1997 Buick Regal reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 1997 Buick Regal from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 174
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- STEERING:RACK AND PINION
- 15 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 1
- see below
- Reported harm
- 3 reported crashes · 2 injuries · 19 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#2,896
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Buick median
-23
median 197 across 98 Buick records
Vs 1995-1999
-83
median 257 complaints in 591 records
Top component share
15%
Steering: 26 complaints
What owners report fails — 1997 Buick Regal
- STEERING:RACK AND PINION 15
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 15
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 11
- STEERING 11
- ENGINE 11
1 recall on record for the 1997 Buick Regal
- NHTSA 15V701000 · 2016 · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1997 Buick Regal
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1997 Buick Regal units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Buick Regal reliable?
NHTSA has 174 consumer complaints on record for the 1997 Buick Regal and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is steering:rack and pinion (15 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1997 Buick Regal units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 Buick Regal?
Owners most often report problems with: steering:rack and pinion (15), engine and engine cooling (15), electrical system (11), steering (11). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1997 Buick Regal?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 1997 Buick Regal. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.