Buick Regal Reliability — Best and Worst Years by the Data

Quick answer

The 2001 draws 4.03 complaints per run and the 2012 1.78, a 2.3-fold gap within the same model. Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age, so 80% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Service Brakes, with 529 complaints, typically at 4.4 years.

Buick Regal years to avoid — and the best ones

FIG.01·Buick Regal — complaint rate by model year
Model year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Enough history?
2019	1.13	18	16	yes
2018	1.21	17	14	yes
2017	1.43	20	14	yes
2016	1.29	40	31	yes
2015	1.5	33	22	yes
2014	1.22	33	27	yes
2013	2.31	90	39	yes
2012	1.78	89	50	yes
2011	2.11	259	123	yes
2004	2.64	58	22	yes
2003	2.77	83	30	yes
2002	2.85	97	34	yes
2001	4.03	153	38	yes
2000	3.47	149	43	yes
1999	6.71	188	28	yes
1998	7.69	246	32	yes
1997	3.6	108	30	yes
1996	2.79	162	58	yes
1995	1.84	138	75	yes
1994	2.09	98	47	yes
1993	1.41	65	46	yes
1992	1.48	92	62	yes
1991	2.07	153	74	yes
1990	1.63	62	38	yes
1989	1.95	76	39	yes
1988	2.39	91	38	yes
1987	1.67	20	12	yes
1986	1	6	6	yes

ROWS 28·SOURCE NHTSA complaints, grouped by VIN production run

Does the market discount it? In our listings a 2001 Regal asks a median $2,500, against $2,988 for a 2002, the next model year: about 16% less, so sellers do price some of the trouble in.

Among the 5 Buick Regal years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 2001, 2000, 2013; the three worth hunting are 2012, 2011, 2013.

When it starts to break

FIG.02·Buick Regal — age at failure
Age at failure	Complaints	Running total	Warranty
0 years	164	8%	covered
1 year	118	13.8%	covered
2 years	126	20%	covered
3 years	166	28.2%	you pay
4 years	177	36.8%	you pay
5 years	228	48%	you pay
6 years	201	57.9%	you pay
7 years	161	65.8%	you pay
8 years	129	72.1%	you pay
9 years	125	78.3%	you pay
10 years	89	82.6%	you pay
11 years	98	87.4%	you pay
12 years	68	90.8%	you pay
13 years	66	94%	you pay
14 years	73	97.6%	you pay
15 years	49	100%	you pay

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaints with incident dates

Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 20% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 80% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 31% of the complaints here.

What actually fails — and at what age

On the Buick Regal, the early trouble is Hydraulic — reported at around 3.8 years, so a car still under warranty is the one to check for it. What waits further out is Service Brakes at 4.4 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.

FIG.03·Buick Regal — what fails and when
System	Complaints	Typical age	Crash	Fire
Service Brakes	529	4.4 yrs	33	5
Electrical System	470	7 yrs	6	39
Hydraulic	431	3.8 yrs	27	1
Engine	393	9.3 yrs	5	103
Engine And Engine Cooling	278	7.3 yrs	4	86
Steering	260	6.3 yrs	12	2
Exterior Lighting	206	6.7 yrs	2	6
Power Train	162	5.4 yrs	11	4

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaints

What else in this class

6 models share the Regal's vehicle class. Per production run, the Toyota Camry draws 5.65, the Honda Accord 4.02 and the Dodge Challenger 3.27, against 2.46 for the Regal. That is the fewest complaints of the group.

FIG.05·Buick Regal — rivals in the same class
Same class as the Regal	Complaints on record	Recall campaigns	Years built
Toyota Camry	20,039	161	1983–2026
Honda Accord	24,369	415	1981–2026
Dodge Challenger	1,696	77	1981–2026
Toyota Prius	12,873	109	2001–2026
Hyundai Elantra	9,090	117	1992–2026
Nissan Altima	15,657	148	1993–2026

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns

The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.

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Everything on the Buick Regal

Recalls173 campaigns Fuel economy29 mpg best Common problems3,594 complaints Check a VINAgainst this exact build DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space25 cu ft Used prices642 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car1981–2020

Frequently asked questions

Is the Buick Regal reliable?

By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 2.46 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 3 class rivals we compared.

Which Regal years should you avoid?

By complaints per production run, 2001, 2000, 2013. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 2012, 2011, 2013. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.

When do Regal problems usually start?

Half of all complaints arrive by 6 years of age. The most reported system is Service Brakes, typically at 4.4 years, followed by Electrical System.

Will the warranty cover Regal problems?

Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 20% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 31% of the complaints here.

Is the Regal more reliable than the Toyota Camry?

Yes: 2.46 complaints per production run for the Regal against 5.65 for the Toyota Camry.

Complaint records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Rates, age-at-failure and warranty coverage computed by ForCar. Model years newer than 6 years are excluded from rankings — complaints accumulate for a decade (how we measure). Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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