1998 Buick Regal Transmission Problems

I WAS DRIVING I SMELLED SMOKE THEN I SEEN SMOKE I GOT OUT THE CAR SEEN SMALL FIRE UNDER THE CAR THEN IT EXPLODED INTO A BALL OF FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10238073

Incident

Aug 10, 2008

Mileage

142,774 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING 1-5 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD CONSTANTLY STALL. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUT OFF WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER IT STALLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,900 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,988. UPDATED 02/15/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SUCH AS STEERING GEAR FAILURE, WHICH THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED. AIR CONDITION FAILURE, TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER, WHICH THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WAS OVERHAULED. THE IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED OUT. THE RIGHT FRONT WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED

NHTSA ID

10215176

Incident

Jan 9, 2008

Mileage

91,000 mi

I BOUGHT A 1998 BUICK REGAL USED FORM GLENN BUIGE IN LANSING MI. WITH-IN FOUR MONTHS OF OWNING THIS CAR THE TRANSMISSION STARTED GOING OUT. IT WAS SHIFTING HARD BETWEEN THE 1 AND THE 2 GEAR THEN IT STARTED NOT TO SHIFT AT ALL IF THE CAR WASN'T WARMED UP FOR FIFTEEN MIN. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY CLAIMED THAT SINCE THERE WERE NO LIGHTS COMING ON AND IT TESTED ALL RIGHT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM BUT THEY COULD PUT IN A REBUILT TRANSMISSION FOR 2,000. SOMEHOW THIS DID NOT MAKE SENSE. AFTER READING UP AND STUDIES THAT I HAVE DONE THIS IS A ON GOING PROBLEM THAT GM TRANSMISSIONS HAVE AND THE COMPANY REFUSES TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AS WELL AS ALL OF THE COMPLAINS ABOUT THEIR TRANSMISSION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10060519

Incident

Mar 1, 2003

Mileage

55,000 mi

PURCHASED VEHICLE W/4000 MILES, I WAS THE FIRST TITLED OWNER, 1ST TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITH 30705 MILES & WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WITH 53582 MILES. I DON'T FEEL A CAR SHOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT 30,000 MILES LET ALONE ANOTHER ONE AT 54,000. SOMETHING ELSE MUST BE WRONG WITH THE ENGINE TO NEED TWO TRANSMISSIONS IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS. *AK

NHTSA ID

754519

Incident

Sep 3, 2001

DATE OF PURCHASE WAS SEPT 2000 USED. REPORTED ROTOR BRAKE WARPAGE AND TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE. ROTORS WERE TURNED BUT PROBLEM NOT COMPLETLY GONE. MECHANIC DISMISSED TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE AS TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATION. TRANSMISSION FAILED 7/22/2001.*AK

NHTSA ID

749254

Incident

Jul 24, 2001

TRANSMISSION FAILED, ALL THE GEARS WOULD NOT ENGAGE EXCEPT FOR PARK. *SLC

NHTSA ID

785292

Incident

Feb 18, 2001

NOTICED PROBLEM SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE BUT THOUGHT MAY BE JUST THE WAY THE VEHICLE OPERATED. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE---WHEN CHANGING GEARS FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE AND CAUSE A JERKING MOTION. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A REBUILT TRANSMISSION (MILEAGE 11,733) AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPS FAILED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. CONSIDERED THIS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. CAR IS USED DAILY IN MY PROFESSION AS A PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE WITH THE STATE OF VA. I MAKE HOME VISITS WHERE BACKING OUT INTO HEAVY TRAFFIC IS NECESSARY AND AT TIMES THE CAR WOULD FAIL TO ENGAGE PROPERLY MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE OUT OF TRAFFIC'S WAY. THE REBUILT TRANSMISSION IS NOW AGAIN REPEATING THIS PROBLEM FOR WHICH I RETURNED TO THE DEALER TWICE. THEY WERE UNABLE TO DEFINE PROBLEM WHILE THEY TEST DROVE IT--NO ACTION TAKEN OTHER THAN TO CALL BUICK(GM) WHO STATED NO OTHER CONCERNS HAVE BEEN NOTED.

NHTSA ID

711743

Incident

Apr 12, 1999

2 WEEKS AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRES THE SHIFTER WOULDN'T GO IN PARK & RELEASE KEY. THIS OCCURRED ONLY 2 WEEKS AFTER HAVING IN SHOP TO REPAIR ANOTHER DEFECTIVE PART THAT WENT OUT THE DAY AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED. POOR QUALITY PARTS MUST BE USED IF A $25K CAR WON'T LAST 2 YEARS. COSTING ME BIG$$$ SINCE OUT OF WARRANTY BY ONLY A FEW MILES!!!

NHTSA ID

709430

Incident

Jul 27, 1999

CLUTCH SEAL IN TRANSMISSION LEAKING. YH

NHTSA ID

608689

Incident

Oct 20, 1998

CLUTCH ASSEMBLY FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ID

608520

Incident

Aug 1, 1998

TRANSAXLE REPEATEDLY FAILS TO ENGAGE INTO DRIVE AFTER A STOP OR AFTER CHANGING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

541519

Incident

Nov 1, 1997