YearToAvoid

2017 Buick Regal Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

30/100

#8 most-complained of 11 Regal years

The 2017 Buick Regal ranks 8th of 11 model years with a Complaint Index of 30 and a "Good" verdict. NHTSA logged 20 complaints, 0 recalls, 1 crash, and 1 fire, with brakes being the top problem area at 60% of complaints.

Complaints
20
Recalls
0
Crashes / fires
1 / 1
Injuries / deaths
1 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
23
19 city / 29 hwy

Top 2017 Buick Regal problems

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

  1. Brakes12 (60%)
  2. Electrical System5 (25%)
  3. Other4 (20%)
  4. Collision Avoidance & Cameras2 (10%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain2 (10%)
  6. Steering1 (5%)

What owners report

  • Brakes fail after the vacuum pump goes out, sometimes tied to a camshaft sensor issue, occurring at low speeds around town or at highway speeds near 80 MPH.
  • One owner reported the vacuum pump failing three separate years in a row, each time causing a complete loss of braking with no accident but repeated scares.
  • The engine or electrical system suddenly shuts off while driving, triggering the emergency brake light and requiring the vehicle to be put in park and restarted.
  • Transmission shudders during gear shifts at various speeds, with owners reporting multiple repair attempts and part replacements that did not fully resolve the issue.
  • Moisture accumulates inside the HID headlight housing, suspected to result from a cracked housing or bad seal, risking damage to bulbs and wiring.
  • The rearview camera fails to activate while reversing, traced in one case to a failed human interface module, without any warning light coming on.
2017 Buick Regal complaints: complaints filed per month4Jul 2020May 2021Mar 2022Jun 2022Sep 2022May 2023Apr 2024Jan 2025
26 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2020 to Mar 2025; peak Jul 2022 (4).

2017 Buick Regal recalls

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

2017 Buick Regal fuel economy and fuel cost

City
19 MPG
Highway
29 MPG
Combined
23 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,300
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Premium
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.

2017 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
2015Caution6033024
2016Caution5041124
2017Good3020023
2018Caution7019324
2019Best2019324

All Buick Regal years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2017 Buick Regal reliable?
Compared to other Regal model years, 2017 ranks 8th out of 11 with a Complaint Index of 30, earning a "Good" verdict. It has far fewer complaints (20) than the worst years like 2011 (279 complaints).
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Buick Regal?
Brakes make up 60% of complaints, often tied to vacuum pump failures, followed by electrical system issues at 25%, including headlight moisture and sudden shutdowns.
Does the 2017 Buick Regal have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 0 recalls for the 2017 Buick Regal, including 0 do-not-drive recalls.
At what mileage do 2017 Buick Regal problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure across all reported complaints is 73,254.5 miles, with brake complaints specifically showing a median of 89,500 miles.
How does the 2017 Buick Regal compare to the 2011 or 2019 Regal?
The 2011 Regal is the worst year with a Complaint Index of 100 and 279 complaints, while the 2019 Regal is the best with an Index of 20. The 2017 Regal sits in between at 30, closer to the better years.

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.