2001 Buick Regal Owner Complaints

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. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11569322

Incident

Feb 1, 2024

The 2001 buick regal that we have has very inadequate head lights as far as im concerned it is a wiring problem dims are so dim that it's like you have no head lights at all bright are just bright enough to almost see 50 to 100 feet in front of vehicle also this buick is not the only gm vehicle I have experienced this on the 98 buick century's have same head light problem some what worse though also our 2002 chevy venture van has same extremely dim dims on all three vehicles brights are substituted for dims I have tried to rimity the problem by cleaning oxidation from lenses also replacing head lamp bulbs on one vehicle lenses had condensation inside lenses replaced both lenses but the results were same extremely dim dims and still had to substitute brights for dims to see also thought batterie might be getting weak both van and buick have new batteries and alternator on Both are charging strong and to specification so after all that still have head lamp problem no worse no better

NHTSA ID

11461416

Incident

Apr 19, 2022

I have a buick.regal go 3.8 was just notified about recall for under hood fire I have not had this happen yet but I have been a mechanic for.8 years and from what I've seen with my 3.8 and others I have worked on it's not just only the front valve cover and gasket I have noticed that on mine I had oil pooling from lower intake manifold onto transmission also same thing on right hand side of engine the intake leaks oil were the factory uses the silicone form a gasket when sealant goes bad the oil pools on top of transmission and on right the oil pools on top of the timing cover /water pump housing so I think just replacing the front valve cover is not an adequate fix when you have two ends of lower intake leaking oil and also rear valve cover leaking the rear may not be as big of fire hazard but those intake leaks were they pool could very well poor that pooled oil onto front exuast manifold and or crossover pipe when a had break is applied to vehicle

NHTSA ID

11461414

Incident

Nov 14, 2021

My car lit on fire under the hood

NHTSA ID

11440472

Incident

Oct 27, 2021

HAD A FRONT TIRE BLOW OUT CAR WENT ACROSS THE ROAD DOWN INTO SMALL DITCH AND STOPPED TO HIT A MAILBOX RESULTING IN THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG CAME OUT SO HARD THAT IT BROKE THE WINDSHIELD DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG CAME OUT AND RESULTED IN IT BREAKING MY SPINE I'VE HAD TO HAVE ONE SURGERY SINCE THEN AND MAYBE MORE

NHTSA ID

11359843

Incident

Aug 15, 2020

Mileage

178,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11322853

Incident

Apr 14, 2020

Mileage

100,000 mi

LOSING OIL NOT VISIBLE, APPEARS TO BE VALVE COVER GASKET, OIL PAN, HOSE. ADDING A QUART A MONTH.

NHTSA ID

11321881

Incident

Jan 12, 2020

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.

NHTSA ID

11316888

Incident

Feb 1, 2020

Mileage

175,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11288811

Incident

Sep 19, 2018

Mileage

235,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11066849

Incident

Feb 4, 2018

Mileage

119,267 mi

ON 1997-2004 "W PLATFORM" GM AUTOS, INCLUDING MY REGAL, THE ABS SENSOR DESIGN IS FLAWED IN THAT IT'S WIRING IS LOCATED IN AN EXPOSED LOCATION AT THE INSIDE BOTTOM OF THE WHEEL HUB THAT ANY ROAD DITRITUS CAN IMPACT, CAUSING THE TRACK SYSTEM OFF DASH LIGHT TO COME ON AND ABS BRAKING TO FAIL. I AM NOW ON MY 6TH REPLACEMENT INCIDENT SINCE 2006, WHEN IT HAPPENED THE 1ST TIME. (2 EACH ON THE FRONT WHEEL HUBS AND 1 ON A REAR. DO NOT KNOW AT THIS TIME WHICH WHEEL IS INVOLVED THIS TIME,) EVERY TIME THE LITTLE SENSOR WIRE BREAKS OR GETS CUT & YOU CAN'T JUST FIX THE WIRE, IT REQUIRES A TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF THE WHEEL HUB AND COSTS NEARLY $500 A POP. THE WIRE IS RIDICULOUSLY EASY TO DAMAGE JUST BY DRIVING THROUGH PLOW DRIFT IN THE DRIVEWAY OR HITTING SMALL TREE BRANCH DETRITUS ON THE ROAD THAT BOUNCES OFF THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND SNAGS THE WIRE. MOST COMMONLY IT BREAKS INSIDE THE INSULATION AND INTERMITENTLY SHORTS OUT WHEN IT GETS WET, (& DISAPPEARS WHEN IT DRIES OUT AGAIN) CAUSING THE ABS SYSTEM TO STUTTER WHEN BRAKING, & MAKING IT EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE TO DIAGNOSE BEFORE FIXING (AN EXTRA $129). SINCE IT'S A COMMON (& FREQUENT) DANGEROUS SAFETY DEFECT ON ALL "W PLATFORM" GM VEHICLES FROM '97-'04, I FIND IT CURIOUS THAT THE NTSB HASN'T ORDERED GM TO FIND A FIX FOR THIS LONG AGO.

NHTSA ID

11064479

Incident

Jan 22, 2018

Mileage

135,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11022320

Incident

Jul 15, 2015

Mileage

170,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A LOCAL STREET, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A PASSERBY NOTICED THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE AND CONTACTED THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS. A FIRE AND A POLICE REPORT WERE FILED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10991864

Incident

Apr 9, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION ANTI-THEFT CHIP CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE REPLACED THE KEY, WHICH RESOLVED THE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ID

10979361

Incident

Jan 1, 2011

Mileage

170,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL... WHILE DRIVING IN OUR CITY ALL INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT WENT TO FLASHING AND THE GAUGES WERE QUIVERING, BELLS WENT OFF AND MY CAR DIED RIGHT THERE IN THE TRAFFIC WHILE GOING 25 MPH. I HAD MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDSON IN THE CAR WITH ME AND BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE AVOIDED AN ACCIDENT. CAR WOULDN'T RESTART FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES BUT EVENTUALLY DID WITH THE SAME THING HAPPENING WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. DAUGHTER GOT THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. HUSBAND GOT THE CAR HOME AND LEFT IT. IT WOULDN'T START BACK THE NEXT DAY BUT AFTER CONTINUALLY TRYING IT EVENTUALLY STARTED BUT HAD A HORRIBLE GRINDING NOISE AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STILL GOING CRAZY. HUSBAND CALLED OUR LOCAL GARAGE WHILE I STARTED A SEARCH ON THE WEB FOR POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS. I CAME ACROSS OTHERS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT AS WE WERE EXPERIENCING AND FOUND THAT THEIR PROBLEM WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. OUR LOCAL GARAGE SUGGESTED WE LOOK FOR GROUND WIRE PROBLEMS. I WATCHED A VIDEO OF A CAR DOING THE SAME THING MINE WAS DOING, THAT PERSON REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND ALL WAS WELL. I READ AND WATCHED A VIDEO OF WHERE ONE SAID TO TURN ON THE FLASHERS OR HEADLIGHTS BEFORE TRY TO START THE CAR, THIS ALLOWED THE CAR TO START WITH NO PROBLEMS. TRIED IT AND IT WORKED. ONE OTHER THING WITHOUT THE FLASHERS OR HEADLIGHTS ON, THE SIFTER IS LOCKED AND WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK. CALLED OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT A RECALL AND WAS LAUGHED AT AND SPOKEN TO AS IF I WAS A CHILD. SHE SAID IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH AND 1 PERSON HAD A COMPLAINT THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. I TOLD HER THERE WAS PLENTY DOCUMENTATION ON YOUTUBE TO GO WATCH IT. I AM READING MANY THAT ARE CALLING THIS AS A "DEATH TRAP" AND THAT SOME HAVE DIED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10970912

Incident

Apr 4, 2017

Mileage

118,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE, A LOUD BOOMING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED FOR THE SAME FAILURE PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V116000 (ENGINE) ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2016. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 232,000. UPDATED 05/16/17*LJ *CN THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD EXPLODED. *JS

NHTSA ID

10956124

Incident

Dec 15, 2016

Mileage

232,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND THE ENGINE WAS STARTED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE, ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. UPDATED 04/11/17 L'S CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT OWNERS HOME WHEN KEY WAS TURNED TO START CAR - YOU COULD HEAR THE EXPLOSION FROM THE HOUSE INSIDE. UPDATED 9/7/18*JP

NHTSA ID

10928741

Incident

Feb 7, 2016

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10928630

Incident

Nov 22, 2016

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING, AN ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10925381

Incident

Nov 1, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE STEERING WHEEL TIGHTENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SMOKE AND FLAMES APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE POLICE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED, BUT DID NOT RECEIVE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

NHTSA ID

10924327

Incident

Oct 31, 2016

Mileage

155,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MODULE WAS FAULTY. THE MANUFATURER WAS NOTIFIED THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000. UPDATED 03/01/17*LJ

NHTSA ID

10917267

Incident

Sep 12, 2016

Mileage

155,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10903713

Incident

Sep 3, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTIFICATION IN DECEMBER OF 2015. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THEY RECEIVED TWO PACKAGES OF PARTS PER WEEK; THEREFORE, THE REPAIR COULD NOT BE PERFORMED IMMEDIATELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

10888937

Incident

Dec 1, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10884303

Incident

Jan 7, 2016

I DROVE TO LITTLE CEASERS TO GET PIZZA, I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WENT INSIDE, APPROXIMATELY 5 MIN LATER AND SOMEONE CAME INSIDE AND SAID THAT SOMEONE'S CAR WAS SMOKING, I WENT OUTSIDE AND IT WAS SMOKING HEAVILY FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR, A WITNESS CALLED 911, BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS IN FLAMES, A TIRE EXPLODED AND THE FIRE DEPT WAS ABLE TO PUT IT OUT, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IS COMPLETELY BURNED DOWN, I STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE RECALLS MENTIONING POSSIBLE FIRE HAPPENING EVEN WHILE THE CAR IS UNATTENDED, IT WAS NOT RUNNING WHEN FIRE STARTED AND IT DROVE FINE ON THE WAY THERE, WAS NOT HOT OR SMOKING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS HURT AND THAT THE FIRE DID NOT REACH THE GAS TANK. I AM AT A LOSS ON WHAT TO DO AND NEED HELP.

NHTSA ID

10883004

Incident

Jul 4, 2016

Mileage

300,000 mi