The 2014 Buick Regal, built on GM's Epsilon II platform, is a midsize sedan with notable powertrain vulnerabilities—particularly catastrophic 2.0L turbo engine failures and transmission cooling issues that can sideline the car unexpectedly.
2.0L Turbo Catastrophic Engine Failure (Piston Ring Land Collapse)
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Excessive oil consumption (1 quart per 500-1,000 miles), Blue smoke from exhaust on cold start or acceleration, Check engine light with misfire codes (P0300 series), Sudden loss of compression and complete engine seizure in severe cases
Fix: This is GM's LNF/LTG turbo four piston ring land failure—ring lands crack under detonation stress, allowing combustion gases into crankcase. Repair requires complete engine rebuild (30-40 hours) or short block replacement (20-25 hours). Often discovered too late when owners ignore oil consumption warnings. Extended warranty may cover if documented oil consumption history exists.
Estimated cost: $5,500-9,000
Transmission Oil Cooler Line Failure and Fluid Cross-Contamination
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Milky or strawberry-colored transmission fluid (coolant contamination), Transmission slipping or erratic shifting, Coolant level drops with no visible external leaks, Transmission overheating warnings
Fix: Internal transmission oil cooler inside radiator fails, allowing coolant and ATF to mix—destroys transmission if not caught immediately. Requires radiator replacement (2-3 hours), complete transmission fluid flush (1.5 hours), and often full transmission rebuild or replacement (12-18 hours) if contamination progressed. Check dipstick frequently on these—pink fluid means stop driving immediately.
Symptoms: Loud clunk when shifting from Park to Drive or Reverse, Excessive engine movement visible under hood during acceleration, Vibration through cabin at idle, Transmission lever feels notchy or catches when shifting
Fix: Upper transmission mount (torque strut) uses hydraulic damping that fails, allowing powertrain to rock excessively. Replacement is straightforward (1.5-2 hours) but requires supporting engine/trans assembly. Use OEM or quality aftermarket—cheap parts fail within 20k miles.
Estimated cost: $250-450
High-Pressure Fuel Pump Failure (2.0L Turbo)
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: Intermittent no-start or extended cranking, Engine stuttering or cutting out under load, Check engine light with low fuel pressure codes (P0087, P0191), Car runs fine cold, fails when hot
Fix: Direct injection high-pressure pump (mechanically driven off camshaft) fails—common on GM turbo fours. Requires intake manifold removal for access (4-5 hours total). Contaminated fuel accelerates failure, but most are just worn cam lobes on pump drive. Replace fuel filter simultaneously if accessible (adds 0.5 hours).
Estimated cost: $1,200-1,800
Turbocharger Wastegate Actuator Sticking
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 90,000-150,000 mi
Symptoms: Check engine light with overboost or underboost codes (P0234, P0299), Limp mode activation with severely reduced power, Whistling or fluttering noise from engine bay under acceleration, Black smoke under hard throttle
Fix: Electronic wastegate actuator binds or internal wastegate flapper carbon-fouls, causing boost control issues. Turbo removal required (5-7 hours labor). Sometimes cleanable if caught early, but usually needs actuator replacement or complete turbo unit. OEM turbos run $1,200-1,800 in parts alone.
Estimated cost: $1,500-3,000
Power Steering Electric Motor Failure
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Sudden loss of power steering assist while driving, Service power steering message on dash, Grinding or whining noise from steering column area, Intermittent heavy steering that comes and goes
Fix: Electric power steering motor assembly fails—this is the NHTSA recall territory but failures continue beyond recall scope. Replacement involves removing steering column covers and disconnecting intermediate shaft (3-4 hours). Non-recall failures are expensive. Driving without assist is possible but extremely difficult in parking situations.
Estimated cost: $1,200-1,900
Owner tips
Monitor oil level religiously every 500 miles on 2.0L turbo engines—consumption over 1 quart per 1,000 miles means piston ring issues starting; document for warranty claims
Check transmission fluid color monthly via dipstick—any milkshake appearance requires immediate shutdown and tow to prevent $4k+ transmission failure
Use Top Tier gasoline exclusively on turbo models to minimize carbon buildup and fuel system issues
Replace transmission fluid every 50k miles despite GM's 'lifetime' fluid claims—heat and contamination kill these 6T transmissions early
Avoid the 2.0L turbo unless you find one with documented short block replacement and verified clean transmission cooler—otherwise, budget $3k-5k for imminent major repairs between 80k-120k miles.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
Fitment notes: AGM required for eAssist hybrid system; battery located in trunk
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Every control module on the 2011-2017 Buick Regal — where it lives, replacement time, and what it takes to program a replacement. Modules marked dealer / factory tool won't work after a part swap alone — budget for programming.
Rear Vision Camera Module (RVC)0.5 hr R&Rrelearn only +0.2 hrwith rear vision camera▸ programming details
📍 Integrated with rear camera assembly in trunk lid handle area
🔧 MDI or aftermarket with camera alignment
⚠️ Requires camera alignment and configuration after replacement
Aftermarket tool coverage varies by software version and vehicle build — treat "aftermarket tool" rows as "usually possible" and verify against your tool maker's coverage list before promising a customer. Spot a wrong location or hour? Tell us — corrections ship fast here.
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro and Chevrolet Impala vehicles. Improperly torqued fasteners may cause the steering intermediate shaft and the steering gear and/or the lower control arm and the lower ball joint to separate.
Consequence: If any of the components separate, the vehicle may have a loss of steering, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: GM began to notify owners on June 27, 2014, and dealers will inspect the fasteners for correct torque, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac) or 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet). GM's number for this recall is 14378.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · 14V092000
2014-02-21
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2014 Buick Regal, LaCrosse, Verano, and Enclave, and Chevrolet Impala, Malibu, Cruze, and Traverse, and GMC Acadia vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable adjuster may disengage from the transmission shift lever. As such, these vehicles do not conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 102, "Transmission Shift Lever Sequence, Starter Interlock, and Transmission Braking Effect." They also fail to conform to FMVSS number 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention."
Consequence: If a vehicle's shift cable disengages from the transmission shift lever, a driver may be unable to shift gear positions and the indicated shift position may not represent the gear position the vehicle is in. Should a disengagement occur while the vehicle is being driven, when the driver goes to stop and park the vehicle, the driver may be able to shift the lever to the "PARK" position, but the vehicle transmission may not be in the "PARK" gear position. If the vehicle is not in the "PARK" position there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace any affected transmission shift cable adjusters, free of charge. The recall began on April 10, 2014. Chevrolet owners may contact General Motors at 1-800-222-1020, Buick owners at 1-800-521-7300, and GMC owners at 1-800-462-8782. General Motors' number associated with this recall is 14048.
Fuel economy (EPA)
City
24mpg
Highway
35mpg
Combined
28mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
Capability & size
EPA class
Midsize Cars
Wiper blades
2011-2017 fifth generation Regal sedan, no rear wiper
Size-standard part numbers — verify your connector type before buying. Rear blades are model-specific; check the package's vehicle list.
Fuel economy figures are EPA data via fueleconomy.gov (median across matching trims). Performance figures are compiled estimates for the 2014 Buick Regal 2.4L I4 Hybrid and can vary by trim.
🔧 Database maintained under the daily editorial review of Chris Hackleman · Master Technician · 20+ years and Jeff Moore · Master Lexus & Toyota Mechanic · 20+ years.