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1994 Buick Regal

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Regal years

Owner complaints for the 1994 Buick Regal are substantially higher than the model-year median of 29.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 14 of 110 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports2 fire reports5 injury reports

What owners actually said

110 reports
Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SMELLED AN ODOR COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CONSUMER PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT CERTAIN PARTS WERE NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICA…

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WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SMELLED AN ODOR COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CONSUMER PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT CERTAIN PARTS WERE NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *AK THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHERE THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WERE GOING TO DIE OUT. THE VOLTAGE READINGS WERE ALWAYS LOW. THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING OUT OF GEAR. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE INITIAL PROBLEM WAS WITH THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE BRAKES WERE BAD AND THE MUFFLER HAD A BIG HOLE IN IT. ALSO, COOLANT LEAKED FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *SC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10059827

145,000 miles · Mar 7, 2004
Seats

DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE LOOSE FROM THE TRACK CAUSING SEAT TO ROCK BACKWARDS. I WAS PARKED AT THE TIME. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER, THE RIGHT HAND TRACK BROKE DUE TO THE ADDED STRESS. I REPLACED THE ENTIRE SEAT, TRACKS AND ALL, AND A YEAR LATER, THE SEAT BROKE AGAIN IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10060628

Mileage unknown · Feb 24, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR WHEN TAKING TURNS, THE ENGINE STALLED CAUSING A LOSS OF THE POWER S…

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WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR WHEN TAKING TURNS, THE ENGINE STALLED CAUSING A LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING , BRAKES, AND ENGINE MISSING WITH RPM OF 1500-2000. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE PLACED IN NEUTRAL TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. WHILE ON A TRIP, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON, AND WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO CHECK THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A LAGGED FUEL FILTER AND TO DRIVE HOME. ANOTHER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM BUT SUGGESTED THTA IT COULD BE THE TRANSMISSION. ANOTHER SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM EITHER AND REFERRED THE CONSUMER TO ANOTHER SERVCE DEALER FOR THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY REPLACED THE "SOL VALVE" BUT STILL WASN'T ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *SC

NHTSA ODI #10056103

92,945 miles · Feb 18, 2004
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. NOT ONLY THE ENGINE, BUT EVERYTHING WENT DEAD. NO POWER AT THE IGNITION SWITCH IN ACC. OR ON. THE DOME LIGHT WORKED WITH DOOR OPEN BUT ONLY IF THE KEY WAS IN THE OFF POSITION OR REMOVED. THE BATTERY IS GOOD. DOME LIGHT WOULD GO OUT IF KEY WAS TURNED. POWER CAME BACK ON AFTER REPEATEDLY PLAYI…

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WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. NOT ONLY THE ENGINE, BUT EVERYTHING WENT DEAD. NO POWER AT THE IGNITION SWITCH IN ACC. OR ON. THE DOME LIGHT WORKED WITH DOOR OPEN BUT ONLY IF THE KEY WAS IN THE OFF POSITION OR REMOVED. THE BATTERY IS GOOD. DOME LIGHT WOULD GO OUT IF KEY WAS TURNED. POWER CAME BACK ON AFTER REPEATEDLY PLAYING WITH IGNITION SWITCH. CAR HAS DIED TWICE NOW AND "FIXED ITSELF". I DO NOT FEEL THE PROBLEM IS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I FOUND COMPLAINT ODI #7441655 TO SOUND IDENTICAL TO MY PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10058391

129,560 miles · Feb 12, 2004
Tires

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULLOVER, AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10058019

120,394 miles · Feb 9, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Air

HAD INTAKE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED DUE TO A COOLING PROBLEM. WAGAMON BROTHERS SAID THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT IT. VOLTAGE GAUGE READING 18. REPLACED ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR. PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. CHECKED BATTERY. BATTERY FAILED. REPLACED BATTERY. VOLTAGE GAUGE STILL READ 18. DROVE CAR. CAR DIED …

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HAD INTAKE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED DUE TO A COOLING PROBLEM. WAGAMON BROTHERS SAID THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT IT. VOLTAGE GAUGE READING 18. REPLACED ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR. PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. CHECKED BATTERY. BATTERY FAILED. REPLACED BATTERY. VOLTAGE GAUGE STILL READ 18. DROVE CAR. CAR DIED IN MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. SMELL OF BURNT WIRES. TOWED CAR TO GARAGE. FIANCE WAS ABLE TO START CAR AND NOTICED GAUGES STILL LIT WHEN SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOT LIT. FIGURES ELECTRICAL UNDER DASH OR IN WIRING HARNESS.

NHTSA ODI #10056887

105,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING MAJOR PAINT PEELING OFF MY 1994 BUICK REGAL. IT IS OCCURING IN SEVERAL PLACES ON THE HOOD AND QUARTER PANEL. IT BLISTERS AND THEN IT JUST FLAKES OFF. THE 1993 GM PRESS RELEASE DESCRIBES MY EXACT PROBLEM, STATING THAT THEY WOULD COVER THE COST OFF REPAINTING A CAR WITHIN THE FIRST SIX YEARS. SO, UNFOR…

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I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING MAJOR PAINT PEELING OFF MY 1994 BUICK REGAL. IT IS OCCURING IN SEVERAL PLACES ON THE HOOD AND QUARTER PANEL. IT BLISTERS AND THEN IT JUST FLAKES OFF. THE 1993 GM PRESS RELEASE DESCRIBES MY EXACT PROBLEM, STATING THAT THEY WOULD COVER THE COST OFF REPAINTING A CAR WITHIN THE FIRST SIX YEARS. SO, UNFORTUNATLY I'M PROBABLY OUT OF LUCK, BUT I WAS GOING TO MAKE AN ATTEMPT AT GETTING GM TO COVER SOME OF THE COST. THE CAR HAS JUST UNDER 105,000 MILES AND OTHERWISE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION.

NHTSA ODI #10069162

Mileage unknown · Apr 28, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

THE VEHICLE STALLED AT VARIOUS TIMES, AND NOW THE VEHICLE DOES NOT START AT ALL. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10017639

27,478 miles · Apr 18, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. *NLM

NHTSA ODI #10016164

Mileage unknown · Mar 25, 2003
Seats

THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT MOUNT BROKE, THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS UNSTABLE AND IT ROCKED BACK AND FORTH. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10012475

Official recalls

3

97V017000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:switch/wiring

Feb 11, 1997

SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A STRAINED OR SEPARATED WASHER/WIPER SWITCH POWER FEED WIRE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CAN CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPER TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND COULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN INOPERATIVE WIPERS. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR IN A SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE OLD DESIGNED WASHER/WIPER SWITCHES WITH A NEWLY DESIGNED SWITCH.

95V152000 · Exterior Lighting

Aug 8, 1995

INCORRECT CLEAR FRONT SIDE MARKER BULBS WERE INSTALLED RATHER THAN AMBER BULBS. THIS DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: DURING ILLUMINATION, THE BULBS WILL SHOW CLEAR RATHER THAN AMBER AND COULD MOMENTARILY CONFUSE OTHER DRIVERS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLEAR BULBS WITH THE CORRECT AMBER BULBS.

95V061000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings

Mar 22, 1995

THE REAR WHEEL BRAKE HOSE(S) CAN CONTACT THE REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS CAUSING THE BRAKE HOSE(S) TO WEAR THROUGH.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND EVENTUAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE BRAKING SYSTEM INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PROPER BRAKE HOSE POSITION AND REPLACE THOSE HOSES IN AN INCORRECT POSITION WITH NEW HOSES AND CORRECTLY ROUTED.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.