Your vehicle report
1996 Buick Regal
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 204
- Received Nov 1995 to Oct 2019
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Airbags fail to deploy in crashes15 complaints · 7.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Vehicle catches fire from wiring11 complaints · 5.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant11 complaints · 5.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #03V527000Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
- Recall #96V116000A backfire during engine starting can cause breakage of the upper intake manifold.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 14 crashes, 16 fires, 21 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 1 |
| 1996 | 12 |
| 1997 | 32 |
| 1998 | 21 |
| 1999 | 22 |
| 2000 | 14 |
| 2001 | 11 |
| 2002 | 16 |
| 2003 | 16 |
| 2004 | 27 |
| 2005 | 7 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 3 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 204 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 15 | 7.3% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 11 | 5.4% | – | |
| Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant | 11 | 5.4% | – | NHTSA recall #96V116000 |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 10 | 4.9% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 10 | 4.9% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 8 | 3.9% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 7 | 3.4% | – | NHTSA recall #96V069000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 7 | 3.4% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 6 | 2.9% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 5 | 2.5% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 5 | 2.5% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 5 | 2.5% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 2.0% | – | |
| Coil springs break and puncture tires | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 3 | 1.5% | – | |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 3 | 1.5% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #03V527000December 11, 2003750,283 vehicles affected
steering: rack and pinion
Certain passenger vehicles have lower pinion bearings in the power rack and pinion assembly in which the retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers could fail and permit the ball bearings to escape.
If this occurs, the pinion shaft Can be forced upward during left turns and back down as the steering wheel is moved back and to the right. If the pinion shaft moves further, the driver will need to exert more effort to turn the steering wheel, similar to a vehicle without power assisted steering. If the pinion shaft moves even further, the driver will require much higher effort to turn left and may not be able to turn the wheel as much as intended. With the maximum pinion shaft movement, which requires internal gear component damage, the driver Can encounter high resistance to turning left, followed by unintended power assist to the right. In any of these conditions, a crash could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new lower pinion bearing unless inspect of the existing bearing indicates that replacement of the gear assembly is necessary. Owner notification began on february 5, 2004. Owners should contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; Oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537; or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
NHTSA recall #96V116000July 1, 1996275,811 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
A backfire during engine starting Can cause breakage of the upper intake manifold.
This condition Can cause a no-start condition and possibly an engine compartment fire.
Remedy
Dealers will update the powertrain control module programming. Until the campaign repair is made, the vehicle hood should be shut whenever starting the vehicle to reduce the chance of personal injury.
NHTSA recall #96V069000April 19, 199643,213 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
The left front brake line Can contact the transaxle mounting bracket or attachment bolt.
This condition Can cause the brake line to wear through, resulting in loss of brake fluid and eventual loss of one-half of the vehicle's brake system, increasing the potential for a vehicle accident.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the vehicle for proper brake line clearance and reposition those brake lines found to have less than minimal clearance. Additionally, those brake lines found to have an indentation caused by the contact will be replaced and properly routed.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1996 Buick Regal.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN