There are 9 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2001 Buick Regalin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
ON 1997-2004 "W PLATFORM" GM AUTOS, INCLUDING MY REGAL, THE ABS SENSOR DESIGN IS FLAWED IN THAT IT'S WIRING IS LOCATED IN AN EXPOSED LOCATION AT THE INSIDE BOTTOM OF THE WHEEL HUB THAT ANY ROAD DITRITUS CAN IMPACT, CAUSING THE TRACK SYSTEM OFF DASH LIGHT TO COME ON AND ABS BRAKING TO FAIL. I AM NOW ON MY 6TH REPLACEMENT INCIDENT SINCE 2006, WHEN IT HAPPENED THE 1ST TIME. (2 EACH ON THE FRONT WHEEL HUBS AND 1 ON A REAR. DO NOT KNOW AT THIS TIME WHICH WHEEL IS INVOLVED THIS TIME,) EVERY TIME THE LITTLE SENSOR WIRE BREAKS OR GETS CUT & YOU CAN'T JUST FIX THE WIRE, IT REQUIRES A TOTAL REPLACEMENT OF THE WHEEL HUB AND COSTS NEARLY $500 A POP. THE WIRE IS RIDICULOUSLY EASY TO DAMAGE JUST BY DRIVING THROUGH PLOW DRIFT IN THE DRIVEWAY OR HITTING SMALL TREE BRANCH DETRITUS ON THE ROAD THAT BOUNCES OFF THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND SNAGS THE WIRE. MOST COMMONLY IT BREAKS INSIDE THE INSULATION AND INTERMITENTLY SHORTS OUT WHEN IT GETS WET, (& DISAPPEARS WHEN IT DRIES OUT AGAIN) CAUSING THE ABS SYSTEM TO STUTTER WHEN BRAKING, & MAKING IT EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE TO DIAGNOSE BEFORE FIXING (AN EXTRA $129). SINCE IT'S A COMMON (& FREQUENT) DANGEROUS SAFETY DEFECT ON ALL "W PLATFORM" GM VEHICLES FROM '97-'04, I FIND IT CURIOUS THAT THE NTSB HASN'T ORDERED GM TO FIND A FIX FOR THIS LONG AGO.
WAS IN FATAL ACCIDENT ON MAY 8 2009 IN DES MOINES, IA. IT WAS LIGHT RAIN THAT NIGHT AND I MADE AN ATTEMPT TO TURN A CORNER AND SLIDE RIGHT THROUGH AND FENCE AND DROPPED DOWN A HILL ABOUT AND ESTIMATED 20 FEET. THE ANTI-BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AS WELL AS THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING IS MY CONCERN. THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT. THE ONE TOOK PLACE IN DECEMBER OF 2009. A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED I WAS THEY CONDUCTED AN INVESTIGATION, BUT WAS NOT INFORMED TO WHERE I COULD UNDERSTAND. NOW THE CASE IS WITH THEIR LAWYERS WHO WON'T ANSWER THE PHONE. *TR
ROTORS NEEDED TO BE GROUND @ 21000 MILES AND THEN AGAIN @43000 MILES, FRONT END SHAKES BADLY WHEN BRAKING, MAKE CONTROL DIFFICULT. *JB
STARTING AT ABOUT 10,000 MILES THERE WAS A VERY DISTINCT RUBBING SOUND WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES IN A NON-EMERGENCY SITUATION (IT REMINDED ME OF THE SOUND BRAKES MAKE WHEN THEY HAVE TOO MUCH WEAR AND USUALLY IT'S AN INDICATION THE BRAKES NEED TO BE RELPACED). AT ABOUT 15,000 MILES I HAD THE CAR SERVICED AND THE DEALER STATED NO PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. AT ABOUT 29,500 I HAD TO HAVE THE BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED. ABOUT 5,000 MILES AFTER THE BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED THE SOUND HAS STARTED AGAIN. IT SOUNDS AS IF THE ABS IS CONSTANTLY ENGAGED BUT THIS HAPPENS WHENEVER PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES. I'M CONVINCED THERE IS A BRAKE PROBLEM THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND I'M CONCERNED THE BRAKES WILL FAIL IN AN EMERGENCY. THE DEALERS SEEM UNABLE TO IDENTIFY A PROBLEM. DOES YOUR AGENCY HAVE ANY RECORDS OF BRAKE PROBLEMS WITH THE 2001 BUICK REGAL GS?
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS RUSTED AT ONLY 17,000 MI.WAS TOLD CAR NOT DRIVEN ENOUGH.*AK
AS STATED IN SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS MY BRAKES HAVE RUSTED AND ALSO SCREECH. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THEM LIKE OTHERS HAVE WITH THE SAME RESULT ( PUT NEW ROTORS ON THIS LAST TIME ALSO). THIS LAST TIME I HAD IT START SCREAMING ALMOST INSTANTLY AFTER REPLACING THEM. MY CAR ALSO HAS A SMALL SHAKE TO IT THAT CAN`T SEEM TO BE FIGURED OUT. IT COMES FROM THE FRONT END JUST LIKE OTHERS HAVE STATED.*AK
BRAKES WERE RUSTIED. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT BRAKES WERE RUSTED BECAUSE OF ATMOSPHERE.*AK *SLC
RUSTED ROTORS CAUSED CLUNKING NOISE AT THE REAR END WHILE BRAKING. NLM
REAR ROTORS RUSTED. *SLC
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026