2002 Buick Regal Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2002 Buick Regal most often describe engine oil leaking onto hot exhaust parts and, in some cases, engine-compartment fires, a pattern that connects to several oil-leak recalls for this generation. Electrical complaints are also common, mainly ignition switches that stick or fail and dash lighting that goes dark, and most reports come in at higher mileages.

1. 1
   Engine

   Engine oil leak onto exhaust and engine fires

   • 29 complaints (25%)
   • median 93,500 mi at 14.2 yrs old (22 state mileage)
   • 18 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2006–2021

   Complaints describe oil seeping from valve cover and oil pan gaskets and dripping onto the exhaust manifold or intake area, producing smoke from under the hood and, in several accounts, flames near the engine. Some owners say the car caught fire while parked shortly after driving, and others noticed a burning smell before seeing smoke. Several owners report that valve cover gasket work was recommended or performed but that leaks returned, and some state the recall remedy covered only the front cover while the rear continued to leak. Most reports fall between roughly 60,000 and 150,000 miles, with several fires described after the car had been parked following a drive.

   Recall 15V701000Recall 09V116000Recall 08V1180004 related service bulletins

   What to check: Inspect the valve cover gaskets, oil pan and the area around the exhaust manifold for fresh oil residue or a burnt smell, and ask whether the oil-leak recalls were completed and on which cover.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “2002 Buick Regal.. Went to the store came home and the whole engine was on fire. Car was just paid off this month after 5 years and we need advice. Who can help us? Who can we call? Updated 05/07/09”

   NHTSA complaint #10267561, filed 2009-05, 95,000 miles

   “In dec of 2012, my alternator belt broke, so I had my Buick towed to a mechanic I have been using for this vehicle. I was driving my car afterwards about 2 weeks and the low windshield fluid light came on,...so I lifted the hood and I find my oil cap smoldering and my spark plug wires charred.....even though I took this to the dealership for the recall...the recall didn't address a mechanic changing the wire routing of the car. The issue is oil leaking to the heat shield and catching on fire....not where the spark plugs were situated. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10497675, filed 2013-02, 160,000 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Ignition switch stalls and stuck keys

   • 15 complaints (13%)
   • median 85,173 mi at 9.8 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2015

   Owners describe the engine cutting out without warning at various speeds, sometimes repeatedly, and in some cases the car will not restart. Others report the key becoming hard or impossible to remove from the ignition, or the key going in but not turning. Complaints say dealers diagnosed a faulty ignition switch and replaced it, and some owners note their vehicle was not covered by an ignition-switch recall. Reported from about 70,000 to 166,000 miles, often as a gradual problem that worsens over months.

   What to check: Try removing and turning the key several times and ask whether the ignition switch or lock cylinder has been replaced; check for any record of stall-related repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While turning vehicle off I was unable to remove key from the ignition cylinder. Despite attempts to lubricate the ignition key cylinder and the gear selector switch the key still remains stuck in the ignition cylinder. This problem has progressively grown worse over the past year and key removal failure occurs 98% of the time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10419939, filed 2011-08, 142,000 miles

   “Tl * the contact owns a 2002 Buick Regal. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was able to be restarted and the dealer replaced the ignition switch. The VIN was excluded from NHTSA campaign number: 14v171000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 92,847. Updated 08/11/14 updated 08/23/2017”

   NHTSA complaint #10605141, filed 2014-06, 92,847 miles
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Dash and tail lighting goes dead

   • 14 complaints (12%)
   • median 86,199 mi at 8.8 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • filed 2003–2016

   Complaints describe the instrument cluster lights and rear running lights going out while driving or failing to come on at night, sometimes with a fuse that blows again right after replacement. Some owners report the headlights shutting off unexpectedly, and a few link the loss of lighting to a turn signal switch or wiring repair. Dealers in some accounts replaced a module or switch, while others could not resolve the repeated fuse failures. Mostly reported between about 75,000 and 155,000 miles.

   What to check: With the headlights on, check the dash backlighting and both rear running lights, then look at the fuse box for signs of repeated replacement or a scorched fuse.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I drove my car earlier today (during the day time) and everything was okay... As soon as it was dark my headlights, lights in the dash will not come on. The mileage is incorrect.”

   NHTSA complaint #10240705, filed 2008-09, 76,352 miles

   “Loss of lighting on instrument cluster and real tail lights. During vehicle start it was noticed that the instrument cluster was not receiving electrical power. The fuse box was inspected and the 15 amp fuse was blown. Immediate replacement resulted in repetitive blown fuses.”

   NHTSA complaint #10448346, filed 2012-02, 86,000 miles

Buying note. Have a pre-purchase inspection focus on oil leaks around the valve covers, oil pan and exhaust manifold, and confirm which recalls were actually completed. Also test the ignition switch, dash lighting and heated seats, since these are the other commonly reported trouble spots on this model year.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.