RoadVitals

1993 Buick Century Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest Dec 22, 2003
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
19%
of 54 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1993 Buick Century submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Dec 22, 2003
Fire reported

1993 BUICK CENTURY EXPERIENCED VEHICLE FIRE.*MR WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE CAR JERKED A LITTLE AND THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. THE CONSUMER HEARD A POP AND SAW SMOKE, HE THEN PULLED OVER AND THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FIRE. *CB *JB

NHTSA ID
10051900
Incident
Sep 24, 2003
Engine
Filed Oct 18, 2000

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH THERE WAS A BOOM, WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH PANEL, AND VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT A ROD BLEW. THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN. BUICK HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID
873277
Body & structureEngineSteering
Filed Jun 9, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE STALLED AND HAD TO BE TOWED. TECHNICIAN OPENED THE HOOD, AND FOUND OUT THAT COVER UNDER THE HOOD (LOOKED LIKE A BLANKET FOR NOISE OR FIRE) HAD ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE. ALSO, NO POWER STEERING. PIECES THAT CAME LOOSE WENT DOWN INTO THE ALTERNATOR, CAUSING IT TO BURN UP. VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND THE ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
863347
Incident
Jun 2, 2000
EngineFuel system
Filed Mar 3, 2000

MY CAR DIES WHEN THE GAS TANK BEGINS TO GET $3.50 AWAY FROM BEING FULL. WHEN IT DIES IT WILL NOT RESTART FOR APPROXIMATELY FOR 15 MINUTES. THE GAS GAUGE DIAL BEGINS TO WAVER FROM SIDE TO SIDE WHEN THE GAS GAUGE IS AROUND $3.50 DOWN FROM BEING FULL. WHEN THE GAS GAUGE BEGINS TO WAVER THAT IS A SIGN TO ME THAT I MUST FILL THE CAR UP AGAIN OR IT WILL SOON STALL. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP OFF AND ON FOR 11 MONTHS. I HAVE HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED BUT IT HAS NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. WE LOVE THIS CAR. IT HAS SERVED US WELL AND WE HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS TO SPEAK OF UNTIL THIS PROBLEM CAME ABOUT. THE CAR DEALORSHIP KEEPS SAYING THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE WHAT HAPPENS TO ME. IT CAN DIE ON ME THREE OR FOUR TIMES IN A DAY AND THEN RUN PERFECTLY FOR TWO WEEKS AT A TIME. I LEARNED THAT IF I KEEP THE GAS TANK FULL IT WILL FUNCTION AS CLOSE TO NORMAL AS POSSIBLE. I WILL APPRECIATE ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID
719636
Engine
Filed Feb 11, 2000
Fire reported

DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON CITY STREET AND ALL OF SUDDEN VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. CONTACTED DEALER WHO SAID THAT NEVER HEARD OF FIRES IN VEHICLES. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE AND SPREAD ALL THE WAY TO THE TRUNK. *AK

NHTSA ID
855792
Incident
Jan 14, 2000
Engine
Filed Feb 7, 2000

WHILE DRIVNG ABOUT 50 MPH THE ENGINE WILL SHUT DOWN WITHOUT A WARNING, AND SOMETIMES WILL STALL ON THE ROAD. *AK

NHTSA ID
856426
Incident
Feb 4, 2000
Engine
Filed Mar 5, 1999

EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKED WITHIN 18,000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ID
835487
Engine
Filed Jun 9, 1998

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
824106
ElectricalEngine
Filed Apr 26, 1998

INTERMITTENT STALLING. DEALER REPLACED COMPUTER. HOWEVER, STALLING CONTINUES.

NHTSA ID
534807
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Apr 7, 1998
Crash reported

CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
513026
Incident
Jun 10, 1995

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .