What 279 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Buick Regal Eassist

THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO WANT TO CUT OFF WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT! I SIMPLY DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE ENGINE SEEMS TO BE SO LOUD. I HAD BOTH SHOCKS AND STRUTS REPLACED AFTER PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE FRAME SEEMS TO NOSE DIVE OR "WANDER" WHILE I AM DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, TOTALLY UNCOMFORTABLE FEELING. TIRES ARE BASICALLY NEW I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT SEEMS TO BE GOING ON WITH THIS CAR!

NHTSA ODI 11064874

UNEXPLAINED ENGINE STALLING; ROUGH IDLE AND NOISE ON START. VEHICLE SPUTTERS

NHTSA ODI 11063331

BROKEN PURGE VALVE

NHTSA ODI 11063332

ENGINE NOISE AT START-UP AND IDLE; EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION

NHTSA ODI 11063334

VEHICLE RUNNING ROUGH AND STALLING; 2ND REPLACEMENT OF TIMING CHAIN, FUEL PUMP TENSIONER/BELT

NHTSA ODI 11063337

VEHICLE STILL STALLING; REPLACED BELT AND TENSIONER 3RD TIME SINCE AUG 2014

NHTSA ODI 11063340

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SEIZED AT A RED LIGHT AND NEVER RESTARTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND DISRUPTED THE ENGINE, LEAVING THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED BEFORE OR AFTER THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS VISUALLY DIAGNOSED. THE VISUAL DIAGNOSIS DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE PART WAS THE TIMING CHAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,926. *TT *TR

NHTSA ODI 11061114

I PREVIOUSLY REPORTED AN ISSUE IN 2016 WITH ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO TIMING CHAIN FAILURE WHERE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND IMMEDIATELY THERE WAS ENGINE FAILURE, LOSS OF POWER AND WAS PUT IN A VERY UNSAFE POSITION. AFTER I COASTED MY CAR, WITH 4 WAYS ON, TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I CALLED A TOW TRUCK WHICH TOWED ME TO THE NEAREST GM DEALER WHICH WAS VICTORY CHEVY IN MILAN MICHIGAN. AFTER SOME DIAGNOSIS THEY INFORMED ME OF THE COMPLETE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AND INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. AT THE TIME I HAD 111K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I WAS INFORMED THE CAR NEEDED A COMPLETE REBUILD AND I VOICED MY DISPLEASURE ABOUT THE FAILURE SO SOON AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THE 100K WARRANTY. WHAT GM DID AGREE TO WAS TO SPLIT THE REPAIR 60-40 WHERE I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR APPROX. $2700 OF THE REBUILD. AT THAT TIME I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE REBUILD VERSUS A NEW MOTOR AND WAS TOLD THAT WAS ALL THEY WOULD OFFER ME. I AGAIN COMPLAINED THAT IF IT'S REBUILT I WILL BE BACK IN WITH THE SAME ISSUE IN THE FUTURE SO HERE I AM LESS THAN 18 MONTHS AFTER A REBUILT MOTOR I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR A LOUD NOISE ON STARTUP AND SMELL OF AN OIL LEAK. THE DEALER NOW TELLS ME THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDS REPLACED AGAIN ALONG WITH A TOP END REBUILD COSTING APPROX. $4500 ALTHOUGH THERE IS NO DRIVABILITY ISSUE WITH THE CAR. SO I CALLED GM CUSTOMER CENTER AND SPOKE WITH THE SUPPOSED "HEAD SERVICE ADVISOR" AND WAS TOLD BY HIM THAT SINCE THE CAR IS OUT OF THE 12 MONTH WARRANTY THEY WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE. I INFORMED HIM I HAVE BEEN A GM CUSTOMER SINCE 2003 AND THIS IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED. THE TIMING CHAIN IS A KNOWN ISSUE IN THESE CARS FOR FAILURE AND NOT JUST WITH HIGHER MILEAGE ENGINES. WHY IS GM NOT ISSUING A CAMPAIGN FOR THESE VEHICLES AND THEIR MOTORS? I HAVE REPLACED SO MANY THINGS ON THIS CAR I AM GOING TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB AND PURSUE LEMON LAW.

NHTSA ODI 11054867

THE MORNING OF DEC 8 I WAS PULLING INTO MY JOB PARKING LOT AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF 3 TIMES. AFTER WORK ON THE WAY HOME I NOTED A ROUGH IDLE. I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION AND IT SHUT OFF AGAIN. I WAS ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM MY GM DEALERSHIP SO I PARKED IT THERE FOR SERVICE/REPAIR THE NEXT DAY. I WAS CALLED ON THE 10TH AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN AND THIS REPAIR WOULD COST APPROX. $2200. I WAS THEN TOLD ON THE 12TH THAT THE TIMING SPROCKET AND CAM SHAFT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED ADDING COST TO THIS POOR MATERIAL OR POOR WORKMANSHIP. I REMEMBER A RECALL ON A ENGINE EARLIER IN THE YEAR THAT I THOUGHT THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED WHICH I BELIEVE WAS SOMETHING INVOLVED WITH THE CAM SHAFT BUT I KNOW THEY HAD TO GO INTO THE ENGINE. THIS SHUTTING OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION REALLY SCARED ME AND THE CAM SHAFT, CAM SHAFT SPROCKET AND TIMING CHAIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE OF A BETTER MATERIAL, A STRONGER MATERIAL. $2000 SPENT EARLIER PLUS THE $2200 ESTIMATED NO I COULD HAVE PURCHASED AN ENGINE FOR $4200. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT BURNS CHEVROLET BEING REPAIRED SINCE DEC 8TH. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO.

NHTSA ODI 11054383

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THERE WAS A MISFIRE IN THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED AND CAUSED SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO COUNTRYSIDE GM (N8167 KELLOM RD, BEAVER DAM, WI 53916, (920) 885-3301) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,351.

NHTSA ODI 11045934

THE CAR STALLS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. AT FIRST, IT WAS ONLY WHEN I WAS STOPPED THEN BEGAN TO DRIVE AND THE CAR WAS SHIFTING INTO FIRST GEAR. HOWEVER, IT RECENTLY GOT WORSE. I WAS RECENTLY ON THE FREEWAY AND WHEN I REACHED 60 MPH, IT STALLED, BEGAN TO SHAKE, AND DECREASE IN SPEED. IT WOULDN'T LET ME ACCELERATE. ONCE I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND REACHED UNDER 10 MPH, IT BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN BUT STILL STALLED EVERY TIME IT SHIFTED GEARS. I'VE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.

NHTSA ODI 11039487

VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN OFF OF MAIN HIGHWAY INTO A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT WHEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO LESTER GLENN BUICK THAT NIGHT. THE NEXT DAY AFTER SITTING IN THE DEALERSHIP PARKING LOT, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO START AND THE DEALERSHIP STATED THEY WERE"UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM" AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I PRESENTLY OWN TWO(2) 2011 BUICK REGAL AND BOTH HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKING. I HAVE CONTACTED G M NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAVE RECEIVED NO CALLS BACK FROM THEIR "SENIOR " ADVISER. HAVE ALSO READ ABOUT SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET WITH THESE VEHICLES. HOPEFULLY G M WILL ADDRESS THIS SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY HURT

NHTSA ODI 11014181

VEHICLE HAS 69,579 MILES. WHILE TURNING ONTO SIDE STREET OFF OF MAIN ROAD, ENGINE SHUT OFF CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER A MINUTE AND DRIVEN HOME. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LESTER GLENN BUICK DEALERSHIP FOR THIS PROBLEM . THE DEALERSHIP WAS "UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM" AND THERE WERE NO CODES SHOWING A PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ISSUE WAS THAT THE VEHICLE WAS 100 MILES OVERDUE FOR AND OIL CHANGE AND WAS A LITTLE LOW ON OIL. WHEN I QUESTIONED THIS I WAS TOLD IT IS A "SAFETY FEATURE" TO PROTECT THE ENGINE FROM DAMAGE BECAUSE OF LOW OIL. I ASKED IF IT WAS A "SAFETY FEATURE" THAN WHY WAS MY SON ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHIN A MINUTE. STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER. I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS CALLS TO G M ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT ALL I HAVE GOTTEN WERE TWO CALLS TO MY HOUSE PHONE WHEN I WAS NOT HOME WHEN I SPECIFICALLY LEFT MY CELL PHONE NUMBER TO BE CALLED. I HAVE CALLED AN ADDITIONAL THREE TIMES AND LEFT A MESSAGE FOR A SENIOR ADJUSTER TO CALL ME BACK AND STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, I OWN TWO 2011 BUICK REGALS AND MY DAUGHTERS CAR IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUES, BUT THAT WILL BE LISTED AS ANOTHER COMPLAINT . APPEARS TO BE MULTIPLE ISSUES ON THE INTERNET WITH THIS SAME CONCERN, BUT NOTHING SEEMS TO GET DONE

NHTSA ODI 11013965

LAST NITE, 9:30 PM WE CAME OUT OF PUBLIX PARKING LOT DOING AN EASY LEFT. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF, ALL LIGHTS LIT UP ON DASH AND CENTER CONSOLE LIT UP SAYING "LOWER DRIVER WINDOW.." FOLLOWED BY "LOWER PASSENGER WINDOW"!! WE COASTED TO SIDE OF ROAD, PUT IT IN PARK THEN IT STARTED AND WE GOT HOME. THIS MORNING, A EASY RIGHT ONTO HIGHWAY AND LOCKS OPENED AND CLOSED BY THEMSELVES AT ABOUT 30 MPH! DURING THE HWY DRIVE, AT 75MPH CAR STUTTERS, ENGINE WHINES THEN CATCHES ITSELF, ALL DASH LIGHTS COME ON AND THE ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS 3 TIMES THEN GOES OUT! WHAT THE HE**.. COULD HAVE DIED!

NHTSA ODI 11004842

ONLY 64,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE TIMING CHAIN WAS BAD. I BELIEVE IT IS A DEFECTIVE TIMING CHAIN

NHTSA ODI 11003418

BUICK REGAL 2011 IS CURRENTLY AT 67K, THE VEHICLE HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 63K. THE AUTOMOBILE CONTINUES TO STALL AS THERE SEEMS TO BE CONCERNS RELATED TO THE ACCELERATION/POWER OF THE CAR AT TIMES, VEHICLE DOESN'T DISPLAY THE POWER IT SHOULD BE DRIVING WITH. IN ADDITION AUTOMOBILE IS MAKING A SQUEAKING NOISE FROM THE WATER PUMP OR BELT WHEN VEHICLE AIR CONDITIONING IS RAN (EITHER IN MOTION OR STATIONARY).

NHTSA ODI 11003423

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED OVERHEATING AND STALLING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WRIGHT CHEVROLET BUICK WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALANCED CHAIN WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND EXPLAINED THAT THE REMEDY WOULD BE AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. IF A RECALL OCCURRED, THE CONTACT WOULD BE REIMBURSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

NHTSA ODI 11000223

MY CAR STALLED WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE FREEWAY, ALMOST CAUSING ME TO GET HIT BY THE CAR BEHIND ME. THE CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING FINE, THERE WERE NO INDICATOR/WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING ON MY DASH PRIOR TO THIS. I AND IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC CLOSE BY AND HE TOLD ME IT LOOKS LIKE THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKE. I BOUGHT THIS AS A CERTIFIED CAR AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE OIL CHANGED AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE INFORMATION LAMP INDICATED IT WAS DUE.

NHTSA ODI 10986129

ENGINE CONSUMING OIL WITH NO LEAKS. TECH SAID THAT OIL IS PASSING THROUGH RINGS AND BURNING DURING COMBUSTION. MY CAR HAS 174000 MILES AND HAS BEEN WELL CARED FOR. I AM VERY UPSET THAT THE REMEDY FOR THIS IS TO OVERHAUL OR REPLACE THE ENGINE. ALSO, A/C DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE. TECH SAYS COMPRESSOR HAS FAILED. PLEASE REMEDY. LAST AMERICAN CAR I BUY.

NHTSA ODI 10986191

REPLACED ENGINE A 2.4L LAF AND TRANSMISSION A 6T-50 WITH BAD TRANS @ 149K MILES ON 2011 BUICK REGAL. REPLACEMENT IS 2011 2.4L LAF ENGINE AND 6T-50 TRANS W/ 17K MILES. CAR NOW HAS P0089 AND P228D CODES AND WHINE FROM HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP AS DESCRIBED IN #PIP5203A. TURNS OUT ORIGINAL ENGINE IS A 2010 ENGINE WITH ALL THE CAM CHAIN ISSUES SEEN IN OTHER NHTSA COMPLAINTS. TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY MY DEALER TELLS ME ECM CAN NOT BE REPROGRAMMED TO 2011 BECAUSE PROGRAMMING IS DRIVEN BY THE VIN# ONLY. MY ONLY CHOICE IS TO BUY THE PARTS FROM GM (ABOUT $1000) TO TURN MY ENGINE BACK INTO A 2010 ENGINE OR PAY A DEALER SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS TO DO THE WORK. I`M IN A POSITION OF PAYING SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS MORE FOR THE CAR THEN IT IS WORTH. THIS WAS TO BE MY RETIREMENT GIFT TO MYSELF, GUESS I WILL BE DRIVING MY 1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM UNTIL I DROP DEAD. THANKS GM, MY BRAND LOYALTY SURE PAYS OFF. MY ADVICE TO FUTURE CAR BUYERS, BUY ANOTHER BRAND!! P.S. I HOPE THIS CONSTITUTES SOME EMISSION VIOLATION AND THE EPA HITS GM WITH A MULTI MILLION DOLLAR FINE. P.S.S. IT DIES ON THE ROAD TO. WHERE IS MARRY B. WHEN YOU HER?

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS STRETCHED, WHICH CAUSED A KNOCKING AND TICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN ASSOCIATED WITH THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA TO SEE IF THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED PER A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 10959056

WHEN AT A STOP SIGN MY VEHICLE DIED. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT BUT AT SLOW SPEEDS IT CONTINUED TO DIE. ON THE WAY HOME, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR PERFORMED FINE. AT SLOW SPEEDS THE REST OF THE DAY AND DURING A TEST DRIVE THE NEXT DAY, AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE DIED ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY, LOSING POWER STEERING ETC. TO GET HOME I HAD TO KEEP A FOOT ON THE GAS WHILE BRAKING/TURNING AND STOPPED TO KEEP THE IDLE SPEED UP. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY. THE DIAGNOSTIC CHECK REVEALED A P0010 FAILURE CODE FROM WHICH THEY FOUND THE INTAKE CAMSHAFT ACTUATOR SOLENOID WAS SHORTED. THEY REPLACED IT AND CURRENTLY IT IS OPERATING FINE. THEY INDICATED IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND NOT SUBJECT TO THE SPECIFIC VEHICLE RECALL THAT I RECEIVED.

NHTSA ODI 10958019

WHEN DRIVING OR COMING TO A STOP OR EVEN MAKING A TURNING THE VEHICLES SHAKES AND THEN SHUTS OFF, THIS FIRST HAPPEN WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A VERY BUSY STREET, THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED IT HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING JUST A SHAKE AND THEN THE CAR SHUT OFF, REDUCING SPEED RAPIDLY , CAUSING THE TRAFFIC BEHIND ME TO DO THE SAME, THANK GOD THAT THERE WASN'T AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT SURE COULD HAVE BEEN. AND NOW I SEE ON THE FORUM THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, BUICK ISN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT, DOES THIS FALL UNDER THE LEMON LAW, HELP

NHTSA ODI 10957464

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE CONTACT OBSERVED AN ABNORMAL SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CONDUCT AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST OVER THE NEXT TWO MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ODI 10955109

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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