2003 BUICK REGAL Electrical System Problems

UNANNOUNCED TO PURCHASERS, THE BUICK REGAL HAS A REDUNDANT AND DEFECTIVE SECURITY IGNITION SYSTEM THAT PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM BEING ABLE TO START WITH THE KEY AFTER THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED. IT MUST NOW BE TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP TO BE DIAGNOSED AND FOR A COSTLY REPAIR. IT WAS STATIONARY, AND THE BATTERY DRAINED DOWN WITH A PHONE CHARGER HOOKED UP. EVEN FOLLOWING THE FACTORY KEY SEQUENCE, THE BATTERY RUNS DOWN BEFORE THE CODE CAN BE CLEARED AND RE-ESTABLISHED.

MY 03 BUICK REGAL LS WILL SHUTOFF SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT, OR WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNAL. I CAN NOT FIND THE PAPERWORK, BUT I REMEMBER A RECALL FOR THIS ABOUT 5 TO 8 YEARS AGO. WE DID HAVE IT ADDRESSED, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS COME BACK. TODAY'S DATE IS 1/9/17 AND MY WIFE HAD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN TO HER ON 1/4/17 WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND CURVE. SHE WAS NOT TURNING OR USING HER TURN SIGNAL. I ONLY HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME ONCE WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN USING MY TURN SIGNAL. MY MOTHER ALSO HAS AN 03 REGAL GS AND ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM. I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND THEY TOLD ME THERE IS NO CURRENT RECALL NOR WAS THERE EVER ONE FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT I KNOW WE HAD IT ADDRESSED ABOUT 5 TO 8 YEARS AGO.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED WITHOUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO FOUND NO FAILURES; HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,582.

MY IGNITION KEY WOULDN'T COME TO OFF POSITION WHEN I TURN OFF THE ENGINE. KEY WOULDN'T COME OUT FROM THE IGNITION CYLINDER AND I HAD TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE CAR AND MANUALLY LOCK THE CAR. AS A RESULT IT WOULD DRAIN THE BATTERY AND THE CAR IS UNDER A HIGH RISK OF CAR BEING STOLEN AND AT THE TIMES THE STEERING WOULD GET LOCKED. THANK YOU *TR

MOTOR WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD TOOK THE CAR TO CLASSIC DEALER IN MADISON OHIO AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL I HAD TO PAY OVER $400 TO GET IT FIXED WAS THERE A RECALL ON THIS PART THEY SAID THEY HAD TO PULL THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAULTY. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. UPDATED 2/25/15*CN UPDATED 03/02/15*JB

THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN DROVE IN A MONTH, I DROVE ABOUT 3MILES THEN PARKED, CAR THEN STARTED TO SMOKE THEN CAUGHT FIRE. *TR

THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED WHILE ROLLING. EVERY EVENT USUALLY INVOLVED TURNING AND BRAKING AT THE SAME TIME, BUT OCCASIONALLY SHUT DOWN WHILE IDLING AT STOP LIGHTS. IT APPEARED TO BE SIMILAR TO THE IGNITION RECALLS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON OTHER VEHICLES, BUT NOT ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. IT HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND AT LEAST TWO TO THREE TIMES WHILE TURNING ONTO ON RAMPS TO FREEWAYS. IT ALWAYS REQUIRES SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL TO RESTART AND VERY STIFF STEERING BECAUSE POWER STEERING IS DISABLED. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC AND PRESENTED VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. I BELIEVE THE IGNITION IS AT FAULT, BUT CANNOT SAY POSITIVELY. USUALLY OCCURS WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR SOME TIME AND THE ENGINE HAS BEEN RUNNING QUITE SOME TIME AND IS CONSIDERABLY WARM. UNDER HOT CONDITIONS IT OCCURS MORE OFTEN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS IN ENGINE POWER AS THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,432. ..UPDATED 08/12/14 *BF THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. UPDATED 09/16/14

ACTIVATED LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND STARTED TO BRAKE FOR THE TURN. ALL DASH LIGHT FLASHED, GAUGES DROPPED TO ZERO AND ENGINE DIED. IT IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED ON ITS OWN. HAPPENED TWICE WITH-IN 4 BLOCKS. DROVE VEHICLE AGAIN 1 WEEK LATER AND TRACTION CONTROL SWITCHED OFF EVEN THOUGH SWITCH WAS IN ACTIVE POSITION. CYCLED THE SWITCH AND TRACTION CONTROL CAME BACK ON. *TR

ENGINE DIED WHILE SIGNALING A LEFT TURN GOING ABOUT 45 MPH. ALMOST REAR ENDED. CHANGED IGNITION SWITCH MODULE. NO REPEAT RECURRENCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED TO ITS NORMAL OPERATION AFTER BEING RESTARTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT OFFER A REMEDY. THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND AS A RESULT, IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. UPDATED 08/19/14*LJ UPDATED 08/23/2017*CT

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,592 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,500. UPDATED 08/11/14*LJ

I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE CAR FOR OVER A YEAR DUE TO IT NOT BEING ON THE RECALL LIST FOR THE IGNITION NOT WORKING. SOME THING TO DO WITH THE IGNITION AND THE TRANSMISSION, YOU CAN'T GET THE KEY OUT OF IGNITION BECAUSE IT WANT TURN OFF TO THE POINT OF REMOVAL. I'VE NOTICED THAT THERE'S A CLICK SOMETIMES WHEN YOU PUT IT IN PARK AND THEN YOU CAN REMOVE KEY BUT IT'S RARE, I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO DO THE SAME THING THE RECALL SAYS WILL HAPPEN GOING DOWN THE ROAD. (ACCIDENT) THERE FOR I DON'T DRIVE IT THE BUICK DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE DUE TO THE NUMBER OF RECALLS BROUGHT IN, I'VE BEEN UNABLE TO GET HELP. *TR

MY CAR HAS HAD ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN I USE MY TURNING SIGNALS MY CAR SHUTS OFF AND I HAVE TO PUT IN NEUTRAL AND RE START IT. ALSO, THE IGNITION ISSUE IS PREVENTING MY CAR FROM STARTING. I JUST HAD MY STARTER REPLACED 4 DAYS AGO BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE ISSUE WAS THE STARTER EVEN ONE IT READ OKAY I WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED IT SINCE THE ISSUE WAS THE CAR STARTING ALONG WITH IT SHUTTING OFF WHEN USING THE TURNING SIGNALS. I CALLED IN DUE TO THE RECALL TO FIND OUT MY CAR HAS A RECALL ON ANOTHER PART THAT COULD CAUSE IT TO CATCH FIRE. I HAD THE APPOINTMENT SET UP TO REPLACE THAT RECALL BUT SINCE THE CAR IS NOT ON THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL I CANT GET THAT FIXED TO EVEN GET THE CAR STARTED. IT STARTS MOST OF THE TIME BUT IT...

2003 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT, WHEN HIS VEHICLE CUT OFF, ON A BUSY ROAD. AFTER MUCH CHECKING, THE REPAIR SHOP DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE IGNITION SWITCH.*JB

2003 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED EVERYTHING LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE AND IT HAD TO BE TOWED. AN INSPECTION REVEALED, THE ISSUE WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. *JB

ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO WE HAD TO REPLACE A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH IN OUR 2003 BUICK REGAL. A WEEK PRIOR TO THAT, IT BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE "STRANGE" PROBLEMS: THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" AND "ABS" LIGHTS CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY; THERE WERE SOMETIMES ODD SOUNDS DURING BREAKING AND WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNAL. THEN, ONE MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK, THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING. LATER THAT DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME IT LOST POWER, I HAD JUST PUT THE TURN SIGNAL ON AND SLOWED DOWN TO GO AROUND A CAR IN ORDER TO GET INTO MY TURNING LANE. IF I HAD NOT ALREADY BEGUN TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, I WOULD HAVE HIT THE BUMPER OF THE CAR IN THE LANE TO MY RIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. FORTUNATELY--- ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS...

ON MULTIPLE BUT INTERMITTENT OCCASIONS, WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ENGAGED ALL DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHTS FLASH AND THE VEHICLE STOPS RUNNING. I WAS FORTUNATE IN THAT IT NEVER OCCURRED IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, BUT IT STILL REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT DANGER. ON ONE PARTICULAR OCCASION, IT FAILED TO RESTART AND I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED GM DEALER WHO KEPT IT FOR SEVEN DAYS BUT FAILED TO FIND OR FIX THE PROBLEM. INSTEAD, THEY REPLACED "BROKEN AND LOOSE CONNECTORS ON THE FUSE BOX." WHEN THE PROBLEM RECURRED TWO DAYS LATER, I RETURNED TO THE GM DEALER WHO, DESPITE KEEPING THE VEHICLE FOR ANOTHER THREE DAYS, STILL FAILED TO FIND THE PROBLEM. I DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRICAL SPECIALIST BUT FIRST SEARCHED THE INTERNET UNDER "2003 BUICK ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS", AND FOUND THAT THIS WAS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM THAT GM WAS AWARE OF (A GM CUSTOMER...

2003 BUICK REGAL GRAND SPORT ON SUNDAY JUNE 22, 2008 MY HUSBAND AND I WERE RETURNING HOME FROM CHICAGO, IL. WHILE WE WERE DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE 55 I ACCELERATED TO GO AROUND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE, THE DASH LIGHTS ALL WENT RED, AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IT LOST ALL POWER. THIS WAS VERY SCARY AND COULD HAVE COST MANY LIVES. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER BY COASTING THERE. AFTER SITTING THERE IN DISBELIEF OF WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING SO I PUT IT INTO DRIVE AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE AGAIN TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT. AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP, SO I PULLED INTO TRAFFIC AND PROCEEDED HOME. HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AT LESS POWER. EVEN THROUGH THE SPEEDOMETER...

MY MOTHER'S 2003 BUICK REGAL CAUGHT FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *JB