Is the 2001 Buick Regal a bad year?
187 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 82, 8.2× a quiet Regal year.
Keep it, but watch the engine
The engine draws 8.2× the complaints of a quiet Regal year, spread over 81k–154k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2001 Regal owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 115,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 80 (43%) | 83k–154k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 32 (17%) | 74k–123k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Steering | 14 (7%) | 43k–95k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 13 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 12 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 11 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 7 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 7 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 7 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 6 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Tires | 5 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 115,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 187 complaints: 5 mention a crash · 48 mention a fire · 6 report an injury · 12 say the car was towed.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Feb 2024.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
My wife went out to start the vehicle after it had been sitting for 2-3 days in 0-20 degree temperatures.
At about 80,000 miles grinding noise in right front wheel developed, replaced brakes and rotors found the right front wheel bearing was bad and had to have it replaced .
Recall fixed the front valve cover and the rear one should of been done also due to the leaking of oil that could potentially start a fire from leaking on the block and possibly burn on the exhaust manifold.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 115,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2001 Buick Regal: 8
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. Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be 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 may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.
A potential material or design defect could result in the steering knuckle breaking in the hub area. A broken steering knuckle could result in loss of steering control and a possible crash without warning.
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. If the weld fails, loss of steering could result, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
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. Certain underhood fires may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.
Vehicle description: certain passenger vehicles, equipped with sunvisor located air bag labels, fail to conform to federal motor vehicles safety standard no. 208, "Occupant crash protection." These vehicles have a message area less than 30 cm which does not meet the requirements of the standard. These vehicles do not comply with the standard.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Some of these vehicles exhibit a condition in which the driver side impact air bag inflator separates from the air bag module during deployment. If the inflator separates, the air bag will not deploy properly during a crash and occupant protection would be reduced.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and Mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Buick: 95
Repair instructions Buick sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2001 Buick Regal. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with DTCs, and explains how Top Tier fuels should be used to reduce carbon build-up
Guidelines to replace Oil Cooler, Oil Cooler Lines and Oil Tank if the engine was replaced where large amounts of debris has flowed throughout the oiling system
Proper way to install the pistons in an engine
Normal transmission shift condition and the delay in throttle response when the throttle plate is opened rapidly and advises the customer that it is normal…
NHTSA defect investigations: 2
Engine compartment fire
Engine compartment fires
Neighbouring years
2000 Regal: 184 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine · 2002 Regal: 117 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine.
Every Buick Regal year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · All Regal years side by side
Other Buick models: Buick Century · Buick Enclave · Buick Encore · Buick Encore GX · Buick Envision · Buick LaCrosse · Buick LeSabre · Buick Lucerne · Buick Park Avenue · Buick Rainier · Buick Rendezvous · Buick Terraza · Buick Verano. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2001 Buick Regal a bad year?
187 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 82, 8.2× a quiet Regal year. At 115,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the engine. The engine draws 8.2× the complaints of a quiet Regal year, spread over 81k–154k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Buick Regal?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (80), electrical system (32), steering (14), speed control (13), brakes (12). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 81k–154k miles.
How many recalls does the 2001 Buick Regal have?
8 recall campaigns list this model year: Exhaust (NHTSA 15V-701), Engine (NHTSA 09V-116), Steering (NHTSA 09E005000), Steering (NHTSA 08E063000) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.