10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 0 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 83 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
I purchased vehicle new around December 23, 1997. The vehicle had approximately 500 miles on it. I noticed that when applying brakes the was a vibration (felt like a pulse) in the vehicle and could slightly feel the vibration in the steering wheel. Owners manual advised one may feel the ABS release and reengage while applying brakes. Vehicle was only driver about 6000 miles a year. At about 8000 miles the vibration became so severe I had to take vehicle to the dealership who advised that brakes where not covered under warrenty but they would turn the rotors for free. At about 15000 miles (and now out of warrenty altogether due to past 3 years olds) had to have rotors turned again. Within a few thousand miles had to have new rotors and brakes. Within a few hundred miles of new rotors and brakes the problem came back and is severe but I cannot afford to keep replacing rotors every few hundred miles. The brake pads always appear to wear normal but the rotors are always warping. The vehicle still only has 42000 miles and is over 5 years olds. The vehicle feels unsafe to drive. I feel this problem was possibly known to GM prior to my purchase and that GM still refuses to recall the Buick Regals with this problem.
- Charleston, WV, USA
Date of purchase was Sept 2000 used. Reported rotor brake warpage and transmission slippage. Rotors were turned but problem not completly gone. Mechanic dismissed transmission slippage as traction control activation. Transmission failed 7/22/2001.
- Jacksonville, NC, USA
Brake problems, pulsation in brake pedal. Replaced front rotors-blue from overheating at 707 miles. Brakes vibrate, turned rotors & replaced glazed front brake pads at 1154 mi. Brakes pulsate, replace booster brake assy. At 1641 mi. Brakes pulsate, replace master cylinder at 4926 miles. Brakes pulsate, replaced both front rotors at 13,462 mi. Brakes pulsate, replaced front and rear rotors (paper thin and blue) at 14,431 mi.
- Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Front brake rotors warped soon after delivery, dealer would only turn them at my cost, after 40,000 different dealer advised rotors so badly scraped by previous Buick dealer new rotors were required at $550...I feel like these were defective from the start and should have been replaced.
- New Edinburg, AR, USA
When applying brakes, brake caliper fell off, jamming front wheel causing it to freeze, resulting in loss of control. The vehicle would drive in reverse but the right front wheel stayed locked. The cause was found to be two bolts that hold the caliper sheared off. The caliper, after coming off, jammed the front wheel movement to halt. The vehicle shaked when backing and turning due to power steering gear failure. The brakes pulsate when applied due to excess runout of brake rotors.
- San Antonio, TX, USA
Front rotors were warped at 25,000 miles and required surfacing. The second dealer surfaced rotors correctly. When the rotors are slightly warped the ABS cycled every time the brakes are applied increasing braking distance. Upon parking the car on a slight grade and restarting the ABS cycles. With foot on the brake upon letting up to back out the ABS cycles and releases the brakes. The steeper the slope the farther you roll without brakes. More than eight feet in some instances before the brakes reapply. The dealer and Buick service state that this is normal.
- Jennings, OK, USA
Front rotors warped. Mjs
- Orange, CA, USA
Both right and left rotors warped. Violent shaking in the steering wheel and vibration occurs after being on highway, causing poor steering conditions and poor stopping power. The rotors were resurfaced, not replaced which leads me to believe that this may occur again.
- Norman, OK, USA
- Charleston, WV, USA