1996 BUICK REGAL Complaints

VEHICLE BACK FIRE THROUGH THE INTAKE AND SMOKE ROLLS OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE, NORMALLY START GOOD AFTER SITTING OVER NIGHT, BUT GO TO START IT AGAIN IT WILL BACK FIRE OR THE ENGINE IDLE IS VERY ERRATIC BEFORE IT WILL SMOOTH OUT. I REPLACE SPARK PLUG, SPARK PLUG WIRES, CAM SENSOR, PCV VALVE, FUEL FILTER CHECK BATTERY CONNECTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE SPORADICALLY EXPERIENCED A NO-START CONDITION. THERE WAS ALSO A BACKFIRE THAT OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILED PRIOR TO THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V116000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM). THE CONTACT WOULD NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 78,117. UPDATED 02/05/09. *LJ COOLANT WAS FOUND IN THE OIL WHEN REPAIRS WERE MADE ON THE MANIFOLD. UPDATED 02/10/09. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. AFTER INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN IMPACT OR CRASH. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE DEALER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 157,000.

I PURCHASED MY CAR IN 1998 AND SOON AFTER THAT THE PAINT STARTED TO PEEL. IN ABOUT 2000 I FINALLY RESEARCHED IT ONLINE AND FOUND OUT TO LOOK AT MY VIN NUMBER, AND IF THE 11TH NUMBER WAS A '1' THAT IT WAS PAINTED IN CANADA AND THAT THEY TROUBLE WITH BAD PRIMER UP THERE. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAD SUED FOR A NEW PAINT JOB. GM CLOSED THAT PLANT DOWN. I WENT TO MAACO HERE AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE PRIMER WAS BAD, THEY WOULD HAVE TO STRIP THAT ALL OFF TOO, AND THE WHOLE JOB WAS MORE THAN I COULD AFFORD. ALSO, EVER SINCE I'VE HAD THE CAR, THE BRAKES HAVE MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE ON STOPPING, MAINLY IN WARM WEATHER. ALL MECHANICS THINK IT IS VERY ODD AND HAVE TRIED TO FIX IT SEVERAL TIMES. TWO MECHANICS HAVE ACTUALLY STOPPED THE NOISE BUT IT RETURNS PROMPTLY. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO IMPAIR THE BRAKING ABILITY. IT'S A GOOD OLD CAR AND NOW HAS 93,000 MILES WITHOUT OTHER COMPLAINTS, BUT IS EMBARRASSING TO DRIVE WITH 1/2 OF ITS PAINT MISSING. IT LOOKS LIKE A COW. *TR

THERE IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A GARAGE AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. WE CALLED BUICK AND WERE TOLD THAT THE RECALL IS VIN SPECIFIC AND THAT OUR VIN WAS NOT RECALLED. WE WERE ADVISED BY BUICK THAT IT WAS JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT OUR VEHICLE WAS THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL AS THE RECALL AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY ONE OF THEIR DEALERS TO LOOK AT IT. *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE 1996 BUCK REGAL ON I-77 NORTH NEAR CHELYAN, WV ANOTHER DAUGHTER WAS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL BROKE FROM THE HUB, CAUSING THE CAR TO VEER AND EVENTUALLY HIT THE CONCRETE MEDIAN. THE CRASH SEVERELY DAMAGED THE FRONT LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR; IT WA STOTALLED. THE CRASH RESULTED IN INJURIES TO BOTH OF MY DAUGHTERS - THE DRIVER SUSTAINE D A BUMP ON HER FOREHEAD, AND THE PASSENGER HASD A SWOLEN LEFT ANKLE - PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF THE X-RAYS WERE NEGATIVE FOR A BREAK/FRACTURE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING AN OIL CHANGE. AFTER THE OIL CHANGE, THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN AND THE CONTACT HAD THE BATTERY CHANGED. SHE DROVE APPROXIMATELY ONE AND A HALF MILES, MADE A RIGHT TURN, AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A LEFT TURN WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE IN ORDER TO MOVE THE WHEEL. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA RECALL # 03V527000 (STEERING:RACK AND PINION). THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 86,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN MINUTES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 186,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB UPDATED 02/19/10. *LJ UPDATED 09/2810*JB

I BOUGHT A USED CAR IN BOARDMAN, OHIO AREA AND I NOW HAVE A 1490.00 REPAIR BILL AFTER SALESMAN TOLD ME IT WAS CHECKED OUT. THEY REPLACED A BURNED OUT BULB WITH ANOTHER BURNED OUT BULB WHICH I CAN PROVE. I NEED HELP TO STOP THIS PRACTICE. *JB

WHILE MAKING A TURN, THE STEERING IN MY 1996 BUICK REGAL BECAME VERY STIFF AND WOULD NOT RETURN TO NEUTRAL. IT HAS ONLY BEEN TWO DAYS NOW THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED, BUT IT'S DANGEROUS, AS IT GIVES NO WARNING. THE TURN ALMOST PUT ME INTO A TREE! IT HAPPENED TODAY BUT I WAS MORE AWARE THAT IT MIGHT HAPPEN AND ALERT FOR IT. MY 1995 CENTURY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND IT WAS THAT THE STEERING RACK GETS TIGHT IN COLDER WEATHER AND AFTER 75000 MILES! *NM