Defect
EXCESSIVE ENLARGEMENT OF THE WHEEL CYLINDER PILOT HOLE IN THE REAR BRAKE BACKING PLATE COULD ALLOW THE WHEEL CYLINDER TO ROTATE AND CAUSE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. CONSEQUENCE OF…
Remedy
ADD A PART TO PREVENT WHEEL CYLINDER FROM ROTATING.
1978 Buick Regal Recalls
Recalls on record Updated July 2026
The 1978 Buick Regal has 6 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 12,961,101 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 1 complaint with NHTSA, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
Defect
REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE AXLES THAT WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THIS CONDITION MAY RESULT IN SEPARATION OF THE AXLE SHAFT AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY FROM THE VEHICLE.
Remedy
THE DEALER WILL INSPECT THE REAR AXLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT WAS MANUFACTURED AT THE BUFFALO PLANT. IF SO, THEY WILL MAKE AXLE MEASUREMENTS AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE OR MODIFY AFFECTED AXLE COMPONENTS WITHOUT CHARGE.
Defect
THE BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE LOWER REAR CONTROL ARM TO THE FRAME MAY FRACTURE. THE REAR CONTROL ARM SUPPORTS AND POSITIONS THE REAR AXLE. FRACTURE OF THE BOLTS WOULD ALLOW THE CONTROL ARM TO DROP FREE.
Remedy
BOTH REAR CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT BOLTS WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE.
Defect
UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS, THESE VEHICLES CAN EXPERIENCE TEMPERATURES IN THE FRONT WHEEL OUTER BEARING AREA WHICH CAN AFFECT THE WHEEL BEARING GREASE. THIS CAN RESULT IN INADEQUATE LUBRICATION OF THE BEARING. THIS CONDITION MAY BE FURTHER AGGRAVATED BY IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE FRONT WHEEL SPINDLE NUT.
Remedy
THE DEALER WILL INSTALL NEW FRONT WHEEL OUTER BEARINGS PACKED WITH GREASE AND THE SPINDLE WILL BE COATED WITH LUBRICANT. NEW GREASE RETAINER CAPS WILL ALSO BE INSTALLED TO MAINTAIN GREASE IN OUTER BEARING. THIS WILL BE DONE FREE OF CHARGE.
Defect
THE HUB PORTION OF THE FAN BLADE ASSEMBLY COULD CRACK DUE TO HIGH STRESS LEVELS GENERATED DURING ENGINE OPERATING CONDITIONS. EVENTUALLY, THE BLADE COULD BREAK APART AT THE HUB AND BLADE PIECES COULD BE PROPELLED INTO THE ENGINE. IF THE HOOD IS OPEN WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, THE FRAGMENTS WOULD BE FREE TO FLY FROM…
Remedy
DEALER WILL REPLACE THE FAN BLADE ASSEMBLY WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
Defect
THE INVOLVED VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 110, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS", IN THAT THE TIRE PLACARD DOES NOT CONTAIN LEGIBLE TIRE SIZE INFORMATION.
Remedy
DEALER WILL PROVIDE PROPER LABELS FOR THE OWNER TO INSTALL, OR FOR DEALER INSTALLATION, IF PREFERRED.
Complaints by component
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
Total complaints1
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.
“Brakes failed, causing accident.(ohio state police report)”
Defect investigations
Investigation DP79049 Opened 1979-06-14 · closed 1979-09-17
V-6 STALLING DUE TO FUEL FILTER
V-6 STALLING DUE TO FUEL FILTER
Investigation EA86006 Opened 1985-11-27 · closed 1988-11-28
BRAKE BACKING PLATE
SUMMARY:GM IS CONDUCTING A VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN (85V-048)INVOLVING 2,136,826 VEHICLES. THE RECALL IS LIMITED TO VEHICLES BUILT ATCERTAIN ASSEMBLY PLANTS WHICH, ACCORDING TO GM, OVERTORQUED THE BRAKEPIPE NUT,THEREBY OVERSTRESSING THE WHEEL CYLINDER SUPPORT AREA OF THEBACKING PLATE.ANALYSIS:FRONT BRAKES PROVIDE…
Sources & methodology
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1978 Buick Regal as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.