2004 Buick Regal problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Electrical System (18) · Engine (15) · Engine And Engine Cooling (6)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Buick Regal model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
🛣️ Complaints by mileage
45 NHTSA complaints that reported an odometer reading.
Safety recalls (2)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe 2015-10-26 · campaign 15V701000 · 1,003,556 vehicles
Defect: 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.
Risk: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
Fix: 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 engines 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 c
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine 2015-04-06 · campaign 15V201000 · 330,742 vehicles
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 2, 2015, that they are is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured April 9, 2003, to June 1, 2003, 2004 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 8, 2003, to June 23, 2003, and 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles manufactured April 7, 2003, to June 23, 2003. On May 18, 2015, GM expanded the recall to cover an additional 49,751 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2003, to June 25, 2004. In th
Risk: The leaking engine oil can drip onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on April 24, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14574.
Service bulletins (442)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2025-07-18 · PIP5601C · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this pi communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from tac.
Unknown Or Other 2025-02-20 · PIP5358D · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. technician should get record a sound clip or take a video of the noise for assessment by engineering. technician will need to
Electrical System 2024-10-25 · PIP4723J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the tire pressure monitor, active fuel injector tester, multi media tester, pico scope, gr8 starting/charging tester and vehicle data recorder tools, giving website address and ste
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-12 · PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the heater-vent-air conditioning blows warm air. before calling general motors technical assistance center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-12 · PIT5099H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the heater-vent-air conditioning blows warm air. before calling general motors technical assistance center technician will need to have high and low pressures, outside temperature, humidity, and ven
Unknown Or Other 2024-09-06 · PIT3271P · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
this preliminary information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. general motors will only support a tire calibration for tires that have been sized, tested and designed for the vehicle in question and its applications. technician s
Showing the 6 most recent of 442 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2020-12-08 · Unknown Or Other · 110,000 mi“all 4 power window motors do not work. they all failed within 6 months of each other. i checked on you tube and found that almost all buick regals have this problem of power window motors breaking. there are hundreds of complaints on you tube alone for this issue. i believe this is proof that the power window motors are defective and probably made…”
2020-12-01 · Electrical System · 98,296 mi“the first time the car stalled was as i was approaching the stop sign.it stalled and the dash light all came on. i was able to re-start it after putting it in park. it then happened again the same as before i got home. the next day it drove normal for awhile then as i was starting it up again it started with a noise and the lights on the dash a lit…”
2019-06-10 · Power Train · 57,000 mi“from a dead stop, when you accelerate the car has a hard shudder, trans slip...believe it to be a transmission problem and a problem gm has known for sometime with their g4t60-e transmission, most likely a pressure control solenoid problem or clutch assembly.…”
2019-02-25 · Electrical System · 85,000 mi“power windows on this car burn out, 4 mechanics said this is a very common problem, and repairs of the power windows is expensive…”
2018-12-18 · Engine · 97,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. the contact stated that the engine would shut off while the vehicle was in operation. the vehicle was able to restart by using the key fob, but would shut back off when the key was inserted in the ignition. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, but a failure was not found. the dea…”
2018-11-15 · Engine · 115,000 mi · 🔥 fire“tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. the contact stated that the vehicle caught fire while parked. the contact saw smoke escape from underneath the hood of the vehicle as it entered into the cabin of the vehicle. the contact's friends attempted to extinguish the fire, but were unsuccessful. there were no injuries. the fire department extinguish…”
2018-06-22 · Electrical System:ignition:switch · 95,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. while driving various speeds and while making a left or right turn, the vehicle would intermittently lose power. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the contact was able to restart the vehicle by wiggling the key in the ignition switch. the contact noticed that the failure occurred when the turn si…”
2017-06-16 · Engine · 9,284 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. the contact took the vehicle the dealer (integrity dodge located on 6025 international dr, chattanooga, tn) for a recall repair. the technician removed the gray cover gasket from the engine and informed the contact that everything was ok with the engine. the vehicle was repaired. in addition, when the vehicl…”
2017-05-11 · Unknown Or Other · 73,000 mi“ignition switch is failing, causing stalls, and flashing warning lights. warning lights came on for just a second or 2 today while i was driving at highway speed. it stopped at a stop light and i had to start it. it killed in a garage, turning off the highway into a driveway, and so on. evidently this is a problem in gm cars.…”
2017-04-28 · Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery · 48,000 mi“tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. while driving slow speeds, all the instrument cluster warning indicators illuminated and the engine seized. the contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.