U.S. public vehicle records

1994 Buick REGAL: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

68 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

96,473 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1994 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 14 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Vehicle Speed Control is the most frequently named component, appearing in 9 of 68 complaints (13.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	13	19.1%
Electrical and battery issues	11	16.2%
Engine operation	6	8.8%
Transmission and shifting	5	7.4%
Steering behavior	2	2.9%

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.

Vehicle Speed Control

Electrical System:Ignition

Seats

Unknown Or Other

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System

Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch

Tires

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Vehicle Speed Control	9
Electrical System:Ignition	5
Seats	4
Unknown Or Other	4
Engine And Engine Cooling	3
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System	3
Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch	3
Tires	3

Vehicle Speed Control: 9; Electrical System:Ignition: 5; Seats: 4; Unknown Or Other: 4; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 3; Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal:Switch: 3; Tires: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

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

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 0

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 54 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.

1995

1996

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2013

2017

1995: 15; 1996: 6; 2000: 9; 2001: 13; 2002: 4; 2003: 4; 2004: 8; 2005: 1; 2006: 3; 2007: 1; 2008: 2; 2013: 1; 2017: 1

Pattern summary

Vehicle Speed Control leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 13 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 6 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.

Examples from the source records

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

Owner report 10012474 · 2003-03-25 (March 25, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012474 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012475 · 2003-03-25 (March 25, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012475 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016164 · 2003-04-18 (April 18, 2003)

PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 27,478 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016164 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10017639 · 2003-04-28 (April 28, 2003)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10017639 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056103 · 2004-02-24 (February 24, 2004)

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 CHEC…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10056103 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10056887 · 2004-02-09 (February 9, 2004)

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 120,394 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056887 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10058019 · 2004-02-12 (February 12, 2004)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 129,560 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058019 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10058391 · 2004-02-18 (February 18, 2004)

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

Owner-reported narrative. 92,945 miles reported. Look up ODI 10058391 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

3 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

95V061000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

Reported: 1995-03-22 (March 22, 1995)

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

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.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

95V152000 · Exterior Lighting

Reported: 1995-08-08 (August 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: 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.

NHTSA campaign record ↗

97V017000 · Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Switch/Wiring

Reported: 1997-02-11 (February 11, 1997)

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

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.

NHTSA campaign record ↗