2012 Buick Regal Electrical System Problems
NHTSA lists 45 electrical system complaints for the 2012 Buick Regal, 49% of all 92 complaints filed for that year. Owners report median failure mileage of 68,000. Three related recalls cover the electrical system, including a body control module and generator control module issue.
- Electrical System complaints
- 45
- 49% of 92
- Crashes reported
- 2
- Fires reported
- 0
- Injuries reported
- 0
- Median mileage
- 68,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 3
Typical electrical symptoms owners report
- HID headlights develop condensation and fill with water, causing the ballast to fail and the bulb to burn out, sometimes while driving at night.
- Vehicles lose all electrical power at once, leaving windows, ignition key release, and the digital speedometer inoperative, with some owners reporting a burning odor.
- Brake lights and headlights stop working together, and the engine sometimes fails to restart afterward, which owners linked to a voltage-related fault.
- Interior lighting and the radio turn on and off on their own without driver input.
- Batteries repeatedly lose charge and die despite the battery, alternator, and starter testing fine, along with power controls that work intermittently.
When 2012 Buick Regal electrical complaints were filed
First complaint Aug 22, 2012, latest Jul 27, 2025.
Electrical System recalls for the 2012 Buick Regal
- NHTSA 13V173000May 6, 2013Electrical System42,904 vehicles
Electrical system
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.
Risk: 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.
- NHTSA 12V484000Oct 4, 2012Electrical System120,426 vehicles
Exterior lighting:turn signal
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 vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: 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.
- NHTSA 12V093000Mar 7, 2012Electrical System3,633 vehicles
Exterior lighting
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 âlamps, reflective devices and associated equipment.â due to a software error, the parking lamps do not activate when either the parking lamps or headlamps are turned on.
Risk: 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.
Electrical System complaints by Regal model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How common are electrical problems on the 2012 Buick Regal?
- NHTSA lists 45 electrical system complaints for the 2012 Regal, which is 49% of the 92 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a recall for the 2012 Buick Regal electrical system?
- Yes. NHTSA lists three electrical system recalls covering this model year: campaign 13V173000 for the generator control module, 12V484000 for turn signal bulb/body control module software, and 12V093000 for body control module reprogramming.
- At what mileage do 2012 Buick Regal electrical problems usually appear?
- NHTSA complaint data shows a median failure mileage of 68,000 for electrical system issues on this model year.
- Did the 2012 Buick Regal electrical issues cause any crashes or fires?
- NHTSA data tied to these complaints lists 2 crashes and 0 fires, with 0 injuries reported.
- How does the 2012 Regal compare to other years for electrical complaints?
- The 2012 Regal's electrical complaints made up 49% of its total complaints, higher than most other years except 2013 (69%) and 2011 (37%), based on NHTSA data.