Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. The contact stated that engine oil was leaking profusely on the exhaust manifold and the check engine light illuminated. The contact also stated that a quart of oil was provided weekly. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number:15v701000 (engine and engine cooling). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
1998 Buick Regal: check engine light
5 of the 302 complaints about the 1998 Buick Regal describe check engine light.
- owner complaints
- 5
- of this car's complaints
- 2%
- recalls
- 3
Is there a fix? There are 3 recalls and 10 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Check engine light by model year
What owners say
Driving home and car wouldn't go over 5 miler per hr and the check engine light came on, then the temperature gage went to hot so pulled over and smoke came thru the vent in the car and out from the gear shifter. Once I got out I heard a loud pop and oil starting leaking then the car caught on fire. Fire department and police came. I had received a recall on spark plugs back in the beginning of the year and had the dealership replacement them but never received any notification about any further recalls.
This car has had numerous problems, noted by many owners. Rusted paint over rear wheel wells. I cannot count the number of times I have had to get the turn signals fixed. I had to replace the ABS system this spring. Now I am told I have a cracked manifold. The heating display on the dashboard has not worked for three years: we manipulate the heat/ air by trial and error. I had a "check engine soon" light problem that required numerous computer scans, and would only be fixed for a month or two at a time. The window buttons are failing. The car drives well, but how much more money is it reasonable to put into? It has 138, 00 miles, and has been serviced every 3000 miles. It should be good for another 60, 000 miles. After reading the complaints, it seems I will only be washing my money. Is the cracked manifold related to the reported fires?
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 buick regal. While driving 1-5 MPH, the vehicle would constantly stall. In addition, the vehicle stalled while driving in reverse. The contact stated that the vehicle would shut off when the check engine light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after it stalled. The failure mileage was 92,900 and current mileage was 92,988. Updated 02/15/08. *lj the consumer has experienced other problems with the vehicle such as steering gear failure, which the rack and pinion was replaced. Air condition failure, transmission torque converter, which the entire transmission was overhauled. The ignition switch shorted out. The right front window regulator was replaced. Updated
I just purchased the car used exactly a little over a year ago. The brake light on the dash board came on for a couple seconds and went off. Then next day after the brake light situation the check engine and entire dashboard came on while driving in a residential area. And caused the car to stall. Which thankfully I was able to pull over and did not cause an accident. The vehicle did start back up. And I took it to the dealership where I purchased the vehicle they could not find anything on the codes for the brake or engine problem ( which I had to pay $112) . I said there has to be a reason even though the codes aren't showing. So they looked at the fuel pump system, fluids, and checked my brake pads. And still found no problems. They could not offer any other solution. So the next day I drove the car in the same area and the car once again stalled and good thing I didn't cause an accident was able to pull over. So the problem still remains. I see many complaints regarding this stalling situation I do believe this should be a defect for investigation in order to recall. As it it can cause serious potential accidents.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
- L67 engine oil smell or odor, leak at left or front valve cover (replace valve cover gasket, gromments and...
- Engine coolant consumption or coolant leak (inspect for material degradation/replace intake manifolds) tt...
- New upper intake manifold and gasket kits
- New rear main seal and special tool for installation
- Intermittent malfunction indicator lamp / service engine soon indicator illumination; anti-lock brake...
- Some owners may comment on a repeat engine oil pan leak
- Subject regarding various driveability symptoms, malfunction indicator lamp illuminates intermittently,...
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
Questions about the 1998 Buick Regal check engine light
Is check engine light a common problem on the 1998 Buick Regal?
5 of 302 owner complaints about the 1998 Buick Regal (2%) mention check engine light. The model year with the most reports is 2011.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1998 Buick Regal?
There are 3 recalls and 10 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 1998 Buick Regal
Fire or smoke 31Stalling 25Headlights 14Power steering loss 9ABS 8Wipers 8Loss of power 6Power windows 6Engine failure 5Fuel pump 5Premature wear 5Steering lock-up 5Tire blowout 5
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