RoadVitals

1998 Buick Century Electrical Problems

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

Data refreshed

Electrical 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.
29
Latest Dec 29, 2020
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.
13%
of 218 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.
0
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 electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Buick Century submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 29 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 electrical

The 25 most recent of 29, in the owner's own words

ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Dec 29, 2020

MY VEHICLE'S WINDOW CONTROLS AND LOCK CONTROLS ARE NO LONGER WORKING, WHEN LOCKING THE DOOR OR THE WINDOW WILL GO DOWN BUT WILL NOT COME UP. THE REST OF THE WINDOWS CONTROL THROUGHOUT THE CAR WILL NOT WORK AS WELL. THE LIGHTING IN THE CAR FLICKERS IF YOU WOULD PUSH THE LOT OR THE WINDOW CONTROL. ANTERIOR LIGHT IS NO LONGER WORKING. NONE OF THIS WORKS EVEN WHEN PARKED OR DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID
11385397
Incident
Dec 28, 2020
Mileage
78,000 mi
AirbagsElectrical
Filed Mar 6, 2014

I FIRST NOTICED THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF IN JANUARY OF 2014, ESPECIALLY GOING DOWN A HILL. THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS MOISTURE IN MY GAS TANK, BUT AFTER FILLING UP A COUPLE OF TIMES AND PUTTING IN SOME GAS DRYER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I USUALLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND START THE ENGINE WHILE THE CAR IS STILL MOVING. I TOOK MY REMOTE AND OTHER KEYS OFF THE KEY RING. IT STILL SHUTS OFF THE ENGINE WITH JUST ONE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT NOT AS MUCH. CAN YOU TELL ME HOW I CAN REMEDY THIS PROBLEM WITH MY 1998 BUICK CENTURY? WILL THIS BE AT MY OWN EXPENSE? *TR

NHTSA ID
10567578
Incident
Jan 6, 2014
Mileage
99,285 mi
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Sep 5, 2008

DASH BOARD LIGHT WHERE THE MILEAGE SHOWS. CANNOT SEE ANYTHING, THE LIGHT SUDDENLY WENT OUT AND CANNOT SEE MILES ON CAR. ALSO, AUTOMATIC BUTTON TO PUSH SEAT BACK AND FORTH IS NOT WORKING. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY FACTOR BECAUSE THE SEAT IS PUSHED UP TO CLOSE TO THE FRONT . *TR

NHTSA ID
10241092
Incident
Sep 2, 2008
Mileage
112,300 mi
Electrical
Filed Dec 28, 2005

WE BOUGHT OUR VEHICLE TWO YEARS AGO. WITHIN THAT TIME, NONE OF OUR WINDOWS WORK. IT BEGAN WITH THE TWO BACK WINDOWS NOT ROLLING DOWN AND ONCE THEY WERE DOWN, NOT ABLE TO GO BACK UP. MY FATHER THOUGHT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING. HE PROCEEDED TO DISCONNECT THE BACK WINDOWS. THEN THE PASSENGER FRONT WINDOW WOULD DO THE SAME THING: ROLL DOWN AND THEN NOT GO UP, OR NOT EVEN ROLL DOWN AT ALL. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A FUSED. INDEED THE FUSE WAS VERY HOT WHEN REMOVING IT. NOW, NONE OF MY WINDOWS ROLL DOWN. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE ALL THE MECHANISMS AT OUR COST. HOPING TO TRADE THIS VEHICLE OFF. *NM

NHTSA ID
10146200
Incident
Jun 12, 2004
ElectricalSteering
Filed Feb 10, 2004

IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE NOT TO START. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE IGNITION WAS REPLACED. CURRENTLY, POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10057807
Incident
Oct 1, 2003
Mileage
47,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jan 15, 2004

THE INDICATOR LIGHTS FOR THE DUAL COMFORTEMP CLIMATE CONTROL HAVE FAILED RENDERING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE TEMPERATURE AND AIRSPEED SETTINGS.

NHTSA ID
10069037
Incident
Nov 15, 2002
Mileage
33,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Apr 19, 2003

FRONT DAY-TIME LIGHT/SIGNAL SOCKETS ARE OVERHEATING AND BURNING THE PLASTIC PARTS OF SOCKET & BULB. REPLACED BULB+SOCKET PRODUCED THE SAME RESULTS WITHIN SEVERAL WEEKS. DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO INVESTIGATE UNLESS PAID. GM SAYS CAR OUT OF WARRANTY. BURNING SMELL WAS DETECTED ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO BUT COULDN'T LOCATE THE SOURCE, ONLY AFTER THE FLASHER FAILED. BULB WAS STILL FUNCTIONING BUT THE ELECTRIC CONTACTS DID NOT FUNCTION. *JB

NHTSA ID
10016197
Incident
Sep 10, 2002
Mileage
55,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Feb 21, 2003

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE GEAR SHIFT DUE TO A FAULTY ELECTRONIC SYSTEM PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10009041
Incident
Feb 21, 2003
Heating & air conditioningElectrical
Filed Aug 28, 2002

THE CIRCUIT BOARD THAT REGULATES THE TEMPERATURE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. THIS PROBLEM IN THE BEGINNING WAS INTERMITTENT BUT WE NEVER REPORTED IT UNTIL SOME TIME BETWEEN JAN. 2002 TO PRESENT. THEY CLAIM THAT THE BOARD IS DEFECTIVE BUT IT WOULD COST US AROUNG $ 500.00 TO BE REPLACED. WE BELIEVE THAT A CAR WITH LESS THAN 35000 MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID
766363
Incident
Jun 1, 2002
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed May 25, 2001

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STARTED FLASHING ON DASHBOARD. CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE, AND DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THAT 5TH FUEL INJECTOR WAS DEFECTIVE, AND A SPARK PLUG WAS INOPERATIVE. ON SECOND OCCURRENCE, WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, ENGINE STARTED MISFIRING, AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THEN, ENGINE SUDDENLY DIED, CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOSE POWER STEERING CAPABILITIES. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND FOUND 4TH FUEL INJECTOR TO BE DEFECTIVE. HAD TO CHANGE OIL BECAUSE FUEL LEAKED INTO T CRANK CASE. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
889166
Incident
Oct 25, 2000
Electrical
Filed May 21, 2001

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHER SPEEDS HORN FAILS TO FUNCTION ON A RANDOM BASIS. HORN WORKS WHILE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY OR MOVING AT A SLOW SPEED. *AK THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT THE HORN FAILS SOMETIMES. *YH

NHTSA ID
888703
Incident
Feb 1, 2001
Electrical
Filed Dec 28, 2000

UPON ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS HORN IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION HORN FAILED TO SOUND WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. ALSO, ONE HAD TO APPLY AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF PRESSURE TO SOUND OFF HORN. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
877166
Electrical
Filed Jul 25, 2000

HORN FAILS TO SOUND AT ANY SPEED, ANY TIME OF DAY. HAVE HAD THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES & THEY ARE UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM,, LIVE WITH IT!

NHTSA ID
725985
ElectricalSeat belts
Filed Apr 21, 2000

HORN FAILED TO WORK WHEN TRYING TO USE IT WHILE DRIVING. HORN FAILED TO WORK EVEN WHEN VEHICLE WAS PARKED. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. ALSO, FRONT SEAT BELTS FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY. LATCH PLATE WOULD NOT GO INTO THE BUCKLE MECHANISM. *AK

NHTSA ID
860727
Electrical
Filed Mar 27, 2000

THE HORN TAKES EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO GET IT TO SOUND. NLM

NHTSA ID
551554
Electrical
Filed Jan 28, 2000

THE HORN IS DIFFICULT TO OPERATE. EXTREME PRESSURE IS REQUIRED WHEN APPLIED. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
855720
Incident
Dec 29, 1999
AirbagsBody & structureElectrical
Filed Oct 4, 1999

RIGHT SIDE POWER LOCK SYSTEM FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
548880
Incident
Jul 7, 1999
Electrical
Filed Sep 8, 1999

SWITCH. PART NAME: 10413904.

NHTSA ID
609780
Incident
May 15, 1998
ElectricalSteeringTransmission
Filed Apr 13, 1999

VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM ENGAGING TRANSMISSION FROM PARK TO REVERSE.

NHTSA ID
544940
Electrical
Filed Apr 7, 1999

BECAUSE OF THE AIR BAG BEING DIRECTLY UNDER THE HORN AND THE RADIO CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO PRESS THE HORN, IT TAKES AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF EFFORT FOR CONSUMER HORN TO ACTIVATE THE HORN. *AK

NHTSA ID
835824
Electrical
Filed Feb 1, 1999

STARTER FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
609321
Electrical
Filed Feb 1, 1999

BATTERY FAILED. *YC

NHTSA ID
608536
Incident
Nov 1, 1998
ElectricalInterior & seatsTransmission
Filed Feb 1, 1999

REVERSE GEAR FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
606014
Electrical
Filed Aug 3, 1998

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING OR WITHOUT MANUAL OPERATION THE HORN CONTINUOUSLY BLOWS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED HORN ASSEMBLY AND FUSE WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
826159
Incident
Jul 24, 1998
Electrical
Filed Jul 17, 1998

DIFFICULTY ACCESSION HORN BUTTONS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.

NHTSA ID
537966

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 .