Buick Regal — the 10 years we've written up
2011–2020, side by side: what goes wrong on each, what the fix costs, and what they typically ask. 10 of the 10 carry a high-severity issue.
What this page is
These are the 10 Buick Regal model years Kestrel has done the homework on — not every year Buick built one. A year that isn't listed here isn't a year we're warning you off; it's one we haven't written up yet. Ranking a whole model run would mean telling you about years we've never looked at.
Buick Regal by year
How many owner complaints NHTSA holds. A big number usually means a lot were sold; the shape matters more than the total.
Year by year
Vacuum brake assist can drop out and the software does not cover it — pedal goes hard (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $400–$900 for the vacuum pump if it has failed
Vacuum brake assist can drop out and the software does not cover it — pedal goes hard (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $400–$900 for the vacuum pump if it has failed
Vacuum brake assist fails and the pedal goes hard — the recall fixes the software, not the pump (recall) — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed; $400–$900 for the vacuum pump if it has failed
Engine vacuum pump fails and the brake pedal goes rigid — power assist lost while driving — $400–$900 for the vacuum pump; $1,200–$2,500 if the failure took the camshaft sensor or booster with it
Electric power steering connector fails, steering gets heavy — $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
HID headlight housings fog, fill with water and kill the ballast — driver's side first, then the passenger's — $600–$1,500 per headlight assembly; both sides commonly fail within a year of each other
2.0T timing chain and turbo wear — $1,200-$3,000
HID headlight assemblies take on water, burn out the projector and blow fuses — $1,200 a side — $600–$1,500 per headlight assembly; $0 with the recall — verify it was performed
HID headlight assemblies leak, fill with water and go dark — one side at a time — $600–$1,400 per headlight assembly; $0 with the recalls — verify they were performed
2.4L timing chain stretches, rattles on cold start, and can skip and stall the engine — $1,200–$2,500 for the chain, guides and tensioner; $4,000–$6,500 for a replacement engine if the chain skipped
Looking at one in particular?
This page covers the Buick Regal in general. The Kestrel report covers the one you're looking at — the asking price against the market, the photos, the seller's description, and a BUY / NEGOTIATE / WALK AWAY verdict with a negotiation script.
Get My Verdict — $7.99Not ready to pay for one? The free read is instant and needs no card — it checks the asking price against the market and names the top issues for that year.
Known issues are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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