2011 Buick Regal: Is It Reliable?
Problems, Recalls & Buyer Verdict
Shopping for a used 2011 Buick Regal? This page highlights owner-reported complaint patterns and recall history so you can inspect the right systems before buying. Current data includes 278 complaints, with Engine Problems as the top reported area.
2011 Buick Regal Fuel Economy
✓ EPA Official DataEPA-rated fuel economy across 3 2011 Buick Regal trim configurations. The median figure is shown; range reflects all available trims.
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov. Figures reflect EPA lab testing; real-world results vary by driving style, load, and conditions. 3 trims analysed.
2011 Buick Regal Safety Ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Program2 variants tested — showing 2011 Buick Regal 4 DR AWDOfficial crash test results from the NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Stars reflect government-conducted tests; higher is safer.
Overall
Not RatedFrontal Crash
Not RatedSide Crash
Not RatedRollover
Not RatedSource: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Ratings are based on government crash tests and may not reflect all trim levels.
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2011 Buick Regal has 278 owner complaints, 7 crash-related complaints, and 4 recall campaigns on record. The most frequently reported component is Engine Problems. NHTSA reliability signal: Notable Issues.
- Make
- Buick
- Model
- Regal
- Model year
- 2011
- NHTSA owner complaints
- 278
- Crash-related complaints
- 7
- Safety recall campaigns
- 4
- Top reported component
- Engine Problems
- Reliability signal
- Notable Issues
- EPA MPG combined
- 23
- EPA MPG city / highway
- 19 / 30
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Electronic stability control
- Standard
Most Common 2011 Buick Regal Problems
Top owner-reported complaint areas and where they often appear.
Engine Problems
Electrical Faults
Headlight/Taillight Failures
Complaint patterns center on Engine Problems, Electrical Faults, Headlight/Taillight Failures. Use these as a pre-purchase inspection guide, then verify recall and damage history on the specific VIN.
Should You Buy a Used 2011 Buick Regal?
The 2011 Buick Regal shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase.
Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report.
What to Check Before Buying a Used 2011 Buick Regal
Inspection Focus
- Request service records for engine and electrical repairs.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Have a mechanic inspect the engine and electrical systems before purchase.
- Check for headlight/taillight functionality and any previous replacements.
Before You Close the Deal
- Request service records for engine and electrical repairs.
- Verify all open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Have a mechanic inspect the engine and electrical systems before purchase.
- Check for headlight/taillight functionality and any previous replacements.
Shortlist with model-year data. Decide with the exact VIN.
Before buying a used 2011 Buick Regal, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, theft checks, and open recalls for the exact vehicle.
What the Complaint Data Suggests
Editorial interpretation of NHTSA public complaint data. Source: nhtsa.gov. Complaints are owner-submitted and do not confirm a defect. Methodology
Complaints for the 2011 Buick Regal are concentrated in engine and electrical systems, with a notable number of headlight/taillight failures. Crash-related complaints are relatively low, but the overall confidence in this analysis is low due to limited data.
- Engine Problems account for the highest number of complaints (111).
- Electrical Faults are the second most reported issue (74 complaints).
- Headlight/Taillight Failures and Transmission/Drivetrain each have 38 complaints.
- Engine Problems
- Electrical Faults
- Headlight/Taillight Failures
All 2011 Buick Regal Complaints by Category
Every owner-reported complaint category filed with NHTSA for the 2011 Buick Regal. Use this as a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine Problems | 111 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 74 | 1 | 7 | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 38 | — | 3 | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 38 | 3 | — | — | |
| Brake System | 32 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 29 | — | 2 | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 19 | — | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 17 | 1 | — | — | |
| Uncategorized Issues | 16 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 14 | 2 | 1 | — | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 13 | 2 | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 8 | 1 | — | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 6 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Tire Issues | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Parking-Brake Issues | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Lane Departure | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Wheel Issues | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Visibility/Wiper | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment Adaptive/Mobility | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
Real Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2011 Buick Regal. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Regal. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufactur…
The cars mileage was altered due to car being wrecked prior and the other car that was used to replace wrecked parts was hidden and vin number was altered. Copart Inc and ICT Sharp Rides are party's involved, I bought car on 12/28/2023 mileage was listed as 132525
I hit a deer going 60 mph and the airbag didn’t deploy, the service airbag light came on after I hit it. I’d assume that means the airbag tried to deploy but ran into an issue
Driver side headlamp draws moisture, keeps blowing bulbs at 104.99 a pop. Water gets in the headlight assembly and shorts out the ballast. This happens even when driving down the road at random. It could be pitch black and suddenly you have no headlights and are forced to drive w…
I was parking in marked space. I had turned into space, my foot was off the gas pedal. The car was 3/4 into the space when it malfunctioned and rapidly accelerated into a hardened snow bank. i instantly braked but there was not enough space to avoid collision.
When pulling into parking space the car rapidly accelerated on its' own and crashed into the car in the next parking space. I did not have my foot on the gas, the car was simply idling. The acceleration was so rapid that applying the brake was useless.
Preparing to park into a parking space in an off street parking lot the vehicle forcefully and rapidly accelerated on its' own and crashed into a fence. I was not accelerating. I attempted to stop the car using the brakes but they did not engage quickly enough to stop the rapi…
The subframe rotted into rusted into
The two systems that failed are the airbag release on the front passenger side and the stabilitrak system. Both systems show error lights on the dash. The front seat passenger does not have airbag protection. The stabilitrak system error light appears intermittently and when t…
Condensation gets into headlight assembly and shorts out HID headlight. Issue occurred with drivers and passenger headlights. Car will not have headlights because of short. Thus causing a safety issue.
Front subframe rotted out where my control arm connects. Cannot safetly drive. There should be a recall on this part. There isnt one so now im stuck paying to fix it. Rear coil spring cracked, cannot fix due to recall of all gm coil spring. Cannot buy new part to fix it.
Moisture has been collecting in both headlight assemblies for the past 3 years, whenever the car is outside or driven in the rain. Recently, this caused both high/low beam headlights to burn out. Replacing the bulbs is not enough, as the bulbs immediately burn out/smoke and blow …
After heavy rain in mid-September 2022, both headlights just stopped working. The dashboard will usually display a warning or pop up symbol that something is not working, but I had no warning and got pulled over driving at dusk with no headlights. There has been been other issues…
Driving 50km per hr, went over railway crossing, then the car became unstable, rear felt loose as if it was drifting. Stopped the car had a look under the cars driver side rear end, and noticed the bar connecting tire the rest of vehicle was fractured, don't know the exact name…
I was driving on a back road when my car started smoking and blazed up on passenger side headlights an I see were people have been saying this was seriously fire issue now I'm out of work no car and I was only owner fa 5 months
Headlight assembly case on both passenger and driver side fills with condensation and then causes headlight bulb and/or ballast to burnout ,this also could cause a fire
MIL Lamp is illuminated and cannot be turned off or reset. The code displayed on the scanner is for P2138 "Throttle/Pedal Position Sensor/Switch D/E Voltage Correlation." There is also a "Reduced Engine Power" message on the dashboard. Available for inspection upon request. My sa…
The contact owns a 2011 Buick Regal. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, there was a squeaking noise coming from the wheels and the vehicle was driving very loosely. The contact noticed that the lower control arm in the rear of the vehicle was fractured…
2011 Buick Regal 2.0 CXL. The brake pedal is sticking, causing the rotors to heat up and wear out. There are numerous complaints from others online detailing the dangerous situations this has caused. And numerous complaints about getting the brake system replaced and the same pro…
In July of 2018, the brake pedal started to stick in the "on" position. The car was not driveable once the brakes stuck. It seemed to be associated with very hot weather. I replaced the entire brake pedal assembly with a factory brake pedal assembly. Now, in January of 2022, the …
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2011 Buick Regal.
2011 Buick Regal Recalls
4 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2011 Buick Regal. 4 recall campaigns are on record for this model year. Recalls are free to fix at authorized dealers, but completion status must be verified on the exact VIN.
2011 Buick Regal Buying FAQ
Buyer-focused answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this model year.
Is the 2011 Buick Regal reliable?▾
Notable Issues. NHTSA currently shows 278 owner complaints, 7 crash-related complaints, and 4 recall campaigns for this model year. The 2011 Buick Regal shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Treat this as a model-year signal, then verify the exact vehicle's condition and history before purchase.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Buick Regal?▾
#1: Engine Problems (111 complaints). #2: Electrical Faults (74 complaints). #3: Headlight/Taillight Failures (38 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2011 Buick Regal?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2011 Buick Regal?▾
Complaint data is not the same as crash-test scoring, but it does highlight possible risk patterns. For the 2011 Buick Regal, NHTSA complaints include 7 crash-related reports and 7 fire reports out of 278 total complaints. 7 injury reports are also on file. For controlled crash-test ratings, check nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2011 Buick Regal have any recalls?▾
Yes. 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2011 Buick Regal. A major recall area is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION. 4 recall campaigns are on record for this model year. Always verify open recalls by VIN because completion status varies by vehicle.
Should I buy a 2011 Buick Regal?▾
The 2011 Buick Regal shows higher complaint activity for its model-year profile, so buyers should inspect known problem areas carefully before purchase. Use the model-year trend to shortlist candidates, then confirm the exact vehicle condition with service records, recall status, and a VIN history report. Pay extra attention to Engine Problems during inspection. Before committing, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, and recall completion for the exact car.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Buick Regal reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Owner Reliability Rating
Rate the 2011 Buick Regal based on your ownership experience.
Add your rating:
Ratings are based on owner experience and are separate from NHTSA data shown above.
Check the Exact Vehicle History Before You Buy
Model-year complaints and recalls reveal patterns. A VIN report confirms whether the exact car has accident history, title brands, mileage issues, or open recalls.