There are 29 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2003 Buick Regalin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
UNANNOUNCED TO PURCHASERS, THE BUICK REGAL HAS A REDUNDANT AND DEFECTIVE SECURITY IGNITION SYSTEM THAT PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM BEING ABLE TO START WITH THE KEY AFTER THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED. IT MUST NOW BE TAKEN TO A DEALERSHIP TO BE DIAGNOSED AND FOR A COSTLY REPAIR. IT WAS STATIONARY, AND THE BATTERY DRAINED DOWN WITH A PHONE CHARGER HOOKED UP. EVEN FOLLOWING THE FACTORY KEY SEQUENCE, THE BATTERY RUNS DOWN BEFORE THE CODE CAN BE CLEARED AND RE-ESTABLISHED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE KEY FAILED TO EJECT FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH PROPERLY. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION AND TOOK MORE THAN TWENTY ATTEMPTS FOR THE KEY TO BE REMOVED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT FEEL SAFE IN THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE STALLED FIVE TIMES THE SAME DAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWELVE TIMES BEFORE THE LAST FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,800.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. AFTER RESTARTING THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO FOUND NO FAILURES; HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE COMPUTER SYSTEM FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,582.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.
THE CAR HAD NOT BEEN DROVE IN A MONTH, I DROVE ABOUT 3MILES THEN PARKED, CAR THEN STARTED TO SMOKE THEN CAUGHT FIRE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 270,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS FAULTY. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE WAS REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000. UPDATED 2/25/15*CN UPDATED 03/02/15*JB
ACTIVATED LEFT TURN SIGNAL AND STARTED TO BRAKE FOR THE TURN. ALL DASH LIGHT FLASHED, GAUGES DROPPED TO ZERO AND ENGINE DIED. IT IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED ON ITS OWN. HAPPENED TWICE WITH-IN 4 BLOCKS. DROVE VEHICLE AGAIN 1 WEEK LATER AND TRACTION CONTROL SWITCHED OFF EVEN THOUGH SWITCH WAS IN ACTIVE POSITION. CYCLED THE SWITCH AND TRACTION CONTROL CAME BACK ON. *TR
THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED WHILE ROLLING. EVERY EVENT USUALLY INVOLVED TURNING AND BRAKING AT THE SAME TIME, BUT OCCASIONALLY SHUT DOWN WHILE IDLING AT STOP LIGHTS. IT APPEARED TO BE SIMILAR TO THE IGNITION RECALLS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON OTHER VEHICLES, BUT NOT ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL. IT HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES AND AT LEAST TWO TO THREE TIMES WHILE TURNING ONTO ON RAMPS TO FREEWAYS. IT ALWAYS REQUIRES SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL TO RESTART AND VERY STIFF STEERING BECAUSE POWER STEERING IS DISABLED. THIS HAS OCCURRED IN TRAFFIC AND PRESENTED VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS. I BELIEVE THE IGNITION IS AT FAULT, BUT CANNOT SAY POSITIVELY. USUALLY OCCURS WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR SOME TIME AND THE ENGINE HAS BEEN RUNNING QUITE SOME TIME AND IS CONSIDERABLY WARM. UNDER HOT CONDITIONS IT OCCURS MORE OFTEN. *TR
TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,592 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,500. UPDATED 08/11/14*LJ
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED TO ITS NORMAL OPERATION AFTER BEING RESTARTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT OFFER A REMEDY. THE FAILURE HAS RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND AS A RESULT, IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. UPDATED 08/19/14*LJ UPDATED 08/23/2017*CT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 159,000.
ABOUT THREE WEEKS AGO WE HAD TO REPLACE A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH IN OUR 2003 BUICK REGAL. A WEEK PRIOR TO THAT, IT BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE "STRANGE" PROBLEMS: THE "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" AND "ABS" LIGHTS CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY; THERE WERE SOMETIMES ODD SOUNDS DURING BREAKING AND WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNAL. THEN, ONE MORNING ON MY WAY TO WORK, THE CAR COMPLETELY LOST ALL POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING. LATER THAT DAY IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE FIRST TIME IT LOST POWER, I HAD JUST PUT THE TURN SIGNAL ON AND SLOWED DOWN TO GO AROUND A CAR IN ORDER TO GET INTO MY TURNING LANE. IF I HAD NOT ALREADY BEGUN TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL, I WOULD HAVE HIT THE BUMPER OF THE CAR IN THE LANE TO MY RIGHT. I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK. FORTUNATELY--- ESPECIALLY SINCE IT WAS MORNING RUSH HOUR---I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. I PROCEEDED ON TO WORK WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT EXCEPT THAT MOST OF THE DASH LIGHTS HAD COME ON AND REMAINED ON. WHEN I PULLED TO END OF THE DRIVEWAY AS I LEFT WORK, THE CAR AGAIN STOPPED. I DROVE HOME AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED OUT THE NEXT DAY. THE PROBLEM WAS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH. THANKFULLY, THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS AS A RESULT OF THE CAR LOSING POWER AS I WAS DRIVING THAT DAY, AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE BACK TO NORMAL SINCE HAVING THE SWITCH REPLACED.. *TR
2003 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT, WHEN HIS VEHICLE CUT OFF, ON A BUSY ROAD. AFTER MUCH CHECKING, THE REPAIR SHOP DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE IGNITION SWITCH.*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK REGAL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. UPDATED 11/20/14*LJ UPDATED 5/4/2015 *JS
MY CAR HAS HAD ISSUES WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN I USE MY TURNING SIGNALS MY CAR SHUTS OFF AND I HAVE TO PUT IN NEUTRAL AND RE START IT. ALSO, THE IGNITION ISSUE IS PREVENTING MY CAR FROM STARTING. I JUST HAD MY STARTER REPLACED 4 DAYS AGO BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE ISSUE WAS THE STARTER EVEN ONE IT READ OKAY I WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED IT SINCE THE ISSUE WAS THE CAR STARTING ALONG WITH IT SHUTTING OFF WHEN USING THE TURNING SIGNALS. I CALLED IN DUE TO THE RECALL TO FIND OUT MY CAR HAS A RECALL ON ANOTHER PART THAT COULD CAUSE IT TO CATCH FIRE. I HAD THE APPOINTMENT SET UP TO REPLACE THAT RECALL BUT SINCE THE CAR IS NOT ON THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL I CANT GET THAT FIXED TO EVEN GET THE CAR STARTED. IT STARTS MOST OF THE TIME BUT IT SEAMS THE TIMES I REALLY NEED TO BE SOMEWHERE IT WONT START. WHYIS IT THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL ARE NOT APART OF THE RECALL IF PLENTY OF OWNERS WITH THIS CAR ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. I HAVE BEEN SO CLOSE TO BEING IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS AND NEED IT FIXED. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER AND FEEL I SHOULD NOT INCUR DIAGNOSIS TEST WHEN I CAN TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG AND THEN I HAVE TO PAY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN RECALLED IN MANY OTHER GM AUTOMOBILES BUT NOT MINE. HOW CAN I GET MY CAR PUT ON THE RECALL LIST SO IT CAN GET FIXED???? THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED! *TR
2003 BUICK REGAL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED EVERYTHING LOCKED UP ON THE VEHICLE AND IT HAD TO BE TOWED. AN INSPECTION REVEALED, THE ISSUE WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. *JB
MOTOR WOULD SHUT OFF WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD TOOK THE CAR TO CLASSIC DEALER IN MADISON OHIO AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL I HAD TO PAY OVER $400 TO GET IT FIXED WAS THERE A RECALL ON THIS PART THEY SAID THEY HAD TO PULL THE STEERING COLUMN. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 29 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026