RecallRepo

1996 Buick Regal Recalls

Recalls on record Updated July 2026

The 1996 Buick Regal has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,069,307 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 273 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Recall campaigns

STEERING 03V527000 2003-12-11 750,283 affected
Defect

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES HAVE LOWER PINION BEARINGS IN THE POWER RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY IN WHICH THE RETAINER TABS WERE NOT CRIMPED PROPERLY. THESE RETAINERS COULD FAIL AND PERMIT THE BALL BEARINGS TO ESCAPE.

Consequence

IF THIS OCCURS, THE PINION SHAFT CAN BE FORCED UPWARD DURING LEFT TURNS AND BACK DOWN AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS MOVED BACK AND TO THE RIGHT. IF THE PINION SHAFT MOVES FURTHER, THE DRIVER WILL NEED TO EXERT MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, SIMILAR TO A VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER ASSISTED STEERING. IF THE PINION…

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW LOWER PINION BEARING UNLESS INSPECT OF THE EXISTING BEARING INDICATES THAT REPLACEMENT OF THE GEAR ASSEMBLY IS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537; OR PONTIAC…

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 96V116000 1996-07-01 275,811 affected
Defect

A BACKFIRE DURING ENGINE STARTING CAN CAUSE BREAKAGE OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD.

Consequence

THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE A NO-START CONDITION AND POSSIBLY AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL UPDATE THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING. UNTIL THE CAMPAIGN REPAIR IS MADE, THE VEHICLE HOOD SHOULD BE SHUT WHENEVER STARTING THE VEHICLE TO REDUCE THE CHANCE OF PERSONAL INJURY.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 96V069000 1996-04-19 43,213 affected
Defect

THE LEFT FRONT BRAKE LINE CAN CONTACT THE TRANSAXLE MOUNTING BRACKET OR ATTACHMENT BOLT.

Consequence

THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE THE BRAKE LINE TO WEAR THROUGH, RESULTING IN LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID AND EVENTUAL LOSS OF ONE-HALF OF THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE SYSTEM, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR PROPER BRAKE LINE CLEARANCE AND REPOSITION THOSE BRAKE LINES FOUND TO HAVE LESS THAN MINIMAL CLEARANCE. ADDITIONALLY, THOSE BRAKE LINES FOUND TO HAVE AN INDENTATION CAUSED BY THE CONTACT WILL BE REPLACED AND PROPERLY ROUTED.

Complaints by component

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
15
4crashes3injuries
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
12
7crashes9injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
11
3fires
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
10
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
9
AIR BAGS
8
1crashes3injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
8
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
8
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
8
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
7
Total complaints273

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“On july 17, 2019 at 8:40am, I got into my car in my driveway. I turned the key in the ignition and the airbag exploded. (the car was not started.) the airbag sounded like a shotgun being fired and a powder like substance immediately filled the car. The airbag itself hit me in the abdominal area. I…”

AIR BAGS · reported 2019-07-17

“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick regal. The contact stated that the brake and abs warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent facility for diagnostic testing and failure codes: c1265 (rear abs motor circuit shorted to ground) and c1286 (ebcm/ebtcm failed to illuminate…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2018-04-02

“Tl* the contact owns a 1996 buick regal. The contact stated that the brake and abs warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent facility for diagnostic testing and failure codes: c1265 (rear abs motor circuit shorted to ground) and c1286 (ebcm/ebtcm failed to illuminate…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2018-04-02

“Drivers side door does not open from inside or outside. The door does not work with key either. Lock seems to working but door does not open. The car only has 60,000 miles on it. This is a very common problem with this car and should be a recall.”

STRUCTURE:BODY · reported 2016-02-05

“While merging onto the freeway, I was taking my car to be smogged. At speed, I noticed a little white puff of smoke emit from the right side of the engine bay. As I proceeded to start moving to the shoulder, this puff had turned into a gray plume. As I finally reached the shoulder, the entire…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2015-10-15

“While merging onto the freeway, I was taking my car to be smogged. At speed, I noticed a little white puff of smoke emit from the right side of the engine bay. As I proceeded to start moving to the shoulder, this puff had turned into a gray plume. As I finally reached the shoulder, the entire…”

ENGINE · reported 2015-10-15

“While merging onto the freeway, I was taking my car to be smogged. At speed, I noticed a little white puff of smoke emit from the right side of the engine bay. As I proceeded to start moving to the shoulder, this puff had turned into a gray plume. As I finally reached the shoulder, the entire…”

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM · reported 2015-10-15

“My car started to not start after being driven and shortly after did not want to start in a simple idle. Somehow fuel has been getting trapped in a pressurized line and I'm having to release the fuel out. Oil leaked into the spark plugs caused a pilot flame. I have read multiple accounts of this…”

ENGINE · reported 2015-03-03

Defect investigations

Investigation EA02030 Opened 2002-10-22 · closed 2004-03-09

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME…

Investigation EA02030 Opened 2002-10-22 · closed 2004-03-09

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME…

Investigation EA02030 Opened 2002-10-22 · closed 2004-03-09

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

EA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GMEA02-030 IS CLOSED WITH GM?S ACTIONS IN 03V-473 AND 04V-090 RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 529,000 MY 1998-99 C- AND H-BODY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DEFECTIVE FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS.THESE VEHICLES WERE EQUIPPED WITH PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS THAT ARE UNABLE TO CONTAIN PRESSURES THAT OCCUR IN SOME…

Investigation EA03019 Opened 2003-09-15 · closed 2003-12-18

POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE

GM'S LETTER TO NHTSA DATED DECEMBER 11, 2003, EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL RECALL (NHTSA 02V286) TO INCLUDE CERTAIN W-BODY VEHICLES: 96-97 OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME; 98 OLDS INTRIGUE; 97-98 OLDS CUTLASS; 97-98 CHEVY LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND MALIBU; 96 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX; AND 96-98 BUICK REGAL.THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS…

Investigation EA03019 Opened 2003-09-15 · closed 2003-12-18

POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE

GM'S LETTER TO NHTSA DATED DECEMBER 11, 2003, EXPANDS ITS ORIGINAL RECALL (NHTSA 02V286) TO INCLUDE CERTAIN W-BODY VEHICLES: 96-97 OLDS CUTLASS SUPREME; 98 OLDS INTRIGUE; 97-98 OLDS CUTLASS; 97-98 CHEVY LUMINA, MONTE CARLO AND MALIBU; 96 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX; AND 96-98 BUICK REGAL.THE NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS…

Investigation EA96023 Opened 1996-09-27 · closed 1998-02-13

INAPPROPRIATE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT

THE FAILURE RATE (1.25/100K) ON THIS ISSUE IS LOW.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF THE AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITURE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.ODI WILL CONTINUE…

Investigation EA99026 Opened 1999-08-31 · closed 2001-12-28

INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT

There is no summary currently available

Investigation PE02050 Opened 2002-06-13 · closed 2002-10-22

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

Investigation RQ03001 Opened 2003-01-02 · closed 2003-09-15

POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE

GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS…

Investigation RQ03001 Opened 2003-01-02 · closed 2003-09-15

POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURE

GM CONDUCTED A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA # 02V286) TO ADDRESS A STEERING DEFECT PERTAINING TO A LOWER PINION BEARING (LPB) WITHIN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR (R&P). THE RECALL COVERED 1,159,156 MODEL YEAR 1997-1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX VEHICLES BUILT BETWEEN MARCH 1, 1996 AND OCTOBER 31, 1997, 1996-1998 PONTIAC TRANS…

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 1996 Buick Regal as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.