Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Brakes 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.
13
Latest Jun 18, 2011
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.
16%
of 80 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.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2
What this page shows
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Buick Century submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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 brake
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
BrakesElectrical
Filed Jun 18, 2011
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
Brakes
Filed Sep 28, 2004
Crash reported
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED IT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE PEDAL DIDN'T DEPRESS WHICH RESULTED IN CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE BRAKES, AND INDICATED THAT THE POWER BOOSTER FAILED, AND A CHECK VALVE IN THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FROZE UP. *AK
NHTSA ID
10087882
Incident
Jul 20, 2004
Mileage
80,100 mi
Brakes
Filed Apr 2, 2004
EXCESSIVE VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. *JB
NHTSA ID
10064441
Incident
Jan 1, 2002
Mileage
60,000 mi
Body & structureBrakesEngine+1 more
Filed Feb 5, 2001
THE ABS BRAKES DO NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, THEY LOCKED UP CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO THROUGH A RED LIGHT. NLM
NHTSA ID
559436
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Oct 22, 2000
WHEN CONSUMER HITS THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE SURGES A FOOT OR TWO, THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES BUT HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. *SLC
NHTSA ID
556802
Brakes
Filed Jun 5, 2000
ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON. CONSUMER IS AFRAID THAT ABS BRAKES MAY NOT WORK PROPERLY. *AK
NHTSA ID
863000
Incident
Apr 5, 2000
AirbagsBrakes
Filed Sep 20, 1999
Crash reported2 injuries reported
WHILE RIDING ABOUT 25 MPH CAR IN FRONT STARTED TO PUT ON ITS BRAKES. CONSUMER ALSO ATTEMPTED TO PUT ON THE BRAKES. BUT, INSTEAD, CAR SPEEDED UP AND JUMPED THE CURVE. CAR GAINED EVEN MORE SPEED AND FINALLY WAS STOPPED BY HITTING A TREE, UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DIDN'T DIPLOY. CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS BROKEN IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO PUT ON THE BRAKES. THE PASSENGER WAS ALSO BANGED UP. PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT HAVE AN AIR BAG. *AK
NHTSA ID
848023
Incident
Aug 29, 1999
BrakesElectrical
Filed Jul 30, 1999
ALTERNATOR WENT OUT 3 TIMES . ABS WARNING LIGHTS COME ON WHEN THIS HAPPENED. DLR HAS REPLACED ALTERNATOR.*AK
NHTSA ID
843870
Brakes
Filed Jun 15, 1999
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED A GRINDING NOISE IS HEARD IN THE RIGHT REAR . THE DEALER HAS CHANGED REAR BRAKE DRUMS TWICE. *AK
NHTSA ID
839835
Brakes
Filed Jan 28, 1999
ANTI LOCK BRAKES LOOSEN WHEN HIGH PRESSURE IS APPLIED.
NHTSA ID
543559
BrakesSteering
Filed May 5, 1998
STEERING ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLE IS NOT DESIGNED PROPERLY, TURNING RADIUS IS TOO LARGE, STEERING SENSE IS SLUGGISH AND POWER STEERING ASSIST IS NOT ADEQUATE.
NHTSA ID
535108
Brakes
Filed Sep 22, 1997
EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILED.
NHTSA ID
605147
Incident
Feb 1, 1996
BrakesElectrical
Filed Sep 10, 1996
IN JULY 1996, OWNER BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS W/HIGH IDLE. AREA DEALERSHIP REPLACED COMPUTER BUT VEHICLE STILL EXPERIENCES SAME CONDITION, ALSO, FRONT BRAKE ROTORS/PADS OVERHEATED/REPLACED. *AK
NHTSA ID
801145
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