RoadVitals

1990 Buick Regal Brakes Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Brakes reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
44
Latest Jul 9, 2002
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
57%
of 77 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
1

What this page shows

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1990 Buick Regal submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 44 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming brake

The 25 most recent of 44, in the owner's own words

Browse every complaint
Brakes
Filed Jul 9, 2002

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES AT 20 MPH BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ,AND VEHICLE CONTINUE ON BEFORE STOPPING. DEALER CONTACTED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AKI

NHTSA ID
8013481
Incident
Jun 18, 2002
Brakes
Filed Aug 29, 2001

REAR BRAKE CALIPERS WOULD LOCK UP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. HAD BRAKES REPLACED TWICE DUE TO PADS WEARING EXCESSIVELY. MECHANIC INDICATED CAUSE OF PROBLEM WAS MASTER CYLINDER.*AK

NHTSA ID
895395
Brakes
Filed Aug 24, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported

REAR CALIPERS CONSITANTLY FAILING. *AK

NHTSA ID
751070
Incident
Mar 20, 2001
Brakes
Filed Apr 27, 2001

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
886981
BrakesTransmission
Filed Jan 28, 2001

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
740038
Incident
Jan 25, 2001
Brakes
Filed Jun 29, 2000

REAR BRAKES FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
552855
Brakes
Filed Jul 26, 1999

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR . OWNER HAS TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP. DEALER SAYS NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE. BRAKES ARE COMPLETELY GONE AGAIN. *AK

NHTSA ID
843419
Brakes
Filed Oct 22, 1998

I HAVE AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES ON MY 1990 BUICK REGAL. AFTER MANY REPAIRS AND REPLACEMENTS TO THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM . I DISCOVERED THAT THE ROOT CAUSE WAS THE MALFUNCTION OF THE REAR BRAKES. THE REAR CALIPERS ARE DESIGNED, THAT WHEN THEY CORRODE THE BRAKING ACTION IS DIMINISHED AND EVENTUALLY STOPS WHEN THE CALIPERS ARE COMPLETELY FROZEN. THIS FAILURE CAUSES SUBSEQUENT PROBLEMS : 1. BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES NOW CARRY MORE BREAKING LOAD THE PAD WEARS OUT VERY QUICKLY. 2. BECAUSE THE FRONT BRAKES NOW CARRY MORE BREAKING LOAD THE ROTORS WILL WARP AND REQUIRE FREQUENT TURNING, WHICH EVENTUALLY RENDERS THE ROTOR BELOW SPECIFIED THICKNESS AND MUST BE REPLACED . 3. THE REAR CALIPERS CAN SOMETIMES LOCK IN THE ENGAGED POSITION. THIS WILL CAUSE EXCESS AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS HEAT IN THE BRAKES. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY RUIN ROTORS AND MAY PRESENT A FIRE HAZARD. 4. THE LACK OF BREAKING IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE CAUSES AN IMBALANCE IN THE BREAKING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VEHICLE. THIS WILL CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LERCH SIDEWAYS IN AN EMERGENCY BREAKING SITUATION AS THE INERTIA FROM THE REAR IS NOT IMPEDED, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP WITH ANY CONTROL. I HAVE EXPERIENCED ALL 4 OF THESE CONDITIONS ON MY VEHICLE. ITEMS 1-3 ARE TROUBLESOME BECAUSE THE COST IMPACT HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT . BUT THE 4TH ITEM IS CAUSE FOR MY GREATEST CONCERN AS I SEE THIS AS A SERIOUS LIFE AND SAFETY DEFECT. I HAVE EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND THE EFFECT OF THIS CONDITION WHEN MAKING AN EMERGENCY BREAKING MANEUVER. MY VEHICLE LITERALLY SNAPPED SIDEWAYS INTO THE ONCOMING LANE WHEN I HAD TO JAMB ON THE BREAKS. LUCKILY BECAUSE THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY AND TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT, I WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AND EVENTUALLY STOP THE VEHICLE. AN ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT FACTOR IS, THERE IS NO ADVANCED INDICATION THAT THE REAR CALIPERS HAVE FROZEN OR NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, PUTTING THE SAFETY OF OPERATOR AND PASSENGERS AT SIGNIFICANT RISK. THIS MUST EFFECT ALL THE OTHER GM MODELS THAT HAVE THE

NHTSA ID
700020
Incident
Nov 1, 1992
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Sep 12, 1997

VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCES/FADING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN TWO COLLISIONS DUE TO THE BRAKES NOT ENGAGING AND GIVING SUFFICIENT BRAKING DISTANCE.

NHTSA ID
522007
Incident
Aug 7, 1997
Brakes
Filed Jan 28, 1997

REAR BRAKE ROTORS FAILED AND REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
514265
Incident
Nov 10, 1996
Brakes
Filed Jan 15, 1997

PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR, BRAKES MAKE GRINDING NOISE AND DON'T CATCH WELL. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN EVERY YEAR AND HAD EVERYTHING REPLACED BUT IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID
807682
Incident
Nov 15, 1996
Brakes
Filed Dec 18, 1996

THE REAR BRAKES FREEZE UP AND THERE ARE NO REAR BRAKING ABILITY. REPAIRED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AND THE PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING. *AK

NHTSA ID
806547
Brakes
Filed Oct 4, 1996

ABS BRAKE FAILURE, CORROSION OF DISC CALIPERS ON THE REAR, CAUSING BRAKE LOCKUP AND EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE FRONT BRAKES, REPLACEMENT OF DISC PADS AND ROTORS. *AK

NHTSA ID
802299
Incident
Feb 1, 1996
Brakes
Filed Sep 30, 1996

THE REAR CALIPER IS WEARING OUT TO OFTEN. PLEASE DESCRIBE IN MORE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
802957
Incident
Jun 10, 1996
Brakes
Filed May 16, 1996

REAR BRAKES FAILED, DUE TO RUSTY CALIPERS AND ROTORS ON THE LEFT SIDE, AND RIGHT SIDE PAD FALLING APART. *DH

NHTSA ID
504692
Incident
May 1, 1996
Brakes
Filed Apr 2, 1996

PREMATURE BRAKE WEAR. *SD

NHTSA ID
503186
Incident
Apr 2, 1996
Brakes
Filed Mar 25, 1996

BRAKES OVERHEAT, CAUSING FAILURE. *SD

NHTSA ID
503359
Incident
Mar 25, 1996
Brakes
Filed Mar 6, 1996

REPLACED REAR BRAKES 4 TIMES DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID
980333
Brakes
Filed Jan 24, 1996

FRONT BRAKES FAILED. *SD

NHTSA ID
502212
Incident
Oct 27, 1992
Brakes
Filed Dec 18, 1995

THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR BRAKE FAILURE. TT

NHTSA ID
976741
Incident
Sep 25, 1995
Brakes
Filed Dec 4, 1995

FRONT BRAKES WEAR THREE TIMES FASTER THAN REAR W/WORN CALIPER AND SOME RUST. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID
975972
Brakes
Filed Dec 1, 1995

EA94-041 ACTIVE, BRAKE FAILURE, PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR INTERMITTENTLY WHEN APPLIED, IN FOR REPAIR REPLACEMENT SLID KIT AND DISC PADS AND ROTORS, AND MASTER CYL

NHTSA ID
975849
Incident
Sep 25, 1995
Brakes
Filed Nov 27, 1995

HAD TO REPLACE BRAKING SYSTEM.TT *JB

NHTSA ID
975528
Incident
Jan 23, 1995
Brakes
Filed Sep 29, 1995

CORRODED REAR DISC BRAKES, CALIPERS ARE CORRODED. TT

NHTSA ID
972689
Incident
Sep 29, 1995
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Sep 29, 1995

ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.

NHTSA ID
489759
Incident
Jul 20, 1994

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .