Total Complaints
10 filings
BUICK REGAL · model year
1985 BUICK REGAL
10 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985BUICKREGAL carries 10 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1985 REGAL is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components with 3 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1985 REGAL. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
10
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010503SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE TRAVELING AND WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL IT WILL NOT TRAVEL TO FLOORBOARD. CONUMER HAS TO APPLY FORCE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20001205ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:HOSES/LINES/PIPING/FITTINGS
CARBON MANOXIDE IS GETTING INTO PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT WHEN HEAT IS IN USE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK DUE TO DESIGN DEFECT CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERS PASSENGER AND DRIVER COMPARTMENT WHEN HEAT IS TURNED ON. SPECIFICALLY, CARBON MONOXIDE ENTERS AT THE POINT WHERE THE HEATER HOSE IS CONNECTED TO THE HEATER CORE. *YH
20000908SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
LEFT FRONT BRAKES ELECTRONIC MOTOR FAILED. YY
19990421ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
NEED SOLUTIONS ON PROBLEMS. NO MENTION OF SAFETY DEFECT. *AK
19980407ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILURE, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL.(OHIO TURNPIKE POLICE REPORT).
19961115STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
DRIVING HOME COULDN'T TURN LEFT OR RIGHT , SO SHE LEFT THE CAR BECAUSE SHE FELT THE STEERING WAS OFF. *AK *JB
19960314ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
PHOTO CELL DEFECTIVE FOR HEADLIGHTS, GO OFF AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING. *SD
19951121CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
RECALL RELATED, 86V030000, THROTTLE WENT INTO OPEN POSITION AFTER PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE,IMPACT 6:00 POSITION AND 12:00 POSITION. TT
19951121CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
RECALL RELATED, 86V030000, THROTTLE WENT INTO OPEN POSITION AFTER PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE,IMPACT 6:00 POSITION AND 12:00 POSITION. TT
19950118SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
DURING SUDDEN PEDAL APPLICATION NO RESPONSE FROM BRAKING SYSTEM. TT
Compare 1985BUICKREGAL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 BUICK REGAL have?▼
The 1985 BUICK REGAL has 10 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 BUICK REGAL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 BUICK REGAL is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1985 BUICK REGAL safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.