2016 Buick Regal: problems, recalls and reliability
1 recall and 41 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is steering (24% of complaints); the 2018 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · latest recall Feb 2016
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 41 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“My Buick stops when driving unknown when it's a surprise lights and dash go off almost got hit took to mechanics it's the 2016-17 "throw away motor" ad they call it does not last and gets"metal pieces" to ruin motor and turbo as I have noticed speed issues and dying unexpectedly it's the regal turbo 2.0 v-6 motor a should be recall I've seen online since at mechanic and a large issue why no recall and I'm reporting this ty”Owner report · Wheels · Apr 2025
“My steering failed and started pulling left into traffic. It was hard to keep it in my lane. Had to have it towed by AAA. Took to my mechanic and he said it was the electric belt drive rack &pinion steering. He told me there was a recall on it. When I checked I was told that my vin # was not included. I think it should have been because its the same problem.it is not safe to drive.”Owner report · Steering · Feb 2025
“The contact owns a 2016 Buick Regal. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The contact stated that the failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 43,000.”Owner report · Steering · May 2024
Show 7 more owner reports
“The contact owns a 2016 Buick Regal. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed during rainy weather, and making a left or right turn, the steering wheel intermittently made a grinding and clicking sound. No warning lights were illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V108000 (Steering). The vehicle was then taken to another dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was advised to call the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was advised to call the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.”Owner report · Steering · Apr 2023
“The contact owns a 2016 Buick Regal. The contact stated that condensation and moisture was present inside the front headlight assemblies, which caused the headlight illumination to be diminished and created a visibility hazard while driving at night. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the front headlight assemblies were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Dec 2022
“Driving on the highway and abs, stabltrack and steering lights came on. This is the third time in 2 years that a wheel bearing failed on this vehicle. A magnet ring in the wheel bearing that sensors wheel speed failed and fractured causing a loss of power steering, abs, and traction control.”Owner report · Wheels · Oct 2022
“The contact owns a 2016 Buick Regal. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized while turning the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V108000 (Steering) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.”Owner report · Steering · Mar 2022
“The steering wheel locks up during turning making it difficult to control the vehicle during turn-this presented a major safety risk. The vehicle was taken to a Buick dealer service on two occasions. The dealer was not able to duplicate the issue. On the first occasion an error code of B101E was noted during diagnosis system check. (Service write-up attached) The same issue represented and is currently being serviced, though technical noted he was unable to reproduce the problem. Mileage when problem first noted was 59,418”Owner report · Steering · Feb 2022
“Interior Chrome Driver Door Handle: The chrome film splits which caused a sharp edge on the edge of the chrome film of the door handle. I cut the edge of my finger on this sharp edge. When I took my vehicle in to have this handle replaced, I had to purchase the entire Driver's Side Door Panel just to get the handle. When speaking to my Service Rep, he informed me of another elderly customer that also cut their finger on their door handle.”Owner report · Structure · Dec 2021
“The contact owns a 2016 Buick Regal. The contact stated that moisture had entered the vehicle's headlight module which caused the headlights to dim while in operation. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where he was given three options on how to repair the vehicle, all three options included him paying out of pocket for the repair which he declined. The manufacturer had been notified of the failure but the contact had yet to receive a callback. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 25,700.”Owner report · Exterior Lighting · Sep 2021
When filing, owners marked a crash in 0 of these complaints and injuries in 1 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 1 campaign
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2016 Buick Regal Vehicles manufactured August 30, 2015, to February 12, 2016. The affected vehicles have a power-steering assist system that may fail.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the electric belt drive rack and pinion steering gear assembly, free of charge. The recall began on March 21, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300. GM's number for this recall is 21510.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2016 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Regal by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Buick Regal reliable?
NHTSA has 41 owner complaints and 1 recall campaign on record for the 2016 Buick Regal. The most complained-about area is steering (24% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2016 Buick Regal problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 32,800 miles or less.
Does the 2016 Buick Regal have open recalls?
1 recall campaign has been issued, the latest concerning steering:electric power assist system. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.