2011 Buick Regal Lighting Problems

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 with only fog lamps

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.

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 out because of the water accumulation. On the driver side headlight, there was actually standing water in the headlight assembly that came pouring out when the cover was removed to replace the bulb. Dealership says both headlight assemblies must be replaced entirely to resolve the issue, due to corrosion. The vehicle has never been in an accident (there are NO cracks from collision, etc.). This appears to be a manufacturing defect or an issue with seal. This is a crazy expensive repair, to have to have the entire headlights replaced on the vehicle, on both sides, because they are not properly sealed/allow condensation and accumulation of water to take place. Can GM please cover the cost of this? Otherwise, this might be the last GM car I ever buy... This is also a major safety issue, as one must have working headlamps. Without an entirely new headlight assembly on each side, the lightbulbs, when replaced, burn out unexpectedly almost immediately, within weeks of replacement.

Drivers side lightbulb has been changed multiple times. Noticeable condensation in light itself. Driving at night and lights went out completely. Had to drive with only fog lights on. Issue happens sporadically and without warning so it is hard to address.

The contact owns a 2011 Buick Regal. The contact stated that after a rainstorm, moisture entered the driver’s side headlight housing causing the bulb to blow. The contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 12V484000 (Exterior Lighting) which he linked to the failure however, the Vin was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

FAULTY HEADLAMP ALLOWING WATER TO ACCUMULATE AND SHORT OUT BALLAST. THIS IS A $1300 PART THAT SHOULD NOT BE GOING OUT LIKE THIS.

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

THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY SEAL IS ALLOWING MOISTURE TO ACCUMULATE IN THE HEADLIGHTS CAUSING DIMMING & LOW LIGHTING, THE HEADLIGHTS TO GO ON & OFF PERIODICALLY WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSING THE ASSEMBLY WIRING TO MELT, CAUSING MORE DAMAGE AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WHILE MY HUSBAND DRIVING TO WORK IN THE EARLY MORNING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING AND HAD TO USE HIS HIGH BEAM LIGHTS AND ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT WORKING. THIS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 AM ON 1/6/2020. GM HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM SINCE 2010 ON SEVERAL OF THEIR GM VEHICLES. NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED.

The contact owns a 2011 Buick Regal. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions the headlights became inoperable. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed the contact that the wiring in the bumper was hot at the base. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the engine was diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown.

THE PASSENGER HEADLIGHT KEEPS MELTING THE HARNESS THE LIGHT BULB GOES INTO. I'VE REPLACED IT 2 AND THIS WILL BE THE 3RD TIME.NOTICED WHEN I WAS PULLED OVER FOR A FIX IT TICKET. SECOND TIME I NOTICED THE LIGHTS WERE UNEVEN AND THE 3RD TIME IT WAS POINTED OUT BY A TOLL BOOTH ATTENDANT

I OWN A 2011 BUICK REGAL WITH THE VEHICLE OPTION "TT6" HID HEADLAMPS. BOTH HEADLAMPS ARE CURRENTLY INOPERATIVE. WHAT I HAVE DISCOVERED IS THAT THE FRONT HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES HAVE CONDENSATION INSIDE OF THEM. THIS CONDENSATION IN TURN HAS CAUSED NOT ONLY THE HID BULBS TO FAIL BUT ALSO HAS CREATED CORROSION ON THE CONNECTORS WHICH ATTACH TO THE BALLAST MODULE INSIDE EACH LAMP. THIS HAS RENDERED EACH HEADLAMP COMPLETELY USELESS BECAUSE THE CONNECTORS INSIDE OF THE THEM CANNOT BE REMOVED AS IT IS A SEALED UNIT. THE BALLAST AND THE BULB CAN BE REPLACED BUT THE WIRING/TERMINALS CANNOT BE. ADDITIONALLY, EVEN IF THOSE COMPONENTS COULD BE CHANGED AND THE LIGHTS MIRACULOUSLY CAME BACK TO LIFE, THEY WOULD FAIL AGAIN IN SHORT ORDER DUE TO THE CONDENSATION ISSUE. SIMPLY BUYING A NEW HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY IS THE OBVIOUS FIX BUT EACH UNIT COSTS < $1,250 + TAX AND INSTALLATION, WHICH BY THE WAY, INVOLVES REMOVAL OF THE ENTIRE FRONT FASCIA...ANOTHER $300. THEREFORE HAVING TO SPEND AROUND $3,000 TO GET ONES HEADLAMPS TO FUNCTION IS THE ONLY RECOURSE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE THE LAMPS CAN JUST BLINK OFF WITHOUT ANY NOTIFICATION WHILE DRIVING WITH THE ONLY FIX BEING OBSCENELY EXPENSIVE.

I AM SEEING MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES HERE: HTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/BUICK/REGAL/HEADLIGHTS-PROBLEMS.PHP ON MY BUICK, I AM HAVING THE SAME EXACT ISSUES. FOR SOME REASON, THERE IS CONDENSATION/WATER ENTERING THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING AND CAUSING THE BALLAST AND BULB TO FAIL. BUICK WANTED $1,215.00 TO REPAIR THE HEADLIGHTS. ONE PERSON IN THE SITE ABOVE SAID THE FOLLOWING: "THIS IS DUE TO A FAULTY SEAL BETWEEN THE OUTER AND INNER SHELL ASSEMBLY. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, AS THE VEHICLE MAY LOOSE ALL HEADLIGHTS AND CAUSE THE DRIVER TO CRASH. THE ASSEMBLIES ARE VERY COSTLY TO REPLACE AND THE ISSUE IS VERY COMMON ON ALL 2011 THOUGH 2017 REGAL AND GS MODELS WITH HID. THIS IS DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY THE MANUFACTURER. NEW ASSEMBLIES WILL RESULT IN THE SAME SAFETY ISSUE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. THIS COULD BE A DESIGN FLAW OR A MANUFACTURING FLAW. . . REGARDLESS, IT IS VERY DANGEROUS!." I AM IN A MAJOR PREDICAMENT. I CAN'T AFFORD THE NEW HEADLIGHTS, AND EVEN IF I COULD, THIS PERSON IS STATING THAT THEY ARE LIKELY TO FAIL AGAIN. ALSO, THE WAY THIS BUICK IS DESIGNED, I WAS ABLE TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WITH A MORE INEXPENSIVE BULB. I COULD NOT EASILY REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT, OR ANOTHER BULB THAT IS OUT. THE DESIGN IS A SAFETY RISK AS I CAN'T AFFORD THE DEALERS'S REPAIR COSTS AND CANNOT DO IT MYSELF. THE WASHER FLUID BOTTLE IS IN THE WAY AND THERE WAS NO WAY TO EASILY REMOVE THE HEADLIGHT. THIS PUTS ME AT RISK FOR A CRASH AND ALSO A TICKET FROM POLICE. BUICK SHOULD FIX THIS FOR ALL REGALS WITH THIS ISSUE - ESPECIALLY SINCE THEIR VEHICLES ARE SO INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE ANYWAY..

CONDENSATION STARTED IN DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT TO THE POINT WHEN LIGHT BULBS SHORT OUT AND ARE RUINED AS SOON AS THEY ARE PUT IN. THE WATER ENTERING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS DANGEROUS.

I HAVE HAD THE DRIVER'S SIDE HID HEADLIGHT BALLAST REPLACED 3 TIMES IN 9 MONTHS DUE TO MOISTURE IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY.

I HAVE HAD THE HEADLIGHTS REPLACED TWICE. WHERE YOU PLUG IN THE HEADLIGHT (LOW BEAM), IT MELTS AND THE HEADLIGHT WILL NOT WORK ANYMORE.

BOTH SEALED HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAVE FAILED AND NOW HAVE CONDENSATION INSIDE OF THEM. THE LIGHTS ARE STILL FUNCTIONAL BUT I AM AFRAID OF A SHORT CIRCUIT. THE DEALER WANTED $1,000 PER HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY TO REPLACE. THIS VEHICLE STILL HAS UNDER 50,000 MILES ON IT. IT HAPPENED WHILE IT WAS JUST SITTING THERE, BUT I DO DRIVE THROUGH RAIN.

'TAKATA RECALL' LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. BUT HIGH BEAM WORKS JUST FINE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS CONDENSATION IN THE HEADLIGHTS AND THEY FAILED TO OPERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GILBERT CHEVROLET (3550 US-441, OKEECHOBEE, FL 34974, (863) 261-8947) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT MOISTURE WAS IN THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 95303514701. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,579.

POLICE STOPPED ME DUE TO MISSING PASSENGER HEADLAMP. AS I WAS REPLACING SAID HEADLIGHT, UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, I NOTICED THAT THE BULB WIRE HARNESS WERE BURNT BLACK. THE SMELL OF BURNING WAS DETECTED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 BUICK REGAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAD TO BE DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD IN ORDER FOR THE TAIL LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TAIL LIGHT SENSOR FAILED. THE TAIL LIGHT SENSOR AND BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.