1989 Buick Regal Problems
- Complaints
- 106filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 80,000miles, 1 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 7campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
- NHTSA crash rating
- —overall rating starts with 2011 models
- EPA fuel economy
- 21 mpgcombined, 2.8L 6-cyl FWD · 18 city / 27 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1989 Buick Regal (complaints, recalls, investigations), EPA fuel economy. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of the 1989 Buick Regal most often write about brakes — particularly rear calipers that stop moving freely, leaving the front brakes to do the work — and about the front and rear cradle bolts rusting and pulling through, which several complaints describe as the engine or subframe dropping while driving. Reports also cover electrical display failures, stalling, and rust-related body and brake problems, typical of a car this age.
- Brakes
Rear brake calipers seize and do not release
- 37 complaints (35%)
- typically at 6.6 yrs old
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2002
Complaints describe rear calipers that stop moving freely, so the pads drag on the rotors, the brakes get very hot, and the front brakes end up doing most of the stopping. Owners mention grinding, rotors warped or rusted, and brake-pedal travel that is long or goes to the floor, sometimes requiring pumping. Dealers and shops replaced calipers, pads, rotors and caliper slide kits, and in some cases owners were told the wear was normal. Reported on vehicles from the 1990s onward, with no clear mileage pattern in the sample; several mention rust or corrosion on the rear hardware.
What to check: Have a mechanic raise the car and check that both rear calipers release freely and that rotors and pads are not dragging or heavily rusted; ask for receipts showing what rear brake work was done and when.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I thought there was some recall on the rear calipers but the local dealer said no... I checked the site and cant find any info was I just mis informed? Nlm”
NHTSA complaint #760830, filed 2002-04“Consumer has a continuous problem with the rear brake cable, the vehicle has been serviced for the same problem several times with no remedy. Dealer has replaced brake pads, rotors, caliper slides, etc, and brakes still do not work properly, dealer also found the parking brake cables corroded. Window would not move up or down.”
NHTSA complaint #803320, filed 1996-10 - Body and structure
Cradle bolts rust and pull through
- 12 complaints (11%)
- median 80,000 mi at 17.5 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1999–2006
Owners describe a loud noise and then finding that the cradle bolts or retainers had rusted through, letting the engine or subframe drop; some lost steering and brake assist at the same time. Several complaints say the car was not covered by the cradle-bolt recall or that a dealer declined the repair because of rust, damage or mileage. Others report the front cradle bolts failing years after rear bolts had been replaced under a recall. Mostly on older vehicles in the 1990s and early 2000s, commonly in states where road salt is used.
Recall 97V058000Recall 00V189000
What to check: Look underneath at the cradle bolts and retainer washers for rust-through, and ask whether recall 97V058000 or 00V189000 repairs were completed and documented on this car.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Consumer took vehicle into dealer to have recall 00v189000 repairs concerning rear cradle bolts. Dealer denied recall repairs due to vehicle being damaged/ rusted and had too many miles. Dealer offered to buy back vehicle. Consumer was driving vehicle at time of bolt retainer failure, vehicle went into a ditch.”
NHTSA complaint #898848, filed 2001-11“The rear crable bolts sheared off the vehicle while driving causing the frame of the vehicle to fall to the ground which also damaged the oil pan and separated the steering shaft, the driver lost the ability to steer and brake, the cradle bolts were previously recalled and replaced in 1997 (97v-058).”
NHTSA complaint #561283, filed 2001-05 - Electrical system
Engine stalls or cuts out while driving
- 11 complaints (10%)
- typically at 10.3 yrs old
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1995–2001
Complaints describe the engine dying without warning at speed or on exit ramps, sometimes taking power steering and power brakes with it, and then restarting right away or after cooling down. Owners report shops being unable to reproduce or find the cause, and some mention an engine control module being replaced. One complaint describes sudden acceleration when shifting out of park that was attributed to the control module. Reported at various mileages; no strong mileage pattern in the sample, with several occurring on ramps or at low speed.
What to check: Ask whether the engine control module or related sensors have been replaced and whether any stored codes were diagnosed; a long test drive including highway off-ramps is worth doing before committing.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Car will randomly stall on me while driving. Frequently will start up again. Mostly, I have it towed. Garage can't find anything. When there it starts again. If we can't find the problem, we can't fix it. Also, stop lights don't work. Again a problem in repair. The engine stopping on me is a very great concern to me. Dangerous.”
NHTSA complaint #707011, filed 1999-05“After traveling 35 miles, on freeway, stalled out going down off ramp,on ramp, aprox 20 MPH.was to towed to garage. Started right up afer cooled down for 1hour. Daughters 1989 olds does same thing.is there a recall of some kind I should know about? Cruise control doesnt work.”
NHTSA complaint #755788, filed 2001-12
Summary written with AI from a sample of 47 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 106 consumer complaints for the 1989 Buick Regal. 1 of the complaints include a mileage, and 0% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 80,000 miles. Of all complaints, 8 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 3 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Brakes54 51%
- Body and structure15 14%
- Electrical system14 13%
- Engine cooling11 10%
- Exterior lighting4 3.8%
- Steering4 3.8%
- Vehicle speed control4 3.8%
- Fuel system3 2.8%
Also reported: Other or unknown (3), Seat belts (2), Equipment (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Suspension (1), Tires (1), Wheels (1).
Example complaints
Brakes: “When travling about 45 MPH the rear brakes won't work. Also another time when trying to put on brakes, they began smoking and the rear brakes didn't work, has had new brakes put on, but they have rusted. Consumer hasn't contacted the dealer, but has taken the vehicle to a mechanic and they are aware of the problem.”
NHTSA complaint #813576, filed 1997-07Body and structure: “The contact stated while driving under 10 MPH, the engine fell out from under the vehicle. This occurred in front of the contact's residence and the contact determined the rear cradle bolt broke and repaired the vehicle. There is a NHTSA recall, # 97v058000, regarding the structure. The vehicle has the same problems as indicated in the recall; however, it is not included in the recall due to the VIN.”
NHTSA complaint #10154623, filed 2006-04, 80,000 milesElectrical system: “The consumer state's when driving at any speed the vehicle is running rough due to the ECM valve, battery failed causing vehicle to not start. Consumer has to take the vehicle back to the dealer to program the vehicle. Mjs”
NHTSA complaint #848694, filed 1999-09Engine cooling: “Consumer states while traveling 35 MPH without any indication vehicle engine fail from under vehicle. Vehicle was service technician notice cradle mounts need to be replaced. Please provide further information. Ts”
NHTSA complaint #8022456, filed 2002-11Mileage when problems were reported
0% of the 1 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 80,000 and 80,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Fuel economy and running cost
EPA ratings for each 1989 Buick Regal version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regal FWD | 2.8L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 18 | 27 | 21 | $3,200 |
| Regal FWD | 3.1L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 17 | 28 | 20 | $3,350 |
Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.
Recalls and investigations
- 00V189000Jul 11, 2000Body and structureCovers: Buick Regal 1988–1991, Pontiac Grand Prix 1988–1991, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme 1988–1990 +2 more
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio…
- 97V058000Apr 8, 1997Body and structureCovers: Buick Regal 1988–1991, Oldsmobile Cutlass 1988–1991, Pontiac Grand Prix 1988–1991 +5 more
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini vans originally sold or currently registered in the following states: connecticut, illinois, indiana, maine, massachusetts, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island…
- 95V115000Jun 5, 1995WheelsCovers: Buick Regal 1988–1990, Oldsmobile Cutlass 1988–1990, Pontiac Grand Prix 1988–1990 +1 more
Cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface. If these cracks become severe enough, the wheel will completely separate from the vehicle.
- 94V041000Mar 28, 1995WheelsCovers: Buick Regal 1988–1990, Oldsmobile Cutlass 1988–1990, Pontiac Grand Prix 1988–1990 +1 more
Cracks develop in the wheel mounting surface. If these cracks become severe enough, the wheel will completely separate from the vehicle.
- 90V185000Oct 16, 1990Exterior lighting › Brake lights › SwitchCovers: Buick Regal 1989–1990, Oldsmobile Cutlass 1989–1990, Pontiac Grand Prix 1989–1990 +1 more
Brake stoplamps may not illuminate or, in some cases, stoplamps will not stay illuminated all the time when brakes are applied due to a faulty stoplamp switch. Also in vehicles equipped with cruise control, a faulty stoplamp switch can result in resumption…
- 90V054000Mar 14, 1990Seat beltsCovers: Buick Regal 1988–1990, Oldsmobile Cutlass 1988–1990, Pontiac Grand Prix 1988–1990 +1 more
Front shoulder belt guide loop attachment fastener may pull through door mounted anchor plate.
See all 7 recalls for the 1989 Buick Regal → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
NHTSA investigations
- RP01001STRUCTUREClosed · Nov 28, 2001
- EA00011Engine cradle separationClosed · Apr 10, 2000
- RQ99002Engine cradle separationOpen · Mar 4, 1999
- RQ97017Cradle bolt failuresOpen · Oct 2, 1997
- PE94063Corroded rear disk brakesClosed · Aug 12, 1994
Technical service bulletins
No technical service bulletins are on record for the 1989 Buick Regal.
Other model years of the Buick Regal
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20 | 30,000 | 3 | — | 26 | — | Rising |
| 2018 | 19 | 22,000 | 3 | — | 26 | — | Stable |
| 2017 | 20 | 73,254 | 0 | 5 | 24 | — | Falling |
| 2016 | 41 | 27,000 | 1 | 5 | 24 | 24 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2015 | 33 | 29,750 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 6 · Fewer | Falling |
| 2014 | 38 | 48,864 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 21 · Fewer | Stable |
| 2013 | 91 | 58,000 | 6 | 5 | 23 | 66 · More | Falling |
| 2012 | 92 | 59,527 | 7 | 5 | 22 | 76 · More | Falling |
| 2011 | 280 | 66,900 | 4 | — | 23 | 100 · More | Falling |
| 2004 | 66 | 90,963 | 2 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 101 | 96,258 | 3 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2002 | 117 | 85,000 | 3 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 187 | 91,500 | 6 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2000 | 184 | 95,804 | 8 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1999 | 246 | 89,000 | 6 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1998 | 302 | 92,000 | 6 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 136 | 105,771 | 7 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 204 | 87,500 | 3 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 173 | 89,659 | 8 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 110 | 96,472 | 3 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 85 | 75,000 | 2 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 144 | 109,500 | 2 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 200 | 94,210 | 6 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 77 | 125,538 | 8 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 106 | 80,000 | 7 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 123 | 86,000 | 10 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 25 | 60,000 | 2 | — | 18 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 12 | — | 4 | — | 18 | — | Not enough data |
| 1985 | 9 | — | 8 | — | 18 | — | Not enough data |
| 1984 | 6 | — | 4 | — | 17 | — | Not enough data |
All Buick Regal model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1989 Buick Regal?
Owners of the 1989 Buick Regal most often write about brakes — particularly rear calipers that stop moving freely, leaving the front brakes to do the work — and about the front and rear cradle bolts rusting and pulling through, which several complaints describe as the engine or subframe dropping while driving. The issues reported most often: Rear brake calipers seize and do not release; Cradle bolts rust and pull through; Engine stalls or cuts out while driving.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1989 Buick Regal have?
NHTSA recorded 106 consumer complaints for the 1989 Buick Regal as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1989 Buick Regal is reported most often?
Brakes is named most often, in 54 complaints (51% of the total), followed by body and structure with 15.
Has the 1989 Buick Regal been recalled?
NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 1989 Buick Regal get?
The EPA rates the 1989 Buick Regal (Regal, 2.8L 6-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 18 city and 27 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.
At what mileage are problems with the 1989 Buick Regal reported?
Among the 1 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 80,000 miles and the middle half falls between 80,000 and 80,000 miles; 0% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.