1989 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 1989 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
- Seat belts716.3%
- Driver assistance716.3%
- Interior & seats614.0%
- Body & structure511.6%
- Engine511.6%
- Electrical49.3%
- Tires & wheels24.7%
- Fuel system24.7%
- Suspension24.7%
- Steering12.3%
- Brakes12.3%
- Heating & air conditioning12.3%
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
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELT TRACKS AND ANCHORS. SEAT BELTS SLIDE BACK AND FORTH. IN ADDITION, TO CRACKS IN SEAT BELT BUCKLES. *AK
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELTS. SEAT BELTS LATCH, AND TRACKS AND ANCHORS, ARE BROKEN. THE WHOLE SEATBELT SYSTEM IS SLOWLY DETERIORATING. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. THE DEFECTS ARE RELATED TO PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH RECALL NUMBER 95V173000. *AK
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
CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 ACCIDENTS RELATING TO ENGINE ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED THE SAME WAY. CONSUMER HAS A VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY. ON SEPT. 11-2000, VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE & IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A MAXIUM SPEED. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERMOSTAT RING GASKET, IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE & COMPUTER SCAN WERE THE CAUSES. *AK
CONSUMER STARTED UP VEHICLE AND ENGINE WAS RUNNING A LITTLE FAST. CONSUMER HAD FOOT ON BRAKE , PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR AND IT TOOK OFF WHILE FOOT WAS ON BRAKE. VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP UNTIL THEY ENDED UP IN A CREEK. CONSUMER'S INSURANCE COMPANY CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
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
WHEN GETING ON TO THE HIGHWAY THE SEAT BACK FELL IN TO THE BACK SEAT MAKING ME UNABLE TO SEE ANY TRAFFIC AHEAD OF ME.*AK
WHEN DRIVING AND UPON HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD THE SEATBACK FALLS INTO THE RECLINING POSITION. COSNUMER HAS YET TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
A TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE. TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND DETERMINED THAT ENGINE CRADLE WAS RUSTING. *AK
DOOR HINGES SPLIT IN HALF, CAUSING DOOR TO SEPARATE FROM VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *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
CAR SOLD TO ME IS A LEMON. THE MOTOR WENT OUT IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS.*AK
CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 ACCIDENTS RELATING TO ENGINE ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED THE SAME WAY. CONSUMER HAS A VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY. ON SEPT. 11-2000, VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE & IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A MAXIUM SPEED. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERMOSTAT RING GASKET, IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE & COMPUTER SCAN WERE THE CAUSES. *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
CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 ACCIDENTS RELATING TO ENGINE ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED THE SAME WAY. CONSUMER HAS A VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY. ON SEPT. 11-2000, VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE & IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A MAXIUM SPEED. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERMOSTAT RING GASKET, IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE & COMPUTER SCAN WERE THE CAUSES. *AK
STARTER FAILED.
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
PE00 048; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A FUNNY NOISE, AND THEN TREAD CAME OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS. AND RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK DUNLOP SP 40 P195/70R14 DOT DB R W 466047 ( 006677 ) CONSUMER ADDED IT WAS A HOT DAY
THE FRONT SEATBACK BRACKETS BROKE AND CAUSED THE SEATBACKS TO FALL BACKWARDS, ALSO REPLACED 2 FRONT TIRES. *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
PLASTIC BAFFLES INSIDE THE FUEL TANK DESINTEGRATED AND CONTAMINATED FUEL AND INJECTORS, DEALER REPLACED FUEL TANK AND INJECTORS. *AK
PLASTIC BAFFLES INSIDE GAS TANK DETERIORATED, FOULING THE FUEL INJECTORS. *DSH
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
CRACKED REAR TRACKING BAR DETECTED ON 7/18/99. CHECKED UNDER CAR BECAUSE OF POOR STEERING AND HANDLING AND FOUND THE BAR WAS CRACKED IN HALF. WE HAD IT REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE ON 7/19/99. WE LOOKED FOR PREVIOUS RECALLS FOR THIS, BUT WEREN'T ABLE TO FIND THE INFORMATION. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $144.45.
FRONT END SHAKES WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
STEERING WHEEL FAILED.
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
CONSUMER'S MOTHER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WITH THE RED BRAKE LIGHT ON FOR A MONTH. DON COLLINS, BUICK FRANCHESE OWNERS, SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS KNOWN ABOUT BRAKES SINCE JANUARY1997, AND HAS NOT CORRECTED THIS PROBLEM AS REQUESTED BY MRS. JUDSON/HER HUSBAND OR MRS. PELUSO. ON OCTOBER 1-, 97, MRS. PELUSO'S MOTHER CONTINUED TO DRIVE VEHICLE WITH LIGHT ON UNTIL ONE DAY SHE WAS TURNING INTO HER DRIVEWAY AND THE BRAKES FAILED. SHE COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE, CRASHED INTO HER GARAGE DOOR, DAMAGING THE GARAGE AND THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LARRY MENKE BUICK DEALERSHIP IN THE AUTO CENTER, TOWN OF SEASIDE, CA. MENKE'S # 408-394-3374. *AK
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
AIR CONDITIONER LEAKS FREON. *SD
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 .