2001 Buick Regal Electrical Problems

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

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

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. 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

WHILE STATIONARY AND IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY AND ON CITY STREETS WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL ISTURNED ON THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF, AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART VEHICLE WITH TURN SIGNALS OFF THE ELECTRONICS FLASH AS IF THEY ARE CONNECTED TO FLASHER RELAY

NHTSA ID

10863504

Incident

May 5, 2016

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN THE PARK POSITION, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.

NHTSA ID

10853759

Incident

Apr 5, 2016

Mileage

71,000 mi

INSTRUMENT PANEL ODOMETER LIGHTING HAS GONE OUT TWICE CAR IS STATIONARY, REPAIR IS COSTLY AND REQUIRES THE ENTIRE DASH TO BE TAKEN OUT FOR REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

10788070

Incident

Mar 6, 2015

Mileage

107,000 mi

FOR THE PAST FEW DAYS WHILE DRIVING MY SECURITY LIGHT WILL COME ON ALL OF A SUDDEN AND THE CAR WILL LOSE POWER AND THEN INSTANTLY COME BACK ON. I HAD MY 3 CHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME SO WE ALL WERE IN PANIC MODE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT HAS NOW MADE ME VERY NERVOUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. FRIENDS HAVE TOLD ME IT WAS BECAUSE THE CHIP IN MY KEY IS WORN OUT AND TO HAVE A NEW KEY MADE. I CONTACTED A LOCAL LOCKSMITH AND HE SAYS SINCE THIS IS HAPPENING AFTER THE CAR IS IN MOTION THEN IT IS NOT THE KEY. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL BUICK DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THIS AND IT COST $95 JUST FOR THEM TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE HOW MUCH TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10637505

Incident

Sep 18, 2014

WELL DRIVING I WAS GOING ALONG AT 40 MPH AND THE CAR JUST UP AND DIED ALL THE DASH LIGHTS STARTED TO FLASHING STEERING BECOMES HARD AND THE BRAKING IS LIKE STANDING ON A BRICK I DO BELIEVE THE IGNITION SWITCH MAY BE THE PROBLEM IT IS THE SAME SWITCH THAT IS IN THE CHEVROLET IMPALA THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED I USED TO WORK FOR A GARAGE AND INSTALL THEM OFTEN I DO HOPE YOU LOOK IN TO THIS WITH CARE SECOND THING IS THE STEERING RACK IS REALLY BAD AND WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO THEM AT THE DEALER THEY TRIED TO TELL ME IT WAS FROM USE I DON'T BELIEVE IT I HAVE A ASE CERTIFIED PERSON DO ALL THE WORK TO IT AND THE BRAKES ARE BRAND NEW SO YOU TELL ME THERE IS A MAD DEFECT ON THE CAR IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED SOME TIME AGO AND I DON'T KNOW AS TO WHY THIS IS STILL NOT ON THE LIST OF RECALLS BUT IT NEEDS TO BE SAME FOR THE 2000 01 02 03 BUICKS THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HOPE THIS GET TAKEN CARE OF. *TR

NHTSA ID

10626913

Incident

Mar 1, 2013

Mileage

136,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY SON. WE WERE COMING TO A STOP AND LOST ALL POWER STEERING, BRAKES, AND ALL DASH LIGHTS LIT UP. THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED.. VERY TERRIFYING! HOW IS MY CAR NOT ON THE RECALL LIST???? WE COULD HAVE DIED!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10625855

Incident

Aug 11, 2014

Mileage

104,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD NOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V355000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ID

10606991

Incident

Jun 28, 2014

Mileage

160,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND NO WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 08/19/14*LJ UPDATED 08/23/2017*CT

NHTSA ID

10598799

Incident

Jun 9, 2014

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 47,922. UPDATED 05/19/14*LJ UPDATED 7/24/17 *CN

NHTSA ID

10575988

Incident

Nov 16, 2010

Mileage

37,500 mi

I HAVE BEEN HAVING STALLING PROBLEMS I. E. IGNITION. GOING OVER BUMPS AND TURNING ON THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL SEEMED TO CAUSE IT TO STALL FOR OVER A YEAR. I PRETTY MUCH QUIT DRIVING THE CAR UNLESS IT WAS LESS THAN 3 MILES LIKE GOING TO THE GROCERY STORE OR THE GOLF COURSE. I FINALLY TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER AND THEY HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. SEPT. 17, 2013. ANYWAY, THEY REPAIRED IT FOR $556.40. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE KEYS THAT CAME WITH IT, STARTER AND TRUNK AND ONE HOUSE KEY, 3 TOTAL ON THE KEY RING. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT PROBLEMS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO EXPAND THE SCOPE OF YOUR INVESTIGATION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10572661

Incident

May 16, 2012

Mileage

93,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED FOLLOWED BY THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STALLING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO REPLACED THE STARTER HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE ANTI-THEFT ELECTRICAL DEVICE HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC WHO MADE UNKNOWN REPAIRS. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE CONTACT DECLINED BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS THREE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS THAT WERE PERFORMED WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,137. *TR

NHTSA ID

10568505

Incident

May 4, 2009

Mileage

84,137 mi

ODOMETER METER CANNOT BE READ AT ANY TIME BECAUSE LIGHT WENT OUT. GM CARS HAVE INSTRUMENT LIGHTING CLUSTER PROBLEMS, ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE WRITER AT A BUICK DEALER. THIS COSTS $676.75 TO REPAIR. OUR SON'S 2001 CHEVY IMPALA HAD THE DASHBOARD INSTRUMENT PANEL FAIL AND HE COULD NOT READ HIS SPEEDOMETER. THIS WAS REPLACED FOR $614.00 AND IT FAILED AGAIN A YEAR LATER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10560633

Incident

Nov 18, 2013

Mileage

124,889 mi

2001 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER STATES ODOMETER STOPS WHEN CLUSTER PANEL LIGHT GOES OUT *TGW

NHTSA ID

10467327

Incident

Jul 2, 2012

I WENT TO THE GAS STATION AND THEN WENT TO MY PARENTS HOUSE WHERE I PARKED MY CAR. THIS WAS ALL OF ABOUT 6 MILES. I WENT INTO MY PARENTS HOUSE AND WAS WATCHING TV WHEN MY DAD CAME IN AND SAID COME HERE QUICK... YOUR CAR'S ON FIRE. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. IT WAS WORKING FINE WHEN I WENT TO THE STORE AND THEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE OUT OF THE BLUE. THERE WAS A RECALL IN APRIL 2009 ON MY CAR DUE TO ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES. I TOOK IT TO JOHN L. SULLIVAN IN JANUARY 2010 TO HAVE THE RECALL WORK DONE AT NO CHARGE. YET, MY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE ANYWAY. I FILED A COMPLAIN WITH GM MOTORS WHO DENIED MY CLAIM STATING THE BREACH OF WARRANTY STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS HAD EXPIRED PER CALIFORNIA STATE LAW. HOWEVER, FEDERAL LAW STATES I AM ENTITLED TO A FREE AND "EFFECTIVE" REMEDY FOR THIS SITUATION. OBVIOUSLY, THE REMEDY WAS NOT EFFECTIVE. I WANT GM TO FIX MY CAR IMMEDIATELY!!!!!! FEDERAL LAW SHOULD OVERRIDE ANY STATE LAW. I AM VERY LUCKY I WAS NOT IN THE CAR WHEN THE FLAMES ERUPTED. I AM ALSO VERY LUCKY IT WAS NOT PARKED IN MY GARAGE OR SOMETHING WHERE MY HOUSE COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. THERE WERE ABSOLUTELY NO INDICATIONS THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10426486

Incident

Aug 21, 2011

THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ODOMETER LIGHT IT DOES NOT SHOW THE MILEAGES OF THE CAR I JUST BOUGHT IT, AND IT HASN'T SHOWN UP YET. ALL THE OTHER LIGHTS ARE ON EXCEPT THIS ONE. CAN'T PASS INSPECTION BECAUSE OF IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10396872

Incident

Apr 16, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE, SHE WOULD HAVE TO ENGAGE THE HAZARD LIGHTS FIRST AND THEN TURN THE IGNITION BEFORE IT WOULD START. THE DASHBOARD COMPONENTS WOULD ILLUMINATE SPORADICALLY AND THE FUEL LEVEL GAUGE, GEAR SHIFTER, AND ODOMETER WERE ALL INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10336816

Incident

May 6, 2010

THE FUEL GAUGE ON MY 2001 BUICK REGAL LS WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AS IT HAS BEEN IN MY FAMILY SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED NEW. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 54,348 MILES ON IT WHICH IS CONSIDERED LOW MILEAGE GIVEN THE MODEL YEAR. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL LEVEL SENOR WHICH COST ME OVER $300. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THIS PART IS COVERED UNDER THE CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS WARRANTY. HOWEVER, SINCE I DO NOT RESIDE IN CALIFORNIA, THEN I HAD TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. I CONTACTED BUICK TO ADVISE THEM THAT THIS FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. HOWEVER, SINCE THEY COULD NOT FIND AND SERVICE BULLENTINS OR RECALLS, THEY ADVISED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DUE TO REIMBURSE ME THE REPAIR COST FOR THIS DEFECT. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER BUICK OWNERS HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL GAUGE. THEREFORE, I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT IN HOPES OF OTHER BUICK OWNERS WILL FOLLOW SUIT THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR BUICK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10221305

Incident

Jan 10, 2008

Mileage

54,348 mi

I PARKED MY CAR AT A COMPANY PARKING LOT AND WENT INSIDE. WITHIN 15 MINUTES, A PERSON APPROACHED ME TO TELL ME MY CAR WAS ON FIRE OUTSIDE. ANOTHER PERSON WHO WAS WALKING PAST THE CAR AT THE TIME SAID IT TRIED TO START ALL BY ITSELF JUST BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIREMEN PUT THE FIRE OUT BUT NOT BEFORE IT MELTED THE THROTTLE BODY, THE RADIATOR, BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD, EXPLODING THE LEFT FRONT TIRE AND HAD BEGUN BURNING THROUGH THE FIREWALL INTO THE CAB. *CN

NHTSA ID

10216261

Incident

Jan 25, 2008

Mileage

125,000 mi

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS, GAUGES CLICK AND FLASH, DRIVE SELECTOR STUCK IN PARK, ENGINE WON'T START. PROBLEM IS FAULTY IGNITION RELAY AND WIRING HARNESS REPLACED BY DEALER AT $400.00 COST. ALLIED SWITCH 2.188 FROM AC DELCO COMPANY. *AK

NHTSA ID

10187097

Incident

Apr 3, 2007

Mileage

81,025 mi