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#BS-2003-BUIREG-3BA1

2003 Buick Regal

Based on reports from 139 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
139
Crashes
7
Fires
18
Recalls
5
TSBs
424
🟡

Preliminary Verdict

Think Twice

Based on 139 complaints, 7 crashes, 18 fires, and 5 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

engine stalls shuts off while driving

3 complaints • Severity 8.7/10

$X,XXX
2

died while driving

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
3

transmission failure

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

32 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 98K miles.

!Inspect the ElectricalMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

11
0–30K
17
30–60K
11
60–90K
21
90–120K
6
120–150K
29
150K+

Peak failure range: 150K+ miles (29 reports) • Median: 98K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (32 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine32 (23%)
Electrical24 (17%)
Brakes10 (7%)
Steering8 (6%)
Electrical System:ignition:switch8 (6%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission5 (4%)
Other5 (4%)
Wheels & Tires4 (3%)

2003 Buick Regal: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 23% of all reports filed for the 2003 Buick Regal, with 32 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 97,987 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 98K-mile mark.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 17% of all reports filed for the 2003 Buick Regal, with 24 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2003 Buick Regal, with 10 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2003 Buick Regal, with 8 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to steering-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

1
02
4
03
4
04
4
05
1
06
7
07
4
08
5
09
2
10
11
11
3
12
1
13
38
14
10
15
28
16
8
17
4
18
1
20
3
23

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2003 Buick Regal. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (5 recalls)

08E063000Oct 2008

STEERING

DORMAN PRODUCTS IS RECALLING 3,900 INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFTS DORMAN PART NOS. 425-151, 425-152, AND 425-153, (SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS" BRAND NAME), BALKAMP #'S 7-3057, 7-3058, 7-3059 (SOLD UNDER THE "NAPA" BRAND NAME), AND PLATINUM PARTS #'S 2425151, 2425152, AND 2425153 MANUFACTURED DURING THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2007. THESE REPLACEMENT STEERING SHAFTS CAN BE USED ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE WELD CONNECTING THE INNER TUBE TO THE OUTER TUBE MAY BE DEFECTIVE.

08V118000Apr 2008

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

09E005000Feb 2009

STEERING

DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.

09V116000Apr 2009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

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.

15V701000Feb 2016

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Buick Regal is the 2012 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2003 Buick Regal vs. Class Average (Midsize Cars)

This vehicle

139

Class avg

250

Below the class average — fewer complaints than typical midsize cars vehicles. A good sign.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 139 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Buick Regal Model Years

202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997199619951994199319921991199019891988198719861985198419831982198119801979197819771976197519741973
View all Buick Regal years →

2003 Buick Regal: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2003 Buick Regal?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2003 Buick Regal is related to the engine, with 32 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2003 Buick Regal reliable?
The 2003 Buick Regal has 139 complaints, 7 crash reports, and 18 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is below the class average — a positive sign for reliability.
How much does it cost to fix 2003 Buick Regal problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2003 Buick Regal have any recalls?
Yes, the 2003 Buick Regal has 5 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Buick Regal problems start?
Based on 95 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 97,987 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 139 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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