This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel on diagnosis and replacement of shock absorber and strut due to fluid leak.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2012 Buick Regal suspension problems
severe Owners of the 2012 Buick Regal have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the suspension at roughly $900 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See suspension across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$900
| Model year | suspension complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 Regal | 6 |
| 2012 Regal (this page) | 11 |
1crash
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 11 suspension complaints filed for the 2012 Buick Regal, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 150,000+ mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA suspension complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 4 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering suspension on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
This service bulletin provides information to dealership personnel on diagnosis and replacement of shock absorber and strut due to fluid leak.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides technicians with information to help identify the differences between what is considered a fluid leak, and what is considered fluid seepage.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer?s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does not correct the customer complaint, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support. For any vehicles that remains unrepaired after being at the dealer for three days or more and a related bulletin or PI is not found, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for furthe
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This service bulletin provides a vibration analysis worksheet the technician can use in conjunction with the appropriate Vibration Analysis-Road testing procedure when diagnosing vibration concerns.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Most complaints in this cluster stem from NHTSA Campaign 20V764000, which involves suspension parts. Six of the ten owners received recall notifications but found repair parts unavailable from dealers — a situation that persisted long enough that owners felt the manufacturer exceeded reasonable timeframes to remedy it. Dealers confirmed the unavailability; VIN tools verified parts distribution issues across multiple locations.
Two narratives describe actual failures: One owner reported the vehicle accelerating uncontrollably at 43,000 miles, crashing into an apartment building and injuring occupants; the vehicle was totaled. Another reported the vehicle shaking and vibrating at stops combined with hard starting at 72,000 miles, with the recall part still unavailable.
A third complaint describes rear suspension noise (thumping in the right rear tire area), a StabiliTrak warning light, and mentions difficulty controlling the vehicle due to rear suspension issues. One narrative is too vague to categorize — only stating difficulty controlling the vehicle due to something at the rear.
One complaint describes excessive oil consumption (a quart in 300 miles), engine ticking, rough starts, rear-right tire thumping, and StabiliTrak warnings, but this appears to span multiple systems rather than pure suspension failure.
Failure modes owners describe
Uncontrolled acceleration and crash
Vehicle accelerated independently while driver was attempting to decelerate, resulting in collision with apartment building. Occupants injured and transported by ambulance. Vehicle deemed total loss.
When: 43,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Independent acceleration while driver attempting to decelerate; Loss of vehicle control; Collision with building
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not drivable; totaled by insurance company
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 20V764000 (Suspension); owner received notification 3 weeks after crash
Hard starting and vehicle shaking/vibrating at idle
Vehicle would not start immediately and entire vehicle would shake and vibrate while stopped at traffic light. Cause of failure not determined. Affected vehicle enrolled in NHTSA Campaign 20V764000 but recall part unavailable.
When: 72,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Delayed engine start; Vehicle shaking and vibration at idle; Shaking at stop light
Repairs/costs cited: Parts distribution disconnect; recall repair part not available
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 20V764000 (Suspension); parts unavailable at time of complaint
Rear suspension noise and control difficulty
Thumping noise in rear right tire area at all speeds; tire itself confirmed not the issue. Difficulty controlling vehicle attributed to rear suspension issue. StabiliTrak warning light comes on frequently.
When: 164,333 miles (high mileage, third owner)
Symptoms owners cite: Thumping noise in right rear tire area; Noise present at all speeds; Difficulty controlling vehicle; StabiliTrak warning light illumination
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle has had routine oil changes by all owners; tire verified not the source
Unspecified rear suspension control issue
Owner reports hard-to-control vehicle due to something going on the rear. No additional details provided.
Symptoms owners cite: Difficult vehicle control; Rear suspension-related issue
NHTSA Campaign 20V764000 parts unavailability
Six owners received recall notifications for Campaign 20V764000 (Suspension) but could not obtain parts for the repair. Dealers confirmed parts not available; VIN tools verified parts distribution disconnect. Owners report manufacturer exceeded reasonable timeframe for recall repair.
When: Varies; complaints range from receipt of notice to vehicle with up to 164,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Recall notice received but unable to schedule repair; Dealer unable to obtain parts; Parts consistently unavailable across multiple locations
Repairs/costs cited: Recall repair parts unavailable; parts distribution disconnect verified by VIN tool
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 20V764000 (Suspension); parts unavailable at time of complaints
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
The contact's son-in-law owns a 2012 Buick Regal. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V764000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer who stated that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was…
The 2012 Buick regal consumes a quart or more of oil in less than 2 weeks or 300 miles. I am putting a quart in it just to get it to read on the dip stick and more if needed. As it consumes oil, the engine gains a noticable ticking noise with a rough start. All of this is noticed while driving on a highway or rural road. The back right tire and or tire area makes a thumping noise at all speeds.…
Had suspension trouble with your 2012 Buick Regal?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the suspension problem on the 2012 Buick Regal?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $900.
At what mileage does the suspension typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, suspension issues most often appear around 92,749 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $900 for suspension repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to suspension?
No active recalls currently cover suspension issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Buick/Regal.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.