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We found the following complaints for BUICK REGAL (1998)

Read complaints for BUICK REGAL (1998)

I t- boned a car. When my front end hit it the airbags were set off. The passenger side airbag had way too much charge in it occurring to the insurance adjuster. When it went off it exploded so hard and fast that the top of the dash flipped up and shattered the window in that shape. The rest of the window is fine but this really exploded and could have killed someone if they had been in the front seat when this happened.

While traveling at 20 mph consumer's vehicle was hit head on by another vehicle. Upon impact, none of the airbags deployed.

False deployment of both air bags when consumer hit a curb at a low rate of speed causing damage to sun roof, front windshield and dashboard, the gasses expelled from the air bag irritated drivers bronchial tubes causing problems with breathing and constant bouts of coughing, consumer believes this is a design flaw.nlm

Dt: the air bag was pushing through the dashboard on the consumers 1998 buick regal. She noticed this on 7-21-05. She took it in on the 22nd and they said the clip was broken. The dealer said they could glue it down but then it might not work in the event of an accident. They said that right now, if anyone was riding in the passenger seat, it might kill them and it would break the window. She is not driving the vehicle. She has nottalked to general motors.there is no air bag light on in the vehicle. She has not wrecked the car. She has only had the car about 6 months and it wasnot like that at a all when she bought it.

While driving the driver's and passenger's side air bags deployed without any reason. Cause unknown.this could have resulted in a terrible accident iif it would have happened in traffic.

Numerous failures - power windows(same window 2x), heater/ac blower motor, turn signals (same direction 3x), alternator, water pump, engine strut brackets,leaky gasket valve covers.current unresolved problem - failure to start although battery is fine.replaced ignition switch and starter yet still fails regularly. Next repair, replace a wire in steering column that contacts the chip in the key???

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact noticed oil was leaking from the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that the ignition key failed to go into the ignition and failed to turn back. The failure recurred intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Not sure of the problem w/ my 98 buick regal gs. It has 59,000 miles on it, and has been in the shop for the past 10 months on a regular basis. Have replaced spark plugs, battery, and am now on the 3rd new fuel pump. Put over $5,000 into this car. No previous history of problems. I am original owner. It has completely cut off in the middle of driving and has left me stranded 6 times, 3 of those with my 4 year old. These problems started on easter, 2004 and are still continuing to date.

Parked and turned the vehicle off; was informed approximately 5 minutes later that the vehicle was on fire. The engine was engulfed in flames by that time. Fire dept unable to put out the fire with extinguishers, the truck had to be brought in and the car hosed down. Was told that it was an electrical fire. The vehicle was totaled by the insurance company.

Just as the current gm recall my buick regal suddenly loses all power while driving. The 1st time this occurred i was on the interstate going 60 mph at night, 1st all the dash lights flashed on, then my headlights, power steering, all electronics and engine died! luckily i was able to make it to the emergency lane! once, i was able to pull my frightened self together, the car started right back up and i was able to get off the interstate and make it home very cautiously. In the days following, i tested it just driving very close to home and continuously had the same problem, somewhat seeming to occur more often when i used my turn signal, these incidences of total power failure occurred @ speeds of 0-35 mph, since i was unwilling to put it back on the interstate. When performing a simple internet search for a solution to this problem, i quickly found that i was not the only to have this problem, some with a 1998 buick regal just as myself, and others with a similar make & model (still gm) and close to the same year, well before 2003. After taking the car to a mechanic & getting a new alternator and blower motor, the car died yet again before i even made it out of the parking lot. It was suggested to me to try the new alternator before replacing the ignition and related parts which are quite pricey on this vehicle which has 1 of those chips in the key. This problem has yet to be solved and i wonder if the current recall is even more overdue than thought. Please help! do not wait until myself, my children or others suffer fatal consequences! this vehicle is new to me, has very low mileage and is in otherwise in great condition and also has a satisfactory carfax report.my sincerest thanks!

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that while driving 50 mph, the vehicle stalled as all of the warning lamps illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the technician diagnosed that the ignition switch was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The vin was not available. The failure mileage was 50,000 and the current mileage was 118,000.updated 05/12/14*lj

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that the vehicle would not start. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 317,000.

[xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Recurring a/c, electrical system, and window vibration problems have not been resolved by the manufacturer, despite numerous attempts.was referred to a buick regional rep, who consistently lied about the fact that buick was aware of these problems in numerous (maybe all) 1998 regals.when that didn't deter me and the truth established, he attempted to use physical threats to get me to back down.that didn't deter me either.bbb arbitration process was a farce.bbb admitted that the vehicle was considered a lemon, but their resolution was to let buick have the car for an additional 30 day period to attempt to repair it.neither the bbb, nor buick followed the bbb's own arbitration rules.buick rep and arbitrator both lied during the arbitration hearing, despite taking an oath at the beginning of the proceedings.these facts have been well documented, and were witnessed by another person who attended the hearing on my behalf.ready to start legal proceedings to protect my rights and obtain a truly fair resolution compensate for these defects.also want to make sure buick doesn't treat other customers the way they have treated me.

When using turn signals, all dash lights, headlights go off and engine dies.engine will not restart until turn signal is cancelled.this is an intermittent problem.replacing the turn signal switch assy has not changed the symptoms.

The car stalls out when you put the left turn signal on to turn. All the dash board lights light up and the car stalls. Sometimes it doesn't do it but half the time it does. I'm afraid to turn left in fear of being killed because my car stalled.there are no signs of any kind that the car is stalling. It does it the most when your coming to a stop and place the left signal on. Please help find a solution to this problem.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While driving at an unknown speed, the instrument panel lights and tail lights blew out. In addition, the ignition key was running hot. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 212,500.

Operation of the turn signal causes the car to stall, affectign the power steering and abs.

1. Right side cornering lamp is inoperative despite replacing bulb, socket and even entire right side headlamp housing assembly with all new wiring and bulbs in it (not the turn signal because that works and so do all headlight functions i.e. High/low beam).2. When above issue started car suddenly started shutting off whenever turn signals where used when passing or trying to enter highway on entrance ramp regardless of if we were speeding up or slowing down. It has also happened at a complete stand still while local mechanic was investigating complaint regarding all the above and he is still not able to find the cause. I am afraid to let my family ride in this vehicle and i am afraid it will cost us a fortune trying to figure out what is causing this unsafe issue!

This vehicle appears to have a serious electrical problem. The problem started with the left blinker going really fast when depressed (as if going out). Then every time you depress the left blinker the electrical on the dash goes off and blinks. The engine shuts off and the steering wheel locks up while driving. Luckily everytime it has happened we have not been in an accident, but this could seriously put someone in danger. I don't know if it is related but the electrical on the thermostat control dashboard has gone out as well as some of the electrical on the windows.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle caught fire. The contact extinguished the fire. No police or fire reports were filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vin and failure mileage were unknown.

Vehicle going dead, would initially (this started about a month ago) restart and run fine until it went dead again.speed does not seem to be a factor, goes dead at highway speeds and when braking to stop at intersections.this is unbelievably dangerous.sometimes the gauges and dash lights will move on their own, sometimes not.four days ago, at a local garage, the car would not re-start.today it started and then went dead (i may be mistaken on this, but the key actually felt like it was heating up) on the way to yet another garage, would not re-start and had to be towed.so far no-one has been able to find a problem.the vehicle has been on a diagnostic computer twice, both times it showed no history and no problem.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal ls. While driving 30 mph approaching a left turn she engaged the left turn signal and the vehicle stalled.she stated that she waited 10 seconds and the vehicle began to function normally. The contact stated that the failure only occurred when she slowed down to make a turn. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who replaced the turn signal assembly. After the turn signal assembly was replaced the failure recurred immediately. The vehicle was not repaired.the vehicle was purchased used four months ago. The failure mileage was 160,000 and the current mileage was 161,000.

Headlights turned off during operation at night while driving. Listed below is the text of my note to the dealer more fully describing the problem.you may recall after review of your service records that i brought this vehicle to you december 3, 2002 for a faulty blower motor.after diagnosis you phoned and indicated the problem was a resistor, not the motor and during diagnosis you discovered wires under the hood damaged by an animal who had built a nest under the cowling.i authorized repair of both the resistor and the wiring.on january 3, 2003 i returned the vehicle to you for a similar problem, the blower motor would fail intermittently along with the electronically dimmed rearview mirror and the interior dash light would fail to dim when the headlights were turned on.you kept the vehicle until january 7, 2003 but were unable to observe the problem.i have had two instances of this blower failure since but was unable to get to you before the fan and associated problems disappeared. This morning shortly after 5:00 am (in the dark) i headed to the richmond airport.as i was about to pull onto route 54 from our development i decided to turn on the blower to clear moisture from the windows.when i did the headlights extinguished.had this been twenty seconds later i may have wrecked my vehicle and injured or killed my passenger and myself. *nlm

Driving home and car wouldn't go over 5 miler per hr and the check engine light came on, then the temperature gage went to hot so pulled over and smoke came thru the vent in the car and out from the gear shifter. Once i got out i heard a loud pop and oil starting leaking then the car caught on fire. Fire department and police came. I had received a recall on spark plugs back in the beginning of the year and had the dealership replacement them but never received any notification about any further recalls.

Head lights turn off when blower fan is turned on.blower for ac/heater turns off, occasionally will work when turned to high.rear defroster won't work when blower fan is on.monocromatic rear veiw mirror adjustment won't work when blower is on.left rear turn signal not working, bulb is ok.

Every time i turn on my left or right turn signal it shorts out.... Took to a mechanic and he did some re wiring and it worked for a little bit then started to happen again.... I don't want to spend a bunch of money on it anymore. What should i do?

The electrical system on the drivers front door is faulty i went through three master window switch's and still something wrong.the cruise control has fault even after some sensors replaced.and the digital odometer display quit working but the rest of the gauges still work the odometer quit showing after 115k. The driver side electrical quit working one day while driving on the highway,the new master switch when you press the button it unlocks and locks the doors. The cruise control quit working in or around 98k miles.and the digital odometer and the other digital screen started to fade and eventually just stopped showing after 115k miles.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While driving 15 mph, another vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle. The contact sustained neck injuries that required medical attention. The front passenger also sustained chest injuries that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. Prior to the crash, the contact's vehicle was leaking oil. After the crash, the lights on the instrument panel failed to illuminate. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Head lights turn on and off when the blower fan is turned on. The rear window defrost will not operate, and the cruise control is also affected by this. I have had this in the shop several times and several hundred dollars later it is just getting worse.

While driving and applying the turn signal the engine failed without warning. The cause has yet to be determined. Please provide any additional information.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection where they stated that the turning signal had shortened. As a result, the ignition switch and the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.

The car went completely dead after stopping at the bank following 25 minutes of driving. There is no power, the key is locked in the ignition, and cannot be jumpstarted by using another car. It can jumpstart with a machine and run for a few minutes, afterwards it instantly dies and locks in place. This happened when i was on a regular street, luckily with no traffic at the time.

I used my turn signals to make a right hand turn and my car turned off. No lights, turn signals, dash lights, brakes were soft, and steering was hard. If i had been on the freeway when this happened i would have been in a car accident. This has happenedtwo times now and i am now unable to start my car at all at this point in time. What is this all about? and why haven't anyone found a fix?help me please.

1998 buick regal w/ 3.8l engine. Had recall issue fixed march 2011. Vehicle caught fire after driving up to our local mountains. Fire began after vehicle was turned off, as we were getting our children out of the car. The fire began at the spark plug wires, continued up the wire assembly to the fuel lines and burned through fuel lines. Immediately had to disconnect battery, since fuel lines were spewing gas at the fire.we were able to put fire out with snow on the brushy hillside we were parked beside. Filed claim with gm. They denied it due to car's age, and claimed they have no responsibility after the car is 4 years old. Their recall fix did not work. The car still caught on fire anyway with my family inside.

This car has had numerous problems, noted by many owners. Rusted paint over rear wheel wells. I cannot count the number of times i have had to get the turn signals fixed. I had to replace the abs system this spring. Now i am told i have a cracked manifold. The heating display on the dashboard has not worked for three years: we manipulate the heat/ air by trial and error.i had a "check engine soon" light problem that required numerous computer scans, and would only be fixed for a month or two at a time. The window buttons are failing. The car drives well, but how much more money is it reasonable to put into? it has 138, 00 miles, and has been serviced every 3000 miles. It should be good for another 60, 000 miles. After reading the complaints, it seems i will only be washing my money. Is the cracked manifold related to the reported fires?

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 03v527000 (steering:rack and pinion).she immediately took the vehicle to the dealer for repair.several weeks later, she noticed that the vehicle would spontaneously drift to the left.in addition, the vehicle would sporadically stall while driving various speeds.the dealer stated that she needed to purchase a new vehicle.the current mileage was 180,000 and the failure mileage was unknown.updated 01/14/09.*ljupdated 01/15/09.

Intermittently in cold climates,windshield wipers malfunction, causing visual difficulty whichmay result in a crash.also the horn will malfunction/fumes from exhaust system will enter the vehicle, causing the occupant to feel sick.dealer cannot determine the causes.please provide further information and vin#.

When driving the horn is very hard to work. Consumer has to play around with the steering wheel in order to find out where the sound for the horn is.in an emergency the consumer has to use the horn, it takes time to find the buttons for the horn.

When applying gas after making a complete stop, engine will shut itself off,consumer must restart vehicle .this defect could result in an accident. Dealer has replaced ignitions module and coil. Also crank case sensor. Defect is still occurring, dealer cannot duplicate defect.a trade assist has since been accomplished, vehicle repurchased by buick.*ml

Vehicle has stalled on five occurrences now.each time has been below 20 mph. The last time it stalled, it took approx. 5 attempts to get the vehicle running.each attempt would run then die immediately.this last occured in a major intersection, with me obstructing traffic.

Car completely lost power on 3 separate left-hand turns. Had to have the vehicle towed to my mechanic.

Engine failed while driving down the street.it cut off numerous times while trying to get to my destination each time i turned on the turn signals.replaced battery & tested alternator before taking to dealership for repair.they diagnosed ignition switch failure & replaced.no longer have problem with it cutting off but the security light now goes on & off on a regular basis.also sluggish when making left turns.

Main computer failed.nlm

Pcm switch failed causing vehicle to stall in rush hour traffic.nlm

While driving at 25 mph the vehicle stalled when the left turn signal was engaged.the vehicle was restarted, but lost power brakes and steering within 5 seconds.the consumer was able to pull to the side of the road and engage the emergency brakes.following this, the consumer restarted the vehicle and drove home.the vehicle stalled again while the consumer was pulling into the driveway.the vehicle was then towed to a dealership, who indicated that this failure was caused by a bad ignition switch.the ignition switch was replaced.*sc

Operation of the turn signals cause the car to stall affecting the power steering and abs. This happened while on interstate c-470 at 65 mph while using the turn signal to make a lane change. The steering was almost locked and the brakes were very hard to push. Once off the highway the car restarted with no problems. Drove straight to the dealership where later, they stated that it was a bad ignition switch. Cost to replace this was just over $400.00.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.while driving 1-5 mph, the vehicle would constantly stall.in addition, the vehicle stalled while driving in reverse.the contact stated that the vehicle would shut off when the check engine light illuminated.the contact was able to restart the vehicle after it stalled.the failure mileage was 92,900 and current mileage was 92,988. Updated 02/15/08.*ljthe consumer has experienced other problems with the vehicle such as steering gear failure, which the rack and pinion was replaced. Air condition failure, transmission torque converter, which the entire transmission was overhauled. The ignition switch shorted out. The right front window regulator was replaced. Updated

Intermittently while drivingand turning to the right or leftvehicle stalled. Vehicle was taken to dealer, and dealercould not duplicate or correct the problem. Independent repair shop replaced the ignition switch,and vehicle was working fine. Vehicle also stalls when slowing down for a complete stop.consumer has to shift vehicle to neutral in order vehicle to restart.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.while driving approximately 15 mph on normal road conditions, the power steering failed when proceeding to make a turn.the contact exerted more effort to turn the steering wheel.the failure occurred intermittently.there were no warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel.the authorized dealer was notified.through research, the technician discovered nhtsa campaign id number 03v527000 (steering;rack and pinion).the contact experienced failures identical to the ones mentioned in the recall.the failure and current mileages were 62,000. The abs motor failed which prevented the rear brakes from working and also the ignition switch was faulty which caused the vehicle to stall when using the left turn signal.updated 03/04/09.

Possible wiring problem, vehicle experiences problems with daytime running lights and blinkers.

One day while driving my wife's 1998 buick regal when i heard a sudden gust of wind noise.i had found out that both of the rear windows had fallen as if they were off track, but these wereelectric windows.a few weeks later the front driver side window fell as well. I called 3 different buick dealers who all told me that the regulators on my year model have a very bad tendancy to go out.they also informed me that the regulator for each window is $400.00 plus labor. I spoke to buick's customer service who said that they have never received a complaint on this, but i have found countless forums online with many people who have the exact same problem of two or more windows malfunctioning all at one time...this is no coincedence.although it sounds like it's just a few window problems, unfortunately when it rains the windows fall and my wife and daughter have ended up in a very wet car trying to come home.i believe this to be an electrical problem as i have also had the wires in the rearview mirror short out and melt.this has hindered the view from my mirror as well as leaked black goo all over my console.when i told this to buick they didn't see it as a problem.i have one other complaint that the rear seat belts are not properly done.they work and don't work whenever the mood strikes them.this is very disconcerning when i have children to put in the back.

Consumerwas traveling about 65mph on highway.he parkedvehicle on an overlook.when he came backtovehicle to start his wife stated thatshe smelled smoke.when startingupvehicle idled roughly, and started going down hill atbottom ofhill. Also,there smoke and flames erupted fromconsole.he appliedbrakesand there were no brakes.vehicle went into mechanical brakes, causing him to stop 100 feet.consumer and wife evacuated vehicle after stopping, entire vehicle was engulfed in flames.referenced in ea02-030

After starting the vehicle, the consumer heard a loud pop noise.the vehicle then caught on fire under the hood.*sc

Moisture has accumulated on inside of headlight lens.console latch broken, repaired by dealer.wiper arms would not remove snow, linkage disconnected, repaired by dealer, then went off windshield, repaired a total of 3 times.half of digital temperature-radio display went dim, repaired by dealer.digital supercharger boost guage intermitently sticks above zero, dealer could not identify problem.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact stated that there was evidence of an oil leak under the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (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.

The contact owned a 1998 buick regal. While the contact's daughter was driving approximately 45 mph, she smelled a strong burning odor. The vehicle was pulled over and caught fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine). The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that the engine warning indicator continued to randomly flash. Also, once the vehicle was started, the engine would misfire and the vehicle would overheat. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer. The vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) and 99v356000 (exterior lighting), but the contact was uncertain if the failures were related to the recalls. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was not available.

The contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that the vehicle caught fire while parked with the engine off. The contact had driven the vehicle for approximately one hour prior to the failure. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire and a fire report was filed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that oil was leaking onto the rear exhaust manifold and spark plugs. There was no warning indicator illuminated. The dealer was not called. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

My son received a vehicle recall from gm on his buick regal for potential compartment fire.he brought the car into a local dealership to have the recall work completed.approximately three weeks later on april 12th my son drove his car 15miles to work and notice immediately after getting out of the car smoke coming from under his hood.he raised the hood and saw fire on his engine.he immediately dropped the hood down and called the fire department.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (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 had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated while her husband was idle at a guard shaft, when she saw smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle. The driver moved forward away from the guard shaft and parked the vehicle. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated her husband opened the hood and saw fire coming from the engine. The contact stated the guard provided a fire extinguisher to her husband to extinguish the fire. The fire department was contacted and a complaint was filed. The vehicle was towed to impound lot. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired as of yet. The contact stated she received recall letter nhtsa campaign number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) after the failure.a dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Tl * the contact owns a 1998 buick regal.while making a right turn at an unknown speed, the vehicle stalled.the vehicle was unable to be restarted and was towed to the contact's residence.the failure recurred eighteen times over a period of three months.the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.the manufacturer was notified.the approximate failure mileage was 177,000. Updated 09/02/14*ljthe consumer stated when the brakes would stall, the steering and brakes would fail as well. Updated 09/16/2014

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While parking the vehicle in the garage, the contact noticed smoke coming from the hood. The engine caught on fire without warning. The contact extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The failure mileage was 133,000.

The contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that while the vehicle parked and unoccupied, the vehicle ignited into flames. The fire department extinguished the flames and informed that the fire originated in the engine compartment. A police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed as destroyed and towed to a savage facility. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.

The contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact parked the vehicle and noticed smoke. She attempted to start the ignition and was informed by others that the vehicle was on fire. The failure was due to an oil leak in the engine compartment. The fire department extinguished the fire and filed a report. There were no injuries. The vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 09v116000 (engine). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.

The vehicle was involved in an engine compartment fire.buick admits the recall but refuses to repair damage caused by fire.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The dealer was not yet notified of the recall. The contact called the manufacturer and they were unable to determine when the parts and the permanent remedy for this condition would become available. The contact was unable to determine when the recall repair would be completed. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine) 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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owned a 1998 buick regal. While the vehicle was parked outside of the contact's residence, it caught fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was not filed. There were no injuries. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) after the vehicle was destroyed due to the fire. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While the vehicle was undergoing scheduled maintenance, the mechanic noticed an oil leak emerging from the rear valve cover. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired approximately one year ago for the front valve cover per a recall, but the failure recurred. The recall details were unknown. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 15v701000 (engine) and 00099v356 (visibility); 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.

When i put my turn signal on the dash warning lamps light up and the vehicle engine stopped running, this happened several times even when in park, you turn the signals on and the vehicle dies, if you cycle it a couple of times it operates fine until the vehicle is shut off and standing for a little while then it will start the problem all over again.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received a notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (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 not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that engine oil was leaking profusely on the exhaust manifold and the check engine light illuminated. The contact also stated that a quart of oil was provided weekly. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number:15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine); 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. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that while driving into the driveway at about 5 mph, there was smoke emitting from underneath the hood, without any warning. The contact lifted the hood and the engine immediately burst into flames. The fire department attempted to extinguish the fire however, the flames were excessive and the vehicle burned completely. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact stated that after the fire, she received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 the (engine and engine cooling. The failure mileage was not provided. Updated 03/16/16*lj;05/11/18

Notified of safety recall engine design flaw by gm. Recall #15v701.no parts available/unknown when parts will be available/keep engine out of garage due to fire possibility. My engine smokes lightly but continually when running and continues for a short time after ignition turned off. Various mechanics could not diagnose cause but said there was oil everywhere on the engine.didn't trust the vehicle to drive outside city but engine always responded dependably except for oil leak.finally get the cause but it can't be repaired because of parts not available and no indication as to when parts will be available.i can't sell or trade in this vehicle due to safety recall.can't drive it long distances. Can't get information as to when parts, if ever, will be available.if vehicle does catch fire, insurance won't pay off due to safety recall indicating problem.i realize it's a 20year old vehicle but it only has 150,000 miles.at least i'm not worried about it taking my life....yet.i've already contacted everyone that i've been told to but no resolution yet.any suggestions?

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed smoke underneath the vehicle.he opened the hood and noticed flames.a fire extinguisher was used to douse the fire.through online research, he found a recall for his vehicle regarding the engine and engine cooling.the vin and nhtsa campaign id number were unknown.the failure and current mileages were 170,000.

My vehicle caught fire in november 2007, the fire was started in the engine on the manifold. The fire dept responded to the fire and called the vehicle a total loss. A fire report was written at that time as to the events leading to the fire etc. The vehicle was towed to a local salvage yard and scraped for metal. I only had liability insurance so the vehicle was not covered. The vehicle was burnt so badly that i had to get it off the street directly after that,march 2008 i received a safety recall stating if i had 98 buick regal gs that it wasn't safe to drive because the engines were catching fire due to faulty gaskets on the manifold. I called gm and told them that had happened to my vehicle and asked if they would be responsible? gm told me to send them the fire report and a letter stating who towed the burnt car and where it went so i did what they asked. Once gm got the fire report proving that is where the fire started then they told me they needed pics of the burnt engine which they knew i couldn't provide because i no longer have the car and at the time it burnt i wasn't aware of the recall so i didn't take pics or save the car for viewing. Gm isn't going to compensate me for my loss and its their fault. The fire report proves their recall is why i no longer have a car. Please help me!

My sister bought new the 1998 buick regal; in 2002 she died and willed her car to me. It has been a great car except: in sept. 2007, after a short drive, i parked the car in open driveway, and walked to house; minutes later my husband, nearby, saw smoke coming from under the hood. He opened it and poured water to extinguish the visible fire on the manifold. It took over a month for the nearest mechanic - we live in a rural area an hour from the nearest reputable buick dealer - to repair. He had to try everything because it was not apparent why the fire started (replaced spark plugs and wires that were burned, changed coolant just in case, checked everything, etc). Then in april i received the recall notice from buick stating exactly this problem.i did what they said: sent in all receipts for reimbursement, asking for the cost of repairs only totaling $677.meanwhile, i also went to the dealer 1 hour away and they replaced the faulty gasket. Now they say they will give me $300 max (saying that some statue of limitations has run out and they are only doing this as a courtesy, not an obligation).i am wondering if i have any other recourse to getting the full compensation, as they had promised in the recall notice.as i see from others on your website, the fire could have been far worse, and it also could have happened again. Doesn't gm take a little more responsibility for endangering people's lives, than a mere $300?awaiting your reply.gloria mclean, andes, ny.

Grinding and steering problems.*phthe consumer received a recall notice regarding a defective rack and pinion.the vehicle had other problems such as coolant, oil and timing cover gasket leaks.

Buick safety recall 07035 on 1998 buick regal.consumer states that he asked for reimbursement for expenses related to correcting the safety defect but was refused.*njthe consumer stated the vehicle smoked and had an odor. The consumer stated the recall indicated a new front rocker cover gasket would be installed with an improved design and replace the spark plug wire channel with new retainers.gm sent the consumer a denial letter that stated 1 of 3 reasons why he was denied.the consumer was informed the valve cover gasket was leaking oil onto the exhaust manifold. The consumer took the vehicle back to the dealer and informed them that he had the valve cover gasketsreplaced. They told him the gaskets used were not the correct ones and the brackets were not changed. So, the dealer went ahead and replaced the gaskets.

The consumer heard a loud sound in which the engine had caught fire.*mr*scc

Cracked intake manifold (plastic) resulting in $700 repair bill.this part should not have been plastic - cannot withstand pressures!

Our 1998 buick regal caught fire in the engine back in april of 2006. The fire started about 5-10 minutes after the car was put parked in the lot at work. Obviously, i am just learning about the recall. This event was not otherwise reported to buick. The entire front of the car was engulfed in flames prior to the fire department arriving to extinguish the fire.it was a frightening experience. I just thought i should report it so there is a more accurate report on how frequently this type of thing occurred.

I bought a buick regal gs in 1998 brand new and paid $26,000.00 for it.i was the sole owner of this vehicle and it was in very good condition as of last year.on august 22 my son and i arrived at home and parked the car on the driveway of our residence.about 15 minutes later the car burst into flames under the hood.it damaged the garage and driveway and could have been much worse if the fire department hadn't arrived when it did, as the cars gas tank was full.the car was damaged beyond repair.my insurance did cover the car and the amount they gave was pitiful.i now own a 2002 pontiac grand prix 30th anniversary edition and is that being recalled for the same thing?is there some compensation for me?i've always bought gm vehicles and i will continue to depending on your response to this email.

Car completely lost power on 3 separate left-hand turns. Had to have the vehicle towed to my mechanic.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that when engine oil was added to the vehicle, some of the oil spilled on top of the manifold and the vehicle caught on fire. The vehicle was not repaired. The vin was not available. The failure and the current mileage was 100,000.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.while parked in a public parking lot, the vehicle caught fire unexpectedly.the fire department was called to the scene and a report was filed.the fire report indicated that the fire originated in the engine compartment.the vehicle was completely destroyed and towed to the collision center.the insurance company and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but could not determine the cause.after the fire, the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling), in which the vin was included in the recall.the failure and current mileages were 120,000.updated 04/02/09.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.the contact noticed oil leaking from the front valve cover gasket onto the exhaust manifold.the failure previously caused the vehicle to catch fire.gm recall number 90047 and nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 will not correct the failure.the contact will take the vehicle in for repair.the failure mileage was 140,000.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact smelled an odor of burning rubber.the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames within 15 minutes. The driver and passengers were able to exit the vehicle.the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000. The consumer stated the vehicle was recalled in november 2011 for a possible engine fire. Shortly after receiving the notice, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer to have the potential problem fixed.updated 07/06/15.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated the vehicle was parked when it unexpectedly caught fire. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the fire. The failure originated from the engine compartment. The contact stated that prior to the failure,when engaging the brakes, he smelled a burning oil odor. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where the technician was unable to determine the cause of failure. The vehicle was previously repaired for nhtsa recall campaign id number 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact stated that the remedy repair was insufficient. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000. The vin was unavailable.

1998 buick regal lsv6 car was driven approximately 4 miles and parked in a outside public parking lot.engine caught fire.now we find out it was a published defect.frickin gm gets bailed out but what about us?

I own a 1998 buick regal. While driving i approached a stop light and applied my brakes. I smelled a burning oil smell and started to see a black smoke under the hood. My car was damaged past the point of repair.i brought my car in to be repaired prior to the incident only to be told the parts to fix the recall problem will have to be ordered. I was never notified that the parts were available.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.the contact noticed smoke coming from the engine intermittently.the contact did not notify the dealer.the manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that her vin was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 08v118000 (engine and engine cooling) and offered no further assistance.the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who informed her that the lower intake manifold was leaking and needed to be replaced.no repairs were performed.the current and the failure mileages were 130,000.

1998 buick regal. Consumer seeks reimbursement for repairs done related to recall *tgwthe consumer stated the vehicle caught fire due to an oil leak, which resulted in a faulty gasket. It in turn shorted out the battery and the starter. The gasket leaked, blowing oil in the starter, and caused a fire under the hood. The consumer is seeking reimbursement for the repairs that were directly related to the recall.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that the driver was driving at approximately 30 mph, when the vehicle suddenly caught fire under the hood. The driver was able to contain the fire without notifying the fire department. She was unable to drive the vehicle when the complaint was filed. Prior to the fire, the contact had to change the oil more frequently due to an oil leak. The contact received a recall notice for the engine and engine cooling components a month prior to the failure (recall 09v116000, engine and engine cooling and recall 08v118000). She called the manufacturer for assistance but was told that they could not offer her any assistance since her warranty had expired.the current and failures mileages were approximately 180,000.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.when the contact started the vehicle, the engine blew and began to burn.the vehicle was destroyed.the fire department was not called to the scene.the insurance company would not investigate the cause of the fire.the current and failure mileages were 135,000.

1998 buick regal safety recall that could result in a fire. Consumer states that she would like reimbursement for renting a car to go on vacation, while her car was in the shop for the recall repair.the dealer did not have the parts available.

I rec'd a recall notice on my vehicle in nov. 2011 and have been trying to make arrangements to get it in to a dealer to have the recall fixed when this fire started in the engine compartment while i was on my way home from picking up my son, and my daughter was in the vehicle as well, i have no other means of transportation to get to and from work, and my work is 30 miles away. In contacting gm they told me that they will only fix the recall part any other damage will not be covered, i do not have the extra money to fix this vehicle at this time and i have already missed 3 days of work, and have no more personal paid days off to take. I am the main breadwinner of my household and my husband is using a borrowed vehicle to get back and forth to work as well. I feel that it is truly unfair gm can't or wont help out a mother of 3 with fixing this vehicle so that i may continue to provide for my family.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.the contact stated that the vehicle caught fire after the starter and coolant bracket were replaced.the fire department was called to extinguish the fire.a police report was filed.the vehicle was destroyed.the contact believed that the independent mechanic may have performed some faulty repairs.the failure was investigated and the mechanic was not at fault.the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 09v116000 after the fire occurred.the failure mileage was 132,800.

I just purchased the car used exactly a little over a year ago. The brake light on the dash board came on for a couple seconds and went off. Then next day after the brake light situation the check engine and entire dashboard came on while driving in a residential area. And caused the car to stall. Which thankfully i was able to pull over and did not cause an accident. The vehicle did start back up. And i took it to the dealership where i purchased the vehicle they could not find anything on the codes for the brakeor engine problem ( which i had to pay $112) . I said there has to be a reason even though the codes aren't showing. So they looked at the fuel pump system, fluids, and checked my brake pads. And still found no problems. They could not offer any other solution. So the next day i drove the car in the same area and the car once again stalled and good thing i didn't cause an accident was able to pull over. So the problem still remains. I see many complaints regarding this stalling situation i do believe this should be a defect for investigation in order to recall. As it it can cause serious potential accidents.

Consumer complaint concerning 1998 buick regal'scomputer malfunctioning.the consumer has had a new computer installed and the computer flashed.now the vehicle is exhibiting signs of computer failure again.

Consumer states that while driving at any speed and without warningvehicle will shut off, causing consumer to pull over. Dealer notified.

The vehicle stalled without warning, the dealer stated the crack sensor and the fuel sensor were the problem.

Crank shaft sensor.

About two years ago my 98 buick regal began stalling while driving. It has stalled on the interstate numerous times as well as in intersections. Also at times it will simply not start. I have had a full tune up and get the car serviced regularly, but 4 different mechanics, even a buick mechanic can't determine the problem. This is an incredible safety problem and i am very surprised no recall has been set up because with a quick search you can locate hundreds of complaints with the exact same problem. This needs to be addressed and fixed by buick and nhtsa.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.while driving less than 35 mph, the vehicle began to shutter and lost complete power.the contact smelled a chemical odor and maneuvered the vehicle off the road.the next morning, he discovered that half of the engine manifold and the spark plug retention wires were melted.the dealer had the vehicle towed and could not determine how the fire originated.the vehicle has not been repaired.the dealer is waiting to speak with the manufacturer.the failure and current mileages were less than 96,000. Remailed 10/20/09

On about 6 occasions while trying to accelerate from a dead stop, engine stops dead while dash lights and accesories such as air conditioning and radio remain functional. Engine is able to be restarted each this happens. Dealer has been notified and could not find any fault nor could they duplicate the problem. Gm was also notified but said they had never heard of this problem, yet there are 13 such problems reported to nhtsa. If problem were to occur while trying to navigate an intersection in heavy traffic, sever accident could result. Mr

Engine stalls after accelerating from dead stop.yh

Plenum intake gasket leak on second engine. 1998 regal with 2000 regal engine.$750.00 to fix!

While traveling at 55 to 60 mph engine died.no power brakes and no steering it was impossible to get off the road.took vehicle to buick, and they duplicated the problem, but couldn't fixit. Please provide any further information.

Vehicle stalls withno prior warning. Dealership told consumer thatproblem has been resolved.butproblem still exists.

From standing stop, car either hesitates violently or stalls.dealers cannot duplicate and have not even attempted repair.

Car stalls after coming to a stop and then pushing gas pedal. Dealer claims that a wiring harness needed to be re-routed. Reading the complaint database i see this is a more common problem than was told. If it is the wiring harness, then okay and the defect should be recalled. If this is not the cause of the stalling then i don't know what i will do.

The car's problem is that it stops at any time. Because of this problem, my son and my wife, who drives the car, had many times the posibilities to be involvedin the traffic accident.

Vehicle continues to stall after stops even after fuel pump relay and resistors have been replaced.nlm

Car makes many odd noises.body is very sharp around doors.the engine is too powerful for the body, making it prone to peeling out and fishtailing.

On several occasions vehicle would not start.

Vehicle experiences continued problems with stalling. Mjs

Started engine ok; drove 2 blocks to major intersection; accelerated from stop sign into 35 mph traffic to merge with traffic; engine stopped while merging; all dash lights came on; could not restart engine; coasted to stop blocking lane and intersection; could not restart; had to be towed to dealer; after several days, dealer indicated that fuel pump fuse had opened; dealer decided to replace fuse and install new pump, but did not know real cause of open fuse; ordered pump; vehicle still disabled after 5 days.

1998 buick regal ls (3.8 non-supercharged) was driven about 5-10 miles for the first time today.car was then parked, driver entered destination establishment, then questioned if car was theirs, and within 10 minutes of car being shut off, a fire engulfed the engine compartment.fire was put out by local fire department and police report was filed.no injuries and no other by standing vehicle damage.there is a possibility that this is related to the 3.8 supercharged grand prix & regal recall that is online at nhtsa (08v-118).vehicle is not repairable.vehicle had 166,000 miles and 1500 since last oil change.recall should be extended to include non-supercharged 3.8l engines of same type.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving low speeds on a street, there was a loss of all power steering without warning.the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop, who determined the serpentine belt fractured and needed to be replaced.after the replacement, the mechanic performed a test drive, and while attempting to make a sharp left hand turn at low speeds, the steering rack and pinion fractured.the vehicle was towed to the independent repair shop where the steering rack and pinion as well as the bushings was replaced.the manufacturer was alerted.

My car's radiator cooling light came on, and i discovered that the overflow tank was empty.since it was zero degrees out, i was afraid the engine would freeze.my local repair shop found the upper manifold leaking and charged me over $900 to replace it and refill the cooling system.i now discover that this was in two previous mfg bulletins.buick refuses to reimburse me saying i had to drive it to their dealer (a distance away).i feel this is unfair.it is a defect that i discovered they have rectified in recent models.

Complaint received via e-mail. Intake manifold was causing leakage of the antifreeze that eventually leaked out the exhaust pipe. This led to other repairs that needed to be fixed.

Cup holder not working properly.nlm

1 yr old fan replaced because defective,replacement stops working in six months leaving climate control inoperable again.obviously poor quality parts are used when $25k car won't last six months

Climate control switch failed. Mjs

Radio malfunctioning.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated the headlights were crooked and not aiming straight. The contact located a recall in regards to the failure under nhtsa campaign id number: 99v356000 (exterior lighting: headlights) but was advised that his vin was not included. The dealer was contacted and referred the contact to the vehicle owners manual which contained a manual insert with instructions for optically aiming the headlamps per the recall notice. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no further assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.

I have a 1998 buick regal gs.i have experienced a problem when activating the turn signals.upon activating a signal in either direction the car's electrical system shut down and stalls the engine.the car is normally in motion and power steering, headlights etc is lost.

Water leaks into back lens (turn signal, lamp, stop and tail lens).

Failure of driver's side rear brake light to activate when brake pedal is depressed.passenger side and high mount light work fine. Left turn signal (which is the same wire as the brake) also works. After being ticketed for equipment failure, had diagnosed and found that the problem was in the multi function switch in the steering column. This switch controls turn signals, wipers, cruise control, etc.sincethis occured i have noticed other general motors vehicles with the same or similar problem. This is a safety hazard and i wonder if any investigations have been done on this problem?

Recall notice was received & understood. But,certificate wasn't helping to correct the problem. Headlights on low beamdidn't cover visibilty for driving which could be dangerous.high beams workedfine.dealer has tried & no success.

Consumer received recall information (99v-356), consumer is not sure about the recall procedure, information was previously supplied that conflicts and is confusing to consumer. *mjs

Headlights are not bright enough to view the road clearly due to the design of the headlight lens.please give any further details.

When high beam lights are on, if you are in a shallow right turn and another vehicle approaches, you are unable to change to low beams. The headlight lever hits the steering wheel and will not change from high to low beams.

Turn signal comeson and off intermittently when applied. Cause of problem undetermined at this time.

Directional signals are too small.

1998 buick regal gs, problem evident for the last 10, 000 miles.when using the turn signal stick, car experiences a "dead short" and engine shuts down while car is rolling.car becomes worse as car is driven for an extended period of time.dealer said he could not reproduce the problem.it is intermittent, but extremely dangerous.on my last ride(4/21/2008), the vehicle consistently experienced a cut off of power and if i had not moved the turn signal stalk to its neutral position,i am sure the car would have stalled while still in motion, reducing and/or eliminating power steering and brake functions. The problem started at about 75,000 miles.have there been other complaints?

The right turn signal continually blows out on my 1998 buick regal.i am concerned that it will start a fire in my engine compartment.

While driving, consumer tried to use the signal lever, however it would not work.mechanic replaced the multi function switch.

I just review your "complaint" segment.i found no fewer than 8 complaints relative to owners of 1998 buick regals experiencing the very same and dangerous problem with their vehicles. I.e. The car dying when the turn signal stick is actuated.why is there no recall since this is a life threatening situation?there were other complaints about this vehicle dying while in motion.if one of your staff members were injured or killed, would this be a better reason to nudge gm to do a voluntary recall for those affected with this problem?i just want to believe that someone cares.sincerely. Joseph wojciechowski

Turn singals dont work, even when replaced. I have the worst time with the drivers side turn signal.it has cost me alot of money to repair, but still doesnt work.

The vehicle stalled without warning, the dealer stated the crack sensor and the fuel sensor were the problem.

Due todefective micro relay 18 and 19, which controls the fuel pump, failing and causingvehicle to stall unexectedly while driving.this may cause a crash ora no start condition. Mirco relay 18 and 19 have been replaced at least 50-100 times.please provide further information.

Fuel gauge reads inaccurate.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While driving 35 mph, a strong odor of fuel was noticed within the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the odor of fuel was only present when the heater was activated. The failure occurred constantly. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 63,839.

[xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

I bought a 1998 buick regal used form glenn buige in lansing mi. With-in four months of owning this car the transmission started going out. It was shifting hard between the 1 and the 2 gear then it started not to shift at all if the car wasn't warmed up for fifteen min. Took it back to the dealer and they claimed that since there were no lights coming on and it tested all right there was no problem but they could put in a rebuilt transmission for 2,000. Somehow this did not make sense. After reading up and studies that i have done this is a on going problem that gm transmissions have and the company refuses to stand behind their product as well as all of the complains about their transmission.

Date of purchase was sept 2000 used. Reported rotor brake warpage and transmission slippage. Rotors were turned but problem not completly gone. Mechanic dismissed transmission slippage as traction control activation. Transmission failed 7/22/2001.

I was driving i smelled smokethen i seen smoke i got out the car seen small fire under the car then it exploded into a ball of fire.

Noticed problem shortly after purchase but thought may be just the way the vehicle operated. Problem was intermittent and progressively got worse---when changing gears from reverse to drive, car would not engage and cause a jerking motion.the transmission was replaced with a rebuilt transmission (mileage 11,733) after repeated attemps failed to correct problem. Considered this a serious safety issue. Car is used daily in my profession as a public health nurse with the state of va. I make home visits where backing out into heavy traffic is necessary and at times the car would fail to engage properly making it impossible to move out of traffic's way. The rebuilt transmission is now again repeating this problem for which i returned to the dealer twice.they were unable to define problem while they test drove it--no action taken other than to call buick(gm) who stated no other concerns have been noted.

Purchased vehicle w/4000 miles, i was the first titled owner, 1st transmission went out with 30705 miles & was replaced under warranty.second transmission went out with 53582 miles.i don't feela car should need a new transmission at 30,000 miles let alone another one at 54,000.something else must be wrong withthe engine to need two transmissions in less than 3 years.

Transaxle repeatedly fails to engage into drive after a stop or after changing from reverse to drive.

Clutch seal in transmission leaking.yh

Clutch assembly failed.

Transmission failed, all the gears would not engage except for park.

2 weeks after warranty expires the shifter wouldn't go in park & release key.this occurred only 2 weeks after having in shop to repair another defective part that went out the day after warranty expired.poor quality parts must be used if a $25k car won't last 2 years.costing me big$$$ since out of warranty by only a few miles!!!

Seat belt failed.

Driver'sseatbelt will not buckle up any longer.

Buckle assembly for drivers front/left restraint system fails to stay latched and secure.dealership has not examined vehicle to determine cause ofproblem.

Right rear seat belt retractor will not release, so passenger in that seat cannot use belt as required.

Both rear shoulder belts get twisted when retracting-which cause retractor to bind-hang up internally/just like on 98-99 olds intrigue. Same basic design as on regal and grand prix and other buick models-have same condition/olds came out with recall to install guide-to keep belt from getting twisted. Buick customer assit stated no future recall in the works for buick. Why not????

While driving i smelt something burning and found that the heated seat over heated to the point it melted items in my purse,coat, wallet, and burnt the leather seat.no one was in the seat but i feel this is a definite safety issue.i called buick and was told this was not a recall issue

The passenger side seat (without the heat switch being turned on) got so hot it melted a plastic bag on the seat and got the bottom of the seat so hot it melted the foam under the leatherand caused a brown burn mark in the middle of the grey leather seats.

While driving at any speedconsumer felt that the vehicle's seatwas getting too warm. Consumer stopped at a rest stop to use the facilities and returned to the vehicle.upon returning to the vehicle consumer noticed that the vehicle was filled with smoke.the consumer claimed that no one in the vehicle smoked. Consumermentioned that there were heated seats in the vehicle that may have caused the fire.vehicle was taken to the dealer who refused to help solve the problem.it was later determined that eh heat seat wiring malfunctioned and caused a small fire which left a hole in the seat about 6 inches in diameter.

Consumer states when applying brakes vehicle starts to shutter when making turns.

Severe front brake problem with shake and possible rotor damage reported to and repaired by cavender buick, under warranty, on june 1999. (note: your nhtsa site has several complaint entries regarding same). On 12/25/00, on return trip traveling i37 north to san antonio from corpus christi, i applied brakes to make my exit on san antonio loop 410. Immediately after releasing the brake we heard a loud rotating clunk from the front end. I pulled over to the shoulder.i was on the shoulder when the car movement froze and came to a jolting halt. This was at 1630 hrs. Tow truck arrived at 2200 and moved car to nearest gm dealership which was cavender oldsmobile. Although cavender dealerships are family related they are 2 totally separate dealerships at different locations. They serviced my car the following day and determined that the right front brake caliper had sheared off and jammed somewhere between the rotating wheel and the fixed axle preventing foward movement on the car. Interstate 37 was wet and slick on dec 25th and i am very very happy that the calipers did not come off while i was traveling the speed limit on that freeway. Otherwise i could have checked off "yes" on your fatality box on this form. It is upsetting to know that you have at this site information regarding problems with the brake system on this vehicle yet they are under "complaints" while you have windshield wipers under "investigations". I would then suggest, with strong urgency, that an immediate investigation be initiated regarding the serious problem with the brake system, design, or materiels used. The shaking maybe causing stress on the bolts that hold the calipers.

Vehicle has shakes severely when brakes are applied. Could cause loss of control of vehicle and crash.

The vehicle experiences intermittent noise coming from front end when vehicle is backing up. *lathe consumer stated that the noise appeared to be coming from the abs.during a test drive the technician also heard the noise but was unable to identify the problem.the dealer contacted the regional service technician who indicated that the abs noise was normal.

Front rotors were warped at 25,000 miles and required surfacing.the second dealer surfaced rotors correctly.when the rotors are slightly warped the abs cycled every time the brakes are applied increasing braking distance.upon parking the car on a slight grade and restarting the abs cycles.with foot on the brake upon letting up to back out the abs cycles and releases the brakes.the steeper the slope the farther you roll without brakes.more than eight feet in some instances before the brakes reapply.the dealer and buick service state that this is normal.

Abs motorburned out, causingabs brake light ondashboard to come on. Mechanic removed master cylinder, bled hydraulic brakes and replaced abs. Buick would not pay for repairs.

Dt:the contact statedvehicle shut down, and when he turned it back on, the anti-lock brake and brake light would be on.he took the vehicle to a local mechanic,and he found the ground on the safety brake malfunctioned.he founda recall on web line, but according to buick, therewere no recalls for this vehicle.the vehicle has not been repaired.

The ebcm-4 computer that controls the braking system is causing the brakes to make a loud noise when the vehicle is started, and after sitting for a period of time. Dealer has been contacted.

Brake system failed.

While applying brakes there is a grinding noise. Also, there isslow braking. Dealership is aware ofproblem.

Frt disc brake rotors warped causing severe shake and poor braking performance. Condition verified by qualified mechanic

Extreme vibration in steering wheel/column when brakes are applied.

The material of the brake pad, causing brake pads to overheat and warp.front brake rotors also warped,causing vehicle to shake and may result inlosscontrol.please provide further information.

When applyingbrakes,brake caliperfell off, jammingfront wheel causing it to freeze, resulting inloss ofcontrol.the vehicle would drive in reverse but the right front wheel stayed locked.the cause was found to be two bolts that hold the caliper sheared off.the caliper, after coming off, jammed the front wheel movement to halt.the vehicle shaked when backing and turning due to power steering gear failure.the brakes pulsate when applied due to excess runout of brake rotors.

Have 1998 buick rega gs.only 55000 miles.have had several rotors and brake pads replaced over life of vehicle.same problem even while under warrenty.dealer originally turned rotors.dealer appeared to be aware of problem.problem returned shortly thereafter.after several rotors and brake pad replacements out of warrenty i finally replaced rotors with high performance cross drilled and slotted rotor (assuming a heat problem) but to no avail.vehicle shakes violantly at times when brakes applied and rotors always warped.i believe gm was aware of problem from onset but refuses to recall vehicle.please note that this vehicle did this from the day i purchased it new in decmeber of 1997 but i thought it was a new form of antilock braked that pulsated.fear that if sold to another individual, vehicle brakes may fail.

Front rotors warped. Mjs

Both right and left rotors warped.violent shaking in the steering wheel and vibration occurs after being on highway, causing poor steering conditions and poor stopping power.the rotors were resurfaced, not replaced which leads me to believe that this may occur again.

Front brake rotors warped soon after delivery,dealer would only turn them at my cost,after 40,000 different dealer advisedrotors so badly scraped by previous buick dealer new rotors were required at $550...i feel like these were defective from the start and should have been replaced.

Brake problems, pulsation in brake pedal.replaced front rotors-blue from overheating at 707 miles.brakes vibrate, turned rotors & replaced glazed front brake pads at 1154 mi.brakes pulsate, replace booster brake assy. At 1641 mi.brakes pulsate, replace master cylinder at 4926 miles.brakes pulsate, replaced both front rotors at 13,462 mi.brakes pulsate, replaced front and rear rotors (paper thin and blue) at 14,431 mi.

I purchased vehicle new around december 23, 1997.the vehicle had approximately 500 miles on it.i noticed that when applying brakes the was a vibration (felt like a pulse) in the vehicle and could slightly feel the vibration in the steering wheel.owners manual advised one may feel the abs release and reengage while applying brakes.vehicle was only driver about 6000 miles a year.at about 8000 miles the vibration became so severe i had to take vehicle to the dealership who advised that brakes where not covered under warrenty but they would turn the rotors for free.at about 15000 miles (and now out of warrenty altogether due to past 3 years olds) had to have rotors turned again.within a few thousand miles had to have new rotors and brakes.within a few hundred miles of new rotors and brakes the problem came back and is severe but i cannot afford to keep replacing rotors every few hundred miles.the brake pads always appear to wear normal but the rotors are always warping.the vehicle still only has 42000 miles and is over 5 years olds.the vehicle feels unsafe to drive.i feel this problem was possibly known to gm prior to my purchase and that gm still refuses to recall the buick regals with this problem.

Abs motorburned out, causingabs brake light ondashboard to come on. Mechanic removed master cylinder, bled hydraulic brakes and replaced abs. Buick would not pay for repairs.

Power brake booster failed.nlm

Consumer is unable to make a left turn. Dealer notified.

Car has become very hard to turn, unless moving.

Clunk noise occurs when turningright or left and while going in reversed. Especially noticed after car parked for a period of time. Took to dealership and was advised it is a common noise and noting to repair. But dealer noticed the stabilizer links were cracked. And was replaced.

1998 buick regal gs.rack and pinion problems at 96k miles.nothing noticable leading up to problem.one day it has hard to steer to the left.now it is effecting turning to the right.other '98 regals were under recall for this issue but for some reason my regal isn't.spoke to buick at 8666088080 and was told by a manager there was nothing they could do since it wasn't part of recall.kept refering to car age even though the car has under 100k miles.taking to buick dealer this weekend to see if fixing is worth it. Dealer says full rack and pinion overhaul will run $1500 to $2000.car is only worth $2500.sad to see a car die before it hits 100k miles but i guess there is a reason gm was in such bad shape.

While driving andmaking left turns it was difficult to steer, and the steering became stiff. Dealer determined asteering problem,but there was no recall.

C/s steering column sticking when turning.found rack and pinion gear binding causing vehicle not to turn left.replaced rack and pinion with shor gear and reset toe in to correct concern.test drove to verify.

I called my dealership (mccaddon buick-boulder, co) on 2-6-04 regarding the recall on 1998 buick regals with a steering problem.my car has the same problems that forced buicks recall.in fact, i took it to the dealership on may 21, 2003 for this same problem.they told me it would cost $1200.00 to fix my car.they said the problem should not get any worse so i have put up with the hard steering (to the left) since. The dealership said my auto was not under the recall.i would like to know why.

When reversing and turning, front left tire feels like it's not turning and dragging.

While driving 35 mph the steering wheel became very loose.the dealer has been contacted.

While driving at 35 mph and making left turns the steering wheel became stiff and was difficult to turn.the vehicle al;so pulled to the right.the dealer was notified.please provide any additional information.

My wife was driving this car. When she was making a left turn the steering locked or appear to lose power. She thought the car shut off, so she stepped on the acceleator and the car went into a mis-directed direction. She was able to recover by trying to turn the steering wheel back and forth

Inquiry whether or not investigation and engineering analysis led to a recall.*mrconsumer letter was sent by dominick graziano in reference to the previous complaint # 10042719 concerning a 1998 buick regal steering defect.consumer wants to know if investigations and engineering analysis have led to a recall.*mr

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle looses all power steering while turning the vehicle to the left. There is a nhtsa recall, # 03v527000 regarding the steering: rack and pinion. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however it is not included in the recall due to the vin.

When turning to the lefti loose power steering control and when i turn to the right it works most of the time but not all the time leaving it very hard to turn. Mechanic checked the power steering and said that it was alright and that their was a recall on the lower pinion gear and to check it out. O a couple of occasion my steering was out of whack while driving and i almost went in the ditch.

Problems with power steering mechanism. *mr there was a clunking sound in the steering mechanism.mechanics believed that this was associated with the rack and pinion.the steering started to have difficulty in movement as well as almost locking when slowing or turning. *scc

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 mph in a parking lot, a loud noise emitted when turning the steering wheel. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who stated that the rack and pinion would need to be replaced. The lower bearing assembly was replaced, but did not correct the failure. There was a recall related to the defect associated with nhtsa campaign id number 03v527000 (steering:rack and pinion). The vin was ineligible under the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108,330.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While driving 10 mph and making a left turn, a loud noise emitted when turning the steering wheel and the vehicle started to shake. The vehicle was not diagnosed and repaired. The vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 03v527000 (steering). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 200,013.

On january 23, 2004 i brought my vehicle intothe lasorsa buick dealer for service concerning my steering problem with this vehicle. I paid to have the problem repaired concerning the stiffen steering. There was a recall for gm cars and my vehicle fell into this group. The dealership has not confirmed or denied whether vehicle was part of the recall. If it was, i would like some kind of information concerning this recall. Please! see new york post article dated january 13, 2004, gm recallingsm 800,000 cars. *la

Steeringwill not turn to left steering turns back to right violently.

Binding, racheting and vibration in steering. Replaced power steering pump twice and rack and pinion steering unit once.vibration still present.dealer says manufacturer is aware of problem, but no fix yet, after eight months.yet.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that while driving 10 mph, the power steering failed. The contact mentioned that he attempted to make a left turn but had difficulty maneuvering the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was not included in any recalls. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 160,000.

There is a noise in steering -took vehicle to dealer at least 5 times.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. When attempting to drive, the steering column locked without warning. This condition, would not allow the vehicle to be driven. The vehicle was taken to a local repair facility, and the rack and pinion was replaced. However, after the repair the failure resurfaced. The failure and current mileages were unavailable.

The g.m alarm system going on by itself, the driver thinks it is caused by electric doors in the vicinity.yh

Car alarm failed several times. Mjs

While driving 45 mph the steering wheel locked up. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. Consumer said that buick had a recall on vehicle for the exact same problem.*la

Steering wheel has gotten harder and harder to turn over a 8 hour period of time. Steering wheel finally locked up, and vehicle had to be towed to dealer.he replaced a steering mechanism. Consumer noted the repair was performed the dealer who sold the vehicle to the consumer. *ph

Consumer took the vehicle to dealerfor a recall concerningsteering gear bearings. Consumer stated the vehicle was taken in again since the steering wheel continued to malfunction. Dealer stated the repair only consisted of one part, and that part had been replaced. Manufacturer was contacted ,and stated that theconsumer waited too long, and the vehicle was too old. Nhtsa recall steering gear bearings03v527000.

Steering wheel would not turn in left direction, and it was power steering.extremely difficult to operate vehicle safely.

I have a 1998 buick regal. In december the power steering went out, i was able to turn to the right and with great difficulty, able to turn to the left.the automobile has only 14343 miles on it and the vin no. Is [xxx].i would like to report this because if my wife was driving i feel there would have been a serious problem she being not as strong am me.i reported this to buick and they told me there was a recall but my vin no. Was not included.i feel that all 1998 buicks should be recalled and checked. Thank you.updated 07/30/2012information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

No summary.dt

Consumer noticed while travelingand making a left hand turn that power steering locked up.vehicle rolled after a stop and power steering locked up from then on. Hard steering and clunking noise on left turns. *ph

Recall 03v527000 concerning steering gear bearing failure. Consumer experienced problems with exerting more effort when making turns.the vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the rack and pinion and the power steering pump.the consumer had to replace two front tires due to excessive wear and had to get a front end wheel alignment which was a result of a defective rack.the consumer requested reimbursement. *scthe consumer was told his vehicle was not included in the recall.

Steering makes noises at start-up of car especially in colder weather.it sounds like something clanking.will take to dealer when we return to florida in 9 days.it has been getting worse.

Problems with rack and pinion caused the steering on vehicle to become hard while turning.*mr

While drivingand turning to the left steering column failed. Thevehicle wouldturn only to the right. Dealer replaced the rack and pinion shaft gear at consumer's expense.

Grinding and steering problems.*phthe consumer received a recall notice regarding a defective rack and pinion.the vehicle had other problems such as coolant, oil and timing cover gasket leaks.

As the consumer attempted to make a left turn, the power steering did not respond. Later,the steering worked intermittently when a left turn was made.there were no problems when making right turns.recall#03v527000.the entire steering system needed to be replaced.*sc

Vehicle has difficulty turning to the left - as if the power steering has failed.when you press on the gas after making a left turn the car will jerk back to the right - this could result in a serious accident.there is a recall matching this information, however the inconsiderate person (william bloechel) said that this car is not covered by the recall and would not let me speak to anyone else at the company.

Without warning, the consumer was barely able to turn the steering heel to the left since the power steering system was inoperable.*phrack and pinion system failed. *mr

Dt*:the contact stated while driving 15 mph, the steering wheel would not turn left.the dealership determined the rack and pinion needed to be replaced.there was a nhtsa recall, #03v527000, concerning the rack and pinion.the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin.

The rack and pinion steering went out in november of 2003 and was replaced by day motors.a couple of weeks after the repair we say on tv and in the news paper there was a recall on this vehicle for this repair.day motors said they did not know anything about this recall. After several months, they responded and said that our vehicle vin # was not on the recall list.i fail to see how this could be, as the defect stated on the kelly blue book information describes this same problem i had with the rack and pinion steering.had i not caught this problem in time, this could have caused a serious accident.

Failure in steering system. *phthe consumer stated he was unable to turn the steering wheel to the left, because the power steering system was inoperable, however he was able to turn the steeringwheel to the right.the consumer was told that a bearing in the rack and pinion had failed.

1998 regal power steering rack wont turn left. This is irresponsible of gm (buick) to not step up and fix this problem. I was given this car this year with only 26000 miles on it. Within 2 months the steering gave out on the highway 600 miles from home. Buick had the same old story, your vin doesn't fall within the recalls block of vin's. This problem has nothing to do with vin's or production dates. The casting on the housing of the steering gear is where the true manufacturing defect can be identified. The state dept of rehab was going to put hand controls in this car for me, but now i have a 1200$ repair bill i can't afford. This isn't right.

While pulling into a parking space, the steering wheel did not turn left.the vehicle gave no indication that anything was wrong it had gone out at once.the rack and pinion was repaired.the consumer requested assistance for the repairs. *scc

Have 1998 buick regal with symptoms identical to recent safety recall 03v527000 for steering defect.however, since car was built in feb 1998 it appears to be out of the range of the gm recall (ends for cars built prior 10/97).suggest recall be extended to recall cars with same symptoms that were built in months surrounding time frame since gm parts tracking not that exact.*la

There is currently a recall for this problem but dealers and buick says it did not include my vin no. Nhtsa no. Is 03v527000mfg. No. Recall no. Is 03062. The complain and problem is within the steering of the car the rack and pinion when making a left hand turn of any sort the rack and pinion tries to pull the steering back to the right with a re-pronounced jerking , it feels like the car will not turn left, i have call several buick dealers they said there was no recall. I have called buick they said there was with the same exact symptoms i have, but the recall did not include my vin. No. They said to take it to a buick dlr. Have them check it , and if, and only if ,it is the same as the recall states the will only assist in the repair. And i have to pay for the dealer checking it . This is a serious problem and has to be repaired , i don't feel i have to pay for it when there is a lightening recall on the books for the problem. I need help , before some one gets hurt or killed.

Power steering rack. Intermittent loss of power assist while turning to the left. Dealer diagnosed as bad power steering rack.*nlm

While drivingrack and pinion steeringlocked without warning.

Dt: the vehicle turns properly to the right, but when turning to the left, it feels as though there is no power steering.the vehicle is currently at dealership being repaired, and consumer was told it was a problem with rack and pinion.vehicle is not part of the current recall.

Dt*:the contact stated while making left turns, the steering became hard.the vehicle was not inspected.there was a nhtsa recall, # 03v527000, regarding the rack and pinion.the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin.

I took car my car into a shop to have checked out, one of my complaints was that my steering appeared to be loose and not turning right when i turn left especially.although this doesn't happen continuously it has become a big concern of mine.it sometimes feels like i don't have control over the steering wheel.the mechanic looked up and founded that a recalled had been placed on this make of auto.i contacted general motors immediately, only to be told that my car was not included in recalled.this problem is serious and i will like to know if there is anyway you can assist me.

Defect which caused the wheels to turn to the right when making a left turn. *ph the vehicle was intermittent when turning left at low speeds.the consumer's wife crashed into a parked vehicle.the problem recurred.the rack and pinion steering gear assembly was replaced.recall#03v527000 *sc

Symtons and complaint identical to nhtsa campanign #02v286000

I was driving on ac expressway when my steering failed. I could turn right but was blocked from turning left. After some time i could force the car to go left, but it forced the gear bearing to slip and now the steering wheel is 180 degrees upside down at straight ahead position. I have not had the car repaired yet. It is still inoperable. This regal was made in canada in april of 1998, more than six months after the buick regal recall for this same problem. I am asking for an investigation from odi so that if all 1998 and 1999 regals have this potential problem, that their owners be notified that steering may fail while driving. Only the 1998 regal owners who had cars built from 1/1/97 to 10/15/97 have been notified so far. And with my vehicle being manufactured six months after the recall, it wasn't just built with an errant 'old' part, as g.m. Claims, but which can be refuted by all the other complaints since then. Owners must be informed, as the regals were originally sold with the pitch that the cars could go 200,000 miles before wearing out due to the 'w' wheel base. And owners like myself may try to drive that far- not knowing that the steering fails at around 100,000 miles.

Steering requiring more effort than normal and jerky when making left turns. Replaced power steering pump and flushed system, all new fluid. Problem still exists. Took it to a dealer because there is a recall for this exact problem.buick recallcampaign number:03v527000 date:2003-dec-11 component:steering:rack and pinionthe dealer said my vin wasn't covered in the recall but they would be glad to check it & fix the problem if i paid for it. What gives? what good is a recall if the dealers don't honor it? i found numerous complaints on carstats.com of the same problem with the dealers saying their vin isn't covered under the recall.

Steering binds in low speed turns and always makes whining noise. Fluid level ok.

While driving 30 mph the consumer noticed that the steering wheel could not be turned to the left.vehicle was able to make right turns.it was later determined that the rack and pinion failed.the dealer technician indicated that this was a common problem with these vehicle.*nlm

The rack and pinion steering gear assembly broke while in a parking lot. Vehicle could not be turned to the left.normally at the time this occurred, i would have been on the freeway and most likely would have suffered a fatal crash.the dealer said there were no recalls. The factory denied any steering problems, recalls or repair assistance.dealership mechanics said there has been problems with the rack and pinion steering.drive trains and engines are warranted to 100,000 miles along with emissions systems.a part as essential to safety as the steering should not be failing especially at the age and mileage of this car.the owners manual makes a big deal out of the fact that tuneups, antifreeze, etc should last 100,000 miles.isn't steering more important!!i feel that buick should pay for this repair.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal.in 2004, the contact received recall notice number 03v527000 (steering:rack and pinion).the vehicle had 48,721 miles at the time.she went to the dealer and had the recall repair performed.the power steering has failed again and she believes that it should not have failed so quickly.the current mileage was 72,000 and failure mileage was 71,000.

While driving consumer tried to turn left but was unable to do so. The steering wheellocked. And consumer was unable to turn left. However, consumer was able to turn right.consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle, and drove it to the dealer for inspection.mechanic determined that the rack and pinionneeded to be replaced.

The steering rack and pinion of the buick regal has been noted to fail in various models, years 1996-1998; however many vehicles (identified by vin) are not subject to recall status.i believe that further investigation needs to be conducted, simply because some of the vehicles not listed are experiencing the same problem.the steering suddenlyfails to the left, causing hazardous driving conditions for the driver.

I was leaving a parking lot when the power steering failed to assist when turning right, turning left was o k. I managed to get the car home, it was a short distance. This occurred on or about 8/2/07. On 8/13/07 i looked under the car with a mirror andwas able to find a open cavity on the bottom of the steering unit. There was a shaft and nut in the cavity but could not discern a bearing. I looked on the internet for relevant information and found that a recall had been issued for this problem. I went to the local dealer and found out that the dealer had accomplished the recall on the vehicle. I came home and found the invoice for the recall, it indicates a date of july 27, 2004, a mileage of 58,373 and that thepower steering gear lower bearing was replaced. The car now has 96,644 miles on it. I have an appointment with the dealer on 8/17/07 to ascertain what needs to be done to remedy the situation. No parts are available. Just thought you might like to know.

-the contact stated that while driving his 1998 buick regal hard time turning left,usually when driving at40 mph or lower.the contact stated that he took his vehicle to dealership ,and was told that vehicle didn't qualify forrecall03v527000due to vin.the contact was told he needed to contact the manufacturer, when he did that the manufacturer told him to contact his local dealership to have the problem diagnosed.the contact went back to same dealership, and was told that it was the power steering anddidn't charge him the diagnostic fee. The contact took the vehicle to his own mechanic andthey installed two new power steering pumps.the repair still didn't resolve the failure.the contact didn't think that the dealership ran a diagnostic on vehicle before telling him that the power steering valves needed toreplaced.the contact stated that his mechanictoldhim that the vehicle didn't need to have the pumps replaced,butthe contact thought it was best to have pumps replaced.the contact stated that he called the dealership back, and told them that he did have the pumps replaced, and they told him that maybe it may be his steeringrack and pinion.the contact called the manufacturer back and told them of all the repairs, and asked them if they would repairrack and pinion. He was told that they would not do repairs because they exchanged he parts out for thisvehicle manufactured.ak

My steering went out while trying to park my car, my car has 70000 mile and is well maintained.if this would have happened while i was driving on the highwayi probably would be dead now. It was a expensive repair,and in my opinion thisshould have been a recall. I have a 1998 buick regal.

Rack and pinion needed to be replaced.this vehicle had been recalled but not including my vin.

When turning the steering wheel towards the left steering wheel locked.consumer took the vehicle to the dealership for inspection and repair. The dealer determine that the short rack needed to be replaced.

Recall 03v527000 concerning steering gear bearings. Vehicle is having problems making left hand turns. When making a left turn the winding noise gets loud, andsteering becomes very difficult. This vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin.......upon makin gleft hand turns steering fails intermittently. Needs steering rack to correct problem. Reviewed a recall notice. This vehicle has the same rack problem. Yetr this vehicle not included in the recall.

The rubber weather sealing stripping around drivers dry rotted had to replaced, both emblems came off the car.

The bolts that hold up the engine cradle rusted out, causingengine to drop.parts have been ordered from a dealership to correct the problem. Please provide any furhter information.

Both visors loose.

Console latch failure.

Car makes many odd noises.body is very sharp around doors.the engine is too powerful for the body, making it prone to peeling out and fishtailing.

Upper moulding on left rear door came off.

Front passanger seat door hangs down.yh

Both emblems came off car(left/right).

Dt*: the contact stated without warning the brake light illuminated.the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop, where it was determined the entire under side of the vehicle was rusted.the vehicle was located in a salt belt state.the manufacturer was alerted.

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated the rear trail mount fractured while driving 35 mph. The contact heard a loud thumping noise, causing the vehicle to sink on one side. The contact then applied the brakes and the vehicle became uncontrollable. The contact then stopped the vehicle and noticed the tire separation came from the trailing mount. The vehicle was taken to the contact's residence and was not taken to a mechanic or a dealer for inspection or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 254,000.

An abnormal noise noted when driving, so took it in for inspection. Front stabilizer bar had cracked through and had to have it replaced - repair cost $319.99.it seems this may be a common problem with this model buick (3800v^) according to mechanic who has had several repairs of this nature in this small community.he feels this is occurring because the bar is hollow and not solid.

Intermittently when turning to the left at low speeds, vehicle would turn to the right on its own. *ph when the consumer contacted the dealer about the problems with the vehicle, they advised that there was no recall and nothing could be done.* cb

Front stabilizer bar has cracked. The front stabilizer bar on the drivers side has cracked at the exact transition point where the bar changes shape from a tube to a flat piece of metal.the crack is big enough to insert a business card into the crack. The crack proceeds to a depth of half of the material thickness.

Vehicle belongs to my mother buti am writing for her.we were driving to hospital to visit dad when i noticed that the vehicle wanted to pull to the right.asked my mom to take the car in to see if it needed an alignment.she took it to our local goodyear dealer in milton.the tech there said the tires were bad and showed her the tires, the tread was coming off the tire (two on the front), the rears were getting there.she purchased four new tires after the tech told her that he wouldn't even ride in the car.my mom kept one of the front tires to show me - and yes the tread was seperating from the tire.i still have the one tire. (dot number: w2m3 bcbtiresize: p215/70r15)

Tread delaminated as vehicle was entering i-20 westbound in benbrook, tx.photos available.dt

I've been complaining to buick dealer since 10/99 about vibration and wobbling in car and steering wheel, but dealer could never find anything wrong.in an effort to find problem, dealer rotated tires (for the third time), and technician found "funny spot" (looked like a slit) on sidewall of tire.i watched tire for a week and tire was splitting more on sidewall so i took it to a firestone dealer.firestone replaced tire for cost to me of the tread i had used, plus waste fee.(wanted to charge me for balance, mount, etc. And i refused to pay it.)firestone technician said, in fact, tire had come apart at the "join" and that is why sidewall was splitting too.unforturnately, we have 16" wilderness at tires (made in canada) on our 2000 chevrolet pick-up.i contacted firestone by phone about these tires on both our vehicles and their attitude was ludicrous, considering the recall going on at present.they could have cared less and just said nothing was wrong with any of our tires, even though i told them i had a defective tire on my car!!!i believe nhtsa should force firestone to replace all wilderness tires, no matter what size they are, and all other tires that may be found defective at this time!!!i drive 300 miles on the weekend to the country, and am very nervous and uncomfortable, to say the least, about these tires on our car and truck!please help us and everyone else stuck with these crummy firestone tires!p.s. I also contacted chevrolet, and the dealers where these vehicles were purchased, and none of them will do anything about these tires.chevrolet was also very lax and unconcerned about this situation.what does it take to light a fire under these companies???( dot number: unknown tire size: p215/70r15 )

While driving the passenger side front tire blew out, the tire was totally destroyed along with the rim being damaged, the rim could not be repaired (the firestone,fr 680, p215/70r15).

A total of 5 tires failed.2 in 1999 at 20000 miles which were replaced by the dealer without charge.one of the replacement tires failed shortly thereafter and was replaced.last month the car developed a vibration and was taken to the dealer which advised the remaining 2 tires had seperated as well but they had too many miles on them to be replaced; further, neither did he tell my dad that it could be dangerous to drive the car with separations. (tiresize: p22570r15)( dot number:tire size: p22570r15 )

Blow out which resulted in broken axle and extensive damage to front fender, and bent rim. Also caused contusions to driver upon impact of hillside.

While driving consumer began to hear and unusaual humming sound, upon careful visiual inspection of all four tires did not reveal an under inflation, consumer continued to drive about 30 miles then the left front tire blewout severly damaging the aluminum wheel (p211570r15).nlm

Blow out which resulted in broken axle and extensive damage to front fender, and bent rim. Also caused contusions to driver upon impact of hillside.

While driving about 72 mph there was a vibration felt in right front tires, goodyear eagels p22560r16, right front tire had belt edge separation and a big knott on the inside wall, left front tire showing same signs. Cj

Right front tire had 30 - 40 % tread seperation. Other three tires show evidence od premature wear.( dot number: m6x0 tire size: p22560r16 )

[xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).

Cup holder between the driver and passanger seats pops out intermittently. Yh

I own a 1998 buick regal ls.when it rains, water drips down from behind the glove box and onto the passenger floor.in one particularly heavy rainfall, there was 2 inches of standing water on the floor of the passenger side.thanks in advance for any assistance.

1998 buick regal. Consumer writes in regards to recall notice *tgwthe consumer stated he no longer owns the vehicle as it was totaled in an accident due to being hit by a drunk driver. However, the consumer continues to receive recall letters regarding the vehicle.

Gas pedal is located too far forward causing driver to be too close to air bag. Mjs

Design of the air flow on the window defroster is insufficient and causes poor visibility.

The air conditioner blower and the headlights did not work properly.the vehicle was taken to the dealer and they replaced the ignition switch, the air conditioner blower switch and the resistor.while traveling on the highway at 45 mph with the blower on at a low speed, without warning it would shut off along with the headlights.this problem repeated.the consumers daughter had the same vehicle and experienced the same problem.gm stated that there were no other instances reported. *scc the circuit board for the blower resistor burned up, which caused other componets to fail.

The vehicle has had 14 power window mechanisms replaced and the windows continue to be a problem.14 replacements in one car, this can't be the only vehicle in which this is occurring.

Driver side power window won't go down.

Electric windows--front passenger can only be used via controls on driver's door and rear passenger side window came down and will not stay up--we cut off the power to it and it still creeps down.it lacks about 2-3" of being shut and has to be taped to keep air/water out.this happened last summer.*nlm

Window drive motors fail.all windows effected at least once.some fail abruptly others creep down either with car running or parked.cost per replacement is overly high.ak

Power window regulator failed on left rear door in march 2002, and on the driver's door in march 2003. Both failures were of theplastic retainer for the cable end which holds the window up.both windows dropped several inches. The rear window dropped while driving, causing driver distraction. In both cases the window could not be raised without removing the door upholstery panel. The only repair is to replace the entire window regulator assembly. List price for the driver's door parts only was $352.

Rear window switch and seal failed.yh

The driver side and passenger side rear electric windows failed.

The window regulators are defective on 3 windows.i had to get them shut permanently with tape.unable to open all three windows - front driver and two back windows.the part alone is about $400 -visibility-power window devices and controls.

The driver side and passenger side rear electric windows failed.

Left front door window motor makes noise during operation.yh

Electrical power exterior rear view mirror failed, resulting in poor visibility due to adjustment problems. Mjs

The contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated when entering the vehicle she noticed a film covering the mirror. The following day when entering the vehicle she noticed that a substance was leaking from the mirror onto her console and melted parts of the console. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and inspected where it was determined that the automatic dem solution leaked from the mirror and the mirror would have to be replaced at a cost of 210.00 and that does not include labor. The contact is in the process of having the vehicle repaired. The contact called the manufacturer and was informed that because of the age of the vehicle, no compensation could be offered. The failure mileage was 61,000 and the current mileage is 61,300.

The windshield design creates poor visibility due to reflection of dashboard and air vents onto area of vision.

Black line running through windshield.

There is excessive glare in the windshield of this vehicle; excessive to a point of total blindness when i enter my garage. The problem is a result of the steep angle of glass, a very light colored gray dash and the size of the dash. This combination causes the windshield to take on the appearance of being foggy at all times. At night, when driving under overhead lights the condition is even worse ; as is the case when driving the car into my garage which is also light gray. In this circumstance i am almost totally blinded by the images transposed into the windshield. I have contacted buick at least 6-8 times asking for help to resolve the problem but the most they would offer is a suggestion to get myself some polarized sun glasses or purchase a dash mat (with a warning that the dash mat may not help either). My contention is that buick built the car, they claim that it was tested for safety standards and it's not safe as far as my vision is concerned. They should be held accountable to correct defects in the products they sell. There are solutions to this problem, they are aware of it but they would rather not address it untill someone gets hurt.t.

Windshield wipers move up and down aproximately 4" while in the "off" position. Additionally the wipers will stop, blocking driver view or not work at all while in the "on" or "int" positions.

Attaching nut backed off - arm detached from assembly - wiper stopped working during rainstorm - also noticed nut on other side was also loose.

Windshield wipers don't work 1/2 the time.they seem to go off track--you have to stop the car, open the hood and tighten the base--the nut that holds the wiper arm on works loose.this has been happening for about 8 months.*nlm

The windshield wipers failed and the motor wiper system replaced.

Windshield wipers do not clear the windows as well when it's snowing outside. Dealer has replaced the blades.

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We found the following complaints for BUICK REGAL (1998)

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