Head-to-head reliability
Buick Regal Tourx vs Chevrolet Silverado
How the Buick Regal Tourx and Chevrolet Silverado compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Buick Regal Tourx vs Chevrolet Silverado: The Regal Tourx has 35 complaints over 3 years and 0 recalls, while the Silverado has 8,227 complaints over 10 years, 101 recalls, and reports of 233 crashes and 160 injuries. The Silverado's complaint rate is far higher. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Buick Regal Tourx or Chevrolet Silverado more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Buick Regal Tourx
The Buick Regal Tourx is a station wagon with a relatively low complaint volume: 35 complaints over 3 years, averaging about 12 per year. There are no recalls on record, and no crashes, injuries, or deaths reported in the complaint data. Owners most often write about electrical glitches, transmission quirks, engine starting problems, and brake concerns, but the overall pattern suggests a car that, while not trouble-free, generates far fewer formal complaints than the Silverado.
Chevrolet Silverado
The Chevrolet Silverado is a full-size pickup with a massive complaint history: 8,227 complaints over 10 years, averaging about 823 per year. It has 101 recalls and reports of 233 crashes, 160 injuries, and 3 deaths tied to complaints. Owners frequently describe serious issues like engine shutdowns, transmission failures, brake loss, and electrical problems, often on very new trucks with low mileage.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Buick Regal Tourx | Chevrolet Silverado |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 35 Better | 8,227 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 101 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 0 Better | 233 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 11.7 Better | 822.7 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 160 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 3 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Buick Regal Tourx
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM9
- 02POWER TRAIN8
- 03ENGINE7
- 04SERVICE BRAKES6
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
Owners report repeated electrical faults, including battery drain and instrument panel issues. One owner described going back and forth with GM customer service over multiple significant electrical problems on a low-mileage 2019 Regal.
A common complaint is an intermittent 'Shift to Park' message even when the vehicle is in Park, caused by poor design of shift position switches. This can prevent the car from being shut off or restarted properly.
Some owners report starting problems, such as no battery power, no clicking from the ignition, and a blank instrument panel. Another owner heard a scrubbing noise similar to brakes and had to take the car in for service.
There is a known safety recall for 2018-2020 Buick Regal models due to partial or full loss of vacuum-brake assist pressure, which increases crash risk. Owners report receiving recall notices and experiencing brake-related symptoms.
“Dear NHTSA, I am submitting a formal complaint regarding a 2019 Buick Regal, which I purchased as a used vehicle in 2023 with approximately 19,000 miles. Since owning the car, I have added only 14,000 miles, yet I have experienced multiple significant and ong…”
“I HAVE BEEN GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 866-790-5600. I PURCHASED THE CAR 11/23/18 BRAND NEW WITH 12 MILES ON IT. I HAD TO TAKE THE CAR TO GET IT SERVICED DUE TO KEPT HEARING SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THE BRAKES KEEP SCRUBBING, IN WHICH I THE…”
Chevrolet Silverado
- 01ENGINE2,521
- 02POWER TRAIN2,347
- 03ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1,513
- 04SERVICE BRAKES1,222
- 05UNKNOWN OR OTHER858
Owners of new Silverados report severe engine problems, including a 6.2L motor that failed shortly after purchase and a 6.6L Duramax diesel with repeated diesel particulate filter soot accumulation events requiring dealer service.
Complaints include sudden shifts into neutral while driving, even at low speeds in parking garages, and transmission issues that can leave the vehicle unable to accelerate. These problems often occur on brand-new trucks with under 300 miles.
Owners describe sudden loss of braking with a firm pedal but reduced stopping power, as well as engine shutdowns while driving, with messages like 'Return to Neutral' and 'Press Start' appearing on the display.
Brake-related complaints include a severe loss of normal braking shortly after dropping a child at school, and complete shutdowns in parking lots where all screens went blank and the truck could not accelerate.
“I purchased the 2026 Chevrolet Silverado with a 6.2L motor "new" from the dealer with 5700 miles on XXX. Roughly a month and 2500 miles later, my family and I were in the vehicle, 750 miles from home, returning from a vacation to [XXX] from the [XXX]/[XXX] ar…”
“My 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 with the 6.6L Duramax diesel has experienced three separate P2463 Diesel Particulate Filter excessive soot accumulation events at approximately 4,300, 5,500, and 10,280 miles. Each event required a Chevrolet dealer to perform…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Buick Regal Tourx
No recalls on record.
Chevrolet Silverado — 101 recalls
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2500, and 3500 vehicles. These vehicles may not have received an owner's manual during production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 225, “Child Re…
The risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will provide the owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 30, 2025. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N252532020. Vehicle Identifi…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Chevrolet Silverado 3500, and GMC Sierra 3500 vehicles with gasoline engines and dual fuel tanks (RPOs L8T and N2N). The rear fuel pump may not transfer adequate fuel to the front tank, causing an engine stall.
The risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: The vehicle's engine control module (ECM) will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 8, 2026. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782…
The defect: General Motors has decided that certain 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV, 2025-2026 Cadillac OPTIQ, Chevrolet Colorado, Equinox EV, GMC Canyon, 2026 Buick Enclave, Envision, Cadillac CT5, Escalade, Escalade ESV, Escalade IQ, Escalade IQL, LYRIQ, VISTIQ, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Corvette Convertible, Corvette Cou…
The risk: Without an owner's manual to consult, owners may not know how to safely use and operate the vehicle, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
The fix: Dealers will reset the vehicle radio, which will facilitate automatic download of the electronic owner’s manual, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 16, 2026. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-866-467-970…
The defect: General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and GMC Sierra 2500 vehicles equipped with the enhanced towing option and 20-inch accessory tire/wheel package. The tire information label may state the incorrect rear tire pressure, resulting in underinflated tires an…
The risk: Driving with underinflated tires can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will inspect, update the engine control module (ECM) software, apply a tire label overlay, inflate tires to the correct pressure, and perform a tire pressure monitor system (TPMS) re-learn process as necessary, free of charge. Owne…
Buyer analysis
Buick Regal Tourx or Chevrolet Silverado: which should you buy?
The Buick Regal Tourx has far fewer issues per year (about 12 complaints annually) compared to the Chevrolet Silverado (about 823 complaints annually). In practice, this means a used Regal Tourx buyer is much less likely to encounter a formally reported safety or reliability problem, while a Silverado buyer faces a much higher chance of serious complaints, including crashes and injuries.
Key differences
- The Silverado has 8,227 complaints over 10 years versus just 35 for the Regal Tourx over 3 years, a massive difference in reported problem frequency.
- The Silverado has 101 recalls and reports of 233 crashes, 160 injuries, and 3 deaths, while the Regal Tourx has 0 recalls and 0 crash, injury, or death reports in the data.
- Silverado owners describe sudden engine shutdowns, transmission failures, and brake loss on new trucks, while Regal Tourx owners more often report electrical glitches, 'Shift to Park' messages, and brake assist recall issues.
- The Regal Tourx's brake issue is tied to a known recall for 2018-2020 models, whereas the Silverado's brake and electrical complaints often involve unexpected failures while driving.
- Check for any open recall related to the vacuum-brake assist system on 2018-2020 models; confirm the recall repair was performed.
- Test the gear shifter thoroughly: ensure the 'Shift to Park' message does not appear when the vehicle is in Park, as this is a known switch design flaw.
- On a test drive, pay close attention to transmission behavior: any hesitation, sudden neutral, or failure to accelerate is a major red flag.
- Check for electrical gremlins: ensure all screens and instruments work, and that the engine does not shut off or display 'Return to Neutral' messages while driving.
Before you buy
- Obtain a full vehicle history report and confirm all safety recalls have been completed, especially the brake recall on the Regal Tourx and any fuel pump or forward collision recalls on the Silverado.
- Have a certified mechanic perform a pre-purchase inspection focusing on the engine, transmission, brakes, and electrical systems for both vehicles.
- During a test drive, specifically test the Regal Tourx's shifter for the 'Shift to Park' issue and the Silverado's transmission for sudden neutral or shutdown symptoms.
- For the Silverado, check for diesel particulate filter issues if equipped with the Duramax, and ask for service records showing any repeated soot accumulation repairs.
- Verify that the vehicle's software and control modules have been updated per any manufacturer service bulletins, as some complaints reference known issues with poor design.
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Buick Regal Tourx | Chevrolet Silverado |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 | 868 |
| 2019 | 18 | 2003 |
| 2018 | 14 | 597 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Buick Regal Tourx or Chevrolet Silverado in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Buick Regal Tourx vs Chevrolet Silverado
- Buick Regal Tourx total complaints
- 35
- Chevrolet Silverado total complaints
- 8,227
- Buick Regal Tourx total recalls
- 0
- Chevrolet Silverado total recalls
- 101
- Buick Regal Tourx avg complaints/year
- 11.7
- Chevrolet Silverado avg complaints/year
- 822.7
- More reliable overall
- Buick Regal Tourx
- Buick Regal Tourx top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Chevrolet Silverado top complaint area
- ENGINE