BuickRegal2018Overview/buick/regal/2018/base/

2018 Buick Regal

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Regal.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S9)

The 2018 Buick Regal is a passenger car featuring an S9 automatic transmission and an EPA-rated fuel economy of 22/32/26 mpg. This model year recorded three recalls and 19 total owner complaints, with the most frequent issues occurring in the service brakes. In the context of the model's 1990-2020 history, these figures place the 2018 iteration well below the 1998 high of 325 complaints, though above the 2008 low of one.

Model year201820172016201520142013201220112004

Quick specs

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

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/32/26 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 94R · 720 CCA battery, OE oil filter 25206377. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 94R · 720 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP235/50R18OEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter25206377
Engine air filter23430313
Spark plug12681659
Battery88864542
Front wiper blades13471437 alt 39208143
Serpentine belt12664598
Thermostat12630780 alt 25201447
Cabin air filter13356914

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S9)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length192.9 in
Overall width73.2 in
Overall height57.5 in
Wheelbase111.4 in
Curb weight4096 lb
Track (front / rear)63 / 63 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 32 / 26 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

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.

5.4–7.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.40 sec — 2018 GS Fastback Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2018GS Fastback Sedan 3.6L V65.40 sec13.90 sec310 hpAWD
2018Sportback Essence Fastback Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-45.60 sec14.20 sec250 hpFWD
2018GS Fastback Sedan 3.6L V65.80 sec14.30 sec310 hpAWD
2018TourX Essence 2.0L Turbo I-46.30 sec14.70 sec250 hpAWD
2018TourX Essence 2.0L Turbo I-46.40 sec14.80 sec250 hpAWD
2018TourX Essence 2.0L Turbo I-47.00 sec15.30 sec250 hpAWD
2014Turbo Premium II Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-46.10 sec14.80 sec259 hpFWD
2014GS Sedan 2.0L Turbo I-46.20 sec14.70 sec259 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs89.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs89.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs
Cylinder Head InstructionsInstall new cylinder head bolts.
Cylinder Head InstructionsInstall new cylinder head bolts.
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts18 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts34 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.037-.043 in
Spark Plug Torque15 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap.035 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR1234yf
Refrigerant Capacity1.21 lbs.
Oil Capacity2.70 oz
Standard BCI Group Number94R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance720 cca

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-94.0
RPM43.0-58.0 @ Idle rpm
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50.0-100.0
RPM43.0-58.0 @ Idle rpm

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront: 35; Rear: 26
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 111 ft-lbs; Rear: 74 ft-lbs
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .905; Rear: .393
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness after RefinishFront: .913
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.001
Maximum Rotor Runout.002

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 11018 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 4 stages
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2Back off 360 degrees360 degrees
318.0 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
4110.0
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 140111 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 150 degrees.74 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1111.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 140 degrees.111 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts. Do not allow oil to contaminate cylinder head surface or head bolt bosses.

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2180 degrees180 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Do not re-use old bolts. Do not allow oil to contaminate cylinder head surface or head bolt bosses. · M11 Bolts

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2150 degrees; M8 Bolts150 degrees
111.0 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
275 degrees75 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
1Tighten in sequence22 ft. lbs
2Turn 190
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages
1M11 Bolts44 ft. lbs
2M11 Bolts185 degrees
3M8 Bolts11 ft. lbs
4Turn 75
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
1Tighten in sequence22 ft. lbs
2Turn 190
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep AT

115.0 ft. lbs., Step 2; 22.0 ft. lbs., Step 3: 40 degrees; MT15 ft. lbs
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
280
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
18.8 ft. lbs.8.8 ft. lbs
28.8
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 2 stages
18.8 ft. lbs.8.8 ft. lbs
28.8
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep Inner bolts

115.0 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
280 degrees; Outer bolts80 degrees
111.0 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
2110.0 degrees; Side bolts110 degrees
122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
260.0 degrees60 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miAccelerator Pedal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Shift Interlock Solenoid (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil Life Monitor (inspect)
Every 22,500 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plug Wires (inspect)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Across the 2011‑2020 Buick Regal generation, federal complaints fell sharply from a peak of 279 in 2011 to consistently low levels in the late teens, with 20 complaints in 2017, 19 in 2018, and 18 in 2019. Recall activity showed a different pattern, dropping to zero in 2015 and 2017, then rising to three recalls in both 2018 and 2019, while investigations were absent except for a single investigation recorded in 2018 (and earlier in 2012‑2013). The 2018 model year therefore sits in the low‑complaint tail of the generation but experiences a modest recall and investigation uptick relative to its immediate neighbors. The data do not specify the causes for these recalls or the investigation, so any interpretation remains unspecified. Given the markedly low complaint count (19) and only three recalls, the 2018 Buick Regal presents a relatively favorable reliability profile for a used‑car purchase, though the presence of a recall and investigation suggests verifying service history before buying.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
897
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
19
Owner complaints
5 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 19 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes4
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other,Engine2
Electrical System,Service Brakes1
Tires1
Seat Belts,Service Brakes,Air Bags1
Seats1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Steering,Power Train,Visibility/Wiper1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

18V576000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:CaliperReported 30/08/2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Chevrolet Equinox, Impala, Cruze, Volt and Bolt EV vehicles, GMC Terrain vehicles, Buick Lacrosse and Regal vehicles, Cadillac XTS and XTS Professional vehicles and… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began October 11, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at…

18V230000Seat Belts:Rear/OtherReported 12/04/2018

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2018 Buick Regal vehicles. During the manufacturing process, the rear seat belts may have been improperly routed around the bolster bracket on the rear outboard seats, which… Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear outboard seat belts, correcting the routing of the seat belts as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 14, 2018…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 897 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIT3271Q2026-04-01Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel…
PIP61042026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and…
PIP4902V2026-03-09Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIP4902U2026-01-08Unknown Or OtherThis preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into…
PIT5214G2025-11-20Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

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

Does the 2018 Regal have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Regal get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 32 highway / 26 combined mpg.