Vehicle make

BUICK

27,820 NHTSA complaints and 130 safety recalls across 28 models — every figure pulled straight from federal records.

Complaints
27,820
Recalls
130
Models
28

How does BUICK compare?

BUICKTOYOTAAll makes

Average NHTSA crash rating(higher is safer)Beats TOYOTA
BUICK4.94 ★
TOYOTA4.69 ★
All makes4.67 ★
Complaints per model(lower is better)Beats TOYOTA
BUICK994
TOYOTA1,382
All makes500
Recalls per model(lower is better)Behind TOYOTA
BUICK4.6
TOYOTA3.7
All makes3.4

BUICK models by complaint volume

Top nameplates, all model-years combined

complaints

What this shows Within BUICK's lineup, the LESABRE carries the most NHTSA complaints. High-volume nameplates accumulate more filings simply because more of them are on the road — drill into a model for its per-year and per-component breakdown.

Source NHTSA consumer complaint database As of 2026

BUICK is registered with NHTSA as a vehicle manufacturer and carries 27,820 consumer safety complaints across 28 nameplates in the Office of Defects Investigation public database. The brand has been the subject of 130 safety recalls and is currently tied to 1 active or historical federal investigation. Every one of those figures is pulled directly from NHTSA's published datasets — not from owner forums, manufacturer marketing, or third-party reliability surveys — so the numbers you see reflect the same data federal regulators use when they decide whether to escalate a preliminary evaluation into an engineering analysis or a formal defect order.

Model-level volume varies widely inside any automaker's portfolio: best-sellers accumulate complaints simply because more vehicles are on the road, while limited-run trims and discontinued nameplates often carry disproportionately high complaint rates per unit sold. Inside BUICK's lineup, the single highest complaint count sits with the LESABRE (4,864 filings, model years 1971–2006), followed by REGAL and ENCLAVE. Use the table below to compare nameplate-by-nameplate counts, then drill into a specific model to see which components dominate and which model years concentrate the crash, fire, and fatality reports.

No open NHTSA investigations are currently tracked against BUICK in this dataset, meaning the Office of Defects Investigation is not, at this moment, reviewing a specific defect allegation for the brand. Recall status, by contrast, is backward-looking: it tells you what the manufacturer has already been compelled to remedy, not what they are being asked to remedy next. Together, complaints, investigations, and recalls form the three-layer early-warning system federal safety regulators have relied on since the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966.

Which BUICK models get the most complaints?

ModelComplaints
LESABRE4,864
REGAL4,444
ENCLAVE3,193
LACROSSE2,882
CENTURY2,393
PARK AVENUE1,880
RENDEZVOUS1,795
LUCERNE1,322
ENCORE843
SKYLARK753
VERANO663
RAINIER525
ROADMASTER452
RIVIERA438
TERRAZA341
ENVISION321
ENCORE GX257
ENVISTA111
BUICK103
CASCADA59
REATTA56
ELECTRA49
REGAL TOURX26
SKYHAWK16
BUICK TRUCK13
SOMERSET10
ESTATE7
ALLURE4

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints has BUICK received?
BUICK has received 27,820 NHTSA complaints across 28 models and 130 safety recalls.
Is BUICK reliable?
BUICK has 27,820 total NHTSA complaints across all models. Compare complaint counts per model and model year to identify which BUICK vehicles have the fewest reported issues.
How do I check for BUICK recalls?
Browse BUICK models on PlainCars to see recall history by model and year, or visit NHTSA.gov and enter your VIN for official recall status. All recall data on PlainCars comes directly from NHTSA.
Where does BUICK complaint data come from?
All complaint and recall data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are filed by vehicle owners and NHTSA publishes them publicly.
What do BUICK complaints cover?
NHTSA complaints include consumer-reported issues with brakes, engines, airbags, steering, electrical systems, and other safety-related components. Each complaint may note crashes, fires, injuries, or deaths associated with the defect.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Top BUICK Models

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.