YearToAvoid

2011 Buick Regal Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

100/100

#1 most-complained of 11 Regal years

The 2011 Buick Regal ranks worst among 11 model years tracked, with a complaint index of 100 and 279 complaints, 4 recalls, and 7 fires. Engine (43%) and Electrical System (37%) issues dominate, making it the year to avoid most in this model line.

Complaints
279
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
7 / 7
Injuries / deaths
7 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
23
19 city / 30 hwy

Top 2011 Buick Regal problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Engine120 (43%)
  2. Electrical System102 (37%)
  3. Brakes49 (18%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain39 (14%)
  5. Structure & Body34 (12%)
  6. Other19 (7%)
  7. Fuel System17 (6%)
  8. Steering17 (6%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (4%)
  10. Airbags8 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners describe the vehicle suddenly accelerating on its own at low speeds in parking lots, leading to collisions.
  • Some drivers reported sporadic loss of power along with illuminated check-transmission or stability-control warning lights, sometimes accompanied by loss of power steering.
  • Several owners reported headlight wiring or bulb connectors melting, with one describing the housing as too damaged to replace the bulb.
  • Multiple reports describe engine compartment or wiring harness fires, in some cases starting while the vehicle was parked with the engine off.
  • One owner reported the front driver's seat adjusting on its own while driving, with a burning odor traced to a known seat wiring recall.
  • A tire wear complaint noted premature tread loss that the owner said contributed to a low-speed accident.
2011 Buick Regal complaints: complaints filed per quarter292010 Q32012 Q42014 Q42016 Q32018 Q22020 Q12022 Q12024 Q1
419 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2010 Q3 to 2026 Q2; peak 2017 Q1 (29).

2011 Buick Regal recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 16V517000Jul 7, 2016Structure & Body42,984 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:power adjust

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011 Buick Regal vehicles manufactured November 3, 2009, to March 25, 2011, equipped with 8-way power adjustable front seats. The power seat wiring harness may contact the seat frame, causing the wires to chafe.

    Risk: Chafed harness wires may cause a short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the wiring harness, and repair any chafed wires as necessary, free of charge. The recall began on March 13, 2017. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 30710.

  2. NHTSA 16V502000Jul 5, 2016Electrical System8,367 vehicles

    Electrical system:ignition

    General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Buick Verano and 2016 Chevrolet Malibu as the electronic park lock lever may allow the ignition key to be removed without the transmission being in PARK. Also, certain 2013 Buick Encore, 2011 Buick Regal, 2013-2014 Buick Verano, 2011-2016 Chevrolet Cruze, 2010-2013 Chevrolet Equinox 2013-2015 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2011-2013 GMC Terrain vehicles may have been serviced with similar defective replacement electronic park lock levers. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."

    Risk: If the key is removed without the transmission in PARK, the vehicle may rollaway as occupants are exiting, increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the key cylinder lock housing, free of charge. The recall began on October 14, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Buick 1-800-521-7300, and GMC 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 50490 and 50491.

  3. NHTSA 14V447000Jul 23, 2014Structure & Body414,333 vehicles

    Seats:front assembly:power adjust

    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 seat to drop suddenly to the lowest vertical position.

    Risk: 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 at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), or 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM's number for this recall is 14271.

See all 4 recalls for the 2011 Buick Regal →

2011 Buick Regal fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
30 MPG
Combined
23 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,800
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Gasoline or E85
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 compared with other Regal years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020102011201220132014201520162017201820192020
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010No verdict010—
2011Avoid100279423
2012Avoid8092722.5
2013Avoid9091622.5

All Buick Regal years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Buick Regal reliable?
NHTSA data shows the 2011 Regal has the highest complaint index (100) and is ranked worst (1st) among 11 model years of the Regal tracked, so it is rated Avoid relative to other years.
What are the biggest problems with the 2011 Buick Regal?
Engine issues account for 43% of complaints and Electrical System issues for 37%, with a median failure mileage around 69,579 and 70,500 miles respectively. Brakes (18%) and Transmission & Powertrain (14%) follow behind.
Does the 2011 Buick Regal have recalls?
NHTSA lists 4 recalls for the 2011 Regal, covering seat wiring harness chafing, power height adjuster bolts, and turn signal bulb/body control module software, none of which are do-not-drive recalls.
How does the 2011 Regal compare to other model years?
The 2011 model has the worst complaint index (100) of any year, while 2019 has the best index (20) and is rated Best; 2012 and 2013 are also rated Avoid.
Were there fires reported in the 2011 Buick Regal?
NHTSA complaints report 7 fires for the 2011 Regal, several tied to electrical wiring or seat components, out of 279 total complaints.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.