AI DamageBuick Century: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Buick Century across 26 model years: 1,820 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
| Year | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) | YouTube repair videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9999 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 39 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 127 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 154 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 145 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 193 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 235 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 218 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 106 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 80 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 99 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1994 | 106 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 54 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992 | 45 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 38 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1990 | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1989 | 40 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 1988 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1987 | 28 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1986 | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 1985 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1984 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1983 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1982 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 14% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 12% of all complaints
- 4 Exterior lighting 10% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
- 6 Visibility 9% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 9% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 258 complaints (14% of all), 24 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 250 complaints (14% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 220 complaints (12% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Exterior lighting: 175 complaints (10% of all).
- Powertrain: 167 complaints (9% of all), 7 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.2 L · petrol · 4 cyl 1993–1996
- 2.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl 1984–1992
- 2.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1986–1989
- 3 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1984–1985
- 3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1994–2005named in 5 complaints
- 3.3 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1989–1993
- 3.8 L · petrol · 6 cyl 1984–1988
- 4.3 L · diesel · 6 cyl 1984–1985
- automatic, 3-speed 1984–1996
- automatic, 4-speed 1984–2005
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 1,820 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 258 | 24 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 250 | 4 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 220 | 5 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 175 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 167 | 7 | 0 |
| Visibility | 159 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 158 | 9 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 117 | 34 | 0 |
| Air bags | 106 | 70 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 102 | 11 | 0 |
| Structure | 93 | 3 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 79 | 1 | 0 |
| Suspension | 77 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 48 | 5 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the back, neck, both legs, and arms. There were three minors in the back seat who sustained injuries to their heads, both legs, arms, and backs. Medical attention was needed for all occupants.
My car started vibrating and shaking so bad I was afraid to drive it. While driving at night on the interstate the vibration got so bad, my back two tires blew out, I lost control of my car and my car ended up in a field of mud with no one in miles of me.
Was involved in an accident in which his driver side air bag didn't deploy. Not sure whom the manufacture of the air bag is . According to the police report my dad was at fault. See pictures he basically pulled out on a 4- lane road and was hit by a vehicle traveling the opposite direction.
The contact stated that the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration when shifted. As a result, the contact crashed into a curb and continued down a lawn. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the front axel and the muffler fractured.
I had driven my 2003 buick century at least halfway into a parking space in a parking lot when it suddenly lurched forward like a bat out of hell, leaping up over a curb on an upward slope, swiping a cement lightpost on the left, crashing into another car across its left front, bumping down over a curb, then crashing…
The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained a head injury that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.