[RegalRaj]

Hey Everyone, I'm mostly new to this forum. I took delivery of my 2011 Regal CXL base pkg in January. Probably about 3 months ago I had a shutdown all of a sudden while pulling in a parking lot. The vehicle just completely died, no power steering, no brake assist, nothing. I had to put the car in park and then crank again and it started up with no issues. I had the same thing happen to me this morning. I'm leaving for work pulling out of the driveway and then all of a sudden a shutdown with no power steering, brake assist, nothing. Also, I have noticed some, and I'm not sure quite how to describe, but vibrations or slight shudders when idling. I thought not much of it before as I was thinking perhaps that's how this vehicle idles. But perhaps now I think they may be linked. I know there is some vibration additional noise etc when idleing but do any of you feel these slight pulses of vibrations that go away. I'm talking really quick short vibrations.

Any ideas what this could be? I am kind of disappointed as this is a new vehicle. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

 

[gorphil]

Have you had it back to the dealer? I suspect you need the ECM update.

 

[RegalRaj]

My plan is to schedule an apt with the dealer either tomorrow or Thursday. Do you know what ECM changes are present in the Software Flash? Also, do you know of a way to/place to find out what current softwre campaigns are out there?

I didn't know there was an ECM Software Update.

Also, the odd part is that there was a shutdown without a MIL (light on IP) that lit up. How can there be a shutdown without a MIL Light?

Thanks!

 

[gorphil]

I purchased my Regal in July 2010 and when I took the car in for its first LOF there was a bulletin on the service record to have an ECM update. I do not know details of the update. It appears GM flags the service record of any car that requires updates.

 

[RegalRaj]

So kind of disappointed...dealer said they couldn't reproduce failure and that there were no software campaigns applicable to my vehicle and no codes were set. He basically said we can't do anything to help you until a code sets. So, I could be driving and get to the middle of an intersection, have a stall, and be stuck in a dangerous position....awesome - thanks!

Anyone have some additional advice?

 

[gorphil]

Replace the ECM fuse. Perhaps your dealer will do this. There have been cases in the past when the fuse has "spread" when inserted at the factory causing intermitent loss of current flow. A code will not be set when this happens. Also, the fuse receptaclel may be defective.

It is disappointing you are having this problem. My Regal has been perfect from day one. I hope this helps.

 

[RegalRaj]

Thanks for the info I'll look in to that.

I had another stall this morning. I pulled into a gas station that was closed so I pulled around down the street up into the parkinglot of a McDonalds to turn around and go to a different gas station. There is a slight incline from the road to the parkinglot. I went up turned my wheel all the way to the left while giving very slow acceleration to turn around in the parking lot and the engine stalled. However, this time only the engine stalled the entire vehicle did not shut down like the previous incidents. Loss of engine, loss of power steering, loss of brake assist.

:-(

 

[StevenZoz]

i had this problem once with my regal last month... i was driving agressively through a traffic circle and pulled behind a car (red light)... and when i went to go again, the car wouldnt move and then i realized it had shut off... so i had to put it in park and then turn it off and restart it.. I was thinking it might have been because it was very hot out (95 degrees) and my air con was on pretty high, thought maybe it overheated or something.

 

[willidg]

Not sure if this helps but sounds like there is a TSB for this.

Model/Build Years:


BUICK / LACROSSE
2010-2011
BUICK / REGAL
2011

• Service Bulletin Number:
  
  SB-10316
• NHTSA Item Number:
  
  10037218

• Summary:
  
  GM: THE ENGINE MAY STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR TURNING IN HOT WEATHER. THE ENGINE WILL RESTART. THERE IS A SERVICE PROCEDURE FOR REPROGRAMMING THE ECM. *RM

 

[kwatch]

Hey Everyone, I'm mostly new to this forum. I took delivery of my 2011 Regal CXL base pkg in January. Probably about 3 months ago I had a shutdown all of a sudden while pulling in a parking lot. The vehicle just completely died, no power steering, no brake assist, nothing. I had to put the car in park and then crank again and it started up with no issues. I had the same thing happen to me this morning. I'm leaving for work pulling out of the driveway and then all of a sudden a shutdown with no power steering, brake assist, nothing. Also, I have noticed some, and I'm not sure quite how to describe, but vibrations or slight shudders when idling. I thought not much of it before as I was thinking perhaps that's how this vehicle idles. But perhaps now I think they may be linked. I know there is some vibration additional noise etc when idleing but do any of you feel these slight pulses of vibrations that go away. I'm talking really quick short vibrations.

Any ideas what this could be? I am kind of disappointed as this is a new vehicle. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

This same exact scenario happened to me on July 4 weekend. I was pulling into a grass lot and the engine completely shut down. It thankfully hasn't happened again. Good luck!

 

[RegalRaj]

Has anyone had any resolution on this? I have taken my vehicle to 2 different dealers and they both say that there are no codes present so they can't really help me. I asked about the ECM bulletin posted by willidg and they said based on my production date of the vehicle, it already had the latest software in the ECM. HELP!

 

[taterov]

We have had the same symptoms with our Regal. Our Regal had the ECM update at 6 miles before we purchased it. Since we have owned the car it has shut down 3 different times leaving us in very dangerous conditions with traffic on the highway and exiting the interstate.
Presently our car is being investigated, so far they have changed some valves and screen associated with the Cam shaft phase sensor. I will update when I accept our vehicle back. At this time I am still nervous to accept the car if since they admit they have not really found anything wrong with the car. It's just an educated guess on behalf of their engineers.
Best advice I could give for now, is contact GM directly and express your concerns about the safety of the vehicle. GM will push the dealership to do more than just hook up a CPU to check for codes.

 

[RegalRaj]

Taterov any news on your regal? Looks like some components were swapped out is it working better? I had another stall today of my regal in the middle of a busy intersection. The dealer where I purchased my vehicle from left me a voicemail this morning asking how my satisfaction with the regal has been...Calling him back tomorrow to give him an earful...

Anyone else have any info on this please let me know.

 

[Buick Customer Service]

Sorry to hear about the problems you are experiencing with your vehicle. Please keep us posted on any information from the dealership.

Thank you,
Caron, Buick Customer Service

Taterov any news on your regal? Looks like some components were swapped out is it working better? I had another stall today of my regal in the middle of a busy intersection. The dealer where I purchased my vehicle from left me a voicemail this morning asking how my satisfaction with the regal has been...Calling him back tomorrow to give him an earful...

Anyone else have any info on this please let me know.

 

[RegalRaj]

Regal is back at a dealer, this time I took it to a different one compared to the original place. Yesterday was an extremely disappointing experience in the Regal. I was getting really poor driveability and idle performance. Anytime I brought the vehicle to a stop at a light it felt as if the engine was going to stall out. I gave it a little gas to keep it alive as I had friends in the vehicle. The car was not running smooth. Additionally, when I brought the vehicle to a stop and turned it off I got an extreme shaking of the engine that I could feel sitting in the car. This is referred to as dieseling.

I've been waiting all day to get a response from the dealer, hopefully they are figuring something out. If not, Caron I hope I can send you a PM on here.

 

[Buick Customer Service]

Regal is back at a dealer, this time I took it to a different one compared to the original place. Yesterday was an extremely disappointing experience in the Regal. I was getting really poor driveability and idle performance. Anytime I brought the vehicle to a stop at a light it felt as if the engine was going to stall out. I gave it a little gas to keep it alive as I had friends in the vehicle. The car was not running smooth. Additionally, when I brought the vehicle to a stop and turned it off I got an extreme shaking of the engine that I could feel sitting in the car. This is referred to as dieseling.

I've been waiting all day to get a response from the dealer, hopefully they are figuring something out. If not, Caron I hope I can send you a PM on here.

Seen your post and was wondering if you have heard anything from the dealership?

Thank you,
Caron, Buick Customer Service

 

[Buick_R]

Seen your post and was wondering if you have heard anything from the dealership?

Thank you,
Caron, Buick Customer Service

Which Buick Dealer are you from?

are or you from head office?

 

[wmb53]

Regal Shutdown

Hey Everyone, I'm mostly new to this forum. I took delivery of my 2011 Regal CXL base pkg in January. Probably about 3 months ago I had a shutdown all of a sudden while pulling in a parking lot. The vehicle just completely died, no power steering, no brake assist, nothing. I had to put the car in park and then crank again and it started up with no issues. I had the same thing happen to me this morning. I'm leaving for work pulling out of the driveway and then all of a sudden a shutdown with no power steering, brake assist, nothing. Also, I have noticed some, and I'm not sure quite how to describe, but vibrations or slight shudders when idling. I thought not much of it before as I was thinking perhaps that's how this vehicle idles. But perhaps now I think they may be linked. I know there is some vibration additional noise etc when idleing but do any of you feel these slight pulses of vibrations that go away. I'm talking really quick short vibrations.

Any ideas what this could be? I am kind of disappointed as this is a new vehicle. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

I have a 2011 turbo Regal and I have been having the same problem - complete loss of power. This has happened to me 5 times and once at 70 MPH. Right now the car is at the dealership and they are replacing the transmission. The ECM has already been sealed, reset and finally replaced which did not solve the problem. This is the first time in my life (and I have been driving GM cars for 35 years) that I feel that I am driving an unsafe car that is going to get someone seriously injured. I ahve been in touch with the dealershio and Buick customer service but no one seems to understand the seriousness of this problem.

 

[Schvwartzeboy]

We picked up a 2011 Regal for my wife, standard 4 cylinder 6 speed transmission. Same problem with hers, cruising speed, slower speed or sometimes during acceleration it don’t matter. The car will usually go into a protection mode or safe mode, it will tell you on the display behind the steering wheel that the “Vehicle is in reduced power mode” or something similar. Often it will drive like that for a period of time then just kill. I can keep it going if I put the transmission in the manual shift mode, it seems to prolong the problem but doesn’t fix it. The Check Engine light and just about every light associated to the braking system will come on. Most of the time it is just the Engine and the Traction control light that will remain on for some time. Like others I can get to the side of the road and restart the engine after about 20 seconds and it will go back to almost normal. It will trip the engine light and it will remain on for a period of time. The car has straight up shut down on several occasions, kind of wicked when your cruising 70 mph. Been in for service 4 times, two times they read a Throttle position sensor code, (I wasn’t buying that) they replaced it anyway, didn’t do anything. The next time they said there was low voltage to the ECM (wasn’t buying that either). The dealer said they put 110 mile on the car and it ran fine, I put 173 mile on it from their parking lot and BAM on an exit ramp it flat out killed, the same warning lights came on but it only took a few seconds and it was dead. It’s going back in and they are keeping it until they can figure this out. Can anyone tell me where this fuse ECM fuse is located so I can check it out and see if that is the issue.

 

[Buick Customer Service]

We picked up a 2011 Regal for my wife, standard 4 cylinder 6 speed transmission. Same problem with hers, cruising speed, slower speed or sometimes during acceleration it don’t matter. The car will usually go into a protection mode or safe mode, it will tell you on the display behind the steering wheel that the “Vehicle is in reduced power mode” or something similar. Often it will drive like that for a period of time then just kill. I can keep it going if I put the transmission in the manual shift mode, it seems to prolong the problem but doesn’t fix it. The Check Engine light and just about every light associated to the braking system will come on. Most of the time it is just the Engine and the Traction control light that will remain on for some time. Like others I can get to the side of the road and restart the engine after about 20 seconds and it will go back to almost normal. It will trip the engine light and it will remain on for a period of time. The car has straight up shut down on several occasions, kind of wicked when your cruising 70 mph. Been in for service 4 times, two times they read a Throttle position sensor code, (I wasn’t buying that) they replaced it anyway, didn’t do anything. The next time they said there was low voltage to the ECM (wasn’t buying that either). The dealer said they put 110 mile on the car and it ran fine, I put 173 mile on it from their parking lot and BAM on an exit ramp it flat out killed, the same warning lights came on but it only took a few seconds and it was dead. It’s going back in and they are keeping it until they can figure this out. Can anyone tell me where this fuse ECM fuse is located so I can check it out and see if that is the issue.

I do apologize if you have been experiencing issues like this. I am documenting your concerns. Unfortunately I can not provide an official diagnosis as I am not an auto mechanic but would be happy to see if there is anything I can do for you. Please send me a private message restating the issues, your name. the VIN#, name of dealership, and contact information. Regarding the fuse question, beginning on page 10-36 of the owner's manual there is a fuse guide. I do hope these issues are resolved quickly for you.

Matt (Taking over for Caron)

Buick Customer Service