Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Buick Regal, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system36
- Engine33
- Engine and engine cooling17
- Visibility7
- Exterior lighting6
- Seats5
- Steering4
- Service brakes, hydraulic4
- Wheels4
- Fuel system, gasoline4
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, 14 2002 Regal vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 14 people died inside them, and 4 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 2002 Buick Regal failed the safety check 3.47% of the time — 73% more often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 94,871 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 12.0–12.3 L/100 km (about 19–20 mpg US), CO₂ 276–283 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regal · Mid-size · Regular gasoline | 14.2 | 9.4 | 12.0 |
| Regal # · Mid-size · Premium gasoline | 14.7 | 9.5 | 12.3 |
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 2002 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… |
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.
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 2002 Buick Regal: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 637385 | SOME VEHICLES HAVE EXHIBIT THE TILT STEERING COLUMN LOCKING. *TT |
| 637216 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE JUNE EDITION OF EMERGING ISSUES FOR VARIOUS MODELS. *TT |
| 637207 | THIS MESSAGE DEALS WITH WIND NOISE AT THE RIGHT OR LEFT LOWER A-PILLAR OR OUTSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR LOCATION. *TT |
| 636704 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE JD POWER RESULTS FOR 2002 MODEL YEAR. *TT |
| 636682 | SUBJECT REGARDING WINDSHIELD REPLACEMENT DUE TO WATER LEAKS AND / OR STRESS CRACKS. *TT |
| 636636 | SUBJECT REGARDING POOR RADIO RECEPTION WITH OR WITHOUT REAR DEFOGGER OPERATION, NORMALLY WITH THE RADIO TUNED TO AM AND UNDER 800 KILOHERTZ. *TT |
| 636626 | SIR DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES B0041 WHICH A LEFT FRONT DRIVERS SEAT OPEN DEPLOYMENT LOOP OR B1001 OPTION CONFIGUARTION ERROR. *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 |
| 635008 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON (SES) INDICATOR IS ILLUMINATED AND THAT WHILE THE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ARE EXTREMELY HARSH. *TT |
| 635006 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65-E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS FOR VARIOUS MODELS FROM 1997 THROUGH 2002. *TT |
| 634997 | INFORMATION ON SERVICING 4T65E TRANSAXLE SPACER PLATE AND GASKETS. *TT |
| 634985 | CONCERNS WITH SLIPS, HARSH UPSHIFT OR GARAGE SHIFTS, LAUNCH SHUDDERS, FLARES, ERRATIC SHIFTS AND INTERMITTENT CONCERNS, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P1811 OR P0748 SET. *TT |
| 634963 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THERE IS A HOLE IN THE SHIFTER BOOT IN VEHICLES WITH FLOOR SHIFTS. *TT |
| 634954 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0713. *TT |
| 634931 | SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0716 AND / OR P0717, P0730, P0753, P0758, P1860, P1887 OR OTHER MISCELLANEOUS TRANSMISSION TROUBLE CODES SET. *TT |
| 634803 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON A CLUNK TYPE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DURING A TURNING MANEUVER. *TT |
| 634678 | SUBJECT REGARDNG THE ADDITION OF DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE U1500 FOR GENERATION 4 ONSTAR. *TT |
| 634563 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS PARK IN THE OUTWIPE (VERTICAL) POSITION. *TT |
| 634305 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT OF A WIND RUSH NOISE COMING FROM ONE OR BOTH OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRRORS. *TT |
| 634242 | CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM REGARDING BRAKE BOOSTER POWER PISTON. *TT |
| 634236 | CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM BULLETIN REGARDING VEHICLES WITH BRAKE BOOSTER CONTAINING CERTAIN INTERNAL PARTS THAT ARE NOT TO SPECIFICATION. *TT |
| 631267 | INCORRECT TRANSMISSION SHIFTS, POOR PERFORMANCE OF ENGINE, TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, SES LAMP ILLUMINATED, DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0756 AND P0757. *SLC UPDATE. *TT |
| 631232 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMMENT ON THE TIME IT TAKES THE RIGHT SIDE DOOR GLASS TO DEFOG. *SLC |
| 631210 | SUBJECT REGARDING REVISED DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0341 CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR PERFORMANCE. *SLC |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation