1997 Buick Century Problems

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE

DUE TO DESIGN AND LOCATION OF HORN ASSEMBLY, WHICH IS CONNECTED TO AIR BAGS, AND UPON ATTEMTPING TO SOUND OFF HORN IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT HAND TURN, BUTTONS ARE HARD TO LOCATE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK THE WHOLE AIR BAG AND HORN ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED . THE HORN BLOWING IS SLIGHTLY IMPROVED BUT STILL IMPOSSIBLE TO BLOW WHEN TRYING TO TURN. *YH

WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE BEEN STANDING STRAIGHT UP WHEN IN AN OFF POSITION FOR 6 OR 7 YEARS. FOUND THE CAMPAIGN AND THEN THE RECALL AND TRIED TO GET A REMEDY FROM THE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AS WELL AS GM ,TO NO AVAIL..I WAS MADE TO BUY A MOTOR FOR THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND THAT WORKED FOR A LITTLE WHILE. THEN LAST SUMMER OR FALL I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER BECAUSE NOW THE ISSUE LOOKED TO BE A RECALL, AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS, BUT NOT FOR MY VIN#, AND I WAS MADE TO PAY $70 FOR THE ADJUSTMENT..IT IS NOW NOT WORKING AGAIN ,AND I AM VERY FRUSTRATED. IT IS A 1997 BUICK CENTURY. I HAVE TO KEEP THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON IN THE DELAY MODE ALL THE TIME, RAIN OR SHINE IN ORDER TO NOT HAVE THEM STAND STRAIGHT UP AND BLOCK MY VISION..I FEEL THIS IS DANGEROUS, BUT THAT THE DEALER AND GM WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE I FOUND THE INFORMATION ON MY PROGRESSIVE CAR INSURANCE SITE. THEY ALWAYS BRING UP RECALLS FOR YOUR CARS. *AK

I WAS ON 275W. WHEN MY RIGHT WINDOW WIPER ARM STARTED TO STOP THEN IT DIED, MY HUSBAND TOLD TO SEE WHAT I COULD FIND OUT ON REPAIRING IT AND COST ON THE COMPUTER, I RAN ACROSS THIS LITTLE THING ON THE COMPUTER ABOUT 1997 BUICK CENTURY'S AND THE RIGHT WINDSHIELD {COMPONENT: VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER LINKAGES} WELL WHEN I READ ALL OF IT THAT DESCRIBES WHAT HAPPEN TO MY WIPER. WHEN I CALLED EVERYBODY SAID NO NOT YOUR CAR, AND I SAID I DON'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THE SAME THING IS WRONG WITH MIND. *NM

DT: 1997 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONSUMER HAS BEING HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELTS JAMMING. THIS OCCURRED FOR 7 YEARS. T 2 OUT OF 4 SEAT BELTS WORK. THE 2 SEAT BELTS BACK SEAT WILL NOT WORK. *AK

THE CHILD SEAT BUCKLE FAILED AND AS A RESULT THE CONSUMER'S GRANDSON WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR SEAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. *NM *SC *JB

WHEN I BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE, I TURNED STEERING WHEEL WITH A "HARD LEFT." CAR MADE CLICKING NOISE. *TR

I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE STEERING LOCKED AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. I WASN'T ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN CAUSING ME TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD AND ONTO A LAWN. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T GO BACK TO THE CORRECT POSITION AND IT SEEMED TO BE IN MANUAL STEERING MODE. I COULD BARELY MOVE THE WHEEL. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AT THIS TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS FAILED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A PERSONAL MECHANIC WHO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE WIRING OF THE TURN SIGNALS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,887. ... UPDATED 08-07-12 *BF THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 08/09/12*JB

TAIL LIGHTS WILL NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY . DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AKI

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS DETERIORATING AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE DEX COOL ANTIFREEZE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 02/09/15*LJ

CONSUMER NOTICED LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDER, THE LEFT SIDE WAS WORSE THAN THE RIGHT SIDE, CONSUMER REPLACED BOTH WHEEL CYLINDERS HIMSELF DUE TO VEHICLE BEING 1000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY. *SLC

WHEN GOING BACKWARDS DOWN A SLIGHT HILL CONSUMER FEELS A HESITATION AND BRAKE PEDAL GOES DOWN MORE THAN NORMAL. CONSUMER CAN STILL HEAR MEDAL SCRATCHING. CONSUMER FEELS ITS UNSAFE BECAUSE VECHICLE WILL NOT STOP RIGHT AWAY WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES. *AK

THE COVER OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG HAS POPPED OPEN ABOUT AN INCH ALONG THE FRONT AND SIDES. THE DEALER FORCED IT CLOSED, BUT IT OPENED AGAIN. MR SCC

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COVER WAS LOOSE. THE DEALER INSTALLED A "CLIP" TO SECURE THE COVER AND ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THE FIX IS AN APPROVED REMEDY. THE CLIP BROKE OFF AND THE CONSUMER WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE AIR BAG. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK CENTURY. SHE STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE IN THE VEHICLE. UPON HAVING HER WHEEL BEARINGS REPAIRED, SHE FOUND THE STABILIZER BAR HAD BROKEN OFF OF THE TIRE. SHE THEN ATTEMPTED TO ORDER THE PART FROM AN AUTOMOTIVE STORE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE REPLACEMENT PART. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 188,376.

WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

ALL SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AT TIMES. YH

IGNITION RELAY FAILED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH THE RPM'S INCREASED EXCESSIVELY. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN RESPIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLIANT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 75,000.

ENGINE HARD TO START, ROUGH IDLE, LOSS OF POWER, CONTINUOUS MISFIRES.

ALL SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AT TIMES. YH

FUEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO DEFECTIVE SPARK PLUGS AND AIR BAG COVER. *AK

I WAS ON 275W. WHEN MY RIGHT WINDOW WIPER ARM STARTED TO STOP THEN IT DIED, MY HUSBAND TOLD TO SEE WHAT I COULD FIND OUT ON REPAIRING IT AND COST ON THE COMPUTER, I RAN ACROSS THIS LITTLE THING ON THE COMPUTER ABOUT 1997 BUICK CENTURY'S AND THE RIGHT WINDSHIELD {COMPONENT: VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER LINKAGES} WELL WHEN I READ ALL OF IT THAT DESCRIBES WHAT HAPPEN TO MY WIPER. WHEN I CALLED EVERYBODY SAID NO NOT YOUR CAR, AND I SAID I DON'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THE SAME THING IS WRONG WITH MIND. *NM

THE ELECTRONIC DISPLAY MODULE SECOND TIME AFTER REPLACING IN MY 1997 BUICK CENTURY DOES NOT DISPLAY AND THE PART COST $300-500 AND ITS NOT SOMETHING LIKE A BULB AND NOBODY WANT S TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE . *AK

BLOWER CONTROL MODULE FAILED. YH

FAULTY GENERATOR AND DEFECTIVE BLOWER MOTOR. YH

WITHIN 43 DAYS OF PURCHASING COOPER GRAND TOURING CS5 TIRES FOR MY 1997 BUICK CENTURY, ONE DEVELOPED A LARGE SIDEWALL BULGE. THE RETAILER FORCED ME TO BUY ANOTHER NEW TIRE FOR $72. AND COOPER REFUSED TO PAY FOR IT! I HAVE BEEN DRIVING CARS FOR 40 YEARS AN NEVER HAD A NEW TIRE OR ANY TIRE DEVELOP A SIDEWALL BULGE. I HAD A SPIRITED CONVERSATION WITH A COOPER REP AND SHE GOT VERY RUDE WITH ME. THEY HAD ONE RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND NEVER FIXED THE PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY. PLEASE HELP!

DRIVING ON I-95 SOUTHBOUND WHEN I EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC TREAD SEPARATION TO MY DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE. I WAS ABLE TO GET MY VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SIGNAL HELP. FORTUNATELY, I ESCAPED THIS FAILURE UNINJURED. *TR

THE ELECTRONIC DISPLAY MODULE SECOND TIME AFTER REPLACING IN MY 1997 BUICK CENTURY DOES NOT DISPLAY AND THE PART COST $300-500 AND ITS NOT SOMETHING LIKE A BULB AND NOBODY WANT S TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE . *AK

ON THREE OCCASIONS VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY A REPAIR FACILITY BECAUSE DASHLIGHTS WILL INTERMITTENTLY BECOME INOPERABLE. VARIOUS PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AFTER PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE, CAR DID NOT MOVE BACKWARD BUT STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD AND ONLY STOPPED WHEN PUT FOOT ON BRAKES, ONCE PUT BACK IN PARK, AGAIN MOVED THE SHIFT SELECTOR INTO REVERSE DID THE GEAR ENGAGE, REPLACED SOLENOID.

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ODOMETER LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY BLINKING, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING.*AK