BuickRegal1984Overview/buick/regal/1984/base/

1984 Buick Regal

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1984 Regal.

The 1984 Buick Regal is specified with a 4-quart engine oil capacity and compatible viscosities of 20W-20, 10W-30, or 10W-40. This model year is marked by five recalls and six total owner complaints, with the structure cited as the top complaint area. Compared to the model's wider history from 1990 to 2020, which peaked at 325 complaints in 1998 and reached a low of one in 2008, this year's figures indicate a relatively low volume of owner dissatisfaction.

Model year201820172016201520142013201220111984

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-20 / 10W-30 / 10W-40OEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.1 in
Overall width71.3 in
Overall height56.3 in
Wheelbase108.3 in
Curb weight3219 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)56/44

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Regal of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.00 sec — 1984 T-Type Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1984T-Type Coupe 3.8L Turbo V68.00 sec16.00 sec200 hpRWD
1985Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V67.50 sec15.70 sec200 hpRWD
1986Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V64.90 sec13.90 sec235 hpRWD
1986T-Type Coupe 3.8L Turbo V65.85 sec14.30 sec235 hpRWD
1981Indy Pace Car T-Top Cabriolet 4.1L V67.50 sec16.00 sec125 hpRWD
1987Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V65.40 sec14.20 sec245 hpRWD
1987Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V66.00 sec14.70 sec245 hpRWD
1987Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V66.10 sec14.70 sec245 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4 qt of 20W-20 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.5 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine OilABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine OilABOVE 40 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1984 Buick Regal is not directly represented in the year-by-year federal record, which begins in 1990, so a direct year-over-year comparison is not possible. However, the target-year complaint data shows minimal issues: only one complaint each in Structure, Electrical System, Tires, and Latches/Locks/Linkages categories, with zero crash complaints and just one fire-related complaint, suggesting this specific example has a relatively clean complaint record. The available data begins with 1990 complaints at 103, which then rose to 249 in 1991—a spike that may reflect early-model-year issues for that generation—before gradually declining through the mid-1990s. Since the 1984 model predates the generation represented in the federal data by roughly six years, it belongs to a different platform entirely. Takeaway: the 1984 model year itself shows very few complaints in the record, but without contiguous year-by-year data for its own generation, it's difficult to assess long-term reliability trends for this specific vehicle; a thorough pre-purchase inspection remains essential regardless.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
6
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Frontal★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 6 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Structure1
Electrical System1
Tires1
Latches/Locks/Linkages1
Engine & Engine Cooling1
Seats1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

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… 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…

89V102000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 16/06/1989

A SMALL NYLON BUSHING IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL MAY SLIP OUT OF PLACE, CAUSING INTERMITTENT AND UNEXPECTED INCREASES IN ENGINE SPEED OR DIESELING (ENGINE RUN ON WITH IGNITION OFF). Remedy: INSTALL A NEW BUSHING IN CRUISE CONTROL SERVO BAIL.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Regal. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1984 Regal take?

4 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F: 30, ABOVE 20 degrees F: 20W-20, 10W-30, 10W-40, 20W-40 OR 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degrees F 15W-40, BELOW 20 degrees F: 5W-20 OR 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1984 Regal have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.