1996 Buick Century

I went to turn my wheel and it wouldn't turn left then the rack and pinion broke the wheel just turns 360 to the left but no movement in turning lost all steering

NHTSA ID

11464023

Incident

May 4, 2022

WHILE BACKING INTO MY DAUGHTER'S ATTACHED GARAGE, THE GAS LINE RUPTURED AND LEAKED A LOT OF GASOLINE BEFORE I SHUT-OFF THE IGNITION. I PROMPTLY RE-STARTED THE CAR AND BACKED IT OUT OF THE GARAGE, UNWITTINGLY RISKING IGNITING THE GASOLINE IN THE PROCESS, BUT STILL AFRAID OF THE GAS/FUMES IN THE GARAGE IGNITING AND BURNING US, THE CAR AND THE HOUSE DOWN! WE GOT A WATER HOSE AND BROOM AND SWEPT AS MUCH OF IT OUT OF THE GARAGE AS WE COULD. WE WERE LUCKY. THE POINT OF THIS COMPLAINT IS THAT THERE ARE PROBABLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF G M CARS BEING DRIVEN AND PARKED IN GARAGES WITH QUITE OLD, DETERIORATING GAS LINES WHOSE DRIVERS ARE TOTALLY UNAWARE OF IT. OUR EXPERIENCE, ALONE, COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. MY SON-IN-LAW HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 1995 OLDSMOBILE CIERA, ALTHOUGH HE BELIEVES THAT THE SQUIRRELS AROUND HIS HOME LIKE TO CHEW ON THE PLASTIC GAS LINES. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THESE OLD PLASTIC GAS LINES REPRESENT AN ENORMOUS RISK TO THE SAFETY OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHILE THEY'RE NOT EVEN IN OR NEAR THE SOURCE OF IGNITION. THEY COULD, IN FACT, BE IN BED AT THE OTHER END OF THE HOME WHEN IT ALL BLOWS-UP! *TR

NHTSA ID

10606448

Incident

Jul 16, 2012

Mileage

68,000 mi

STARTED CAR AND GASOLINE STARTED GUSHING OUT FROM BENEATH THE CAR BETWEEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE FRONT WHEEL-WELL. AS THE CAR WAS PARTLY IN THE GARAGE, I DROVE IT OUT OF THE GARAGE AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THIS STOPPED THE FLOW OF GASOLINE. A MECHANIC LATER DETERMINED THAT THE PLASTIC GAS LINE HAD FAILED AND, AFTER CUTTING-OFF THE DAMAGED PART, HE SPLICED THE LINE BACK TOGETHER WITH A BRASS COUPLING. THAT SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE PROBLEM, FOR NOW. THE REALLY SCARY THING IS THAT THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF GM CARS "OUT THERE" IN GARAGES AND ON THE ROAD WITH DETERIORATING PLASTIC GAS LINES! PROBABLY SOME OTHER BRANDS, AS WELL. AN ACQUAINTANCE OF MINE HAD THE SAME GAS LINE FAILURE ON HIS 1996 OLDSMOBILE CIERA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510943

Incident

Mar 30, 2013

Mileage

71,000 mi

DRIVING TOWARDS A STOPLIGHT AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ON A 1996 BUICK CENTURY. PUMPING GAVE ONLY PARTIAL REAR BRAKING. DROVE TO FRIEND'S HOUSE (DURING WHICH THE BRAKES WORKED NORMALLY THE WHOLE WAY). WE PULLED THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FIBROUS FINELY WOVEN TUBE COVER (FIBERGLASS?) TO THE EXTREMELY THIN AND FRAGILE WIRES TO ABS SENSOR LOOKED BURNT. CUTTING IT OFF WE DISCOVERED THE WIRES INSIDE HAD SHORTED OUT. WHEN WE CLEARED THE SHORT AND INDIVIDUALLY WRAP INSULATED THE WIRES, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT THEN CAME ON. A GRAVEL SKID TEST REVEALED NO ABS AT ALL. WE FOUND THAT DEAD SHORTING THE WIRE TO THE SENSOR WITH A JUMPER WIRE WILL CAUSE THE ABS WARNING LIGHT TO GO OUT, BUT OBVIOUSLY DISABLES THE ABS. WE REPLACED THE SENSOR (WHICH REQUIRES THAT THE WHOLE BEARING/STUD ASSEMBLY TO BE REPLACED), AND THEN THE ABS LIGHT WENT OUT. A GRAVEL SKID TEST REVEALED THE ABS WORKING FINE AND HE SAYS THE NORMAL BRAKING IS NOW BETTER TOO. SOME RESEARCH REVEALS THAT THE ABS DETECTS NO TIRE TURNING DURING A SKID VIA THE SENSOR, AND RELEASES HYDRAULIC PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES UNTIL THE TIRE IS DETECTED BY THE ABS AS TURNING. WE THINK THAT WHEN A SHORT TO THE SENSOR OCCURS, THE SENSOR CAN'T DETECT THE TIRE TURNING AGAIN AND THUS THE ABS UNIT NEVER STOPS BLEEDING FLUID PASS THE BRAKE (AND THE INITIAL SHORT MAY EVEN SET OFF THE ABS WITHOUT AN ACTUAL SKID OCCURRING - THAT IS WITHOUT THE SENSOR EVER SENSING A TIRE NOT TURNING). ANYONE HAVING RANDOM NEAR-TOTAL OR TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES ON THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE MIGHT DO WELL TO EXAMINE THE WIRES AND TERMINALS LEADING TO THE ABS SENSORS - AND REPLACE SUSPICIOUS UNITS (WE PAID ABOUT $90 FOR A UNIT FROM A COMMON AUTO PARTS CHAIN). A GRAVEL SKID TEST MIGHT ALSO REVEAL AN ABS SYSTEM NOT WORKING EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO ABS WARNING LIGHT LIT. REPLACING THE BEARING/STUD/ABS SENSOR ASSEMBLY IS MODERATELY HARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10407363

Incident

May 15, 2011

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WAS TOO TIGHT AND CAUSES HER TO CHOKE. SHE NOTICED BRUISES ON HER NECK. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SEVERAL DEALERS REQUESTING THAT THEY ADJUST OR CHANGE THE SEAT BELT. THE DEALERS STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO ADJUST OR CHANGE THE SEAT BELT DUE TO THE DESIGN. THEY FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES WITH THE SEAT BELT. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT SOMEONE WOULD REVIEW THE REPORT; HOWEVER, THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

10268378

Incident

May 4, 2009

Mileage

70,000 mi

I HAVE A 1996 BUICK THAT RECENTLY DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING. THE RACK IN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO TURN LEFT. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY INSTANCES OF THIS PROBLEM WITH MANY GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES. I CONTACTED GM WITH MY CONCERNS AND I WAS TOLD BY THEIR REPRESENTATIVE THAT THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD WITH THIS MODEL OF VEHICLE, BUT THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO HELP WITH THE REPAIR COSTS NOR ISSUE A CONSUMER ALERT OF A POSSIBLE DANGER OF A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING IN MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO BE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, BUT I CANNOT DRIVE MY CAR NOW. I WISH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD INVESTIGATE THE INCIDENTS I HAVE OUTLINED AS THERE IS A DEFINITE POSSIBILITY OF A FATAL ACCIDENT HAPPENING WITH ALL 1996 - 1998 BUICK PRODUCTS. THE PROBLEM RESULTS IN COMPLETE FAILURE TO CONTROL THE CAR WHILE TRYING TO TURN LEFT. IF THE PROBLEM WOULD BE WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP, THE CAR COULD STILL TURN, BUT IN MANUAL MODE. THIS PROBLEM WILL NOT ALLOW THE CAR TO TURN TO THE LEFT. THIS COULD BE DISASTROUS FOR SOMEONE. GM SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS BUT WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO REMEDY THE SITUATION OR HELP PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE RACK. I FEEL THAT A RECALL WOULD BE IN ORDER IF IT WOULD SAVE LIVES. YOU CAN CONTACT ME FOR THE NAME OF THE INDIVIDUAL I SPOKE WITH AND THE REFERENCE NUMBER FOR MY COMPLAINT TO GM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10239849

Incident

Aug 16, 2008

Mileage

146,000 mi

1996 BUICK CENTURY. AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK WHEN THE CAR IS IN GEAR AND IDLING. DRIVER MISTAKENLY GOT OUT OF CAR WITH THE CAR IN GEAR AND IDLING. THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS IMMEDIATELY LOCKED THE DRIVER OUT OF THE CAR. DRIVER HAD TO BUST WINDOW TO SHUT THE CAR OFF BEFORE CAR ROLLED INTO BUILDING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10220312

Incident

Mar 6, 2008

Mileage

145,321 mi

ONE OF THE VEHICLE'S FUEL LINES LEAKED. *NM FUEL LINE WAS UNPROTECTED. *TC

NHTSA ID

10095409

Incident

Sep 1, 2004

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester  and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.  E version update is to add administrative details.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.  The PI update to version D is to advise the unlock procedure is temporarily unavailable.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. Technician will need to contact the radio unlock center to retrieve the unlock code from the scrambled code.

This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester, PICO Scope, GR8 starting/charging tester and Vehicle Data Recorder tools, giving website address and step by step instructions to complete the update.