2012 BUICK REGAL — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
137
Owner Complaints
6
Recalls
92
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2012 BUICK REGAL
The 2012 BUICK REGAL has received a total of 137 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 6 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SUSPENSION:REAR, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST. 92 technical service bulletins have been issued by General Motors, LLC for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Exterior Lighting (32 complaints), Engine (21 complaints), and Electrical System (14 complaints).
Recalls for the 2012 BUICK REGAL
NHTSA has recorded 6 recalls for the 2012 BUICK REGAL, potentially affecting up to 805,573 vehicles.
Recall 21V00F000 — SUSPENSION:REAR
| 4,271 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear...
Consequence: A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this...
View full details →Recall 20V764000 — SUSPENSION:REAR
| 220,006 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear...
Consequence: A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on January 27, 2021, and April 15, 2021. A third...
View full details →Recall 14V447000 — SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
| 414,333 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Buick LaCrosse, Regal and Chevrolet Camaro, as well as certain 2010-2012 Cadillac SRX, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles, equipped with power height adjustable driver and passenger seats. In the affected vehicles, the bolt that secures the driver's and passenger's power front seat height adjuster may fall out causing the...
Consequence: If the driver's seat unexpectedly drops, the distraction and altered seat position may affect the drivers' control of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the height adjuster shoulder bolts, free of charge. The manufacturer distributed interim letters to owners on September 11, 2014. The recall began on December 26, 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service...
View full details →Recall 12V484000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL
| 120,426 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Buick Regal and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with two turn signal bulbs in each front turn signal. If one of the two front turn signal bulbs burn out in either front turn signal lamp, there is no indication to the driver. As such, these...
Consequence: If the driver is not aware that a turn signal is not functioning properly, the driver may continue to drive the vehicle. If half of a front turn signal is not illuminating, other driver's may not be aware that the affected vehicle is turning, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, dealers will update the body control module software, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Buick at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 12212.
View full details →Recall 13V173000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
| 42,904 vehicles affected
Defect: General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Buick LaCrosse and Regal, and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco vehicles equipped with eAssist. These vehicles may have a condition in which the Generator Control Module (GCM) may not function properly. This could cause a gradual loss of battery charge and the illumination of the malfunction indicator light.
Consequence: If the vehicle is continued to be driven, the engine may stall and/or the vehicle may not start. In addition, there may be a burning or melting odor, smoke, and possibly a fire in the trunk.
Remedy: GM will notify owners and dealers will test the GCM and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on June 11, 2013. Owners may contact GM at 1-800-521-7300. GM's recall campaign number is 13136.
View full details →Recall 12V093000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
| 3,633 vehicles affected
Defect: GENERAL MOTORS (GM) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 BUICK REGAL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM FEBRUARY 22, 2011, THROUGH FEBRUARY 22, 2012 FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108 LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT. DUE TO A SOFTWARE ERROR, THE PARKING LAMPS DO NOT ACTIVATE WHEN EITHER THE PARKING LAMPS OR HEADLAMPS...
Consequence: INADEQUATE LIGHTING COULD REDUCE THE VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A CRASH.
Remedy: GENERAL MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE BODY CONTROL MODULE FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 29, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GM AT 1-800-521-7300.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2012 BUICK REGAL
137 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2012 BUICK REGAL. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 10 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic Stability Control Esc | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power Train | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structurebody | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior Lightingheadlights | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuelpropulsion System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System Instrument Clusterpanel | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System12v24v48v Battery | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systembody Control Modulebcm | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical Systemwiringfuses And Circuit Breakers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipmentelectricalradiotape Deckcd Etc | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipmentotherlabels | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seatsfront Assemblyhead Restraint | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Service Brakes Hydraulic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Structureframe And Membersunderbody Shields | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tirestemporaryemergency Spare Tire | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a Safety 1st Car Seat, Model Name: Disney Baby Jive 2-in-1 Convertible, Model Number: CC286-GAD, Manufactured Date: August 17, 2022. The contact stated that the forward-facing safety seat head detached from the seat with the screws still attached. The contact attempted to tighten the screws; however, the screws required a special bit. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The car seat was not replaced.
There is a water seal leak around the driver side headlight. I have photos showing proof of standing water. It has now caused the headlight, left turn signal, and drivers side brake light to fail. My passenger side headlight is doing the same. I have no headlights, no driverside lights period. I drive 2 children around in this car and it's gotten very dangerous. I contacted GM, and the local dealership and they won't fix it. I'm a [XXX] and don't have the $3200-$5000 I was told the repair would be. It is a problem in certain GM models, Cadillac Srx 2010-2015 having the same issue and the recall being fixed for those drivers. So, I have no choice but to drive around with no headlights, no left blinker, and no driver side brake light with two you children. I have to work and have no other options. It's a catastrophe waiting to happen, I live in the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. Please help me with this, I am terrified to drive this car around. I've had two people flag me down at a red light to let me know my brake light is out which is terribly dangerous and if it starts raining while I am out I have no headlights. This has become an emergency situation for me and my children. I have photo proof of the water pooling inside the headlight assembly. The seal is so bad that even covered the condensation pools inside the headlight. Please help me get a dealership to fix this issue. They want to charge me $275 for diagnostics and this is already and issue on this model car, reported by many drivers with the recall on the Cadillac. They need to fix it before I end up a casualty to this problem. Thank you so much. I can send a video of the emergency flasher and signal not working. I replaced the headlight in January and the new one never worked. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
There is a water seal leak around the driver side headlight. I have photos showing proof of standing water. It has now caused the headlight, left turn signal, and drivers side brake light to fail. My passenger side headlight is doing the same. I have no headlights, no driverside lights period. I drive 2 children around in this car and it's gotten very dangerous. I contacted GM, and the local dealership and they won't fix it. I'm a [XXX] and don't have the $3200-$5000 I was told the repair would be. It is a problem in certain GM models, Cadillac Srx 2010-2015 having the same issue and the recall being fixed for those drivers. So, I have no choice but to drive around with no headlights, no left blinker, and no driver side brake light with two you children. I have to work and have no other options. It's a catastrophe waiting to happen, I live in the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia. Please help me with this, I am terrified to drive this car around. I've had two people flag me down at a red light to let me know my brake light is out which is terribly dangerous and if it starts raining while I am out I have no headlights. This has become an emergency situation for me and my children. I have photo proof of the water pooling inside the headlight assembly. The seal is so bad that even covered the condensation pools inside the headlight. Please help me get a dealership to fix this issue. They want to charge me $275 for diagnostics and this is already and issue on this model car, reported by many drivers with the recall on the Cadillac. They need to fix it before I end up a casualty to this problem. Thank you so much. I can send a video of the emergency flasher and signal not working. I replaced the headlight in January and the new one never worked. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
[XXX] my car failed to let me use the brake, i was going about 45mph and when i went to apply brake pressure the pedal was so stiff i couldnt use the brake. Causing from end collision, when i made a trip to springdale to have my car inspected it didnt make it, started backfiring and dying around 65 mph then the motor blew, it had some issues starting but nothing like what happened within that few seconds. Im out of a car now because it drove perfect and i never have to give it thought. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
[XXX] my car failed to let me use the brake, i was going about 45mph and when i went to apply brake pressure the pedal was so stiff i couldnt use the brake. Causing from end collision, when i made a trip to springdale to have my car inspected it didnt make it, started backfiring and dying around 65 mph then the motor blew, it had some issues starting but nothing like what happened within that few seconds. Im out of a car now because it drove perfect and i never have to give it thought. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Safety Rating for the 2012 BUICK REGAL
The 2012 BUICK REGAL received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2012 BUICK REGAL
General Motors, LLC has issued 92 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2012 BUICK REGAL. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
PIC5852B — ENGINE
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that when attempting to start vehicle "No Fob Detected" message is displayed. Technician will find the Key FOB works and the vehicle will start with the key FOB is placed in the pocket. Technician will need to replace the...
050604022P — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
This bulletin provides information on the TOP TIER Detergent Gasoline Licensed Brands and the TOP TIER Diesel Fuel Licensed Brands that are recommended for use in all GM vehicles and the TOP TIER FUELS website URL.
PI0865D — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
This preliminary information bulletin provides a information and a procedure on the 2.4L ecotec engine.
PIP4992C — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician some vehicles may have a drive motor generator, battery control module and cooling fan may become inoperative due to low system voltage. There may have been a charging system message, battery warning lamp or service hybrid system message displayed and may...
13-06-01-003H — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
This technical bulletin provides a procedure to replace the pistons, connecting rods and bearings for vehicles that have the condition of excessive oil consumption
PIP5093B — ENGINE
Some customers may complain of an engine oil leak that appeared as they were driving the vehicle in extremely cold ambient temperatures (Generally 0 F /-17 C or Colder). They may also comment that they heard a single "pop" noise right before the oil leak started. Upon inspection, the technician...
PIP4993B — EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on the steps to diagnose and repair vehicles that may have a Service Charging System, Battery Saver message Or Malfunction Indicator Lamp on, and/or charging system inoperative. Technician will use Global Diagnostic System 2 and clear the Diagnostic Trouble Codes in...
13-03-10-001B — TIRES
This informational bulletin adds the 2015 model year to information on cold weather tire cracking of high performance summer-only tires, when used under the recommended operating temperatures.
PI1351 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
This preliminary bulletin provides a procedure to reprogram the TCM to correct the customers concern of harsh engaugments and 5-4 or 3-2 downshifts.
PIC5692B — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have a brake pedal may not raise or seem stuck down after a normal braking event. Technician will need to replace the brake pedal arm.
Showing 10 of 92 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2012 BUICK REGAL
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the BUICK REGAL
- 2008 BUICK REGAL — 1 complaint
- 2009 BUICK REGAL — 1 complaint
- 2010 BUICK REGAL — 2 complaints
- 2011 BUICK REGAL — 438 complaints
- 2012 BUICK REGAL (current)
- 2013 BUICK REGAL — 130 complaints
- 2014 BUICK REGAL — 50 complaints
- 2015 BUICK REGAL — 50 complaints
- 2016 BUICK REGAL — 61 complaints
- 2017 BUICK REGAL — 26 complaints
Other BUICK Models
- BUICK LESABRE — 4,864 total complaints
- BUICK ENCLAVE — 3,194 total complaints
- BUICK LACROSSE — 2,882 total complaints
- BUICK CENTURY — 2,393 total complaints
- BUICK PARK AVENUE — 1,880 total complaints
- BUICK RENDEZVOUS — 1,795 total complaints
- BUICK LUCERNE — 1,322 total complaints
- BUICK ENCORE — 846 total complaints