2018 Buick Regal problems & reliability
19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Buick Regal, alongside 3 safety recall campaigns. 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.
3 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2018 Buick Regal vehicles were involved in 4 fatal crashes with 3 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 7 | 37% |
| Engine | 5 | 26% |
| Unknown OR Other | 4 | 21% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 16% |
| Air Bags | 2 | 11% |
| Power Train | 2 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 11% |
| Visibility/wiper | 2 | 11% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 5% |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My car was part of recall number 22V465, which was supposed to fix a problem with the electronic brake assist system. The recall repair was done in 2023, but after my battery recently died, the same problem has come back — my brakes are very firm, and I have to press hard to stop. The car is showing trouble codes…”
Service Brakes · filed Oct 11, 2025
“This issue is related to the gear shifter on the vehicle. When stopping the car and putting it into park the dashboard shows the message "Shift to Park." this vehicle has only 50,000 miles on it and this issue cause safety issues as the battery on the vehicle will drain as the car can't be turned off with this…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Mar 26, 2025
“Was driving home from work and my brakes suddenly stopped working, if I press all the way down on the brakes they somewhat work. Checked brake fluid and brake lines and everything seems fine. Could this be from vacuum power brake assist fail?”
Service Brakes · filed Oct 28, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
Technical service bulletins
898 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Buick Regal. The 10 most recent:
PI to help diagnose A/C concern
PIT5099J · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 21, 2026
This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.
PIT3271Q · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2026
This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.
PIP6104 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902V · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902U · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 8, 2026
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions…
PIT5214G · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 20, 2025
New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
13598 · Other · issued Sep 9, 2025
This Preliminary information communicates a possible issue with an engine timing chain, gear or crankshaft key.
PIP6085 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 8, 2025
Provide info on that parts restriction ending for the rear diff clutch control 19435910
PIP6027A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 27, 2025
This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.
PIP4902T · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 14, 2025
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 2018 Buick Regal has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns — 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 2018 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.