Exact make, model and year evidence from official US sources. Recall campaigns, ODI investigations, complaint allegations and EPA estimates remain separate.
A campaign may cover only certain production dates, plants or equipment. A zero result here is not safety clearance. Use NHTSA’s official VIN tool for the individual vehicle.
Exact model-level NHTSA results for 1988 BUICK Regal. Campaign records are official safety actions; applicability to a particular car still requires its VIN.
CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18, 2005, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2006, SOLD FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE AND ON CERTAIN SCHOOL BUSES. (TO SEE THE SCHOOL BUS ENGINE SIZES, CLICK ON "DOCUMENT SEARCH" AND THEN "BUS APPLICATIONS"). THE CONNECTOR ON THE FUEL FILTER WAS NOT MANUFACTURED TO HONEYWELL'S SPECIFICATION. AS A RESULT, THE O-RING MAY NOT SEAT CORRECTLY ON THE FUEL LINE.
Consequence
THIS CONDITION MAY CAUSE AN INADEQUATE SEAL AT THE CONNECTION, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO A FUEL LEAK. IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD OCCUR.
Remedy
HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION 1).
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, WHERE ROAD SALT USE IS HEAVY. A CONDITION WHERE ONE OR BOTH FRONT ENGINE CRADLE BOLTS CAN PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINERS.
Consequence
IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE FRONT OF THE CRADLE WOULD NO LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT COULD SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT AND REAR FRAME/CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.
03
NHTSA Recalls · US · received 1988-07-06
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
Consequence
IF WHEEL SEPARATION OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OCCURS, AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING DATE CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT WHEEL ASSEMBLY.
CRACKS DEVELOP IN THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACE. IF THESE CRACKS BECOME SEVERE ENOUGH, THE WHEEL WILL COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
Consequence
IF WHEEL SEPARATION OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, LOSS OF STEERING AND BRAKE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE OCCURS, AND A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE MANUFACTURING CODES STAMPED ON EACH WHEEL OF THE VEHICLE AND IF A WHEEL FALLS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED DATE CODE RANGE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THAT WHEEL ASSEMBLY.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI VANS ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT AND WISCONSIN. THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS PULL THROUGH THE RETAINERS DUE TO CORROSION OF THE RETAINER. IF BOTH BOLTS PULL THROUGH, THE REAR CRADLE WOULD NOT LONGER BE SUPPORTED AT THESE MOUNTING LOCATIONS AND THE STEERING INTERMEDIATE SHAFT CAN SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR.
Consequence
IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD RESULT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR CRADLE BOLTS AND RETAINERS.
FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT FASTENER MAY PULL THROUGH DOOR MOUNTED ANCHOR PLATE.
Consequence
SEAT BELT MAY NOT SUSTAIN LOADS REQUIRED BY FMVSS 210, AND IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT, THE SEAT BELT MAY NOT PROPERLY RESTRAIN A PASSENGER, RESULTING IN INCREASED RISK OF GREATER INJURY TO AN OCCUPANT.
Remedy
REPLACE FRONT SHOULDER BELT GUIDE LOOP ATTACHMENT NUTS AND INSTALL NEW GUIDE COVER.
LOWER CONTROL ARM TO BALL JOINT ATTACHMENT CAN BECOME LOOSE. ALSO, CERTAIN CARS COULD HAVE TIE ROD BALL STUD NUTS THAT WERE NOT PROPERLY TORQUED AND COULD LOOSEN.
Consequence
CONTINUED OPERATION OF CAR WITH EITHER CONDITION COULDRESULT IN SEPARATION OF THAT JOINT AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND ANACCIDENT.
Remedy
REPLACE BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS; ALSO, CHECK TIE ROD BALL STUD NUT TORQUE.
IF PRIMARY LATCH DISENGAGES, HOOD COULD UNEXPECTEDLYOPEN. IF CAR WAS IN MOTION, HOOD COULD CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD, REDUCE THEDRIVERS FORWARD VISION AREA, AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy
REPLACE SECONDARY LATCH WITH A NEW LATCH.
10
NHTSA Recalls · US · received 1988-03-28
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:COLUMN SHIFT ASSEMBLY
AN INTERFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE AND THE BELLCRANK CLIP IN THE STEERING COLUMN CAN RESULT IN DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION CABLE.
Consequence
THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION TO BE IN AGEAR OTHER THAN THAT DISPLAYED BY THE SHIFT INDICATOR. THE VEHICLE COULD MOVEIN AN UNEXPECTED DIRECTION AND CAUSE A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy
A NEWLY DESIGNED BELLCRANK CLIP WILL BE INSTALLED.
THE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY HAVE A LOOSE ELECTRICAL CONTACT. THE LOOSE CONTACT CAN OVERHEAT AND MELT THE SURROUNDING PLASTIC CAUSING THE CONTACT TO STICK OPEN.
Consequence
AN OPEN CONTACT WOULD RENDER THE BRAKE LIGHTS INOPERATIVEWHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. ALSO, THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH CONTROL ANDCRUISE CONTROL CONTACTS WOULD REMAIN CLOSED. THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT INCRUISE RESUME UPON BRAKE PEDAL RELEASE IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS IN THE ONPOSITION. EITHER AN UNEXPECTED CRUISE RESUME OR INOPERATIVE BRAKE LIGHTS COULDRESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy
THE ROTARY SOPLAMP SWITCH WILL BE REPLACED ON ALL INVOLVED VEHICLES.
02 · Owner allegations
165 NHTSA complaints
Counts are not adjusted for sales, vehicle age, mileage, publicity or reporting behavior. They are allegations, not defect findings or a reliability score.
Crash mentions
12
Fire mentions
1
Injuries reported
10
Most-reported component labels
HYDRAULIC85
SERVICE BRAKES85
STRUCTURE17
POWER TRAIN12
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING10
FUEL SYSTEM7
Complaints across nearby Buick Regal model years
Totals for the same nameplate, scaled against its highest year here. They are not adjusted for how many were sold, how old they are, how far they are driven, or how much publicity a fault received — an older or better-selling year will usually carry more reports. This shows where the reporting sits, not which year is better.
An investigation means ODI reviewed a possible safety issue for this exact model-year identity. Opening one is not a defect finding; closing one does not by itself clear a vehicle.
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES · No associated recall campaign number was published in this investigation row.
04 · EPA configurations
Fuel economy & specifications
FuelEconomy.gov records are summarized as ranges where this model name has multiple engines, drivetrains or trims.
EPA configurations
1
Combined economy
21 mpg/MPGe
City / highway
18 / 26 mpg/MPGe
Engine displacement
2.8 L
Cylinders
6
Fuel type
Regular
Drive
Front-Wheel Drive
Vehicle class
Midsize Cars
Annual fuel-cost estimate
$3100
05 · Evidence strength
Exact identity. Explicit limits.
No opaque score. Evidence strength is expressed through source availability, exact match method, jurisdiction and honest empty states.
exact match
Recall campaigns
11 exact US model-year records in this bounded view.
exact match
Complaints
165 exact US model-year allegations; narratives and VIN fragments are omitted.
exact match
ODI investigations
12 exact US model-year action numbers in the approved import snapshot.
canonical only
Model aliases
Only the exact NHTSA vPIC model name is published; unverified aliases are not merged.
not published
Manufacturer ownership
No rights-reviewed official ownership record is joined to this exact model-year.
PUBLIC EVIDENCE PASSPORT
Identity, freshness and provenance.
The canonical URL is this file’s permanent public identifier. Source IDs and timestamps show exactly what was matched and when; they do not turn the evidence into a verdict.
Only NHTSA vPIC, NHTSA ODI complaints and investigations, NHTSA recalls and FuelEconomy.gov contribute to this vehicle claim. CPSC equipment notices are searched separately and never joined to vehicle fitment. UK MOT, Canadian, New Zealand and European records are not merged into this US claim.
06 · Research paths
Diagnose first. Confirm fitment.
These are transparent searches, not diagnoses or endorsed parts. Recall remedies come before purchases; exact part fitment requires VIN, trim, powertrain, production date and OE number.
85 complaint labels
HYDRAULIC
Check recalls and diagnostic information before replacing anything.
Awin US and R2 affiliate inventory are not published until a US programme, merchant and exact-fitment projection are approved. No offer currently has both merchant approval and exact vehicle fitment, so commercial links never count as evidence.