANOTHER SAFETY RECALL LETTER ASKING ME TO GO BACK TO GET EXTRA WORK DONE OR NEWER PARTS DEALER SAID NO SO NOW IT'S SEPTEMBER 25/26 2017 AND FIRE HAPPENS AGAIN THIS TIME WAS A BIGGER ISSUE HAD FIREDEPARTMENT CALLED OUT ALL THE FLAMES CAME FROM UNDER THE BEAUTY COVER AND VALVE COVER LEAK WHICH WAS A RECALL FOR SEVERAL YEARS THEY FIXED WITH BETTER PARTS BUT STILL HAVE A FIRE DEALERSHIP SAID NO GET MY CAR OUT THERE SHOP AND AGM TELLS ME SORRY CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR U BECAUSE MY CAR 2002 OLD NO WARRANTIES BUT IT'S A SAFTEY RECALL ALMOST EVERY YEAR SINCE MY CAR WAS BOUGHT NO PARTS AVAILABLE NOT SURE Y I GET ONLY HALF RECALL DONE AND NOT DO THE FULL RECALL CORRECTLY THERE FOR THEY SHOULD BE HELP RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIRE SINCE THEY NEVER TOOK MY COVER OFF THEY WERE VERY AWARE OF THAT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THIS ISSUE I HAVE HAD 7 CLAIMS SINCE FIRST TIME CAR ON FIRE JAN 6 2016…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2017Unknown or other, EngineFire reportedODI 11030081

Showing 6 of 33 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.

Other 2002 Regal problem areas