Total Complaints
14 filings
BUICK REGAL · model year
1986 BUICK REGAL
14 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986BUICKREGAL carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injury, 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 1986 REGAL is vehicle speed control with 3 filings, followed by structure:frame and members (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper (1). 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 1986 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.
14
Complaints
2
Crashes
3
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020312STRUCTURE
FRONT CRADLE BOLT PULLED THROUGH RETAINER DUE TO CORROSION. *AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY TWO MASTER TECHNICIANS AND WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GET FIXED. *YH
20000725VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES
I TRIED TO CONTACT THE GUY IN THE WSJOURNAL ABOUT ENGINES ACCELERATING, TO NO AVAIL. HAVE HIM SEND ME AN EMAIL AND I WILL ENLIGHTEN HIM AS TO CAUSE ON THE FIRST ONE. HAVENT FIGURED OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS RUN AMOK CAR,YET. BUT WILL SEND DETAILS IN EMAIL! *AK
19990805SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL IS VERY HARD AND SOMETIMES THE PEDAL GOES STRAIGHT TO THE FLOORBOARD. *AK
19990607TIRES
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE RIM AND CAME OFF WHILE IN MOTION. *AK
19980904FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE DRIVING. PREVIOUS REPAIRS WERE DONE, INCLUDING THE TRANSMISSION. SPEED ABOUT 35 MPH, PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT, LEFT CAR PARKED. FIRE DEPARTMENT DID NOT SHOW UP. *AK
19980904FirePOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE DRIVING. PREVIOUS REPAIRS WERE DONE, INCLUDING THE TRANSMISSION. SPEED ABOUT 35 MPH, PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT, LEFT CAR PARKED. FIRE DEPARTMENT DID NOT SHOW UP. *AK
19980526WHEELS
THREE WHEELS HAVE HAD FAILURE IN THEIR STRUCTURE/CRACKS ON THE SPOKES.
19970325FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE REPLACED TWICE, ONCE RESULTING IN ENGINE CATCHING ON FIRE.
19970110VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE JUST TOOK OFF WIDE OPEN WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE MY WIFE HAD TO STAND UP ON THE BRAKES AND REACH DOWN TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF. *AK
19960924CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE PULLING OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY HIS VEHICLE JUST TOOK OFF, CAUSING HIM TO HIT TWO TREES. *AK
19950718SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
HAVING PROBLEM WITH DISC BRAKES CALIPER PINS AND ROTORS FROZE AND RUSTED. TT
19950718SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
HAVING PROBLEM WITH DISC BRAKES CALIPER PINS AND ROTORS FROZE AND RUSTED. TT
19950303STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
CORROSION LEAD TO WASHER FAILURE RESULTING IN SUBFRAME ABSORBER FAILURE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAIL. TT
19950104CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CAR WAS RUN IN PARK PUT CAR IN REVERSE IT ACCELERATED AND HIT FOUR CARS. TT
Compare 1986BUICKREGAL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 BUICK REGAL have?▼
The 1986 BUICK REGAL has 14 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 BUICK REGAL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 BUICK REGAL is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER.
Is the 1986 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.