2012 Buick Regal eAssist: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
90 NHTSA owner complaints · 0 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 90 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 6.43
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
[XXX] my car failed to let me use the brake, i was going about 45mph and when i went to apply brake pressure the pedal was so stiff i couldnt use the brake. Causing from end collision, when i made a trip to springdale to have my car inspected it didnt make it, started backfiring and dying around 65 mph then the motor blew, it had some issues starting but nothing like what happened within that few seconds. Im out of a…
The contact owns a 2012 Buick Regal. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, he became aware that the electrical system was not functioning properly. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the body control module. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Num…
The driver headlight assembly has water in it and unable to fix it without replacing whole assembly that can be as much as $1500. The light bulb and valance was replaced. The valance was filled with water. The headlight still wouldn’t work. Upon further investigation there is a part sealed into the assembly that also has water in it with no way to get it out or replace. This is a safety risk since i am unable to see…
Recalls: 0 campaigns
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|
What it costs to buy — and what owning it really takes
Class-level estimates, priced as a mid-size car of its model year, re-priced to your country. Not a quote, not a valuation of one specific car — condition, mileage and options move it. How these are computed.
What it costs to run
EPA combined 28 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,200
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
What this car's problems cost to fix
Ranked by the components owners of this exact model year actually complain about. Each figure is flat-rate labour hours x the local shop rate plus a parts band — an estimate of what this kind of failure costs, not a quote, and not a prediction that this car will need it. Formula.
- Exterior Lighting33 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Engine21 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Electrical System18 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Suspension10 complaints · typical job: Struts, springs and control-arm bushings, one axle (4.0 h labour + parts)$780–$1,580
- Service Brakes9 complaints · typical job: Pads, rotors and caliper service, both axles (3.0 h labour + parts)$580–$1,140
- Power Train7 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
Other Buick Regal eAssist years
Buick Regal eAssist years to avoid, and the best years to buy →
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Buick Regal eAssist?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Exterior Lighting (33 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2012 Buick Regal eAssist a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is BUY with a reliability score of 77/100, computed from 90 NHTSA complaints and 0 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2012 Buick Regal eAssist's most common problem?
33 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2012 Buick Regal eAssist sit in the Exterior Lighting group — more than any other component on this model year. The representative job there is headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement: about 1.5 hours of labour plus parts, roughly $360–$1,380 at a US independent shop and re-priced to your country at the top of the page. It is an estimate of what this class of failure costs, not a quote for this car.
What does a 2012 Buick Regal eAssist cost to run per year?
About $4,742 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $23,710 over five years, before purchase price, insurance and depreciation. Figures come from available EPA fuel-economy data and industry maintenance averages, and are re-priced to your country.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2012 Buick Regal eAssist really cost YOU per year?
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorData sources
Complaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-10-04.
Moderate evidence — 90 complaints, 0 recalls on record
- 90 NHTSA complaints on record (6.4/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (4.1/yr)
- 0 recall campaigns, 0 touching safety-critical systems