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2011 Regal Performance Problems

81271 Views 31 Replies 26 Participants Last post by  MichaelC93
Hi all, I'm wondering whether anyone else is experiencing problems with their Regal. I have been experiencing a rough idling, vibrations on driving and jerky gear shifting (mainly downshifting). The car also feels like I'm pulling a RV! No get-up and go like it used to have. I brought it to the dealership and apparently there were software updates from GM to improve perfomance but it's still acting the same. I'm very frustrated as the car is only 9 months old with 14,000 miles on the clock :( My poor Regal feels like a tractor and the dealership don't seem to know or care what is wrong with it. I thought I'd post this message and see if anyone else has had similar problems. Thanks!
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We have the na 2.4 and have 11k on the car now. Ours was also an early production regal. No problems so far also we had the ECM updated last month. To me I didn't see any difference in performance or milage
Are there multiple drivers? The software records parameters relating to how the driver operates the car and adjusts performance characteristics accordingly, and in some cases, multiple drivers will deliver confusing or faulty data. In my past cars, a software flash would have erased all this data, but perhaps the Regal stores this separately. Try disconnecting the battery for 30 minutes to start from scratch. You might notice initial sluggishness and hesitation in shifting but that should resolve itself over two or three tanks of gas as driver info is collected.
Piece of junk

I am having the same problem with harsh shifting between gears particularly at the slower speeds. It has been back to the dealer twice and they tell me that is how it is supposed to be....like this is my first car. Come on...I've been driving for over 45 years and I know what it is supposed to feel like. So the one part of the car that is made in China is the transmission so we can now add this to the list along with Chinese Drywall, baby food, milk, toys, etc, etc etc
I'd say try re-setting the ECU to clear any data, just keep the battery unplugged for about 5 mins and clear the ECU of any unnecessary data and hopefully the Ecu reset will help clear the confused Ecu problems
We have the na 2.4 and have 11k on the car now. Ours was also an early production regal. No problems so far also we had the ECM updated last month. To me I didn't see any difference in performance or milage


How does one go about this update for the ecm, and how can I tell if I need it?
Hi all, I'm wondering whether anyone else is experiencing problems with their Regal. I have been experiencing a rough idling, vibrations on driving and jerky gear shifting (mainly downshifting). The car also feels like I'm pulling a RV! No get-up and go like it used to have. I brought it to the dealership and apparently there were software updates from GM to improve perfomance but it's still acting the same. I'm very frustrated as the car is only 9 months old with 14,000 miles on the clock :( My poor Regal feels like a tractor and the dealership don't seem to know or care what is wrong with it. I thought I'd post this message and see if anyone else has had similar problems. Thanks!
what octane are you using in your car? you should be using 91 octane and above.
Have you had any resolution to your problems?

I took delivery of my Regal CXL base pkg in January. I have put on about 11,000 miles. I have also been suffering from rough idles, sometimes the shifts at low speeds are jerky. In addition about 2 months ago and then today this morning the car completely stalled on and everything went dead. I had no pwr steering, no brake assist, no engine on, no lights inside the cabin. I had to put the car in park and recrank. Any help on this issue would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Raj
Hi all, I'm wondering whether anyone else is experiencing problems with their Regal. I have been experiencing a rough idling, vibrations on driving and jerky gear shifting (mainly downshifting). The car also feels like I'm pulling a RV! No get-up and go like it used to have. I brought it to the dealership and apparently there were software updates from GM to improve performance but it's still acting the same. I'm very frustrated as the car is only 9 months old with 14,000 miles on the clock :( My poor Regal feels like a tractor and the dealership don't seem to know or care what is wrong with it. I thought I'd post this message and see if anyone else has had similar problems. Thanks!
I had a similar issue, it was hard to find and I had to show the dealer. Our cars should have a fuse block recall soon. This is related to missing cooling fan pin-outs on the fuse block. Our gauge always reads about the same even when the car is running at 250 deg. My car felt so slow as temps would rise and ran like crap. Again you cannot see this on the gauge. I used a data logger to capture the real temps. dealer replaced the fuse block and the issue is gone. The fan has 6 speeds I think and speeds for temps between 212 and 230 could not turn the fan on. If this is also your issue you will have to ask your dealer about the recall, and to check the real temps not the gauge.
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what data logger did you use? something that plugs into obdII port?


edit - and Welcome to RF!
what data logger did you use? something that plugs into obdII port?
I use Palmers scan XL with a Tatrix ODBII port connector. The entire setup was about 250 I think. The scanxl pro software is more expensive, and not needed for most of us. Our cars cut timing and other things to try and keep from damaging themselves when over heating. my car felt like I was towing a house until this was fixed. It would happen quicker on hotter days and take an extended drive on cooler days to notice the performance issues.

Hope that helps.

edit - and Welcome to RF!
Thx.. :)
2011 Buick Regal

I have been having the same problems with my Regal. Have been back to the dealership three times and the problems still persist. My car idles/rumbles so loudly my dishes rattle in the china cabinet above the garage, shifting at lower gears is inconsistent at best ~ lots of hesitating, slowness, revved up RPMs, and now it's taken to jerking forward when idling at a stop light. I feel like I'm on a really bad carnival ride. I have called Buick twice to complain and while they are VERY nice people, nothing has been done. Please call!!! If enough of us complain either they will REALLY fix the problems or initiate a buy-back. 800-521-7300
I have been having the same problems with my Regal. Have been back to the dealership three times and the problems still persist. My car idles/rumbles so loudly my dishes rattle in the china cabinet above the garage, shifting at lower gears is inconsistent at best ~ lots of hesitating, slowness, revved up RPMs, and now it's taken to jerking forward when idling at a stop light. I feel like I'm on a really bad carnival ride. I have called Buick twice to complain and while they are VERY nice people, nothing has been done. Please call!!! If enough of us complain either they will REALLY fix the problems or initiate a buy-back. 800-521-7300
JAC113,
Thank you for posting your experiences. My name is Christina with Buick Customer Service. Can you please private message me with your VIN and Current mileage, as well as involved dealer? Do you have a case number from your call? I look forward to hearing from you. I apologize for your frustrations and inconvenience.
Christina
Buick Customer Service
I have the same problem. When I initially star the car it revs a little hard but then goes back to a nice soft pur. On the highway is a different story, shifting in between the miles of 0-40 is nice and smooth however anything more than that the car seems to lag a little bit on the shift. It feels as if when the car is suppose to change gears it revs super hard, then changes.
I have the same problem. When I initially star the car it revs a little hard but then goes back to a nice soft pur. On the highway is a different story, shifting in between the miles of 0-40 is nice and smooth however anything more than that the car seems to lag a little bit on the shift. It feels as if when the car is suppose to change gears it revs super hard, then changes.
I believe this is normal for the Regal turbo. At least I hope so because does the same thing.
2011 Buick Regal CXL Turbo

Wondering if anyone has any similar issues. Our 2011 Buick Regal "chugs" at stop lights, has trouble starting, will stall-out after starting and will turn completely off while driving down the road! All at random. It has been to the dealer 4 times (2 different dealers). And is usual; all they say is we can't find anything because there is not a service light on. Really frustrated with GM. Not sure what to do.:mad:
My wife and I were considering a new regal. This thread has me wondering.

FYI,..We've been driving a salvage title 97.5 GS with the SC 3.8 for almost 12 years now. The engine has been bullit proof, and the only real issue I've had with the car is it's paint, and few minor elecrical gremlins. Just had it repainted in Nov 2011. Still going strong.
My 2011 Turbo (Russelheim) has been perfect :)
Hi all, I'm wondering whether anyone else is experiencing problems with their Regal. I have been experiencing a rough idling, vibrations on driving and jerky gear shifting (mainly downshifting). The car also feels like I'm pulling a RV! No get-up and go like it used to have. I brought it to the dealership and apparently there were software updates from GM to improve perfomance but it's still acting the same. I'm very frustrated as the car is only 9 months old with 14,000 miles on the clock :( My poor Regal feels like a tractor and the dealership don't seem to know or care what is wrong with it. I thought I'd post this message and see if anyone else has had similar problems. Thanks!
We took in our Regal that only has 8000 miles on it to the Dealer for the first time, They ran the VIN and told us that the car has had a SOFTWARE UPDATE roughly about a year ago but that regardless they would look into the problem.
4 hours later we received a called to come pick up the car and that it was fixed. Once I got there I was told that there is a GM BULLETIN out on that very specific problem which stated that if has received a Software update then that the INTAKE CAM SOLENOID and the EXHAUST SOLENOID must be replaced and the ECM must be reprogrammed as per BULLETIN# 11195B
The OBDII CODE was P0011 CAM SOLENOID STICKING
Have driven the car for 60 miles after picking it up and it runs like new.
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