- The problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
- The risk
- Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
- The fix
- The remedy applied under recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, and 15V-201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V-118, 09V-116, or 15V-201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1-800-442-6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1-800-458-8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.
Engine & cooling
1998 Buick Regal Engine problems
Owners have filed 86 complaints about the 1998 Buick Regal's engine & cooling with NHTSA - 28% of all its complaints, most recently on March 10, 2022. They describe 1 crash, 33 fires and 2 injuries. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.
- Complaints
- 86
- Recalls
- 3
- Crashes
- 1
- Fires
- 33
- Injuries
- 2
- Deaths
- 0
Engine recalls for the 1998 Buick Regal
- The problem
- General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 buick regal, my 1998-2003 chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8L v6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.
- The risk
- If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engines plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, oldsmobile at 1-800-630-6537, and pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 or http://www.Pontiac.Com or http:www.Gmownercenter.Com.
- The problem
- Gm is recalling 207,542 my 1997-2003 buick regal and pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8L supercharged v-6 engine. These vehicles have higher front rocker cover gasket temperatures, creating the potential for earlier degradation of the front rocker cover gasket and eventual oil seepage.
- The risk
- Certain underhood fires may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and, in some instances, the fire may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engines plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, along with the 1-3-5 spark plug wire retainers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. , Free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Until the remedy is completed, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions (1) that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, car port, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle. The dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or through their website at <a href=http://www.Gmownercenter.Com>http://www.Gmownercenter.Com</a> .
Engine complaints
On my way home from purchasing the vehicle, the car began to lose power and i noticed black smoke though the rear view mirror. Another driver signaled me down, so I pulled over and realized my car was on fire. The fire was in the engine compartment from what appeared to be the exhaust manifold. Since i was in a residential area, i grabbed a water hose and began to diffuse the fire. The fire department arrived and forced my hood open to reassure the fire was out. Luckily i was able to make it out safe. But i strongly believe my life and the lives of other drivers were definitely in danger
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated while her husband was idle at a guard shaft, when she saw smoke coming from the hood of the vehicle. The driver moved forward away from the guard shaft and parked the vehicle. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated her husband opened the hood and saw fire coming from the engine. The contact stated the guard provided a fire extinguisher to her husband to extinguish the fire. The fire department was contacted and a...
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complaint was filed. The vehicle was towed to impound lot. The vehicle was destroyed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired as of yet. The contact stated she received recall letter nhtsa campaign number: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) after the failure. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that the engine warning indicator continued to randomly flash. Also, once the vehicle was started, the engine would misfire and the vehicle would overheat. The vehicle was not diagnosed by a dealer. The vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 09v116000 (engine and engine cooling) and 99v356000 (exterior lighting), but the contact was uncertain if the failures were related to the recalls. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that oil was leaking onto the rear exhaust manifold and spark plugs. There was no warning indicator illuminated. The dealer was not called. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While the vehicle was undergoing scheduled maintenance, the mechanic noticed an oil leak emerging from the rear valve cover. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired approximately one year ago for the front valve cover per a recall, but the failure recurred. The recall details were unknown. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While parking the vehicle in the garage, the contact noticed smoke coming from the hood. The engine caught on fire without warning. The contact extinguished the fire with a fire extinguisher. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The failure mileage was 133,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact parked the vehicle and noticed smoke. She attempted to start the ignition and was informed by others that the vehicle was on fire. The failure was due to an oil leak in the engine compartment. The fire department extinguished the fire and filed a report. There were no injuries. The vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 09v116000 (engine). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact stated that there was evidence of an oil leak under the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign numbers: 15v701000 (engine) and 00099v356 (visibility); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received a notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that engine oil was leaking profusely on the exhaust manifold and the check engine light illuminated. The contact also stated that a quart of oil was provided weekly. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number:15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that while the vehicle parked and unoccupied, the vehicle ignited into flames. The fire department extinguished the flames and informed that the fire originated in the engine compartment. A police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed as destroyed and towed to a savage facility. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 122,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Notified of safety recall engine design flaw by gm. Recall #15v701. No parts available/unknown when parts will be available/keep engine out of garage due to fire possibility. My engine smokes lightly but continually when running and continues for a short time after ignition turned off. Various mechanics could not diagnose cause but said there was oil everywhere on the engine. Didn't trust the vehicle to drive outside city but engine always responded dependably except for oil leak. Finally get the cause but it...
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can't be repaired because of parts not available and no indication as to when parts will be available. I can't sell or trade in this vehicle due to safety recall. Can't drive it long distances. Can't get information as to when parts, if ever, will be available. If vehicle does catch fire, insurance won't pay off due to safety recall indicating problem. I realize it's a 20year old vehicle but it only has 150,000 miles. At least I'm not worried about it taking my life....Yet. I've already contacted everyone that I've been told to but no resolution yet. Any suggestions?
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While driving 15 mph, another vehicle crashed into the contact's vehicle. The contact sustained neck injuries that required medical attention. The front passenger also sustained chest injuries that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. Prior to the crash, the contact's vehicle was leaking oil. After the crash, the lights on the instrument panel failed to illuminate. The vehicle was not diagnosed or...
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repaired. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 buick regal. While the contact's daughter was driving approximately 45 mph, she smelled a strong burning odor. The vehicle was pulled over and caught fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine). The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 buick regal. While the vehicle was parked outside of the contact's residence, it caught fire. The fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was not filed. There were no injuries. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) after the vehicle was destroyed due to the fire. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that the vehicle caught fire while parked with the engine off. The contact had driven the vehicle for approximately one hour prior to the failure. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire and a fire report was filed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The dealer was not yet notified of the recall. The contact called the manufacturer and they were unable to determine when the parts and the permanent remedy for this condition would become available. The contact was unable to determine when the recall repair would be completed. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that while driving into the driveway at about 5 mph, there was smoke emitting from underneath the hood, without any warning. The contact lifted the hood and the engine immediately burst into flames. The fire department attempted to extinguish the fire however, the flames were excessive and the vehicle burned completely. A police report was not filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and deemed destroyed. The...
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manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact stated that after the fire, she received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 the (engine and engine cooling. The failure mileage was not provided. Updated 03/16/16*lj;05/11/18*jb *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact smelled an odor of burning rubber. The vehicle was completely engulfed in flames within 15 minutes. The driver and passengers were able to exit the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000. The consumer stated the vehicle was recalled in november 2011 for a possible engine fire. Shortly after receiving the notice, the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer to have the potential problem fixed. Updated 07/06/15. *Jb
Buick Regal engine complaints by year
Regal engine problems, every yearSource: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data