Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Buick Regal, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering76
- Engine and engine cooling55
- Electrical system51
- Engine29
- Visibility27
- Service brakes, hydraulic24
- Exterior lighting22
- Power train12
- Tires11
- Structure9
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 6 1998 Regal vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them. 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 1998 Buick Regal failed the safety check 1.59% of the time — 7% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 99,988 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 11.7–12.7 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 269–292 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regal · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 13.9 | 8.9 | 11.7 |
| Regal # · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 15.1 | 9.7 | 12.7 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
6 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Buick Regal.
| 2015501 23 Oct 2015 | Engine On certain vehicles equipped with a 3.8L engine, degradation of the front rocker cover gasket may result in eventual oil seepage. Under hard braking, drops of … |
| 2009105 8 Apr 2009 | Engine On certain vehicles equipped with a 3.8L naturally aspirated engine, degradation of the front rocker cover gasket may result in eventual oil seepage. Under har… |
| 2008081 5 Mar 2008 | Engine On certain Grand Prix GTP and Regal GS vehicles equipped with a 3.8L supercharged engine, degradation of the front rocker cover gasket may result in eventual oi… |
| 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… |
| 2000003 5 Jan 2000 | Lights And Instruments Certain vehicles do not comply with the requirements of CMVSS 108 - Lighting Equipment and Retroreflective Devices. The vertical vehicle headlamp aiming device… |
| 1998109 28 May 1998 | Lights And Instruments THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH C.M.V.S.S. 108 - LIGHTING SYSTEM AND RETROREFLECTIVE DEVICES. THE ENGLISH OWNER MANUALS FOR THE OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE AND THE E… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE OWNER MANUALS DO NOT CONTAIN THE REQUIREMENT INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE VEHICLE HEADLAMP AIMING DEVICE. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
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 1998 Buick Regal: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 636650 | SUBJECT REGARDING CARPET PULLING OUT FROM UNDER FROM THE REAR DOOR SILL PLATE, LEFT OR RIGHT SIDE. *TT |
| 636475 | INFORMATION ON REFINISHING ALUMINUM WHEELS. *TT |
| 636448 | VEHICLES WITH THE CJ2 AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONING AND WITHOUT THE U20 CLUSTER WHICH IS THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER AND THE CJ2 AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONER DISPLAYS THE CELSIUS AND NOT FAHRENHEIT. *TT |
| 634963 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THERE IS A HOLE IN THE SHIFTER BOOT IN VEHICLES WITH FLOOR SHIFTS. *TT |
| 634813 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT ON A REPEAT ENGINE OIL PAN LEAK. *TT |
| 631274 | SUBJECT REGARDING VARIOUS DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOMS, MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATES INTERMITTENTLY, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES SEAT, ENGINE WILL NOT START. *SLC |
| 631232 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON THE TIME IT TAKES THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR GLASS TO DEFOG. *SLC |
| 629522 | SUBJECT REGARDING HVAC TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE SIDE TO SIDE AND/OR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES B0361, B0441 SET. *TT |
| 628877 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE CARPETING IS SEPARATING FROM, OR COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE REAR DOOR OPENING SILL PLATE MOLDING. *TT |
| 628826 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON WIND NOISE OR A WHISTLE AROUND THE MIRRORS ON THE FRONT DOORS. *TT |
| 628085 | CONCERNS WHERE THE CARPET PULLS OUT FROM UNDER THE SILL PLATE ON THE LEFT OR RIGHT REAR FOOT WELL AREA. *TT |
| 627977 | INFORMATION ON DIAGNOSING WIND NOISE FROM THE OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR AREA. *TT |
| 627538 | INFORMATION REGARDING ITCHING TYPE NOISE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. *YH |
| 625325 | INFORMATION REGARDING A CLUNK OR POP NOISE IN THE LEFT FRONT FOOT WELL AREA. *YH |
| 623615 | INFORMATION REGARDING EXTRA CLIPS IN THE 4T65E TRANSMISSION. *SLC |
| 623403 | THIS BULLETIN IS BEING ISSUED TO REVISE THE FASTENER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE CALIPER BRACKET REPLACEMENT PROCEDURES IN THE DISC-BRAKE SUB-SECTION OF BRAKES IN THE APPROPRIATE SERVICE MANUAL. *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 |
| 619792 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED FASTENER REQUIREMENTS FOR FRONT AND REAR BRAKE CALIPER BRACKET. *TT |
| 619369 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST IN WHICH THE FUEL GAUGE READS INCORRECTLY / FLUCTUATES, LOW FUEL CHIME SOUNDS PREMATURELY. *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 |
| 615088 | SOME OWNERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE DOOR GLASS STICKS IN THE FULL UP POSITION. THIS CONDITION MAINLY HAPPENS IN WARM WEATHER. *TT |
| 615082 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE RIGHT REAR FLOOR IS WET WITH CLEAN WATER ON VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN VIN BREAKPOINTS W1587942 AND W1584117. *TT |
| 609721 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: 1) THE FUEL GAUGE READING INCORRECTLY. 2) LOW FUEL CHIME SOUNDS PREMATURELY. 3) FUEL GAUGE MAY FLUCTUATE FROM FULL TO EMPTY. *TT |
| 609701 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST OF A HIGH AMOUNT OF EFFORT REQUIRED TO SOUND THE HORN. *TT |
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
WINDSHIELD WIPER
WINDSHIELD WIPER
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation