2003 BUICK REGAL Complaints

ON MULTIPLE BUT INTERMITTENT OCCASIONS, WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ENGAGED ALL DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS FLASH AND THE VEHICLE STOPS RUNNING. I WAS FORTUNATE IN THAT IT NEVER OCCURRED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, BUT IT STILL REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT DANGER. ON ONE PARTICULAR OCCASION, IT FAILED TO RESTART AND I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED GM DEALER WHO KEPT IT FOR SEVEN DAYS BUT FAILED TO FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM. INSTEAD, THEY REPLACED "BROKEN AND LOOSE CONNECTORS ON THE FUSE BOX." WHEN THE PROBLEM RECURRED TWO DAYS LATER, I RETURNED TO THE GM DEALER WHO, DESPITE KEEPING THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER THREE DAYS, STILL FAILED TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST BUT FIRST SEARCHED THE INTERNET UNDER "2003 BUICK ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS", AND FOUND THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM THAT GM WAS AWARE OF (A GM CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE HAD REPLIED ON ONE OF THE FORUMS - EDMUNDS.COM? - THAT GM READS THESE FORUMS). HAVING LEARNED FROM THE FORUMS THAT THE MOST PROBABLE CAUSE WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH, I TOOK IT TO AN AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST WHO FOUND A DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH AND REPLACED IT. (REGRET OLD PART NO LONGER AVAILABLE). *TR

THE ANTIFREEZE INTAKE GASKET IS LEAKING...IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ANTIFREEZE DEX- COOL THAT I'M USING... I DID SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND A LOT OF BUICK OWNERS HAS TO REPLACE THE INTAKE GASKET MULTIPLE TIMES AND IT WAS RECOMMENDED TO USE GREEN ANTIFREEZE INSTEAD OF DEX-COOL AND THERE WAS NO PROBLEMS SINCE..SHOULD I CONSIDER USING THE OTHER ANTIFREEZE BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY 800.00 EVERY TIME. *TR

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE. CAUSED ENGINE TO DIE WHILE DRIVING. UNABLE TO CHANGE GEAR OUT OF DRIVE. ALL WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING. WOULD NOT RESTART. HAPPENED IN A PARKING LOT, NO DAMAGE. TEMP FIX GOT IT STARTED, THEN SAME THING HAPPENED ON FREEWAY, COASTED TO SHOULDER, NO DAMAGE. TOWED TO DEALER, DETERMINED IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM AND REPLACED. OKAY SINCE. *TR

OE CHROME PLATED ALUMINUM WHEELS ON MY 2003 BUICK REGAL. SEPARATION OCCURS BETWEEN THE CHROME AND THE ALUMINUM SUBSTRATE RESULTING IN AN AIR LEAK, BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY SALT CORROSION. LOSS OF AIR COULD RESULT IN A DEFLATED TIRE AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL. DISCOVERED UPON NEW TIRE PURCHASE. *TR

WHEN TURNING,THE ENGINE QUITS.2003 BUICK REGAL I AM MECHANIC FOUND THE IGNITION SWITCH WEAK AND WHEN YOU ENGAUGE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH THE ENGINE STALLS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V118000, NHTSA ACTION NUMBER EA07008 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE FAILURE OCCURRED BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE DASHBOARD. SHE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND IT BURST INTO FLAMES SECONDS LATER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, BUT THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUGHT FIRE SO EASILY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 120,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING IN HIS VEHICLE. HE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 09V116000 AND GM RECALL NUMBER 90047, WHICH WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER ON MAY 27, 2009. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT OF ANOTHER ISSUE WITH HIS VEHICLE AND STATED THAT HE HAD TO PAY $88, BUT THE CONTACT REFUSED. THE DEALER BELIEVED THAT THE OTHER ISSUE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING. TRIED THE MANUAL DASH SWITCH NO LUCK. LIGHTS SUDDENLY CAME ON FOR 5 SECONDS, THEN WENT OUT AGAIN. FOG LIGHTS AND BRIGHT NOT OPERATING. ON THEN OFF AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES, THEN OFF UNTIL I GOT HOME. NEXT DAY EVERYTHING OPERATED CORRECTLY. TRIED TO REPEAT FAULT DURING DAYLIGHT AND AT NIGHT WITH NO SUCCESS. *TR

2003 BUICK REGAL GRAND SPORT ON SUNDAY JUNE 22, 2008 MY HUSBAND AND I WERE RETURNING HOME FROM CHICAGO, IL. WHILE WE WERE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 55 I ACCELERATED TO GO AROUND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE, THE DASH LIGHTS ALL WENT RED, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IT LOST ALL POWER. THIS WAS VERY SCARY AND COULD HAVE COST MANY LIVES. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER BY COASTING THERE. AFTER SITTING THERE IN DISBELIEF OF WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING SO I PUT IT INTO DRIVE AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE AGAIN TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT. AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP, SO I PULLED INTO TRAFFIC AND PROCEEDED HOME. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AT LESS POWER. EVEN THROUGH THE SPEEDOMETER READ 65 I WAS NOT GOING 65 I WAS GOING MORE LIKE 55 ON THE INTERSTATE. MY HUSBAND NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE ALSO. WHEN WE REACHED OUR HOME, WE UNLOADED THE SUITCASES AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR AND I HAVE MY REPAIR WORK DONE. (WE BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP) AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR DAYS THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE. I KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE, BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP. WE ONLY HAVE A LITTLE OVER 57,000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE AND IT IS STILL UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WE TOOK OUT ON IT WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. PLEASE HELP US WITH THIS PROBLEM. I WOULD HATE TO HAVE MY YOUNG GRANDCHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE IF SOMETHING BAD WOULD HAPPEN ESPECIALLY IF IT COULD BE AVOIDED. THANK-YOU. SINCERELY, DAVE AND PHYLIS UNDERWOOD EUREKA, IL. 57,000 MILES *TR

THE CHROME-PLATED ALLOY RIMS ON THE 2003 BUICK REGAL HAVE THE PLATING PEELING OFF IN SHEETS ON THE INSIDE OF THE RIMS, WHERE IT CAN STRIKE AND POTENTIALLY SLICE OR DAMAGE THE TIRES, BRAKES, BRAKE LINES, ETC. *TR