Your vehicle report

1999 Buick Regal

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
246
Received Feb 1999 to Jan 2021
Official recalls listed
6
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Vehicle catches fire from wiring41 complaints · 17% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Engine suddenly shuts off while driving11 complaints · 4.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Seat belt fails to latch or retract10 complaints · 4.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #15V701000General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
  • Recall #09V116000General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 buick regal, my 1998-2003 chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8L V6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.
View recall details

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 identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 44 fires, 7 people injured, 1 death.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 20 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

Brakes

Electrical & lights

2 more problems

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

3 more problems

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.

Complaints received about the 1999 Buick Regal
38
Show as a table
YearComplaints
199913
200011
200114
200213
200324
200425
20058
200622
200718
200814
20097
20106
20116
20123
20130
20143
201514
201638
20173
20181
20192
20200
20211
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total246

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Vehicle catches fire from wiring4117%–NHTSA recall #15V701000
Engine suddenly shuts off while driving114.5%–
Seat belt fails to latch or retract104.1%–
Ignition key sticks or will not turn104.1%–
Power window regulator fails and window drops83.3%–
Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines72.9%–
Plastic intake manifold cracks and leaks coolant72.9%–
Power steering cuts out while driving72.9%–
Tires blow out or tread separates62.4%–
Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed62.4%–
Front brake rotors warp and wear early62.4%–
Alloy wheel rims crack and lose air52.0%–
Headlights dim or fail at night52.0%–NHTSA recall #04V375000, #99V356000
Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning52.0%–
Power steering rack leaks fluid52.0%–
Turn signals work intermittently or fail52.0%–
Side mirrors give poor rear visibility41.6%–
Horn fails with airbag warning light41.6%–
Check engine light comes on repeatedly41.6%–
Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up41.6%–NHTSA recall #99V170000

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 #15V701000October 26, 20151,003,556 vehicles affected

    engine and engine cooling: engine; engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

    Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

    Remedy

    The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.

  • NHTSA recall #09V116000April 8, 20091,497,516 vehicles affected

    engine and engine cooling

    General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 Buick Regal, my 1998-2003 Chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 Oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 Pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8L V6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.

    If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine’s plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, and Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or http://www.pontiac.com or http:www.gmownercenter.com.

  • NHTSA recall #08V118000March 12, 2008207,542 vehicles affected

    engine and engine cooling

    Gm is recalling 207,542 my 1997-2003 Buick Regal and Pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8L supercharged V-6 engine. These vehicles have higher front rocker cover gasket temperatures, creating the potential for earlier degradation of the front rocker cover gasket and eventual oil seepage.

    Certain underhood fires may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and, in some instances, the fire may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engine’s plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, along with the 1-3-5 spark plug wire retainers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. , free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Until the remedy is completed, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions (1) that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, car port, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle. The dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual. Owners may contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080 or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or through their website at <a href=http://www.gmownercenter.com>http://www.gmownercenter.com</a> .

  • NHTSA recall #04V375000August 10, 2004199,793 vehicles affected

    exterior lighting: headlights

    Certain passenger vehicles do not conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." some of these vehicles do not meet the overhead sign illumination requirements.

    Less illumination may reduce the ability of the driver to read overhead signs when driving at night.

    Remedy

    Dealers will install new low beam headlamp bulbs in both of the headlamp assemblies. The recall began on september 8, 2004. Owners should contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080. Note: if the bulb needs replacement in the future, gm bulb number 89024715 is available from a dealer, or the equivalent sylvania bulb is 9006HP, with orange lettering on the bulb.

  • NHTSA recall #99V356000December 17, 1999411,880 vehicles affected

    exterior lighting: headlights

    Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. These vehicles do not conform to the requirements of FMVSS no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the vertical head lamp adjusting device may not be calibrated properly.

    Driver visibility may be impaired increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy

    Owners will be provided with an owner's manual insert containing instructions for optically aiming the headlamps.

  • NHTSA recall #99V170000July 9, 1999168,559 vehicles affected

    service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

    Some of these vehicles with the key in the "on" position, exhibit a condition in which the antilock brake system (ABS) motor shorts to its case and grounds through a flexible brake fluid pipe.

    This short Can cause extreme heating of the flexible brake pipe where it Can melt a nearby flexible plastic fuel hose, which could result in an underhood fire.

    Remedy

    Dealers will install a ground cable from the electronic brake control module (ebcm) to the engine compartment body rail.

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 1999 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