1997 BUICK REGAL Complaints

1997 BUICK REGAL SEDAN DEVELOPED VARIOUS PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASE. *MR THERE WAS A CONTINUOUS OIL LEAK. THE REPAIRS CONSISTED OF THE REPLACEMENT OF THE OIL PAN AND GASKET DUE TO AN OIL LEAK, THE THERMOSTAT, BELT TENSIONER, COOLANT PUMP, COMPLETE FLUSHING OF THE SYSTEM, WIRES AND PLUGS, NEW ALTERNATOR, UPPER AND LOWER INTAKE GASKET REPLACEMENT AND A NEW ENGINE. THE FIRST TIME THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED, THE BEARINGS AND THE PISTONS WERE NOISY. *SC THE FRONT BRAKES WERE REPLACED AND THE ROTORS WERE RESURFACED. *JB

DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. A LOUD WINDING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE PULLEY WHEEL FROM THE MOTOR CAME OFF. THIS CAUSED THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT. OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PULLEY WHEEL AND DRIVE TRAIN PULLEY BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

THE TENSIONER PULLEY FROZE UP AND DISINTEGRATED, CAUSING THE SERPENTINE BELT TO FRAY BADLY. IT RUBBED UP AGAINST AND SCRAPED A HOLE IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP. *BF *TC

THE AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THE AIR BAG MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

I HAVE A 1997 BUICK REGAL GS [XXX]. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 94,000 MILES. I BOUGHT IT USED FROM A DEALER IN MAY OF THIS YEAR. I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN THE DEALER (WESTERN MOTORS, GARDEN CITY, KS) 3 TIMES WITH ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE FIRST TIME WAS WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE ELECTRIC WINDOW DID NOT WORK, THE LAST TWO TIMES I WAS STRANDED WHEN THE CAR WOULDN'T START. THE SECOND TIME WESTERN MOTORS REPLACED THE BATTERY AT COST TO ME. THIS LAST TIME IT IS PRESENTLY IN THE SHOP WHILE THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM IS. I HAVE RESEARCHED SIMILAR PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL FORUMS OF OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH LATE 90'S MODEL REGALS. THEY HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME SYMPTOMS AND HAVING THEIR VEHICLE SERVICED SEVERAL TIMES FOR NOT STARTING WITHIN A MATTER OF MONTHS. NEEDLESS TO SAY THIS IS VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THE OWNERS AS THE MECHANICS TRY ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. IT IS ALSO VERY INCONVENIENT TO BE STRANDED OR JUST TO GET IN THE CAR AND WONDER IF IT WILL START OR NOT. I FEEL THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT GM SHOULD HAVE TO REMEDY WITHOUT EMPTYING THE POCKETS OF THE OWNERS OF THEIR VEHICLES. I REALIZE THIS IS NOT A LIFE THREATENING SAFETY PROBLEM, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT OCCURS REPEATEDLY IN MANY CARS AND IS A HUGE FINANCIAL BURDEN TO THE OWNERS.*AK UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

CONSUMER STATED WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION POWER STEERING FAILED DUE TO RACK AND PINION MALFUNCTIONING. *AK

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN NHTSA RECALL 99V348000. THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS MAY STOP WORKING DUE TO A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE DRIVE PIN AND CRESCENT IN THE CRANK ARM ASSEMBLY. DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDE DUE TO VIN. *AK

I WAS DRIVING AND WHEN I WENT TO USE THE TURN SIGNAL THE CAR STALLED AND IT STARTED RIGHT BACK UP AGAIN BUT WHEN I USE MY DIRECTIONALS THE CAR STALLS, NO MATTER WHERE I AM. I THINK IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE WHEN YOUR ON A HIGHWAY AND WANT TO USE YOUR TURN SIGNAL YOUR CAR WILL JUST STALL OUT AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE READ ALOT OF COMPLAINTS LIKE MINE AND I THINK IT SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THAT. I THINK IT IS THE IGNITION SWITCH.*AK

BUICK REGALS - 1989 AND 1997 - THE '89 BLEW A HEAD GASKET AT 190,000 MILES AND THE '97 AFTER 141,000 MILES AND CRACKED BOTH HEADS - WITH PERFECT SERVICING AND CARE. NO WARNINGS - JUST HEATED UP AND IMMEDIATELY BLEW - BUT HAD NEVER OVER-HEATED PRIOR TO BLOWING GASKETS.. *JB