RecallMyCar

1986 Buick Regal Recalls, Complaints & Specs

4 safety recalls list the 1986 Buick Regal, and owners have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

4
safety recalls
12
owner complaints to NHTSA
2 / 2
complaints citing a crash / fire
17–19
MPG combined (EPA)

4 safety recalls for the 1986 Buick Regal

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

  1. Vehicle speed control

    NHTSA 89V102000 Reported 1,755,897 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    A small nylon bushing in the cruise control servo bail may slip out of place, causing intermittent and unexpected increases in engine speed or dieseling (engine run on with ignition off).

    Remedy: Install a new bushing in cruise control servo bail.

  2. Switch (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 88V014000 Reported 179,390 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    Under extended headlamp usage, circuitry in the headlamp switch panel might experience increased resistance and excessive heat buildup.

    Remedy: Replace headlight switch with modified switch.

  3. Structure

    NHTSA 87V124000 Reported 261,171 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    Small cracks may develop in the body pillar around the door striker bolt hole.

    Remedy: Install inner and outer reinforcement plate on both left and right body pillars.

  4. Anchorage (seat belts)

    NHTSA 86V093000 Reported 2,223 vehicles potentially affected GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

    Left handed driver's side shoulder belt anchor plate may be upside down in lock pillar so that the unthreaded slot of the plate aligned with the hole in the lock pillar. This resulted in the anchor bolt being driven into the slot instead of the threaded hole of the anchor plate. Consequence of defect: in a vehicle crash, belt anchor…

    Remedy: Install a bolt anchor plate reinforcement and new bolt, as necessary.

12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1986 Buick Regal have filed 12 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. Complaints peaked in 1995 with 3 filed that year.

Most-reported components

What owners are reporting

“Front cradle bolt pulled through retainer due to corrosion. *ak consumer stated that this vehicle was seen by two master technicians and was told the vehicle will not get fixed. *yh”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, March 12, 2002 · Structure

“I tried to contact the guy in the wsjournal about engines accelerating, to no avail. Have him send me an email and i will enlighten him as to cause on the first one. Havent figured out what happened t”

Owner complaint to NHTSA, July 10, 2000 · Vehicle speed control

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1986 Buick Regal. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined17–19 mpg
City / Highway15–16 / 21–23
FuelPremium, Regular
EPA classMidsize Cars
Engine6/8 cyl, 3.8/5 L
TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd; Automatic 4-spd

Compare Buick Regal model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Buick Regal model year in NHTSA's database.

Model yearRecallsComplaints
1973 Buick Regal10
1974 Buick Regal20
1975 Buick Regal20
1976 Buick Regal20
1977 Buick Regal30
1978 Buick Regal61
1979 Buick Regal43
1980 Buick Regal50
1981 Buick Regal30
1982 Buick Regal21
1983 Buick Regal14
1984 Buick Regal46
1985 Buick Regal89
1986 Buick Regal412
1987 Buick Regal225
1988 Buick Regal10123
1989 Buick Regal7106
1990 Buick Regal877
1991 Buick Regal6200
1992 Buick Regal2144
1993 Buick Regal285
1994 Buick Regal3110
1995 Buick Regal8173
1996 Buick Regal3204
1997 Buick Regal7136
1998 Buick Regal6302
1999 Buick Regal6246
2000 Buick Regal8184
2001 Buick Regal6187
2002 Buick Regal3117
2003 Buick Regal3101
2004 Buick Regal266
2005 Buick Regal04
2008 Buick Regal01
2009 Buick Regal01
2010 Buick Regal01
2011 Buick Regal4280
2012 Buick Regal792
2013 Buick Regal691
2014 Buick Regal238
2015 Buick Regal033
2016 Buick Regal141
2017 Buick Regal020
2018 Buick Regal319
2019 Buick Regal319
2020 Buick Regal22

Checking a specific 1986 Buick Regal

How do I know if my 1986 Buick Regal has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 1986 Buick Regal; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Buick dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 86V093000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Buick models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.