AI Damage2005 Buick Century: common problems
Owners of the 2005 Buick Century filed 19 complaints with NHTSA, most often about exterior lighting and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 19
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Exterior lighting 42% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 32% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 11% of all complaints
- 4 Equipment 11% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- 7 Engine 5% of all complaints
- 8 Forward collision avoidance 5% of all complaints
- Exterior lighting: 8 complaints (42% of all).
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (32% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (11% of all).
- Equipment: 2 complaints (11% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (11% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 3.1 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 19 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exterior lighting | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 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 failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The driver was wearing a seat belt, but sustained bruises to his chest caused by striking the steering wheel. The cause of the failure was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 42,355.
No abs light on but they don't work. But also there is hot wire running at all times I don't know where it coming from my o2 sensor keep coming on
Total brake failure, due to brake line corrosion. Fortunately happened first thing in the morning while only about 1000 feet from home and while driving at low speed was able to safely stop.
A few times in the last 2 years the headlights have turned off while driving for no reason. Once while I was in the car with a friend who also owns a buick the issue occurred and he told me his car had been recalled for the same issue.
This headlight incident with our buick has actually happened to us, three times since mid april. The first time it happened, we were driving one evening, suddenly our low beam headlights went off. This was very frightening as it was a dark stretch of road, with traffic.
Electric windows worked fine, then in 2012, 1 of the windows just fell down the track. A cpl months later another did the same thing and then a cpl more months a third one fell. I removed the door panels as these incidents happened and could feel a cable laying loose down in the bottom of the doorwell.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 buick century. The contact stated while traveling 30 mph, the vehicle decreased in acceleration. The vehicle veered to the right and was driven onto the emergency lane and placed in neutral gear. The vehicle was restarted and resumed normal operation. The failure recurred six times.
While driving at night, the headlights turned off by themselves. This has happened 3 times. When high/low beam selector was used, lights returned on. Suspect faulty switch??
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,437 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 23% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Century has 70 complaints (26 years in the data). This year has 19, below average.
What to check before buying
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
- Century 19823 sources
- Century 19848 sources
- Century 19857 sources
- Century 198622 sources
- Century 198728 sources
- Century 198816 sources
- Century 198940 sources
- Century 199033 sources
- Century 199138 sources
- Century 199245 sources
- Century 199354 sources
- Century 1994106 sources
- Century 199599 sources
- Century 199680 sources
- Century 1997106 sources
- Century 1998218 sources
- Century 1999235 sources
- Century 2000193 sources
- Century 2001145 sources
- Century 2002154 sources
- Century 2003127 sources
- Century 200439 sources
- Century 99993 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Buick Century?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: exterior lighting, electrical system, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 19. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: headlights and tail lights (37%), seat belts (11%), windows, sunroof (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2005 Buick Century?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2005 Buick Century from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2005 models
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.