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1993 Buick Regal

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1993 Regal.

Body PASSENGER CAR

Defined as a passenger car requiring 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, the 1993 Buick Regal establishes a specific maintenance baseline within its lineage. This model year accumulated 108 total owner complaints with the service brakes, hydraulic system identified as the top complaint area, accompanied by 2 recalls. When measured against the model's history from 1990 to 2020, the 1993 Regal sits well below the 1998 peak of 325 complaints while remaining substantially higher than the 2008 low of 1. Consequently, this model year occupies a middle ground in the vehicle's reliability history, signaling a need for focused inspection of the braking system relative to the years with the fewest reported issues.

Model year2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 1993

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737090. Note the factory fuel filter and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. 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.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12737090 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	19166103 alt 25043504
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	19354417 alt 19354418
Front wiper blades	10093142
Serpentine belt	88986811 discontinued · alt 10230725
Thermostat	24507563 alt 24505924

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	193.7 in
Overall width	72.4 in
Overall height	53.1 in
Wheelbase	107.5 in
Curb weight	3250 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	64/36

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.

4.9–11.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.90 sec — 1986 Grand National Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1991	Gran Sport Sedan 3.8L V6	8.60 sec	16.50 sec	170 hp	FWD
1995	Gran Sport Coupe 3.8L V6	8.20 sec	16.00 sec	205 hp	FWD
1997	GS Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	6.60 sec	15.00 sec	240 hp	FWD
1997	LS Sedan 3.8L V6	7.80 sec	16.00 sec	205 hp	FWD
1988	Custom Coupe (Grand Touring Pkg) 2.8L V6	11.20 sec	18.20 sec	125 hp	FWD
1998	GS Sedan 3.8L Supercharger V6	6.70 sec	15.10 sec	240 hp	FWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	5.40 sec	14.20 sec	245 hp	RWD
1987	Grand National Coupe 3.8L Turbo V6	6.00 sec	14.70 sec	245 hp	RWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 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.

At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)

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 1993 Buick Regal marks a notable inflection point in its generation’s federal record. Complaints dropped sharply from 1991’s peak of 249 to 108 in 1993, while recalls and investigations held steady at two and three, respectively—both lower than the early 1990s average. This year also saw a significant rise in TSBs (26, up from 17 in 1992), suggesting GM addressed issues proactively rather than through recalls. Compared to 1994, which saw complaints rise again to 136, the 1993 model appears relatively stable, though brake-related complaints (49 of 108) dominate the data. The trend implies GM refined the Regal’s reliability by 1993, but persistent brake issues warrant scrutiny. **Takeaway: The 1993 Regal is a comparatively strong year to buy within its generation, but a thorough brake system inspection is non-negotiable.**

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

108

Owner complaints

7 involved a crash · 3 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92’93’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 108 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic49

Engine & Engine Cooling10

Seat Belts7

Vehicle Speed Control7

Electrical System6

Visibility4

Structure4

Fuel System, Gasoline4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

93V035000SeatsReported 09/03/1993

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT SEAT MANUAL RECLINING MECHANISMS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 207, "SEATING SYSTEMS." THE SEAT BACK MECHANISMS WILL NOT LATCH UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. Remedy: REPLACE THE MANUAL SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM WITH A MECHANISM THAT COMPLIES WITH FMVSS 207.

95V152000Exterior LightingReported 08/08/1995

INCORRECT CLEAR FRONT SIDE MARKER BULBS WERE INSTALLED RATHER THAN AMBER BULBS. THIS DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CLEAR BULBS WITH THE CORRECT AMBER BULBS.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 26 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
130089009	2013-09-01	Engine And Engine Cooling	Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
990730030A	2001-04-01	Power Train	OWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…
990941004	2000-01-01	Air Bags	INFORMATION REGARDING SWITCHES TO TURN OFF AND ON FRONTAL AIR BAGS FOR PASSENGER CARS AND…
990940004	2000-01-01	Seats	GENERAL MOTORS BEGAN PROVIDING CHILD RESTRAIN SEAT TOP TETHER HARDWARE PACKAGES TO…
990866002A	2000-01-01	Latches/Locks/Linkages	THIS BULLETIN INFORMS DEALERSHIPS ABOUT THE TRAP RESISTANT REAR COMPARTMENT (TRUNK) KIT…

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.

Vehicles taking 4 qt Engine oil filter 12737090 Engine air filter 19166103 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 19354417

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1993 Regal take?

4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1993 Regal have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.