1997 buick regal. Consumer writes in regard to safety recall engine compartment fire notice . Consumer writes vehicle caught fire and manufacturer stated there was no proof for cause of fire. *as
1997 Buick Regal engine problems
41 complaints (30% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 125,000.
- owner complaints
- 41
- of this car's complaints
- 30%
- typical mileage
- 125,000
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 3
Which part fails
- Engine4
- Cooling system4
- Engine: gasoline: belts and associated pulleys3
- Engine: gasoline3
- Exhaust system1
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Buick Regal engine problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 1997 Buick Regal engine
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
- What is wrong
- General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 1998-1999 Chevrolet Lumina and Oldsmobile Intrigue, 1997-2004 Buick Regal and Pontiac Grand Prix, 2000-2004 Chevrolet Impala, and 1998-2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired under recalls 08V‑118, 09V‑116, and 15V‑201 to address the possibility that engine oil may drip onto the hot exhaust manifold.
- Risk
- Engine oil that drips onto the hot surface of the exhaust manifold may result in a fire.
- Remedy
- The remedy applied under recalls 08V‑118, 09V‑116, and 15V‑201 did not adequately remove the safety risk. Under the improved remedy, dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and gasket. Vehicles that are covered by recalls 08V‑118, 09V‑116, or 15V‑201 that have not yet received the original remedy will instead receive the improved remedy under the original recall number. The recall began on February 19, 2016. Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1‑800‑222‑1020, Buick customer service at 1‑800‑521‑7300, Oldsmobile customer service at 1‑800‑442‑6537 and Pontiac customer service at 1‑800‑458‑8006. GM's number for this recall is 15757. Note: Until the improved remedy has been applied, owners are advised to park their vehicle outside since the fire risk exists even when the vehicle is unattended.
Recall number 15V701000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- General motors is recalling 1,497,516 my 1997-2003 buick regal, my 1998-2003 chevrolet lumina, monte carlo and impala, my 1998-1999 oldsmobile intrigue, my 1997-2003 pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l v6 naturally aspirated engine. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which drops of engine oil may be deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking.
- Risk
- If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engines plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Owners may contact chevrolet at 1‑800‑630‑2438, oldsmobile at 1‑800‑630‑6537, and pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668 or http://www.pontiac.com or http:www.gmownercenter.com.
Recall number 09V116000 · Recall details
Engine and engine cooling
- What is wrong
- Gm is recalling 207,542 my 1997-2003 buick regal and pontiac grand prix vehicles equipped with a 3.8l supercharged v-6 engine. These vehicles have higher front rocker cover gasket temperatures, creating the potential for earlier degradation of the front rocker cover gasket and eventual oil seepage.
- Risk
- Certain underhood fires may be caused by drops of engine oil, from seepage or spillage, being deposited on the exhaust manifold through hard braking. If the manifold is hot enough and the oil runs below the heat shield, it may ignite into a small flame and, in some instances, the fire may spread to the plastic spark plug wire channel and beyond.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the engines front valve cover and front-valve-cover gasket with new parts of an improved design and remove the engines plastic cover and plastic oil-fill-tube extension, along with the 1-3-5 spark plug wire retainers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. , free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during may 2016. Until the remedy is completed, gm strongly recommends that owners observe the following important precautions (1) that owners do not park their vehicle in a garage, car port, or other structure; (2) if owners notice a burning odor, they should have their dealer inspect the vehicle. The dealer will inspect the vehicle without charge; (3) use premium fuel (91 octane or higher) in the vehicle as recommended in the vehicle's owner manual. Owners may contact buick at 1‑866‑608‑8080 or pontiac at 1‑800‑620‑7668, or through their website at http://www.gmownercenter.com .
Recall number 08V118000 · Recall details
Related investigations
Engine compartment fires
PE02050
What 1997 Buick Regal owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 buick regal. While driving approximately 35 MPH and making a right turn, the vehicle suddenly shut off. Approximately ten minutes later, the vehicle was able to be restarted and operated normally. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 138,000. The VIN was invalid. *tt consumer stated dealership is now closed and will be taking it to a repair shop. Updated 12/20/18
Buick fixed 3 recalls but won't fix on say I have to pay for another part before they can fix last recall.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 buick regal. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) and stated that the part was not available within a reasonable time frame to schedule the recall repair for several months. The dealer did not give a specific date for when the part would become available. The dealer stated that the contact would need to wait for the second notice. The manufacturer could not provide an estimated date for when the contact's vehicle would receive the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
1997 buick regal. Consumer writes in regards to dealership denied reimbursement requests for engine oil deposited on the exhaust manifold recall notice. *smd the consumer was denied reimbursement, because the repair was done after the recall was mailed.
Tl* the contact owned a 1997 buick regal. While parked, the vehicle caught fire under the hood. The fire was extinguished by the contact. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 buick regal. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the engine overheated as an unknown warning indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic on two separate occasions where the engine mass air flow sensor was replaced each time but the failure recurred for the third time. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Tl* the contact owned a 1997 buick regal. While parked, the vehicle burst into flames. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was not filed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The failure recurred two weeks after the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 195,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 buick regal. While attempting to start the vehicle, it caught fire. The contact stated that the fire department extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. There were no injuries. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 15v701000 (engine and engine cooling) after the failure occurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Fire started in the engine, resulting in the car exploding in about 10 minutes total. Total loss. Caught fire to my friends garage. The car was parked and running while we ran inside to pay for some stuff. Heard an explosion and went to investigate, and saw the hood and dash and the engine on fire. My friend jumped on his tractor and pushed it away from the garage, and started dumping snow on it. Fire dept came and put it out.
Questions about the 1997 Buick Regal engine
Does the 1997 Buick Regal have engine problems?
Owners have filed 41 complaints about the engine of the 1997 Buick Regal, 30% of all its complaints, more than any other problem.
At what mileage do 1997 Buick Regal engine problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 125,000 miles.
Is there a recall for the 1997 Buick Regal engine?
Yes, 3 recalls: 15V701000, 09V116000, 08V118000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
Other 1997 Buick Regal problems
Steering 37Electrical 18Brakes 11Visibility 11Lights 8Airbags 7Transmission 7Tires 6Fuel system 5Body 4Suspension 3Driver assistance 2Seat belts 2Acceleration 1Seats 1
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