2013 Buick Regal: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
91 NHTSA owner complaints · 6 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Owner complaints: 91 filed with NHTSA
Complaints per year on the road: 7.0
What owners say
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact owns a 2013 Buick Regal. The contact stated that while stopped at a stop light and depressing the brake pedal, the hybrid battery would power off as intended; however, when the brake pedal was released, the vehicle would lose automotive power before suddenly independently powering on before jolting. The check engine light illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or re…
While in motion at about 25-30 miles per hours, slightly stepping on the brake to slow down, the car just… wouldn’t, I was forced to swerve, preventing damage to cars ahead, I went over a curb
, while driving, doing a steady 25-30 mph my vehicle completed transformed behavior, literally, I could only guess the problem(s)
Recalls: 6 campaigns (1 severe)
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 12V484000 | Exterior Lighting:Turn Signal | General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Buick Regal and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with two turn signal bulbs in each front turn signal. |
| 13V173000 | Electrical System | General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2012 and 2013 Buick LaCrosse and Regal, and model year 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Eco vehicles equipped with eAssist. These vehicles may have a condition in which the Generator Control Module (GCM) may not function properly. |
| 21V633000 | Suspension:Rear | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2013 Buick Regal, Chevrolet Malibu, and Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,… |
| 20V764000 | Suspension:Rear | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Buick Regal, 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, and 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,… |
| 21V00F000 | Suspension:Rear | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,… |
| 26V113000 | Suspension:Rear | General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2012–2013 Buick Regal Turbo and GS trim-level vehicles that were sold or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,… |
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 22 MPG · estimated annual fuel cost $2,800 · EPA range 279 mi
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 Lighting37 complaints · typical job: Headlamp assembly or lighting-module replacement (1.5 h labour + parts)$360–$1,380
- Electrical System36 complaints · typical job: Alternator, battery-drain or body-module diagnosis and replacement (3.0 h labour + parts)$540–$1,310
- Unknown Or Other9 complaints · typical job: Diagnosis and mixed repair (2.0 h labour + parts)$360–$940
- Power Train9 complaints · typical job: Transmission service or clutch-pack repair (7.0 h labour + parts)$1,290–$4,040
- Engine9 complaints · typical job: Cooling-system or timing-drive repair (6.0 h labour + parts)$1,040–$2,220
- Vehicle Speed Control7 complaints · typical job: Throttle body, pedal sensor or cruise module replacement (2.5 h labour + parts)$520–$1,150
Other Buick Regal years
FAQ
What is the most common problem with the 2013 Buick Regal?
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Exterior Lighting (37 complaints in our indexed sample).
Is the 2013 Buick Regal a good used car to buy?
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 55/100, computed from 91 NHTSA complaints and 6 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
How much does it cost to fix the 2013 Buick Regal's most common problem?
37 of the NHTSA complaints filed against the 2013 Buick Regal 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 2013 Buick Regal cost to run per year?
About $5,283 a year in fuel or energy plus the maintenance band — roughly $26,415 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.
Does the 2013 Buick Regal have recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaign(s) for the 2013 Buick Regal, 1 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 04/10/2012. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Compare with
Other midsizes of about the same age.
What will a 2013 Buick Regal 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 — 91 complaints, 6 recalls on record
- 91 NHTSA complaints on record (7.0/yr of exposure) — worse than a typical year of this model (3.1/yr)
- 6 recall campaigns, 1 touching safety-critical systems