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2011 Buick RegalProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 280 owner complaints about the 2011 Buick Regal, most often about the engine. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 16V-517 the manufacturer reports only 66% of affected cars repaired.

2011 Buick Regal
33
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.1× the Regal median · #3 of 28 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 66%Owner complaints28020 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage70kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2011 Buick Regal has problems

280 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine1085
Electrical system759
Power train393
Exterior lighting384
Service brakes320
Seats292
Electronic stability control (ESC)190
Steering172
Fuel/propulsion system143
16 other systems546

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2011 Buick Regal recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

66%repaired · 2018 Q2

Electrical system: wiring

Recall 16V-517 · Jul 7, 2016 · 42,984 vehicles · 28,310 repaired

Risk. Chafed harness wires may cause a short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

98%repaired · 2018 Q1

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 16V-502 · Jul 5, 2016 · 8,367 vehicles · 8,176 repaired

Risk. If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

75%repaired · 2016 Q1

Front assembly: power adjust

Recall 14V-447 · Jul 23, 2014 · 414,333 vehicles · 312,762 repaired

Risk. If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

87%repaired · 2016 Q1

Exterior lighting: turn signal

Recall 12V-484 · Oct 4, 2012 · 120,426 vehicles · 104,382 repaired

Risk. If the driver is not aware that a turn signal is not functioning properly, the driver may continue to drive the vehicle.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Buick.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

70kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 94 engine complaints. 78% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
11under 30k miles73under 100k miles21100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2011 vs. every other Regal year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Regal median. How we score

'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2011 Buick Regal safety ratings

2011 Buick Regal 4 DR AWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Regal owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

While driving on the highway at 60 mph, warning on dash came on saying “engine power reduced” and drop down speed to around 25 mph and I could not accelerate more than 25 mph on the highway which could have caused an accident because of the traffic flow behind me. I put a code scanner under the…
Complaint 11737701 · May 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Regal. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware…
Complaint 11692104 · Oct 8, 2025 · 140,000 miles
The cars mileage was altered due to car being wrecked prior and the other car that was used to replace wrecked parts was hidden and vin number was altered. Copart Inc and ICT Sharp Rides are party's involved, I bought car on 12/28/2023 mileage was listed as 132525
Complaint 11583341 · Apr 16, 2024

Own a 2011 Regal?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.