2013 Buick REGAL

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Below Average

Quick Summary

The 2013 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 (27% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owns a 2013 buick regal. the contact stated that the driver's side head light failed while driving. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the wiring had melted and the connector was replaced. the vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted and the same fail. ⚠️ 3 fire reports filed.

3 fire reports 10 crash reports 9 injuries

137

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.7x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

LIGHTING

37 complaints

27%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD LIGHT FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HAD MELTED AND THE CONNECTOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE SAME FAIL
• CONSOLE WONT TURN ON IN THE HEAT. IT DISCONNECTS. PARKING LIGHT SAYS NOT IN PARK WHEN PARKED AND WONT TURN OFF. LIGHTS BURN OUT VERY FAST. HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE , NEW! IT IS VERY SLUGGISH WHEN TAKING OFF FROM STOP.
• THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TO A COMMITMENT (NO RAIN) WHICH STARTED BEFORE SUNDOWN AND ENDED AT NIGHT, RAINING. UPON LEAVING THE DRIVERS HEADLIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE, WHEN CHECKED IT LOOKED TO BE SHORTED OUT DUE TO WATER ENTERING THE LENS ASSEMBLY. CONSIDERING THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVEN HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? THE

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

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD LIGHT FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HAD MELTED AND THE CONNECTOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE SAME FAIL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

36 complaints

26%

• I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 BUICK REGAL E-ASSIST VEHICLE FROM THE GM DEALERSHIP IN ST. CATHARINES. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START MY NEW CAR AND DRIVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO MY SURPRISE AND DISMAY, THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS WENT OFF, WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED WIPING, AUDIBLE WARNING SOUNDS WENT OFF, AND THE CAR
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PUSH TO START BUTTON WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE STEERING WHEEL, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCIDENTLY BE TURNED OFF WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEA
• MULTIPLE INDICATOR LIGHTS ARE COMING ON WHEN NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, GRADUAL LOSS OF BATTERY CHARGE. THEN MY VEHICLE WILL NOT START AT ALL. NOTHING WRONG WITH THE STARTER, BATTERY IS STILL GOOD, THE ALTERNATOR IS FINE. MY INDICATOR CONSOLE WILL NOT COME BACK ON WHEN I TRY TO TURN THE CAR

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

“I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 BUICK REGAL E-ASSIST VEHICLE FROM THE GM DEALERSHIP IN ST. CATHARINES. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START MY NEW CAR AND DRIVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO MY SURPRISE AND DISMAY, THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS WENT OFF, WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED WIPING, AUDIBLE WARNING SOUNDS WENT OFF, AND THE CAR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

10 complaints

• CODES PRESENT IN COMPUTER ARE P1101 AIR INTAKE PERFORMANCE, P0101 MASS AIR FLOW CIRCUIT A FAILURE. THE CAR HAS REDUCED POWER AND SURGING DURING ACCELERATION. STUMBLING AT START UP. THE VEHICLE'S TURBO WASTEGATE FAILS TO CLOSE BEFORE 3,500 RPM THEREFORE CAUSING A SEVERE SPOOL TIME ON TURBOCHARGER
• MY NAME IS [XXX] , I OWN A 2013 BUICK REGAL TURBO, ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO I STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH MY CAR ( STEREO SHUTS ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING, DASH LIGHTS FLICKER ). THINKING MY CAR NEEDED A NEW BATTERY I HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED. NO PROBLEMS FOR ABOUT A MONTH. NOT LONG AFTER, THE PRO
• GM DEALERSHIP MISDIAGNOSED THE TRANSMISSION AS NEEDING REPLACEMENT, AND QUOTE A $4500 REPAIR PRICE. AFTER GETTING 3 ALTERNATIVE EXPERT OPINIONS, THE PROBLEM WAS THE THROTTLE BODY; REPAIRED FOR $420. NOW THE FORMERLY RECALLED GENERATOR ALTERNATOR HAS FAILED. CAR WILL NOT RESTART WHEN STOPPED, WHILE

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

“CODES PRESENT IN COMPUTER ARE P1101 AIR INTAKE PERFORMANCE, P0101 MASS AIR FLOW CIRCUIT A FAILURE. THE CAR HAS REDUCED POWER AND SURGING DURING ACCELERATION. STUMBLING AT START UP. THE VEHICLE'S TURBO WASTEGATE FAILS TO CLOSE BEFORE 3,500 RPM THEREFORE CAUSING A SEVERE SPOOL TIME ON TURBOCHARGER ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

9 complaints

• THE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE HEAD "CONSTRAINTS." BOTH THE ANGLE OF THE BRACES SUPPORTING THE HEAD RESTRAINTS AND THE THICKNESS OF THE PADDING OF THE HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE EXCESSIVE. WHEN THE SEAT IS UPRIGHT, A POSITION OF GOOD POSTURE, THE HEAD RESTRAINT FORCES THE HEAD DOWN TO LOOK AT THE LAP.
• I HAVE A BUICK POWER ADD ON SYSTEM THAT IS 50 STATE CARB LEGAL CALLED THE STAGE ONE KIT OFFERED BY GM THE KIT CONSISTS OF AN AIR INTAKE AND A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION. AMONG ALL THE ISSUES I HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH THE CAR THEIR FINAL SOLUTION WAS TO INSTALL THE OEM CALIBRATION AND FUEL TABLES BUT LEAVE T
• GENERATOR CONTROL MODULE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE

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

“THE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE HEAD "CONSTRAINTS." BOTH THE ANGLE OF THE BRACES SUPPORTING THE HEAD RESTRAINTS AND THE THICKNESS OF THE PADDING OF THE HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE EXCESSIVE. WHEN THE SEAT IS UPRIGHT, A POSITION OF GOOD POSTURE, THE HEAD RESTRAINT FORCES THE HEAD DOWN TO LOOK AT THE LAP. ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

9 complaints

• I HAVE A BUICK POWER ADD ON SYSTEM THAT IS 50 STATE CARB LEGAL CALLED THE STAGE ONE KIT OFFERED BY GM THE KIT CONSISTS OF AN AIR INTAKE AND A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION. AMONG ALL THE ISSUES I HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH THE CAR THEIR FINAL SOLUTION WAS TO INSTALL THE OEM CALIBRATION AND FUEL TABLES BUT LEAVE T
• CODES PRESENT IN COMPUTER ARE P1101 AIR INTAKE PERFORMANCE, P0101 MASS AIR FLOW CIRCUIT A FAILURE. THE CAR HAS REDUCED POWER AND SURGING DURING ACCELERATION. STUMBLING AT START UP. THE VEHICLE'S TURBO WASTEGATE FAILS TO CLOSE BEFORE 3,500 RPM THEREFORE CAUSING A SEVERE SPOOL TIME ON TURBOCHARGER
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BUICK REGAL. WHILE THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO PARALLEL PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING AND CRASHED INTO TWO PARKED VEHICLES. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND WAS DRIVEN TO THE C

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

“I HAVE A BUICK POWER ADD ON SYSTEM THAT IS 50 STATE CARB LEGAL CALLED THE STAGE ONE KIT OFFERED BY GM THE KIT CONSISTS OF AN AIR INTAKE AND A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION. AMONG ALL THE ISSUES I HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH THE CAR THEIR FINAL SOLUTION WAS TO INSTALL THE OEM CALIBRATION AND FUEL TABLES BUT LEAVE T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~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 2013 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEAD LIGHT FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HAD MELTED AND THE CONNECTOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE SAME FAIL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: I PURCHASED A NEW 2013 BUICK REGAL E-ASSIST VEHICLE FROM THE GM DEALERSHIP IN ST. CATHARINES. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO START MY NEW CAR AND DRIVE IT FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO MY SURPRISE AND DISMAY, THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS WENT OFF, WINDSHIELD WIPERS STARTED WIPING, AUDIBLE WARNING SOUNDS WENT OFF, AND THE CAR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: CODES PRESENT IN COMPUTER ARE P1101 AIR INTAKE PERFORMANCE, P0101 MASS AIR FLOW CIRCUIT A FAILURE. THE CAR HAS REDUCED POWER AND SURGING DURING ACCELERATION. STUMBLING AT START UP. THE VEHICLE'S TURBO WASTEGATE FAILS TO CLOSE BEFORE 3,500 RPM THEREFORE CAUSING A SEVERE SPOOL TIME ON TURBOCHARGER
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE FRONT SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE HEAD "CONSTRAINTS." BOTH THE ANGLE OF THE BRACES SUPPORTING THE HEAD RESTRAINTS AND THE THICKNESS OF THE PADDING OF THE HEAD RESTRAINTS ARE EXCESSIVE. WHEN THE SEAT IS UPRIGHT, A POSITION OF GOOD POSTURE, THE HEAD RESTRAINT FORCES THE HEAD DOWN TO LOOK AT THE LAP.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)