- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2004 Buick Regal Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 66 complaints about the 2004 Buick Regal with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system (35) and the engine & cooling (25). Those complaints describe 2 fires. It is covered by 4 recalls, the latest in October 2015 for the engine. For comparison, the 2003 has 104 and the 2005 has 4.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Regal year, for its age
#136 most complained-about 2004 vehicle
- Complaints
- 66
- Recalls
- 4
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2004 Buick Regal problems
Share of all 66 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2004 Buick Regal recalls 4
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- General Motors LLC (GM) notified the agency on April 2, 2015, that they are is recalling certain model year 2004 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured April 9, 2003, to June 1, 2003, 2004 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured April 8, 2003, to June 23, 2003, and 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles manufactured April 7, 2003, to June 23, 2003. On May 18, 2015, GM expanded the recall to cover an additional 49,751 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix vehicles manufactured January 6, 2003, to June 25, 2004. In the affected vehicles, the valve cover gasket may leak.
- The risk
- The leaking engine oil can drip onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold, increasing the risk of a fire.
- The fix
- GM will notify owners, and dealers will remove the plastic cover and plastic oil fill tube extension and replace the front valve cover and gasket. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall began on April 24, 2015. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14574.
- The problem
- Dorman is recalling 979 steering knuckles, dorman p/nos. 697-902 And 697-903, sold under dorman's "oe solutions<sup>tm</sup>" brand name, and napa p/nos. 7-8502 And 7-8503 which were sold for replacement use on the various vehicles listed above. A potential material or design defect could result in the steering knuckle breaking in the hub area.
- The risk
- A broken steering knuckle could result in loss of steering control and a possible crash without warning.
- The fix
- Dorman will notify owners and replace the defective steering knuckles free of charge and reimburse the repair facility or owner for labor. The recall began on february 23, 2009. Owners may contact dorman's toll-free hotline at 1-800-523-2492 and press 5.
- The problem
- Dorman products is recalling 3,900 intermediate steering shafts dorman part nos. 425-151, 425-152, And 425-153, (sold under dorman's "oe solutions" brand name), balkamp #'s 7-3057, 7-3058, 7-3059 (sold under the "napa" brand name), and platinum parts #'s 2425151, 2425152, and 2425153 manufactured during the month of september 2007. These replacement steering shafts can be used on the vehicles listed above. The weld connecting the inner tube to the outer tube may be defective.
- The risk
- If the weld fails, loss of steering could result, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dorman will notify owners and replace the steering shafts free of charge. The recall began on october 16, 2008. Owners may contact dorman toll free at 1-800-523-2492.
What owners say
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66 complaints about the 2004 Buick Regal
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 3.
All 4 power window motors do not work. They all failed within 6 months of each other. I checked on you tube and found that almost all buick regals have this problem of power window motors breaking. There are hundreds of complaints on you tube alone for this issue. I believe this is proof that the power window motors are defective and probably made this way to force owners to make expensive repairs. I am asking you to force buick to recall their regal models and have the window motors repaired at buick's expense.
The first time the car stalled was as I was approaching the stop sign.It stalled and the dash light all came on. I was able to re-start it after putting it in park. It then happened again the same as before I got home. The next day it drove normal for awhile then as I was starting it up again it started with a noise and the lights on the dash a lit up again. It seemed to run normal again. But a bit later as I was slowing down to make a turn into a parking lot it stalled again. I brought it into an independent automotive garage and they hooked up to their tester and could not find anything abnormal with the car.
From a dead stop, when you accelerate the car has a hard shudder, trans slip...Believe it to be a transmission problem and a problem gm has known for sometime with their g4t60-e transmission, most likely a pressure control solenoid problem or clutch assembly.
Power windows on this car burn out, 4 mechanics said this is a very common problem, and repairs of the power windows is expensive
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact stated that the engine would shut off while the vehicle was in operation. The vehicle was able to restart by using the key fob, but would shut back off when the key was inserted in the ignition. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, but a failure was not found. The dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 97,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact stated that the vehicle caught fire while parked. The contact saw smoke escape from underneath the hood of the vehicle as it entered into the cabin of the vehicle. The contact's friends attempted to extinguish the fire, but were unsuccessful. There were no injuries. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report and a fire report were not filed. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the fire. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) as a potential cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. While driving various speeds and while making a left or right turn, the vehicle would intermittently lose power. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle by wiggling the key in the ignition switch. The contact noticed that the failure occurred when the turn signals were activated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact took the vehicle the dealer (integrity dodge located on 6025 international dr, chattanooga, tn) for a recall repair. The technician removed the gray cover gasket from the engine and informed the contact that everything was ok with the engine. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, when the vehicle was taken to walmart for service, the technician found a leak coming from the tap of the engine cover and stated that the gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was...
Read the full complaint
not repaired. The vin was included in a recall for the engine and engine cooling. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to nhtsa. The nhtsa campaign number was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 9,284.
Ignition switch is failing, causing stalls, and flashing warning lights. Warning lights came on for just a second or 2 today while I was driving at highway speed. It stopped at a stop light and I had to start it. It killed in a garage, turning off the highway into a driveway, and so on. Evidently this is a problem in gm cars.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. While driving slow speeds, all the instrument cluster warning indicators illuminated and the engine seized. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,000. Updated 06/21/17*lj *as
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v201000 (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 2004 buick regal. The contact stated that the headlights failed to work. The multifunction lever headlight button had to be held in order for the high beam headlights to work. In addition, the low beam headlights would not operate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 114,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v201000 (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 stated that the engine warning light illuminated. The sensor was replaced however, the vehicle was not repaired for the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 60 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. After restarting, the vehicle resumed as normal. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The contact stated that there was a progressive oil leak but the recall repair parts were not available in order to repair the vehicle. The contact was unable to determine when the parts would become available to receive the recall repair appointment. The manufacturer was unable to provide a specific time frame that the part would be supplied to the dealer. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000. Updated 05/03/16*lj updated 11/30/2017*js
2004 Buick regal. Consumer writes in regards to drops of engine oil deposit on exhaust manifold recall notice. *Ld according to the repair invoice, the multi-function switch was replaced. *Jb
Car died while in motion; everything shut off including power steering which caused me to sit in middle of intersection. Another vehicle came close to running into me. Mechanic checked everything and said it's a faulty ignition switch.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact stated that while driving down a hill at 35 mph, the vehicle began to loose power and the engine stalled while all the warning lights illuminated. The failure occurred once. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the ignition switch failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. Updated 04/22/2016*lj updated 6/6/18*jb
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact stated that while attempting to shut off the vehicle, the ignition key would get jammed. The contact stated after shifting multiple times, the key was able to be removed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle failure mileage was 93,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v201000 (engine and engine cooling) however, the part needed to perform the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available. Updated 04/20/16*lj updated 05/29/18*jb
How long does the nhtsa allow gm to fix recall 15757? It appears that gm is just waiting consumers out because of the age of vehicles, i.E., Affected units are probably being taken out of service and the longer gm waits, more of their responsibility naturally goes away. I called the buick recall hotline and they stated that they had no idea when a "fix" would be issued.
2004 Buick regal. Consumer writes in regards to no parts available to repair exhaust manifold problem recall notice. *Smd
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling); however, the part needed to perform 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. Vin tool confirms parts not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 15v201000 (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. Vin tool confirms parts not available. Updated 03/08/16*lj the consumer was notified, the parts were available. The consumer had an appointment for march 1, 2016. Updated 03/14/16.*Jb.....Updated 03/15/16 *bf updated 03/17/16.*Jb
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick regal. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the ignition switch needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 43,329.
Buick Regal: every year compared
All Regal years2004 Buick Regal vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Buick Regal | 66 | 4 | D | |
| 2004 Buick Rendezvous | 200 | 5 | D | Compare |
| 2004 Buick Lesabre | 162 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Buick Rainier | 158 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2004 Buick Century | 39 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2004 Buick Park Avenue | 12 | 0 | B | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2004 Buick Regal
Does the 2004 Buick Regal have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2004 Buick Regal: engine (October 2015); engine (April 2015); steering (February 2009); steering (October 2008). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Buick Regal?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the electrical system (35), engine & cooling (25), steering (6).
How many complaints has the 2004 Buick Regal had?
66 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on August 24, 2004 and the latest on December 8, 2020. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 2 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2004 Buick Regal a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 29 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Buick Regal year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Buick Regal years have the most complaints?
1998 (312), 2011 (280), 1999 (252). See every Buick Regal year compared.
What should I do if my 2004 Buick Regal has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: 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