SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

1987 Buick Regal

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1987 Buick Regal do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 29.

About this comparison →
25Owner complaints

Model-year median: 29

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

6Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
6
19849
198512
198625
1987123
1988106
198977
1990
Compare all Regal years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
16Seat Belts
3Engine And Engine Cooling
2Service Brakes
1Steering
1
All reported categories
Suspension
1Unknown Or Other
1Vehicle Speed Control
1Wheels
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 5 of 25 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Service Brakes complaints

1 reports
Clear category filter
125,000 miles · Jun 1, 2014
Service Brakes

BRAKES AT TIMES TAKE EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO STOP CAR. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND WILL THEN WORK NORMAL AGAIN. THIS IS A TURBO REGAL EQUIPPED WITH A POWER MASTER BRAKE SYSTEM UNIQUE TO THESE CARS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AS IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO HAVE A BRAKE SYSTEM T…

Read full complaint

BRAKES AT TIMES TAKE EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO STOP CAR. HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND WILL THEN WORK NORMAL AGAIN. THIS IS A TURBO REGAL EQUIPPED WITH A POWER MASTER BRAKE SYSTEM UNIQUE TO THESE CARS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THESE CARS AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AS IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO HAVE A BRAKE SYSTEM THAT CAN FAIL WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10595436

Official recalls

2

89V102000 · Vehicle Speed Control

Jun 16, 1989

A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF).

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: SERVO ROD ASSEMBLY COULD CATCH ON ENGINE COMPONENTS ANDRESULT IN A STUCK THROTTLE WITH POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.

87V168000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:column Shift

Oct 26, 1987

MANUAL VALVE LINK IN THE TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY FORMED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE VALVE LINK COULD SEPARATE RESULTING IN A GEARSELECTION DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE DRIVER SELECTS. ALSO, CAR COULD BE STARTEDWITH TRANSMISSION IN GEAR ALLOWING VEHICLE TO MOVE IN AN UNANTICIPATEDDIRECTION.

Remedy: REPLACE THE MANUAL VALVE DETENT LEVER LINK.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

6

PE94048 · SUB-FRAME Absorber Failure

Opened Jun 21, 1994 · Closed Dec 30, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

There is no summary currently available

EA92024 · Sticking Throttle

Opened Jun 26, 1992 · Closed Jan 31, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE91072 · Steering Wheel Separation

Opened May 1, 1991 · Closed Jul 8, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering

There is no summary currently available

PE90014 · Cruise Control Failure

Opened Oct 31, 1989 · Closed Feb 28, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Equipment

There is no summary currently available

PE89145 · Parking Brake Cable

Opened Jul 21, 1989 · Closed Sep 22, 1989

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Parking Brake

===

C89001 · Throttle NON-RETURN

Opened Mar 6, 1989 · Closed Jan 16, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available