2004 Buick Regal
The Verdict
The 2004 Buick Regal has 66 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (30 complaints) and engine (26 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 83/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Buick Regal, consider the 2020 model year which has 96% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2020 has 96% fewer complaints
View the 2020 Buick Regal dashboard →
Klunk Score: Smooth Ride
This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 1
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
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 Imp...
Risk
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 r...
Reported Jun 4, 2015
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
By Category
By Severity
Worst Problems
Complaints
ALL 4 POWER WINDOW MOTORS DO NOT WORK. THEY ALL FAILED WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. I CHECKED ON YOU TUBE AND FOUND THAT ALMOST ALL BUICK REGALS HAVE THIS PROBLEM OF POWER WINDOW MOTORS BREAKING. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON YOU TUBE ALONE FOR THIS ISSUE. I BELIEVE THIS IS PROOF THAT THE POWER WINDOW MOTORS ARE DEFECTIVE AND PROBABLY MADE THIS WAY TO FORCE OWNERS TO MAKE EXPENSIVE REPAIRS. I AM ASKING YOU TO FORCE BUICK TO RECALL THEIR REGAL MODELS AND HAVE THE WINDOW MOTORS REPAIRED AT BUICK'S EXPENSE.
THE FIRST TIME THE CAR STALLED WAS AS I WAS APPROACHING THE STOP SIGN.IT STALLED AND THE DASH LIGHT ALL CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO RE-START IT AFTER PUTTING IT IN PARK. IT THEN HAPPENED AGAIN THE SAME AS BEFORE I GOT HOME. THE NEXT DAY IT DROVE NORMAL FOR AWHILE THEN AS I WAS STARTING IT UP AGAIN IT STARTED WITH A NOISE AND THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH A LIT UP AGAIN. IT SEEMED TO RUN NORMAL AGAIN. BUT A BIT LATER AS I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN INTO A PARKING LOT IT STALLED AGAIN. I BROUGHT IT INTO AN INDEPENDENT AUTOMOTIVE GARAGE AND THEY HOOKED UP TO THEIR TESTER AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING ABNORMAL WITH THE CAR.
FROM A DEAD STOP, WHEN YOU ACCELERATE THE CAR HAS A HARD SHUDDER, TRANS SLIP...BELIEVE IT TO BE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND A PROBLEM GM HAS KNOWN FOR SOMETIME WITH THEIR G4T60-E TRANSMISSION, MOST LIKELY A PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID PROBLEM OR CLUTCH ASSEMBLY.
POWER WINDOWS ON THIS CAR BURN OUT, 4 MECHANICS SAID THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM, AND REPAIRS OF THE POWER WINDOWS IS EXPENSIVE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART BY USING THE KEY FOB, BUT WOULD SHUT BACK OFF WHEN THE KEY WAS INSERTED IN THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT A FAILURE WAS NOT FOUND. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. THE CONTACT SAW SMOKE ESCAPE FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE AS IT ENTERED INTO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S FRIENDS ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT AND A FIRE REPORT WERE NOT FILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FIRE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AS A POTENTIAL CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY LOSE POWER. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BY WIGGLING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE THE DEALER (INTEGRITY DODGE LOCATED ON 6025 INTERNATIONAL DR, CHATTANOOGA, TN) FOR A RECALL REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN REMOVED THE GRAY COVER GASKET FROM THE ENGINE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK WITH THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WALMART FOR SERVICE, THE TECHNICIAN FOUND A LEAK COMING FROM THE TAP OF THE ENGINE COVER AND STATED THAT THE GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN A RECALL FOR THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,284.
IGNITION SWITCH IS FAILING, CAUSING STALLS, AND FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS. WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON FOR JUST A SECOND OR 2 TODAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. IT STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT AND I HAD TO START IT. IT KILLED IN A GARAGE, TURNING OFF THE HIGHWAY INTO A DRIVEWAY, AND SO ON. EVIDENTLY THIS IS A PROBLEM IN GM CARS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING SLOW SPEEDS, ALL THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000. UPDATED 06/21/17*LJ *AS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V201000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO WORK. THE MULTIFUNCTION LEVER HEADLIGHT BUTTON HAD TO BE HELD IN ORDER FOR THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS TO WORK. IN ADDITION, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT OPERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V201000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE RESUMED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V701000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A PROGRESSIVE OIL LEAK BUT THE RECALL REPAIR PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE TO RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIR APPOINTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC TIME FRAME THAT THE PART WOULD BE SUPPLIED TO THE DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. UPDATED 05/03/16*LJ UPDATED 11/30/2017*JS
2004 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO DROPS OF ENGINE OIL DEPOSIT ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD RECALL NOTICE. *LD ACCORDING TO THE REPAIR INVOICE, THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *JB
CAR DIED WHILE IN MOTION; EVERYTHING SHUT OFF INCLUDING POWER STEERING WHICH CAUSED ME TO SIT IN MIDDLE OF INTERSECTION. ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME CLOSE TO RUNNING INTO ME. MECHANIC CHECKED EVERYTHING AND SAID IT'S A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWN A HILL AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER AND THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000. UPDATED 04/22/2016*LJ UPDATED 6/6/18*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, THE IGNITION KEY WOULD GET JAMMED. THE CONTACT STATED AFTER SHIFTING MULTIPLE TIMES, THE KEY WAS ABLE TO BE REMOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V201000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/20/16*LJ UPDATED 05/29/18*JB
66 total