BUICK REGAL · model year

1999 BUICK REGAL

301 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999BUICKREGAL carries 301 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 51 fires, 9 injuries, and 1 fatality. 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 1999 REGAL is engine with 49 filings, followed by electrical system (27) and engine and engine cooling (19). 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 1999 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.

301
Complaints
8
Crashes
51
Fires
9
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

301 filings

Crashes Reported

8 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE49
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM27
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING19
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE14
STEERING12
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS10
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP9
STEERING:RACK AND PINION8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH7
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE6
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION6
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE5
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC5
SUSPENSION4

Recent Complaints

20210110ENGINE

07/25/2021 STARTED THE MOTOR, IN STATIONARY IN PERSONAL DRIVEWAY, IN IDLE IT BEGAN TO PUFF THICK WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAIL PIPE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TURNED ENGINE OFF WITHIN 15 SECONDS OF STARTING THE ENGINE. LEFT VEHICLE OFF FOR 24 HRS, AND TRIED TO TURN THE MOTOR BACK ON AND THE ENGINE SEIZED AND WOULD NOT CRANK OVER. TRIED 3-5 ADDITIONAL TIMES TO START ENGINE, WITH THE SAME OUTCOME. SINCE THIS OCCURENCE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LEFT UNDRIVEABLE AND STILL REMAINS IN PERSONAL DRIVEWAY. RECALL NUMBER: 240412

Mileage: 86,000

20210110VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

07/25/2021 STARTED THE MOTOR, IN STATIONARY IN PERSONAL DRIVEWAY, IN IDLE IT BEGAN TO PUFF THICK WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAIL PIPE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TURNED ENGINE OFF WITHIN 15 SECONDS OF STARTING THE ENGINE. LEFT VEHICLE OFF FOR 24 HRS, AND TRIED TO TURN THE MOTOR BACK ON AND THE ENGINE SEIZED AND WOULD NOT CRANK OVER. TRIED 3-5 ADDITIONAL TIMES TO START ENGINE, WITH THE SAME OUTCOME. SINCE THIS OCCURENCE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LEFT UNDRIVEABLE AND STILL REMAINS IN PERSONAL DRIVEWAY. RECALL NUMBER: 240412

Mileage: 86,000

20210110VISIBILITY/WIPER

07/25/2021 STARTED THE MOTOR, IN STATIONARY IN PERSONAL DRIVEWAY, IN IDLE IT BEGAN TO PUFF THICK WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAIL PIPE AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. TURNED ENGINE OFF WITHIN 15 SECONDS OF STARTING THE ENGINE. LEFT VEHICLE OFF FOR 24 HRS, AND TRIED TO TURN THE MOTOR BACK ON AND THE ENGINE SEIZED AND WOULD NOT CRANK OVER. TRIED 3-5 ADDITIONAL TIMES TO START ENGINE, WITH THE SAME OUTCOME. SINCE THIS OCCURENCE VEHICLE HAS BEEN LEFT UNDRIVEABLE AND STILL REMAINS IN PERSONAL DRIVEWAY. RECALL NUMBER: 240412

Mileage: 86,000

20191217ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WEIRD ENGINE NOISE , WHEN SWITCHING THE IGNITION SWITCH SOMETIMES DELAY, ALSO DASH LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS ALSO AC DOESN'T WORK AND LOW OIL , LOW AIR , AND LOW COOLANT LIGHTS TURN ON EVEN IF ALL OF THEM ARE FULL AT THE RIGHT LEVEL .

20191217ENGINE

WEIRD ENGINE NOISE , WHEN SWITCHING THE IGNITION SWITCH SOMETIMES DELAY, ALSO DASH LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS ALSO AC DOESN'T WORK AND LOW OIL , LOW AIR , AND LOW COOLANT LIGHTS TURN ON EVEN IF ALL OF THEM ARE FULL AT THE RIGHT LEVEL .

20191217UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WEIRD ENGINE NOISE , WHEN SWITCHING THE IGNITION SWITCH SOMETIMES DELAY, ALSO DASH LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS ALSO AC DOESN'T WORK AND LOW OIL , LOW AIR , AND LOW COOLANT LIGHTS TURN ON EVEN IF ALL OF THEM ARE FULL AT THE RIGHT LEVEL .

20190128AIR BAGS

PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. TAKATA INFLATORS

Mileage: 120,000

20180911STEERING

AUGUST 2017', THE STEERING BEGAN TO PULL VERY SLIGHTLY LEFT AND RIGHT AT ALL SPEEDS BUT MORE NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEEDS OR WHEN TURNING THE WHEELS AT A STOP WITH A VERY SLIGHT CLUNK NOISE THAT GOT LOUDER OVER THE YEAR. VISIBLE INSPECTION AT MY REPAIR SHOP DURING A FLAT REAR TIRE REPAIR DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WORN OUT OR DAMAGED BUT SUGGESTED MAYBE A BALL JOINT COULD BE GETTING OLD ENOUGH TO NEED REPLACED AS IT DID HAVE ABOUT 158,000 OR SO MILES ON IT BUT THEY COULDN'T INDICATE IF IT WAS A BALL JOINT SPECIFICALLY AS THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL MOVEMENT OR NOISE FROM ONE. I ALSO CHECKED AND FOUND NO ISSUES WITH ANY COMPONENT UNDERNEATH. NO LEAKS AND POWER STEERING FLUID WAS GOOD.THEN SEPTEMBER 7, 2018', WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN THE STEERING MADE A LOUD CLUNK STEERING LEFT AND REALLY BEGAN TO PULL ESPECIALLY LEFT. I GOT IT HOME 3 MILES LATER AND PUT IT ON RAMPS AND HAD SOMEONE WORK THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH AND I FOUND THE CLUNK IS COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE RACK AND PINION ASSE

Mileage: 162,000

20171005POWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK REGAL. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PLACE THE GEAR SHIFTER IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND BEGAN TO SHAKE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON AN INCLINE, IT FAILED TO PROPERLY ACCELERATE AND STARTED TO SHAKE. ALL OF THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PENSKE CHEVROLET OF CERRITOS (18605 STUDEBAKER RD, CERRITOS, CA 90703 (562) 924-1676). BUT NO DIAGNOSTIC FAILURE CODES WERE FOUND AND THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BOULEVARD BUICK GMC (2800 CHERRY AVE, SIGNAL HILL, CA 90755 (562) 492-1000) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE OIL NEEDED TO BE CHANGED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Mileage: 80,000

20170228FireENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 BUICK REGAL. AFTER DRIVING AND PARKING THE VEHICLE, SMOKE AND FLAMES APPEARED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THERE WAS A RECALL REGARDING THE FAILURE, BUT THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION TOO LATE. THE RECALL INFORMATION AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

20170210FireENGINE

THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE NO MORE THAN 3MINUTES AFTER I PARKED THE CAR. THE VALVE COVER RECALL WAS REPAIRED IN 2016. CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. I JUST HAPPENED TO GO BACK OUT TO THE CAR TO GET MY CELL PHONE WHEN I SAW SMOKE. I OPEN THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES. I USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO OUT HE FLAME OUT. NOW THE CAR STARTS BUT RUNS TOO ROUGH TO EVEN TRUST TO DRIVE IT! WHY HAVE THE RECALL IF IT WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE ANYWAYS!

20170210FireUNKNOWN OR OTHER

THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE NO MORE THAN 3MINUTES AFTER I PARKED THE CAR. THE VALVE COVER RECALL WAS REPAIRED IN 2016. CAR WAS RUNNING FINE. I JUST HAPPENED TO GO BACK OUT TO THE CAR TO GET MY CELL PHONE WHEN I SAW SMOKE. I OPEN THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES. I USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO OUT HE FLAME OUT. NOW THE CAR STARTS BUT RUNS TOO ROUGH TO EVEN TRUST TO DRIVE IT! WHY HAVE THE RECALL IF IT WAS GOING TO CATCH FIRE ANYWAYS!

20161030FireENGINE

ON 10/28/2016 MY WIFE HAD DROVE THE CAR ABOUT 3 MILES TO THE STORE DID SOME SHOPPING FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES. SHE RETURNED HOME THE 3 MILES PARKED THE CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF THE GARAGE AND WENT IN SIDE. SHE WAS IN THE GARAGE A FEW MINUTES LATER AND SAW SMOKE FILLING THE GARAGE. SHE WENT OUT THE BACK DOOR AND AROUND THE HOUSE AND THE CAR WAS IN FLAMES. NEIGHBORS HAD ALL READY CALLED 911. IT TOOK ABOUT TEN MINUTES FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO ARRIVE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE BAY AND FRONT OF THE CAR WAS DESTROYED. THE PAINT WAS BURNED OFF OF THE GARAGE DOOR AND BLISTERED PAINT AND SOOT ON THE HOUSE. THE HOOD STRUT EXPLODED AND PUT A HOLE IN THE GARAGE DOOR.

Mileage: 100,000

20160922CrashPOWER TRAIN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK REGAL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK AND THE CONTACT EXITED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY REVERSED BACKWARDS. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO RE-ENTER THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND WAS DRAGGED BACKWARDS. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE LEGS AND CHEST. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE STAIRS OF AN APARTMENT BUILDING AND THEN CRASHED INTO A RAILING. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER RECEIVED ON THE SPOT MEDICAL ATTENTION FROM AMBULATORY CARE, BUT DID NOT GO TO A HOSPITAL FOR FURTHER TREATMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN BACK TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE BY ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO ASSISTED THE CONTACT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED YET TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

20160916FireENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 BUICK REGAL. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE THE CONTACT WAS PARKING IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES BEFORE THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARRIVED. POLICE AND FIRE REPORTS WERE FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 09V116000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 04V375000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 175,000.

Mileage: 175,000

20160909FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH IN MARCH, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CONTACT WALKED HOME TO CALL HER HUSBAND. WHEN THE CONTACT STATED AND HER HUSBAND ARRIVED BACK TO THE VEHICLE, IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED TO THE GROUND. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE AT THE SCENE AND REPORTS WERE FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE REMNANT OF THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2016, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 08V118000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 99V356000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

20160909FireENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH IN MARCH, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE CONTACT WALKED HOME TO CALL HER HUSBAND. WHEN THE CONTACT STATED AND HER HUSBAND ARRIVED BACK TO THE VEHICLE, IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED TO THE GROUND. THE POLICE AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE AT THE SCENE AND REPORTS WERE FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE REMNANT OF THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AWAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2016, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 08V118000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND 99V356000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

20160906FireENGINE

ON 9/1/16, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED, TURNED OFF, AND UNOCCUPIED. HALF THE CAR BURNED--TOTAL LOSS. I LEARNED SHORTLY AFTER THAT IT WAS UNDER RECALL FOR UNDER HOOD FIRES--DO I HAVE ANY WAY TO RECOVER MY LOSSES FROM GM? I ONLY HAD LIABILITY COVERAGE, SO THERE WON'T BE ANY INSURANCE MONEY.

Mileage: 145,000

20160730ENGINE

I HAVE THE RECALL LETTER. I HAVE BEEN TO DUER SPEET IN FREMONT MI 4 TIMES AND TO JIM WINTER IN JACKSON MI. BOTH PLACES TOLD ME THEY WOULD CALL AS SOON AS THE PARTS CAME IN. I HAVE BEEN WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM SINCE FEB. IT'S A SAFETY RECALL!! DOES ANYBODY CARE THAT THIS CAR SHOULD BE FIXED?

20160713ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I CALLED A GM MOTORS DEALER AND THEY TELL ME THAT THEIR IS NO RECALLS ON MY CAR, BUT WHEN I LOOKED ON THIS SITE, THEIR IS 8 CODES WITH THE ONE RECALL I JUST GOT DONE NOT LONG AGO!! I WANT MY CAR FIXED!

Compare 1999BUICKREGAL to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 BUICK REGAL have?
The 1999 BUICK REGAL has 301 NHTSA complaints, 8 crashes, 51 fires, 9 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 BUICK REGAL?
The most-complained component for the 1999 BUICK REGAL is ENGINE with 49 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Is the 1999 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.