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U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Buick REGAL problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

233 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

89,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: . 116 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 49 of 233 complaints (21.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior3314.2%
Braking behavior2912.4%
Engine operation146.0%
Electrical and battery issues104.3%
Transmission and shifting73.0%
Fuel system concerns10.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine
49
Electrical System
27
Engine And Engine Cooling
19
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
14
Steering
12
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls
10
Steering:Rack And Pinion
8
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch
7
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine49
Electrical System27
Engine And Engine Cooling19
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine14
Steering12
Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls10
Steering:Rack And Pinion8
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch7

Engine: 49; Electrical System: 27; Engine And Engine Cooling: 19; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 14; Steering: 12; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 10; Steering:Rack And Pinion: 8; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 7

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
3
25,000 to 49,999
18
50,000 to 74,999
22
75,000 to 99,999
26
100,000 to 149,999
32
150,000 and above
15
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0003
25,000 to 49,99918
50,000 to 74,99922
75,000 to 99,99926
100,000 to 149,99932
150,000 and above15

Under 25,000: 3; 25,000 to 49,999: 18; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 26; 100,000 to 149,999: 32; 150,000 and above: 15

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (32). 117 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000
11
2001
14
2002
13
2003
24
2004
25
2005
8
2006
22
2007
18
2008
14
2009
7
2010
6
2011
6
2012
3
2014
3
2015
14
2016
38
2017
3
2018
1
2019
2
2021
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200011
200114
200213
200324
200425
20058
200622
200718
200814
20097
20106
20116
20123
20143
201514
201638
20173
20181
20192
20211

2000: 11; 2001: 14; 2002: 13; 2003: 24; 2004: 25; 2005: 8; 2006: 22; 2007: 18; 2008: 14; 2009: 7; 2010: 6; 2011: 6; 2012: 3; 2014: 3; 2015: 14; 2016: 38; 2017: 3; 2018: 1; 2019: 2; 2021: 1

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 33 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 29 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 14 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10008190 · 2003-02-27 (February 27, 2003)

STEERING ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 67,000 MILES ON 1999 BUICK REGAL WHICH HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR. SINGLE OWNER VIRTUALLY ALL HIGHWAY USE VEHICLE 3.5 YEARS OLD. STEERING BECAME SLUGGISH WHEN CAR WAS FIRST STARTED, THEN RESPONDED NORMALLY. WAS TOLD SOME INTERNAL SEALS WERE WORN. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM, BUT FORTUNATELY NOT. I HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE WHERE THE STEERING ASSEMBLY FROM WHEEL TO WHEEL HAD TO BE REPLACED AND HAVE DRIVEN 6 VEHICLE'S TO OVER 100,000 MILES, ONE 130,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 67,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008190 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008872 · 2003-03-07 (March 7, 2003)

THE STEERING FAILED ON THE VEHICLE.*DT *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 63,990 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008872 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10022324 · 2003-09-04 (September 4, 2003)

THE FRONT BRAKES FAILED TO RELEASE. THE PADS WERE NOT WORN, HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNGLUED.*AK. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE GLUE ON THE BRAKES WAD DEFECTIVE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022324 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10037573 · 2003-09-10 (September 10, 2003)

SUDDEN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID DUE TO PREMATURE RUSTING OF METAL BRAKE LINES. BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, BRAKE PEDAL WENT MUSHY, SOME DIFFICULTY IN STOPPING VEHICLE. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED METAL BRAKE LINES SEVERELY RUSTED IN THREE PLACES, ONE RESULTED IN SAID LOSS OF FLUID. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 30,574 miles reported. Look up ODI 10037573 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014319 · 2003-04-13 (April 13, 2003)

ON DECEMBER 27, 2002 AND DECEMBER 30, 2002. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO JEFFREY BUICK 30800 GRATIOT AVE ROSEVILLE, MICHIGAN 48066 ON 12/27/02 BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD NOT KEEP ANTIFREEZE IN THE RESERVOIR (POSSIBLE COOLANT LEAK) AND THE DASHBOARD LOW COOLANT AND SERVICE ENGINE SOON (SES) LIGHT WAS ON. THE CAR WAS MISSING AND BACKFIRING DURING ENGINE START UP AND WAS ALMOST STALLING WHILE DRIVING. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE SHOP AND TOLD THE SERVICE SALES ADVISOR KENNETH HOPE WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM. IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A SPARK PLUG PROBLEM AND SECONDARY IGNITIO…

Owner-reported narrative. 92,353 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014319 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10020606 · 2003-05-28 (May 28, 2003)

MY BUICK REGAL 3.8 1999 HAS STALLED WHILE RUNNING AT SPEED 5 TIMES IN THE PAST FIVE DAYS. THE DEALE, THOMPSON BUICK, PLACERVILLE CA SAID THAT THEY COULD DO NOTHING SINCE IT IS AN INTERMITANT PROBLEM. I SHIFT INTO N AND THEN TURN THE KEY TO START WHILE STILL TRAVELING AND IT USUALLY STARTS.

Owner-reported narrative. 61,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020606 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10014628 · 2003-07-18 (July 18, 2003)

THE VEHICLE SWAYED LEFT TO RIGHT WHILE DRIVING, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HARD TO CONTROL. *JB THERE WAS A CLUNK IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH CAUSED BY THE UNDERTORQUED STEERING GEAR BOLTS. THE STEERING SHAFT WAS LOOSE AND WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. *TS(SEE ANNOTATION - M. JORDAN) *TS. ALSO THE ENGINE FAILED TO TURN OVER, THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND FOUND THE NO VOLTAGE ON THE BATTERY, THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED WHEN IT WAS PUT INTO GEAR, THE DEALER FOUND THE SHAFT FOR THE 4TH GEAR WORN, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE SIDE, THE RACK AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 89,477 miles reported. Look up ODI 10014628 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10150561 · 2006-02-17 (February 17, 2006)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW FELL DOWN WITHOUT WARNING AND WILL NOT GO BACK UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WERE THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE THE ELECTRICAL MOTOR IN THE POWER WINDOW. DURING A PERIOD OF TIME THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW AND THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE WINDOWS HAVE ALSO MALFUNCTIONED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED HOWEVER, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.

Owner-reported narrative. 90,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10150561 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 885296 · 2001-04-06 (April 6, 2001)

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. ALL LIGHTS ON DASH GO OUT. DEALER HAS REPLACED FUEL PUMP, CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM. DIAGNOSTIC DONE, NO CODE GIVEN. TO DEALER TWICE, STALLED 4 TIMES SO FAR.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 885296 at NHTSA ↗