Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Buick Regal, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Service brakes, hydraulic39
- Engine and engine cooling36
- Electrical system24
- Air bags21
- Steering18
- Fuel system, gasoline17
- Structure10
- Seat belts10
- Suspension10
- Power train9
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 21 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 11 1996 Regal vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 3 people died inside them, and 1 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1996 Buick Regal failed the safety check 1.84% of the time — 25% more often than the average 1996 passenger car (1.47%). Median odometer at inspection: 91,541 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 2 variants: combined 11.4–11.8 L/100 km (about 20–21 mpg US), CO₂ 262–271 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regal · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.6 | 8.7 | 11.4 |
| Regal · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 9.3 | 11.8 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1996 Buick Regal.
| 2003336 16 Dec 2003 | Steering On certain vehicles, the lower pinion bearings retainer tabs were not crimped properly. These retainers may fail and permit the ball bearings to escape. If th… |
| 1996099 11 Jul 1996 | Engine THESE VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A BACKFIRE DURING ENGINE STARTING THAT CAN CAUSE BREAKAGE OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS CAN CAUSE A NO-START CONDITION AND POSS… |
| 1996065 29 Apr 1996 | Brakes THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE LINE MAY CONTACT THE TRANSAXLE MOUNTING BRACKET OR ATTACHMENT BOLT. THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE BRAKE LINE TO WEAR THROUGH, RESULTING IN L… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE RETAINERS COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.
A BACKFIRE DURING ENGINE STARTING CAN CAUSE BREAKAGE OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD.
THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE LINE CAN CONTACT THE TRANSAXLE MOUNTING BRACKET OR ATTACHMENT BOLT.
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 1996 Buick Regal: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 634813 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 634708 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD INSTALLATION. *TT |
| 620835 | EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION, OR AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK NEAR OR UNDER THE THROTTLE BODY AREA OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. *TT |
| 620810 | SUBJECT REGARDING POLYMER SERVICE PISTONS. *TT |
| 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 |
| 619177 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 619176 | ENGINE COOLANT CONSUMPTION OR COOLANT LEAK (INSPECT FOR MATERIAL DEGRADATION/REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLDS) *TT UPDATED 11/02/07 *NJ |
| 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 |
| 609669 | A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATING ON THE VEHICLE'S INSTRUMENT PANEL AFTER A LONG DECELERATION WITH THE TRANSMISSION TYPICALLY IN THE OVERDRIVE POSITION. YD |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 54475 | SUBJECT ON HVAC MANUAL CLIMATE CONTROL MODE SELECTOR FIRST PHASE OWNER NOTIFICATION LETTER MAILING. *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 |
| 54327 | COMMENTS OF AN ENGINE OIL LEAK THAT APPEARS TO ORIGINATE TOWARD THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE; REAR OF ENGINE. *YC |
| 54066 | SUBJECT PERTAINING TO DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOMS DUE TO FUEL INJECTOR DEPOSITS. *YC |
| 52600 | CLN INDICATOR APPEARS ON RADIO DISPLAY AND DOES NOT TURN OFF (RESET CLN INDICATOR WITH THE EJECT BUTTON ON TAPE). *TW |
| 52580 | DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND/OR ACCELERATOR CABLE SEPARATION (INSTALL ACCELERATOR CABLE AND CLIP). *TW |
| 52563 | REDUCED ENGINE PERFORMANCE, RESTRICTED FUEL FLOW (CLEAN FUEL TANK, REPLACE IN-LINE FUEL FILTER AND FUEL PUMP STRAINER). *TW |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
INAPPROPRIATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation