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2004 Buick Regal

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Buick Regal do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 29.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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

What owners reported most

All reported categories

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

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

45 reports with mileage · 21 unknown

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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 35 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports2 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

66 reports
24,524 miles · Apr 10, 2014
Electrical System

FIRST TIME MY CAR STALLED AND HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED WAS 15 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT FROM A BUICK DEALER. BEGINNING 9/2011 CAR BEGAN STALLING AT MANY AND VARIOUS TIMES. I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED - TAKING TO MY BUICK DEALER ON MANY OCCASIONS AND TO MY LOCAL AUTO MECHANIC MAKING REPAIRS AS SUGGESTED AND STILL…

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FIRST TIME MY CAR STALLED AND HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED WAS 15 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT FROM A BUICK DEALER. BEGINNING 9/2011 CAR BEGAN STALLING AT MANY AND VARIOUS TIMES. I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED - TAKING TO MY BUICK DEALER ON MANY OCCASIONS AND TO MY LOCAL AUTO MECHANIC MAKING REPAIRS AS SUGGESTED AND STILL MY CAR CONTINUED TO STALL, MOST RECENT TIME OF STALLING - OCT. 2013 - HAD BUICK DEALER AGAIN CHECK AND RESEARCH TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS TO SEE WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THIS PROBLEM - BUICK COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING EVEN AFTER I ASKED THEM 'COULD IT BE MY IGNITION SWITCH' AND WAS TOLD NO. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY LOCAL AUTO MECHANIC AGAIN AND AFTER DOING LOTS OF TESTING - HE REPLACED MY IGNITION SWITCH. CAR HAS NOT STALLED SINCE. AS I UNDERSTAND IT - MY IGNITION SWITCH COULD FAIL AGAIN AND I AM REQUESTING THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL BE REVIEWED AND INCLUDED IN THE 'RECENT' GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10578984

130,000 miles · Apr 1, 2014
Electronic Stability Control (esc)EngineSteering

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 30 MPH WITHOUT NOTICE THE CAR TURNED OFF WITH NO APPARENT REASON. CAUSING THE CAR TO LOOSE POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, AND RAPID LOSS OF SPEED IN A BUSY DOWNTOWN SETTING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 OTHER TIMES SINCE THEN. WE HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ON FORUMS RECENTLY AND EVERYONE WHO HAS REPLACED THEIR IGN…

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DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 30 MPH WITHOUT NOTICE THE CAR TURNED OFF WITH NO APPARENT REASON. CAUSING THE CAR TO LOOSE POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, AND RAPID LOSS OF SPEED IN A BUSY DOWNTOWN SETTING. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 OTHER TIMES SINCE THEN. WE HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ON FORUMS RECENTLY AND EVERYONE WHO HAS REPLACED THEIR IGNITION SWITCH HAS NOT HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. WE WOULD LIKE THIS INVESTIGATED BECAUSE BUICKS ARE NOT ON THE LIST AT THIS TIME FOR THE NATIONAL RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10576480

85,000 miles · Mar 31, 2014
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE KEYS WOULD DANGLE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE KEYS WOULD DANGLE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.

NHTSA ODI #10575939

97,650 miles · Mar 19, 2014
Electrical SystemEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION MODULE FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL SPORADICALLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WOULD SHIFT FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION MODULE FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL SPORADICALLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WOULD SHIFT FROM PARK TO NEUTRAL BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WOULD FLICKER INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE LATER RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPAIRED BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALER THEN STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER. WOULD NEED REPLACING HOWEVER, THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97650.

NHTSA ODI #10573438

25,000 miles · Nov 10, 2012
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes, Hydraulic

1ST TIME VEHICLE WHEELS AND STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED UP WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN BLOCKING TRAFFIC AND HAD TO BE TOWED AFTER POLICE AND NO ONE COULD RELEASE IT. AFTER HAVING TOWED THE VEHICLE TO MY HOME. I WAS ABLE TO RELEASE THE LOCK AND TESTED IT BEFORE I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT TO A GAS STATION FOR GAS. AS I PULLED OUT OF THE…

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1ST TIME VEHICLE WHEELS AND STEERING COMPLETELY LOCKED UP WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN BLOCKING TRAFFIC AND HAD TO BE TOWED AFTER POLICE AND NO ONE COULD RELEASE IT. AFTER HAVING TOWED THE VEHICLE TO MY HOME. I WAS ABLE TO RELEASE THE LOCK AND TESTED IT BEFORE I DECIDED TO DRIVE IT TO A GAS STATION FOR GAS. AS I PULLED OUT OF THE GAS STATION THE VEHICLE LOCKED UP AGAIN BLOCKING TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC COMING AT ME ON A 4 LANE COUNTY ROAD. I SENT A LETTER TO GM REPORTING THE PROBLEM AND THE REPAIR THAT WAS DONE, BUT I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THERE MAY BE OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD THAT COULD END UP WITH MANY DEATHS. AND I AM NOT CONFIDENT THAT MY PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED.

NHTSA ODI #10485466

90,963 miles · Jun 20, 2011
Engine And Engine Cooling

RADIATOR WAS DRAINED, FLUSHED AND REFILLED WITH RECOMMENDED DEXCOOL COOLANT. THEN STARTED TO LEAK ABOUT A PINT A DAY. DEALER SAID THAT FOR $700.00 THEY CAN REPLACE THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS (ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT) WITH STEEL ONES. ON A LIMITED INCOME, I CANNOT HAVE THAT DONE YET. I DAILY ADD A PINT OF COOLANT TO PREVEN…

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RADIATOR WAS DRAINED, FLUSHED AND REFILLED WITH RECOMMENDED DEXCOOL COOLANT. THEN STARTED TO LEAK ABOUT A PINT A DAY. DEALER SAID THAT FOR $700.00 THEY CAN REPLACE THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS (ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT) WITH STEEL ONES. ON A LIMITED INCOME, I CANNOT HAVE THAT DONE YET. I DAILY ADD A PINT OF COOLANT TO PREVENT ENGINE OVERHEATING. I HAVE TO CLEAN MY GARAGE FLOOR EVERY MORNING FROM THE LEAKING. **TT

NHTSA ODI #10407654

Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2009
Fuel System, Other

I HAVE A APRIL, 2004 BUICK REGAL 3.8L V6 ENGINE WITH A PLASTIC IN-TAKE MANIFOLD. GM IS RECALLING 1997-2003, BUT NOT MY 2004 DEALER BANKSON CHEV. N.RICHLAND HILLS, TX (817) 498-2400 SAYS IT WILL COST ME $800.00 TO REPLACE CAN YOU HELP AND ACCEPT THE 2004 BUICK REGAL? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10285809

50,000 miles · May 18, 2009
Engine And Engine Cooling

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR IN HER VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS IDLING AND IN MOTION. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT FOUND NO FAILURES. SHE IS FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE FTC. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MIL…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR IN HER VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS IDLING AND IN MOTION. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, BUT FOUND NO FAILURES. SHE IS FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE FTC. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000.

NHTSA ODI #10269095

Mileage unknown · May 4, 2009
TiresWheels

I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT THE RIMS ON MY BUICK. I CONSTANTLY HAVE FLAT OR LOW TIRES. I HAD A FEW MECHANICS LOOK AT MY TIRES AND THEY SAID THE ALUMINUM ON THE RIM IS PEELING OFF. SO THAT MEANS THAT I NEED TO BUY NEW RIMS AND THAT IS EXPENSIVE. IT STARTED OUT ONCE IN A WHILE BUT NOW I FILL UP MY TIRES EVERY THREE OR FOUR DAYS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10267640

67,129 miles · Jan 23, 2008
Electrical System

2004 BUICK REGAL STOPS WHILE DRIVING. KEY WAS STUCK IN IGNITION AND REPAIRED AT LOCAL DEALER IN MACON. VEHICLE NOW SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED AT 45 MPH OR MORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10215827

Official recalls

2

15V701000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine; Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe

Oct 26, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:manifold/header/muffler/tail Pipe

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

Consequence: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.

Consequence: Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.

Remedy: The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engine’s front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.

15V201000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine

Apr 6, 2015

General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 2, 2015, that they are is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured April 9, 2003, to June 1, 2003, 2004 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 8, 2003, to June 23, 2003, and 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles manufactured April 7, 2003, to June 23, 2003. On May 18, 2015, GM expanded the recall to cover an additional 49,751 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2003, to June 25, 2004. In the affected vehicles, the valve cover gasket may leak.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: The leaking engine oil can drip onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on April 24, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14574.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.