RoadVitals

2003 Buick Regal Steering Problems

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

Data refreshed

Steering 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.
10
Latest Jan 9, 2017
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.
10%
of 101 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.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Buick Regal submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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 steering

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalSteering
Filed Jan 9, 2017

MY 03 BUICK REGAL LS WILL SHUTOFF SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT, OR WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNAL. I CAN NOT FIND THE PAPERWORK, BUT I REMEMBER A RECALL FOR THIS ABOUT 5 TO 8 YEARS AGO. WE DID HAVE IT ADDRESSED, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS COME BACK. TODAY'S DATE IS 1/9/17 AND MY WIFE HAD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN TO HER ON 1/4/17 WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND CURVE. SHE WAS NOT TURNING OR USING HER TURN SIGNAL. I ONLY HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME ONCE WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN USING MY TURN SIGNAL. MY MOTHER ALSO HAS AN 03 REGAL GS AND ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NO CURRENT RECALL NOR WAS THERE EVER ONE FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT I KNOW WE HAD IT ADDRESSED ABOUT 5 TO 8 YEARS AGO.

NHTSA ID
10943795
Incident
Jan 4, 2017
Mileage
200,000 mi
EngineSteering
Filed Dec 9, 2016

SERPENTINE BELT CAME OFF AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN 65 S HEADING TOWARD BRANDON FROM SPRINGFIELD, CAN'T GET BELT ON, AND IT WON'T EVEN TURN OVER WITHOUT A JUMP.

NHTSA ID
10934325
Incident
Dec 6, 2016
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Mar 13, 2016

ON THE EARLY MORNING OF 03/08/2016 AROUND 5:50AM ON MY WAY TO WORK, THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AS I WAS TRYING TO TURN LEFT ON TO A COUNTY ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND ALMOST WENT DOWN THE DITCH DUE TO THE STEERING WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE CAR CONTINUING TO GET TO MY DESTINATION. AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION, THIS HAPPENED AGAIN AS SOON AS I USED THE TURN SIGNAL (I WAS TURNING RIGHT THIS TIME). I RESTART THE CAR AGAIN AFTER PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. THIS PROBLEM IS NOW WILL OCCUR EACH TIME I USE EITHER TURN SIGNAL LEFT OR RIGHT. I CONSIDER THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE ACCIDENT CAN OCCUR IF SOMEONE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO REACT WHEN IT HAPPEN THE 1ST TIME ON A BUSY ROAD.

NHTSA ID
10846290
Incident
Mar 8, 2016
ElectricalSteering
Filed Aug 31, 2015

MY IGNITION KEY WOULDN'T COME TO OFF POSITION WHEN I TURN OFF THE ENGINE. KEY WOULDN'T COME OUT FROM THE IGNITION CYLINDER AND I HAD TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE CAR AND MANUALLY LOCK THE CAR. AS A RESULT IT WOULD DRAIN THE BATTERY AND THE CAR IS UNDER A HIGH RISK OF CAR BEING STOLEN AND AT THE TIMES THE STEERING WOULD GET LOCKED. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID
10760461
Incident
Aug 3, 2015
ElectricalEngineSteering
Filed Jun 29, 2014

ENGINE DIED WHILE SIGNALING A LEFT TURN GOING ABOUT 45 MPH. ALMOST REAR ENDED. CHANGED IGNITION SWITCH MODULE. NO REPEAT RECURRENCE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10606795
Incident
Mar 5, 2014
Mileage
103,000 mi
Exterior lightingSteering
Filed Jun 12, 2014

AT NIGHT IF THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ARE ON, AND I MEET A VEHICLE WHILE MOVING THROUGH A RIGHT CURVE, THE DIMMER SWITCH CANNOT BE ACTIVATED BECAUSE IT HITS THE BACK OF THE STEERING WHEEL. SINCE THIS OCCURS ALMOST EVERY TIME I DRIVE AT NIGHT TO GO HOME, I'M AFRAID IT COULD BLIND ANOTHER DRIVER AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE GOTTEN BAD REACTIONS FROM OTHER DRIVERS WHEN I CAN'T DIM THE LIGHTS AND MEET THEM ON THE ROAD. (I DON'T WANT TO BE THE VICTIM OF ROAD RAGE.) I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2004. THE SWITCH BROKE A FEW YEARS BACK AND IT WAS REPLACED, BUT THE NEW ONE STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT WAS THE ONLY MODEL OF SWITCH IN HIS CATALOG. IT HAS A DESIGN FLAW. IT THE TURN SIGNAL HANDLE WAS DESIGNED TO BE PUSH AWAY FROM THE STEERING WHEEL INSTEAD OF PULLING IT TOWARD THE STEERING WHEEL, THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10597801
Incident
Oct 5, 2004
Mileage
45,352 mi
Steering
Filed Aug 13, 2007

LOST POWER STEERING FLUID IN MY 2003 BUICK REGAL DUE TO A HOLE IN THE POWER STEERING RETURN LINE. THE HOLE DEVELOPED AS A RESULT OF THE LINE RUBBING AGAINST TRANSMISSION FILLER TUBE. THIS IS DESIGN FAULT AND IS CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED. THE ODOMETER READING AT THE TIME OF THIS FAILURE WAS 5905. *JB

NHTSA ID
10199425
Incident
Aug 8, 2007
Mileage
5,905 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 9, 2007

STEERING/LINKAGE/DRIVE SHAFT PROBLEM AT 31,000 MILES/3 YEARS 11/06; 1/07. 2 OCCURRENCES OF LOUD CLUNKING NOISE WHEN BACKING AND TURNING OUT OF DRIVEWAY OR ANY PARKING SPACE. DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME. FIRST TIME DEALER LUBED INTERMEDIATE DRIVE SHAFT, WHICH CURED PROBLEM FOR COUPLE OF MONTHS. SECOND TIME DEALER COULD NOT HEAR NOISE, BUT SAID THEY WOULD LUBE SAME PART AGAIN. NOISE WAS NOT FIXED. *JB

NHTSA ID
10182084
Incident
Feb 2, 2007
Mileage
31,500 mi
Steering
Filed Feb 5, 2007

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2003 BUICK REGAL AT ANY RATE OF SPEED AND TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT THE CONTACT HEARD A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. HE FELT THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE. THE DEALER FIXED THE VEHICLE TEMPORARILY APPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES BY LUBRICATING THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT. EACH TIME IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED THE REPAIR WOULD LAST ABOUT 4 WEEKS. GENERAL MOTORS IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM ,AND STATED THEY WERE WORKING ON IT. *AK

NHTSA ID
10181664
Incident
Jan 1, 2004
Mileage
2,000 mi
Steering
Filed Dec 21, 2004

THE INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT BECAME LOOSE, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER, ESPECIALLY ON SLOWER SPEED. *AK THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID
10101385
Incident
Jul 7, 2004
Mileage
32,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .