2012 Buick REGAL

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2012 Buick REGAL has 137 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.7x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is lighting problems (26% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2012 buick regal. contact stated that the brake lights and headlights stopped working. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired. no further information was available. the contact also indicated that after shutting the vehicle off, the engine would not restart. the vehi. ⚠️ 2 fire reports filed.

2 fire reports 4 crash reports 2 injuries

137

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

LIGHTING

35 complaints

26%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHI
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING, THE INTERIOR LIGHTING TURNED ON AND OFF WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, THE RADIO SPONTANEOUSLY TURNED ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN W
• TAKATA RECALL I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE LIGHT KEEP GETTING CONDENSATION IN IT I NOTICED THAT EVERYBODY WHO HAVE THE GS MODEL HAS CONDENSATION IN CAUSING THE BALLAST TO FILL WITH WATER AND CAUSING THE BULB TO BURN OUT AND THE BALLAST AND BULB HAVE TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF WATER ENTERING INTO TH

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHI”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

21 complaints

15%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE TECHNICIANS WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETUR
• VEHICLE TURNS OFF WHEN GOING IN REVERSE. VEHICLE ALSO MAKES WEIRD SPUTTERING NOISE WHEN STARTED. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW IN 2011 BUT DEALERS CAN NEVER REPLICATE THE PROBLEMS! *TR
• THE CAR HAD NO ELECTRICAL POWER. ANYTHING ELECTRICAL WOULDN'T WORK. WE COULDN'T REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY, PUT WINDOWS OR ANYTHING. THE SECOND TIME I TRIED TO USE THE VEHICLES SELF JUMP START BUT NOTHING WOULD WORK. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO POWER IN THIS CAR AT THIS TIME. MY WIFE SAID AT ON DIFFERENT O

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE TECHNICIANS WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETUR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

18 complaints

13%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RPMS IDLES HIGH AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE OVER 45MPH. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL AND AS A RESULT, SHE HAD TO USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE VEHICLE
• THE CAR HAD NO ELECTRICAL POWER. ANYTHING ELECTRICAL WOULDN'T WORK. WE COULDN'T REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY, PUT WINDOWS OR ANYTHING. THE SECOND TIME I TRIED TO USE THE VEHICLES SELF JUMP START BUT NOTHING WOULD WORK. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO POWER IN THIS CAR AT THIS TIME. MY WIFE SAID AT ON DIFFERENT O
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RPMS IDLES HIGH AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE OVER 45MPH. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL AND AS A RESULT, SHE HAD TO USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE VEHICLE ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SUSPENSION

10 complaints

• THE 2012 BUICK REGAL CONSUMES A QUART OR MORE OF OIL IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS OR 300 MILES. I AM PUTTING A QUART IN IT JUST TO GET IT TO READ ON THE DIP STICK AND MORE IF NEEDED. AS IT CONSUMES OIL, THE ENGINE GAINS A NOTICABLE TICKING NOISE WITH A ROUGH START. ALL OF THIS IS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON A
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V764000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. BALISE
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V764000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED QUALITY BUICK GMC OF ENGLEWOOD (406 GRAND AVE, ENGLEWOOD, NJ 07631, (201) 871-0606) WHERE IT WAS C

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“THE 2012 BUICK REGAL CONSUMES A QUART OR MORE OF OIL IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS OR 300 MILES. I AM PUTTING A QUART IN IT JUST TO GET IT TO READ ON THE DIP STICK AND MORE IF NEEDED. AS IT CONSUMES OIL, THE ENGINE GAINS A NOTICABLE TICKING NOISE WITH A ROUGH START. ALL OF THIS IS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON A ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

9 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT THE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NO
• 2012 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE WHEELS AND BRAKE PROBLEMS. *SMD THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE WHEELS WERE SQUEAKING, BECAUSE THERE WAS MOISTURE AND CONDENSATION ON THE ROTORS.*JB
• BRAKE PADS RUSTED TO THE ROTORS, AFTER HAND-WASHING THE VEHICLE THE EVENING OF JULY 2ND. NEEDED TO REV THE ENGINE VERY HIGH, IN ORDER TO RELEASE THE BRAKE PADS. THIS HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THE RAIN, AND THEN LETTING IT SIT FOR A DAY OR TWO. ON JAN 16, 2015 WE TO

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BUT THE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

SUSPENSION(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 137 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
LIGHTING: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND REPAIRED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT ALSO INDICATED THAT AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHI
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE TECHNICIANS WERE ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETUR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE RPMS IDLES HIGH AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE OVER 45MPH. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE DOORS FAILED TO UNLOCK WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL AND AS A RESULT, SHE HAD TO USE THE KEY TO UNLOCK THE DOORS. THE VEHICLE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SUSPENSION: THE 2012 BUICK REGAL CONSUMES A QUART OR MORE OF OIL IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS OR 300 MILES. I AM PUTTING A QUART IN IT JUST TO GET IT TO READ ON THE DIP STICK AND MORE IF NEEDED. AS IT CONSUMES OIL, THE ENGINE GAINS A NOTICABLE TICKING NOISE WITH A ROUGH START. ALL OF THIS IS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING ON A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)