1990 Buick Regal problems & reliability
77 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1990 Buick Regal, alongside 1 safety recall campaign. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
7 complaints report injuries (11 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 42 | 55% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 8% |
| Structure | 6 | 8% |
| Suspension | 6 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 4 | 5% |
| Wheels | 4 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 4% |
| Power Train | 3 | 4% |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 4% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Electrical systems controlled by signal lever do not work except by holding lever in certain positions: I.e. Brake lights, signal lever l up, turn signals switch lever up, high beams no go etc. All the time.”
Electrical System · filed Sep 26, 2017
“1990 buick regal had equipment failure. Consumer was able to pull over to the shoulder under control without any problems. *kb according to the police report, upon inspection of the hood latch and bracket, the officer discovered part of the bracket at the front of the engine bay was missing. The bolt was missing as…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed Nov 15, 2007
“The rear cradle bolts broke and the cradle separated from the body of the vehicle. This caused the steering linkage couplers to separate and fall off, resulting in loss of steering. This occurred because the cradle bolts rusted. This would not have occurred if corrosive restraint parts were used when the rear cradle…”
Structure · filed Jul 7, 2004
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- STRUCTURE
Investigation RP01001 · opened Nov 28, 2001 · closed Jun 13, 2002 · led to recall 00V189000
- ENGINE CRADLE SEPARATION
Engineering Analysis EA00011 · opened Apr 10, 2000 · closed Jan 12, 2001 · led to recall 00V189000
- CRADLE BOLT FAILURES
Recall Query RQ97017 · opened Oct 2, 1997 · open · led to recall 97V058000
- CORRODED REAR DISK BRAKES
Preliminary Evaluation PE94063 · opened Aug 12, 1994 · closed Dec 21, 1994
- SUB-FRAME ABSORBER FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE94048 · opened Jun 21, 1994 · closed Dec 30, 1994
- STICKING THROTTLE
Engineering Analysis EA92024 · opened Jun 26, 1992 · closed Jan 31, 1994
- JACK FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA91049 · opened Nov 26, 1991 · closed Oct 28, 1992
- JACK FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE91107 · opened Aug 1, 1991 · closed Nov 26, 1991
Technical service bulletins
6 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1990 Buick Regal.
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
130089009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2013
Customers may complain of grinding / scraping / groaning noise from rear suspension. *tt
990309004 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 1, 1999
Some v6 engines may, on a very infrequent basis, have an oil odor condition that is generally encountered after the engine's oil has been changed.typically the odor lasts approximately 1000 miles after the change of oil…
876002A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 1998
Rear strut related thumping/squeaking noise. *tw
133405 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 1995
Abs warning light is on. *tw
435012A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 1995
Abs wire harness for the right front wheel may rub on the brake line causing the abs warning light to come on. *tw
435012 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1994
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 1990 Buick Regal has 1 NHTSA recall campaign — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1990 Buick Regal?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.