1991 Buick Regal Owner Complaints

FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ARE INVESTIGATING WHETHER GENERAL MOTORS HID AN IGNITION SWITCH DEFECT WHEN IT FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY IN 2009,THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT'S INVESTIGATION OF THE AUTOMAKER INCLUDES A PROBE OF WHETHER GM COMMITTED BANKRUPTCY FRAUD BY NOT DISCLOSING THE IGNITION PROBLEM, A PERSON BRIEFED ON THE INQUIRY, AUTHORITIES ARE ALSO INVESTIGATING WHETHER GM UNDERSTATED THE DEFECT TO FEDERAL SAFETY REGULATORS,UNDER THE TREAD ACT OR THE FED RECALL ACT,THE MANUFACTURER IS TO REPLACE THE FAULTY CAR,WHEN WILL MY CAR BE REPLACED WHAT ABOUT THE FRAME CRADLE BOLT RECALL, I HAD A ROLL OVER ACCIDENT IN A BUICK AND GM DID NOTHING , NEVER REPLACED ,REPAIRED , OR REIMBURSED ME . MY AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED , MY SEAT BELT WAS ALSO DEFECTED , YET DURING THIS RECALL GM GAVE CONGRESS OVER $300 MILLION IN ELECTION FUNDS TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY? $35 MILLION FINE IS A JOKE IF SOMEONE GAVE YOU $50 BILLION,THE $35 MILLION SHOULD BE 10 X THAT AMOUNT OR AT LEAST PAY FOR MY CAR , PAY FOR MY MEDICAL BILLS ($100,000 AND CLIMBING) LOOK AT FORD , THEY ARE RECALLING CARS TODAY FOR STEERING ISSUES YET GM COMES UP WITH A KEY FRAUD TO HIDE THE FRAME CRADLE BOLT ISSUE SEE PICTURES,MY AIRBAG NEVER WENT OFF AND MY SEAT BELT WAS ALSO FAULTY GM CUSTOMER CARE [XXX], I AM SORRY TO HEAR THAT YOU EXPERIENCED THIS WITH YOUR BUICK. I AM HAPPY TO HEAR THAT YOU ARE OKAY! I BELIEVE I HAVE LOCATED YOUR PREVIOUS CASE WITHIN OUR SYSTEM. IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN LOOK INTO FOR YOU, PLEASE PRIVATE MESSAGE ME YOUR VIN OR CASE NUMBER TO OUR GM CUSTOMER CARE PAGE. [XXX] GM CUSTOMER CARE IF GM IS LOOKING INTO 10+ YEAR OLD RECALLS IT CAN LOOK INTO MINE,ITS NOT ABOUT KEY RECALL ,THIS IS ABOUT ANY GM RECALL,MY CASE IS ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE HTTPS://WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/[XXX]/POSTS/10202966721162013 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10592944

Incident

Sep 1, 1997

Mileage

75,000 mi

ABRUPT, TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL: AS THE VEHICLE ROLLED TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL, AND LOUD "BANG" WAS HEARD AND FELT COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE CAR. CAUTIOUSLY MOVING OFF FROM THE STOP, THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL; THE STEERING WHEEL JUST SPUN FREELY, WHILE THE VEHICLE TRACKED ALMOST STRAIGHT AHEAD. SINCE THERE WAS STILL POWER AND BRAKING, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO ROLL TO A STOP ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. (IF THE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL HAD OCCURRED THREE MINUTES LATER, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AT 65 MPH ... WITH POSSIBLY FATAL CONSEQUENCES.) IN THIS VEHICLE THE ENGINE, TRANSMISSION, FRONT SUSPENSION, AND STEERING RACK ARE MOUNTED ON A SUBFRAME. THE SUBFRAME, IN TURN, IS ATTACHED TO THE PRIMARY STRUCTURAL FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WITH FOUR BOLTS M12X1.25 BOLTS; THE ATTACHMENTS INCLUDE RUBBER BUSHINGS TO PROVIDE SOME SHOCK ISOLATION BETWEEN THE SUBFRAME AND THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A STEEL SLEEVE WHICH INSERTS INTO THE INNER BORE OF THE ISOLATION BUSHINGS, AND THROUGH WHICH THE MOUNTING BOLT IS INSERTED. (SEE ILLUSTRATION FROM GENERAL MOTORS "1991 BUICK REGAL SERVICE MANUAL," P. 10.3.3, FIGURE 1.) THERE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN NO CORROSION PROTECTION PROVIDED OR APPLIED TO THESE SUBFRAME ATTACH COMPONENTS DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY. UPON INSPECTION, THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS DETERMINED TO BE FAILURE OF BOTH REAR SUBFRAME ATTACHMENT BOLTS AND/OR ISOLATION BUSHINGS DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION IN SERVICE. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE BOLT FAILURES, THE FRONT SUSPENSION SPRINGS FORCED THE REAR OF THE SUBFRAME DOWNWARD, RESULTING IN THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT DISCONNECTING ENTIRELY FROM THE STEERING RACK ASSEMBLY.

NHTSA ID

10393193

Incident

Mar 17, 2011

Mileage

157,309 mi

WAS TRAVELING ON A CURVE WHEN IN SPLIT SECOND LOSS STEERING AND ENDED OFF ROADWAY UPSIDE DOWN ,IT WAS AFTER ABOUT A YEAR I STARTED GETTING RECALL NOTICES THAT SAID THIS SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN ,THESE RECALLS STARTED IN 2000,AND 2001 ,AND THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO THINK THAT INFACT THE BOLTS FAILING CAUSED MY ACCIDENT OR CONTRIBUTED TO IT . I MADE CALLS TO BUICK AND WAS EVEN SENT A RECALL LIST POST DATED 12-20-2000, TODAY LOOKING ONLINE SEEMS ALOT OF TROUBLE WITH BOLTS WERE OCCURRING 96 + 97 BUT I WAS NEVER NOTICED UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE ,I CALLED BUICK LAST YEAR AND THEY NOW SAY THEY HAVE NO INFO ON MY PRIOR YEARS CALLS TO THEM ,AND TO DATE I HAVE NOT BEEN REIMBURSED FOR MY LOSSES ,NO OFFER TO REPAIR ,REFUND ECT . MY ONLY THOUGHT THAT THESE NEED TO BE BETTER NOTICED TO CONSUMERS FOR SAFETY REASONS, AS WITH TOYOTA RECALL I'M NOT SURE THE PUBLIC IS OR HAS BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THEY SHOULD REPORT ANY THING ABOUT A CAR TO THE NHTSA WEB SITE AND LET IT WORK OUT ITSELF THRU THE DATABASE, I DID NOT HAVE A COMPUTER BACK THEN TO ACCESS THE 10 FOLD INFO ON SUCH RECALLS TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC ,MY MAIN CONCERN TODAY IS WHAT IS BUICK GOING TO DO FOR MY LOSSES? THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10313401

Incident

Sep 28, 1997

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 BUICK REGAL. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPACE AT 2 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE. HE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME FAILED AND WAS HANGING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULLED THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION. THE FAILURE CAUSED A SEPARATION OF THE STEERING SHAFT. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V058000 (STRUCTURE); THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS, WHICH EXCEEDED $600. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 125,000.

NHTSA ID

10237742

Incident

Aug 7, 2008

Mileage

125,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED AND NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAVING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS UNABLE TO REPLACE THE PART BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER IN STOCK. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 59,000.

NHTSA ID

10191065

Incident

Dec 15, 2006

Mileage

59,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH ON A CITY STREET, THERE WAS A BANGING NOISE FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT MANAGED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE SLIPPED OUT OF ITS MOUNT BECAUSE THE ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS HAD FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 00V189000, REGARDING THE STRUCTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

NHTSA ID

10169843

Incident

Sep 16, 2006

Mileage

102,000 mi

ON APPROXIMATELY JULY 5, 2006 I HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT OF MY 1991 BUICK REGAL [XXX]. AS I AM A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, I REMOVED THE WHEEL AND TIRE IN ORDER TO INSPECT THE FRONT END COMPONENTS FOR A PROBLEM. I FOUND THAT THE STEEL WHEEL HAD A LARGE CRACK THAT WRAPPED ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA AROUND THE LUG HOLES. THIS CRACK APPEARED TO BE CAUSED BY METAL FATIGUE. I THEN REMOVED THE OTHER WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE AND FOUND SMALLER CRACKS AROUND TWO OF THE REMAINING THREE WHEELS. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO BOTH GENERAL MOTORS AND MY DEALERSHIP. THIS VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BY MY WIFE AND HAS NEVER BEEN ABUSED OR WRECKED. SINCE THERE ARE MANY THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES WHICH ARE USING THESE WHEELS, I FEEL THAT THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK WITH ALL VEHICLES USING THESE WHEELS. I HAVE PHOTOGRAPHED THESE CRACKS FOR RECORD KEEPING PURPOSES, AND I WILL BE HAPPY TO SEND THEM IN WITH THIS COMPLAINT. THIS COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF A REAL PROBLEM AND PEOPLE COULD BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. *NM UPDATED 07/12/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10162842

Incident

Jul 5, 2006

Mileage

120,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 20 MPH AND MAKING TURNS A CLUNKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION, THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE BOLTS AND WASHERS FROM THE ENGINE CRADLE WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED TWO RECALLS FOR THE BOLTS, NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 97V058000 AND # 00V189000. ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURER'S RECORDS BOTH RECALLS WERE PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED. THE BOLTS AND WASHERS ARE BEING REPLACED. UPDATED 04/11/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10153893

Incident

Mar 28, 2006

Mileage

145,285 mi

1991 BUICK REGAL SUFFERED ROLL BACK WHILE TRYING TO EXIT PARKING SPACE ON INCLINE LOST CONTROL. *MR THE CONSUMER HAD NO CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE BACKED INTO A FENCE. THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT BRAKE PROBLEM WITH IT GOING TO THE FLOOR AND LEAKING. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD AN INTERMITTENT SLIP AND WOULD HAVE TO BE DEPRESSED TWICE. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10117585

Incident

Apr 12, 2004

WHILE TRAVELING AT 20 MPH VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. CONSUMER NOTICED THE GAS TANK WAS LOW, AND DROVE INTO THE GAS STATION FOR GAS, AND ANOTHER CONSUMER YELLED THAT VEHICLE WAS LEAKING GAS. CONSUMER NOTICED GASOLINE ALL OVER THE STREET. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. GAS TANK AND FUEL LINE WERE REPLACED. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED, THAT SEAT BELTS CUT ACROSS THE PASSENGERS' THROAT, AND NEEDED TO BE REDESIGNED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10105313

Incident

Oct 20, 2004

Mileage

53,000 mi

FAILURE OF THE BUCKLE OF DRIVERS SEAT BELT. FAILURE OCCURRED WITH NO MORE THAN ROUTINE BUCKLING AND UNBUCKLING. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID

10099751

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH STEERING FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DO A 360 DEGREE SPIN. VEHICLE RAN, HIT THE CURB, AND RAN INTO A YARD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10072212

FAULTY TURN SIGNAL SWITCH. *AK

NHTSA ID

10060730

Incident

Mar 8, 2004

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER'S LEFT REAR TIRE FELL OFF. THE TIRE TRAVELED OVER THE MEDIAN WALL AND STRUCK A MOVING VEHICLE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *PH *NM

NHTSA ID

10057808

Incident

Nov 8, 2003

THE CRIMPED COUPLING OF THE FUEL FEED HOSE IS LEAKING GASOLINE AT THE FUEL FILTER INLET.*AK

NHTSA ID

10052411

Incident

Jan 4, 2004

WHILE DRIVING MY 1991 BUICK REGAL, THE FRONT CRADLE BOLTS BROKE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DROP AND THE CAR TO LOSE ALL STEERING ABILITY. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041718

Incident

Oct 12, 2003

I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY A FEW MECHANICS THAT MY ABS SYSTEM HAS TO BE REPLACED. NOW, I HAVE READ SEVERAL OF THE SAME TYPE OF COMPLAINTS DEALING WITH THIS SAME SYSTEM, YET THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL. WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN BEFORE THE MANUFACTURERS STEP IN AND TAKE CARE OF THIS? ARE YOU WAITING ON A FATALITY? *AK

NHTSA ID

10029152

Incident

Jul 23, 2003

Mileage

169,000 mi

REAR DISC AND CALIPERS FROZEN, RUST PITTED ON ROTOR, NO PARKING BRAKE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10025962

Incident

Jul 12, 2003

Mileage

67,500 mi

THE RIM WHICH HELD THE DRIVERS SIDE TIRE, CRACKED. THE CONSUMER STATED TWO YEARS AGO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE CRACKED. CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. *TS *JB

NHTSA ID

10004461

Incident

Jan 13, 2002

Mileage

86,419 mi

THE CONSUMER OBSERVED SOMETHING LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH HER VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT WAS UNABLE TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10017299

Incident

Apr 21, 2003

THE LEFT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRE TO BLOW OUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014731

Incident

Nov 16, 2002

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE BRAKE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HAVE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PH

NHTSA ID

10006312

Incident

Jan 15, 2002

3 WHEELS ON VEHICLE ARE FRACTURED. MR

NHTSA ID

767780

Incident

Sep 12, 2002

MY 70-YEAR-OLD MOTHERS 1991 BUICK REGAL CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE ORIGINAL EXHAUST PIPE GASES BLOWING AGAINST THE REAR BUMPER CAVITY. THE PLASTIC PARTS CAUGHT ON FIRE AND CAUSED $1,800.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE. SHE WAS ON EAST BOUND I94 GOING 60MPH SAW THE FIRE AND WENT TO THE NEXT EXIT WHERE AN SUPER AMERICA GAS STATION ATTENDANT HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN AND SOME ONE WILL NOT BE AS LUCKY. GM COMPLAINT # 1-20438510. GM DECLINES ANY ASSISTANCE AT THIS TIME.*AK

NHTSA ID

766812

Incident

Jul 9, 2002

OO V 189 000/CRADLE BOLTS: DEALER: SUBURBAN BUICK IN ROCHESTER, MI. PHONE# 248/643-0070 IS REFUSING TO HONOR RECALL BECAUSE THEY STATED THAT REPAIRS WOULD COST MORE THEN VEHICLE WAS WORTH. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8015719

Incident

Aug 1, 2002