1987 Buick Century Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1987 Buick Century, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Steering827.6%
- Seat belts310.3%
- Electrical310.3%
- Engine310.3%
- Brakes26.9%
- Driver assistance26.9%
- Transmission26.9%
- Powertrain (other)13.4%
- Interior & seats13.4%
- Fuel system13.4%
- Suspension13.4%
- Tires & wheels13.4%
- Other / unspecified13.4%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
IN 1992 THE MAXIGUARD ANTI-THEFT AFTERMAKET DEVICE WAS INSTALLED. THE MAXIGUARD ANTI-THEFT DEVICE WIRES CAUGHT ON FIRE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS A SHORT IN THE ANTI-THEFT DEVICE. *AK *MJS
IN COLD WEATHER, POWER STEERING WONT TURN AFTER THE INITIAL START.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
PROBLEM WITH CENTURY OVATION CAR SEAT. MY 2 YEAR OLD SON PULLED THE T-BAR SHIELD OUT OF THE BUCKLE AREA 2 TIMES. IT WAS PROPERLY SECURED. WE TOOK THE CAR SEAT OUT AND TRIED IT OURSELVES. WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT AT ALL, WE WERE ABLE TO PULL IT OUT 7 OUT OF 10 TRIES. IT SEEMED TO UNLATCH WHEN THE T BAR WAS PUSHED SLIGHTLY IN ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER. IF MY 2 YEAR OLD WAS ABLE TO PULL IT OUT, I AM CONVINCED THIS IS NOT A SAFE SEAT. MANUFACTURER HAS REQUESTED I SEND THE SEAT BACK TO THEM SO THEY CAN "TAKE A LOOK AT IT". IF YOU NEED ANY OTHER INFORMATION FROM ME, PLEASE E-MAIL ME OR CALL ME. THANK YOU, JENNIFER CANNON. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE, THE PLASTIC PIECE FELL APART . PLEASE DESCRIBE .*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
OWNER HAS HAD 3 BATTERIES REPLACED AND 1 NEW ALTERNATOR BECAUSE OF AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION IN THE VEHICLE. DEALER CLAIMS THAT SOMETHING ELECTRICAL STAYS ON IN THE VEHICLE EVEN WHEN IT CUTS OFF. *AK
INTERMITTENT STALLING DUE TO FUEL PUMP FAILURE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN TURNING ON HEATER ENGINE RPM'S GO UP SOMETIMES AND CAN KEEP CAR MOVING AT 45-50 MPH WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE GAS, TURNING OFF HEATER CONTROL DOES NOT ALWAYS DROP THE RPM'S, WHEN PUTTING THE CAR IN PARK THE ENGINE RACES AT VERY HIGH RPM'S AND CONSUMER MUST TURN OFF ENGINE QUICKLY. NLM
VEHICLE STALLED 10 TIMES FROM PURCHASE DATE. HAS BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY SINCE IT WAS BOUGHT NEW. IT HAS BEEN "REPAIRED" MANY TIMES, BUT NEVER FIXED. IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN GET IT FIXED AND CAN THE MANUFACTURER HELP? AFTER SEARCHING YOUR WEB PAGE I NOW KNOW THAT WE WEREN'T THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A FEW YEARS NOW. HELP! *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE TRAVELING UP ON AN INCLINE APPLIED FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND REAR BRAKES SEIZED. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER DETERMINED THAT REAR BRAKES SEIZED DUE TO REAR BRAKE DRUMS BEING FRACTURED IN THREE DIFFERENT PLACE. ,DEALER HAS REPLACED REAR BRAKE DRUMS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
BRAKE SHOES FAILED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
EVEN MECHANICS CAN'T SOLVE THIS; SO IT IS HARD FOR ME TO DIAGNOSE. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
WHEN PUT INTO GEAR THE CAR ACCELERATED OVER A BANK INTO A BROOK. FOOT WAS NOT ON PEDAL GAS PEDAL. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
EVEN MECHANICS CAN'T SOLVE THIS; SO IT IS HARD FOR ME TO DIAGNOSE. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK THE ENGINE REVED AND WENT INTO REVERSE WHILE IN PARK. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND DOESN'T LOCK INTO GEAR. ALSO MAKES CLUNKING SOUND WHEN ACCELERATION IS LET OFF THEN RE-APPLIED. THIS CAR WAS DRIVEN GENTLY THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE BY SENIOR CITIZENS.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT 20-25 MPH FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE OFF THE TRACK. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
INTERMITTENT STALLING DUE TO FUEL PUMP FAILURE. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT CAME OFF AND THE WHEEL SPINNED AROUND. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
MY MOTHER HAS A BUICK THAT SHE HAD FIRESTONE RADIAL TIRES INSTALLED ON THE FRONT. THE TIRES, P185/75R14 HAD A BELT BREAK IN THEM WITHIN ONE WEEK OF EACH OTHER. THE DEALER SHE BOUGHT THEM FROM REFUSES TO TALK TO HER ABOUT IT. WHAT CAN SHE DO? *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEEL CAMBER MISALIGNMENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .