1999 Buick REGAL: complaints, problems and recalls

INSUFFICIENT INFO-THE CONSUMER HAS A CONCERN ABOUT THE TIE ROD. SCC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10004675 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING, BOTH HEADLIGHTS FAILED ALMOST CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL AND HAVE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT DIMMER SWITCH FAILED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006235 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

THE STEERING FAILED ON THE VEHICLE.*DT *JB

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

HVAC (CLIMATE CONTROL) DISPLAY WENT COMPLETELY BLANK. DEALER SAYS ONLY OPTION IS TO REMOVE AND REPLACE FOR A PRICE OF $550. THIS OCCURRED WHEN VEHICLE WAS 3 YRS OLD. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010419 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

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 ↗

WHILE TRAVELING AT 25 MPH THE VEHICLES ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT TO HOT. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ABOUT 8 MORE BLOCKS BEFORE THE ENGINE DIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE UPPER MANIFOLD WAS DEFECTIVE. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 69,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017263 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2004-08-10 (August 10, 2004)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 2008-03-12 (March 12, 2008)

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.

Consequence: 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> .

Reported: 2009-04-08 (April 8, 2009)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 2015-10-26 (October 26, 2015)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 1999-07-09 (July 9, 1999)

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.

Consequence: 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.

Reported: 1999-12-17 (December 17, 1999)

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.

Consequence: 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.