1998 Buick Century Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED, THE BRAKES AND STEERING COLUMN SEIZED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DEEMED DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS, A CONCUSSION, AND SEVERAL UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 09E005000 (STEERING) AND 03V527000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED INDICATING A BRAKE MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THE ABS MOTOR PACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES AND SHE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE MANUFACTURER REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

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.

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

AFTER A SNOWFALL, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT PARK, STOOD STRAIGHT UP AND OBSTRUCTED MY VIEW. I CALLED BUICK AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE IT TO MY DEALERSHIP AND IT WOULD BE REPAIRED. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S MODEL HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM. THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE WIPERS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY TWO MECHANICS THAT MY CAR HAS THE EXACT ISSUE AS THE PREVIOUS MODEL. I FIND THAT THIS IS A DANGER TO MYSELF, MY CHILDREN AND OTHER DRIVERS/PASSENGERS AND FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE ON THE RECALL LIST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ROLL UP ALL FOUR WINDOWS BUT ONLY THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW RESPONDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE WINDOW MOTORS AND TRACKS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 4/1/11 *CN UPDATED 1/13/2012 *LN *TR

TRANSMISSION FELL APART AT 41,600 MILES. (NAR) *PH *CB

THE VEHICLE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT, NOISES SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN COMING FROM THE STEERING, THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP, THE RACK AND PINION HAD GONE OUT AND LEAKED, THE A/C CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE, THE SEAT BELT BUTTON LATCH HAD FALLEN AND THE BUTTON WAS MISSING, THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS OUT OF SPECIFICS, THE DRIVER DOOR WAS HARD TO OPEN, THE PANEL HAD MOVED WHEN THE WINDOW WAS ROLLED DOWN, THE POWER WINDOW(S) WERE INOPERATIVE, THE SHIFTER GOES IN AND OUT, THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR EXTERIOR TRIM WAS HARD TO OPEN, THE PASSENGERS SEAT COUSHIN WAS TOO SOFT AND HAD COLLAPSED, AND THE DOOR'S MIRROR WAS LOOSE. THE SERVICE DEALER HAD FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. SCC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED, THE BRAKES AND STEERING COLUMN SEIZED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DEEMED DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SHORT TERM MEMORY LOSS, A CONCUSSION, AND SEVERAL UNKNOWN INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 09E005000 (STEERING) AND 03V527000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE POWER STEERING WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. HOWEVER, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAINED CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR BRAKE INSPECTION. WAS INFORMED THE LOWER INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING COOLANT. HAD IT REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP ON 03/07/2006. ON 06/28/2010, THE SAME ISSUE SEEMS TO BE RE-OCCURRING. SHOULD AN INTAKE GASKET NEED REPLACING 2X'S UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS? *TR

BUICK CENTURY SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL LIST. *TR

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.

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. DURING JANUARY 2007 THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEAD LIGHTS WERE NOT ON WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT TRIED TO TURN THEM ON WITH THE ON OFF SWITCH BUT THAT DID NOT WORK. THE HIGH BEAMS WOULD TURN ON WHILE HOLDING THE LEVER, BUT THE NORMAL HEAD BEAMS LIGHTS DID NOT. THE CONTACT EXPLAINED THAT AFTER MOVING THE LIGHT LEVER THE NORMAL HEADLIGHT BEAMS TURNED ON. A MONTH AFTER THE FAILURE BEGAN THE HEAD LIGHTS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING ON 2/25/07. THE CONTACT WAS GOING TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAVE IT INSPECTED. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THIS FAILURE WAS TOO SOON FOR A VEHICLE WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 119,000 MILES AND ABOUT 9 YEARS OLD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118500.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM PROBLEM. THERE WAS 50,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, AND IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE DEFECT WAS THE RESULT OF POOR GAS THAT WAS USED IN ARIZONA. CONSUMER HAD THE FUEL INJECTORS CLEANED AND FLUSHED. SEVERAL WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR I HAVE HAD REPEATEDLY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL INJECTORS. IN THE BEGINNING WHILE UNDER WARRANTY THE INJECTORS WERE REPLACED AFTER THE THIRD TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THEY JUST CLEAN INJECTORS NOW AND IT'S CAUSED BY BAD GASOLINE. IN ALL MY OTHER CARS I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEM USING STANDARD OIL GAS. EVEN THE DEALER BUYS THE SAME GAS AT THE SAME STATION FOR ALL THERE CARS. LATELY WHEN I HAD THE INJECTOR PROBLEM AGAIN THEY QUOTED ME $140 TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHEN I SAID I HAD IT DONE THE OTHER TIMES FOR LESS THEY AUTOMATICALLY REDUCED THE PRICE TO $64. THIS MAY SEEM FAIR TO SOME BUT WHY THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE AND WHY CAN'T THEY SOLVE THIS PROBLEM? OTHER PEOPLE I KNOW HAVE THE SAME ENGINE AND DO NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM.

I HAVE A 1998 BUICK REGAL WITH REAR SEATBELTS THAT JAM INSIDE AND CANNOT BE RE-EXTENDED. I HAVE PAID $200 TO HAVE THE BACK SEAT REMOVED AND THE SEATBELTS REALIGNED SO THAT THEY WORK. I WAS WARNED AT TIME OF REPAIR THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL CAR AND IT WOULD PROBABLY REOCCUR. DESPITE OUR GREAT CARE IN USING THE REALIGNED BELTS, THE PROBLEM DID IN FACT REOCCUR AND NOW BOTH REAR BELTS ARE JAMMED AGAIN, WITH THE RESULT THAT OUR CHILDREN CANNOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED IN THE CAR AND WE CANNOT USE IT WHEN TRAVELING WITH THEM (UNLESS WE PAY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AGAIN). MY MOTHER HAS A BUICK REGAL ROUGHLY THE SAME AGE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR

THE REAR SEAT BELTS ARE JAMMED INTO THE RETRACTOR MECHANISM. THE REAR SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED. THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE. *AK BUICK REFUSED TO FIX THE SEAT BELT BECAUSE OF THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. *SC *JB

THE PAINT ON MY CAR KEEPS CHIPPING OFF AND THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. *TR

DISSATISFACTION WITH NHTS'S RESPONSE TO HER COMPLAINT RE THE DASHBOARD DESIGN OF THE BUICK CENTURY, REF ES03-007553/S/ BRENNER 12/5/03, ENTIRE ENCLOSURES NOT IMAGED FWD TO NVS-200. *PH THE DASHBOARD WAS CONSTRUCTED IN SECTIONS WHICH CAUSED PERMANENT REFLECT LINES ONTO THE WINDSHIELD IN LINE WITH THE DRIVERS EYE LEVEL. *SC *JB

WAS DRIVEN OFF THE ROAD BY ANOTHER VEHICLE I THEN HIT A POTHOLE AT THE SAME TIME MY PASSENGER DASH AIRBAG DEPLOYED. *TR

TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG WAS STARTING TO DETACH FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 162,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2008, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE VEHICLE SWAYING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP TO REPLACE THE TIRES AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE SWAY BAR FAILED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE MECHANIC CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL PART STORES, BUT NONE OF THEM HAD THE NECESSARY PART FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE IT WAS ON BACK ORDER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 145,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, CONSUMER CAN HEAR A DISTINCT POPPING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND CANNOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE SHOCKS ON THE FRONT END. *LA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE WAY TO UNLOCK THE TRUNK. THE CONTACT LOCKED THE KEYS IN THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO ACCESS THE TRUNK. THE CONTACT HAD TO GO HOME TO RETRIEVE A SPARE SET OF KEYS TO UNLOCK THE TRUNK. THE CONTACT FELT THIS WAS A SAFETY RISK FOR CHILDREN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NO TOP TETHER ANCHOR AVAILABLE FOR CHILD CAR SEAT. GM REFUSES TO RETROFIT AND SAYS THAT THERE IS NO RETROFIT KIT AVAILABLE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A BULLETIN IN MARCH 2012 THAT SAYS THAT THEY WILL RETROFIT ONE FOR FREE. UNABLE TO SAFETY TRANSPORT MY CHILD. *TR

MULTIPLE CRACKING ON SIDEWALLS OF 4 MICHELIN HARMONY TIRES BEING USED 3000 MILES A YEAR. TIRES BOUGHT IN 2007 AND HAVE 99% OF TREAD STILL PRESENT ON TIRE. FEEL MICHELIN USED INSUFFICIENT UV/OZONE INHIBITOR CHEMICALS IN RUBBER COMPOUND MANUFACTURING THESE TIRES. TIRES MAY BE UNSAFE AND NOT DUE TO CAR OWNER'S FAULT. FEEL MICHELIN SHOULD REPLACE THESE AT THEIR EXPENSE, NOT MY MOTHER'S EXPENSE. TIRES SHOULD LAST MUCH LONGER THAN 7-8 YEARS AT 3000 MILES A YEAR WHEN 80,000 IS ADVERTISED FOR THESE TIRES.

I BRING IN MY TIRES FOR AIR PRESSURE, AND TELL ME " THAT THE TIRES CRACKING". *NM

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC THE CONSUMER PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND APPLIED THE BRAKES AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT. NLM

WHEN BACKING VEHICLE UP WITH FOOT ON THE BRAKE IT SUDDENLY TOOK OFF. HAS HAPPENED 8 DIFFERENT TIMES. TOOK TO DEALER AT LEAST 3 TIMES FOR SUDDEN ACCELERATION. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT & THE MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE THE CAUSE EACH TIME. *AK *ML

1998 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM. I BURNED OUT MY 3RD A/C BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR SINCE 2001. THIS TIME THE HARNESS STARTED MELTING EXPOSING BARE WIRES AND SMOKING. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THAT I CAME CLOSE TO HAVING A FIRE. A CALL TO THE GM DEALER FOUND THAT THEY ARE SOLD OUT OF THE PIGTAIL NEEDED FOR REPAIR. THE PART MUST BE IN SUBSTANCIAL DEMAND. I WAS ADVISED THAT IT WOULD NEED TO BE SPECIAL ORDERED FROM THE FACTORY. BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO GIVE A TIME FRAME. THEY WERE ALSO AWARE OF THE FREQUENT RESISTOR MODULE BURN OUTS. I HAVE SAVED THE OLD WIRE AND RESISTOR IF NEEDED FOR INSPECTION. I DID NOTICE THAT THE NEWEST MODULES ARE DESIGNED DIFFERENTLY. THIS DID NOT PREVENT THE HIGH SPEED WIRE FROM BURNING.*AK

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

MY CAR HAS HAD A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH MY FUEL INJECTIONS, SPECIFICALLY INJECTIONS 3 AND 4. NUMBER 3 HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND 4 ONCE. THIS STARTED 11/14/2001 WITH THE MOST CURRENT HAPPENING ON 11/12/2003 AFTER SUPPOSEDLY BEING REPAIRED ON 11/5/2003 AND 10/17/2003. I HAVE SPOKE TO GM ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITH THE SAME RESPONSE. BECAUSE MY CAR NOW HAS 98,200 MILES ON THEY CAN'T HELP ME. THE FIRST TIME THAT THE INJECTIONS STARTED TO GIVE ME A PROBLEM IT WAS COVERED UNDER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND AT THAT TIME I ONLY HAD 64,047 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE THAT THE INJECTIONS ARE PRODUCING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS BUT TO DATE THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL DONE. I'M SPENDING A LOT OF MONEY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT APPARENTLY CAN'T BE FIXED. I THINK SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. *LA

THE VEHICLE DRIFTED TO THE LEFT, NOISES SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN COMING FROM THE STEERING, THE POWER STEERING LOCKED UP, THE RACK AND PINION HAD GONE OUT AND LEAKED, THE A/C CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE, THE SEAT BELT BUTTON LATCH HAD FALLEN AND THE BUTTON WAS MISSING, THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS OUT OF SPECIFICS, THE DRIVER DOOR WAS HARD TO OPEN, THE PANEL HAD MOVED WHEN THE WINDOW WAS ROLLED DOWN, THE POWER WINDOW(S) WERE INOPERATIVE, THE SHIFTER GOES IN AND OUT, THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR EXTERIOR TRIM WAS HARD TO OPEN, THE PASSENGERS SEAT COUSHIN WAS TOO SOFT AND HAD COLLAPSED, AND THE DOOR'S MIRROR WAS LOOSE. THE SERVICE DEALER HAD FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING. SCC

TRANSMISSION HOUSING FAILED. NLM