Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1994 Buick Regal, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic25
- Electrical system17
- Visibility14
- Engine and engine cooling12
- Exterior lighting9
- Vehicle speed control9
- Unknown or other7
- Seats7
- Air bags7
- Power train6
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 7 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1994 Buick Regal failed the safety check 2.68% of the time — 102% more often than the average 1994 passenger car (1.33%). Median odometer at inspection: 100,742 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In New Zealand
1 1994 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1994 Buick Regal.
| 1997039 18 Feb 1997 | Visual System Certain vehicles may have a strained or separated washer/wiper power feed wire. This may cause the windshield washer/wiper to work intermittently and could ulti… |
| 1995147 4 Aug 1995 | Lights And Instruments NOTE: INCLUDES COUPES ONLY AND DOES NOT INCLUDE 1993 REGAL GRAN SPORT. DEFECT: VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 108 - LIGHTING EQUIPMENT. THESE VEHICL… |
| 1995051 22 Mar 1995 | Brakes On certain vehicles, the rear wheel brake hose(s) may be contacting rear suspension components. This could cause the brake hose(s) to wear through, resulting in… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A STRAINED OR SEPARATED WASHER/WIPER SWITCH POWER FEED WIRE.
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."
THE REAR WHEEL BRAKE HOSE(S) CAN CONTACT THE REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS CAUSING THE BRAKE HOSE(S) TO WEAR THROUGH.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Buick told its dealers about the 1994 Buick Regal: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 619370 | OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN STANDING IN PARK ON A HILL OR SLOPE WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOT APPLIED. *TT |
| 619360 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON DRIVEABILITY SYMPTONS OF LONG OR HARD STARTS, CHUGGLE, ROUGH IDLE AND LIGHT OR INTERMITTENT MISFIRE DUE TO CLOGGED FUEL INJECTORS. *TT |
| 615074 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT FRONT SUSPENSION SCRUNCH / POPPING TYPE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF VEHICLE THAT IS APPARENT DURING LOW SPEED TURNING MANEUVERS. *TT |
| 615073 | SOME V6 ENGINES MAY, ON A VERY INFREQUENT BASIS, HAVE AN OIL ODOR CONDITION THAT IS GENERALLY ENCOUNTERED AFTER THE ENGINE'S OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED.TYPICALLY THE ODOR LASTS APPROXIMATELY 1000 MILES AFTER THE CHANGE OF OIL AND THEN DOES NOT REAPPEAR UNTIL THE NEXT CHANGE OF OIL. *TT |
| 6089996 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60 OR 4T60-E TRANSXALES MAY COMMENT ON A GRINDING AND / OR GROWLING NOISE THAT IS NOTICEABLE WHEN IN PARK ON INCLINE. *TT |
| 6088680 | CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF GRINDING / SCRAPING / GROANING NOISE FROM REAR SUSPENSION. *TT |
| 604343 | SOME OWNERS MAY EXPERIENCE A DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOM OF LONG OR HARD STARTS, CHUGGLE, ROUGH IDLE AND LIGHT OR INTERMITTENT MISFIRE. *TT |
| 601915 | COMMENTS ON A TICKING TYPE NOISE THAT BEGINS SHORTLY AFTER COLD ENGINE START-UP AND GRADUALLY DIMINISHES AS THE ENGINE WARMS UP. *YC |
| 601769 | INFORMATION ON GROWLING NOISE IN TRANSAXLE DURING FIRST FOUR MINUTES AFTER START UP. *YC |
| 600282 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOM OF LONG OR HARD STARTS, CHUGGLE, ROUGH IDLE AND LIGHT OR INTERMITTENT MISFIRE. *YC |
| 54419 | COMMENT THAT THE ABS LIGHT IS ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) 46 AND 86 SET AS CURRENT OR HISTORY. *YC |
| 54418 | SOME VEHICLES EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTIES TO DEPRESS ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND/OR AN ACCELERATOR CABLE SEPARATION. *YC |
| 54328 | EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT STEERING COLUMN SNAP OR CLICK NOISE WHEN TURNING. *YC |
| 54066 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOMS DUE TO FUEL INJECTOR DEPOSITS. *YC |
| 52580 | DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND/OR ACCELERATOR CABLE SEPARATION (INSTALL ACCELERATOR CABLE AND CLIP). *TW |
| 51497 | COLD START RATTLE NOISE (DIAGNOSIS/SERVICE PROCEDURE). *TW |
| 51272 | RECALL 97V-017 - PIVOT AND (PULSE/DIMMER) WINDSHIELD WASHER SWITCH - GENERAL MOTORS HAS DECIDED THAT A DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXISTS IN CERTAIN 1994 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX, 1994-95 BUICK REGAL, OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME AND 1995 CHEVROLET LUMINA/MONTECARLO MODEL VEHICLES - SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A STRAINED OR SEPARATED WASHER/WIPER SWITCH POWER FEED WIRE -THIS MAY CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPER TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY AND COULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN INOPERATIV WIPERS - IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR IN A SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD |
| 50571 | COLD START RATTLE NOISE. *TW |
| 45881 | GRINDING AND/OR GROWLING NOISE IN PARK ON INCLINE.*SD |
| 45820 | UNKNOWN |
| 45815 | COLD ENGINE TICK OR RATTLE AFTER START-UP (REPLACE PISTON/PIN ASSEMBLY). *SD |
| 43039 | UNKNOWN |
| 43036 | UNKNOWN |
| 43032 | UNKNOWN |
| 41074 | LEFT REAR DOOR BINDS WHEN OPENING (BEND SEAL STRIP MOUNTING FLANGE). *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)