1999 Buick Century Electrical Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SHIFT GEAR BOARD AND ODOMETER LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FOUNTAIN BUICK (8701 S ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL A, ORLANDO, FL 32809) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

NHTSA ID

11040328

Incident

Oct 31, 2012

Mileage

106,000 mi

1) NEED HEADLIGHT ADJUSTMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR A KNOWN RECALL. 2) EVERY DOOR WINDOW MOTOR IN THE BUICK FAILED ON EACH WINDOW PREVENTING THE WINDOWS FROM LOWERING IF IN THE UP POSITION OR PREVENTED THE WINDOWS FROM RAISING IF IN A LOWERED POSITION. THE WINDOWS HAD TO BE DUCT TAPED SHUT IN ORDER TO PREVENT RAIN FROM ENTERING THE VEHICLE CAB AND THE FAILURES HAPPENED OVER 2015 TO 2016 AND EACH HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH NEW MOTORS. THERE ARE LARGE NUMBERS OF BUICK OWNERS ACROSS THE INTERNET COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ISSUE BUT I DON'T BELIEVE BUICK EVER ISSUED A RECALL BUT I BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE. IF THIS ISN'T A RECALL, IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLES EXPERIENCING THIS KNOWN FAILURE. THE CLOSEST BUICK DEALER TO US IS SAM LEMAN CHEVROLET BUICK, 1040 WEST CENTER ST., EUREKA, IL. 309-467-2351.

NHTSA ID

11039787

Incident

Jul 1, 2016

Mileage

50,000 mi

I NEVER WAS INFORMED OF ANY RECALLS ON MY 1999 BUICK CENTURY. NOW I SEE ALL THE ADVERTISEMENTS ON TELEVISION, IN THE PAPER, ONLINE THAT THE CAR CAN BURN UP. BRAKES, STEERING, IGNITION. WHICH WAS REPAIRED FOR 400 DOLLARS. MY ENGINE WARNING LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY, AND THEY CAN'T FIND WHAT'S GOING ON. ONCE, IT JUST COMPLETELY STOPPED.

NHTSA ID

10594028

Incident

Mar 5, 2014

Mileage

150 mi

I'VE HAD MY BUICK CENTURY FOR ABOUT 5 YEARS NOW, OVER THE YEARS THE QUALITY OF MY CAR HAS SERIOUSLY DETERIORATED. MOST OF MY PROBLEMS ARE ELECTRICAL. WHEN I START MY CAR - NOT ONLY DOES IT LIKE TO TRY AND START ON IT'S OWN WHEN I PUT MY KEY INTO ACCESSORY (BATTERY MODE). THIS HAS MADE ME GO THROUGH ABOUT 3 STARTERS INCLUDING IT'S ORIGINAL, BUT ONCE IT HAS STARTED I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO POWER. EVENTUALLY IT WILL COME ON. DURING THE SUMMER WITH THE HEAT IT SEEMS LIKE IT NEVER WANTS TO WORK. IT WILL USUALLY START WITH NO PROBLEMS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. BUT NOW WITH WINTER COMING I AM SEEING THAT ELECTRICAL ISSUES ARE CONTINUING, WHEREAS THE ELECTRICITY DOES NOT COME ON. I HAVE NO RADIO, NO SPEEDOMETER, NO GAS, NO MILEAGE, NOTHING. MY HEAT IS ALSO NOT COMING ON. THE FUSE BOX SWITCH SEEMS TO BE BLOWN OR SOMETHING EVERY FUSE THAT GOES INTO THE FUSE SOCKET FOR THE BLOWER MOTOR OR RELAY POPS AND NO LONGER WORKS. ALONG WITH THIS I HAD A FUSE FIRE IN MY CAR (I THINK). IT HAPPENED IN MY DOOR WHEN I WAS ROLLING MY WINDOWS DOWN ONE DAY. EVER SINCE THEN MY WINDOWS DO NOT WORK THE SAME, AND OVER TIME THEY DO NOT WORK AT ALL. I'VE CHANGED THE CONTROLLER TWICE AND IT DOESN'T WORK. ALONG WITH THE WINDOW ISSUES- WHEN MY CONTROLLER DID WORK- MY WINDOWS LIKED TO GET STUCK. YOU COULD ROLL THEM DOWN BUT THEY WOULD NOT COME BACK UP. ONE WINTER I WAS DRIVING HOME I HAD AN HOUR LONG DRIVE AND 5 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW ROLLED DOWN ALL ON ITS OWN AND WAS STUCK. LUCKILY IT WAS JUST VERY COLD AND NOT SNOWING. ALL OF THESE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN ADDING ON OVER THE YEARS. THE FIRST PROBLEM THAT I EVER HAD WAS THE FUSE FIRE IN MY WINDOW. MY NEXT ISSUE OF CONCERN IS THE FLOODING THAT IS HAPPENING IN MY CAR. IT ONLY OCCURS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR ON THE FLOOR. THERE SEEMS TO BE ABSOLUTELY NO SOURCE FOR WHERE THIS WATER IS COMING FROM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10484029

Incident

May 15, 2009

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE (1999 GM BUICK CENTURY ,120,000 MILES) ON AT LEAST 10 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS IN THE PAST 2 YEARS THE VEHICLE ENGINE HAS STALLED AND ALL ELECTRICAL POWER IS LOST. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, IT HAS HAPPENED ON CITY STREETS AT 45 MPH.AFTER THE VEHICLE STOPS IT CAN BE RESTARTED. THERE ARE NO WARNING INDICATORS DISPLAYED BEFORE OR AFTER. INITIALLY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON AND THERE WERE NO CODE DIAGNOSTICS INDICATING A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED 3 TIMES. THE GAS CAP, CRANK SENSOR HAVE BEEN REPLACED AND THE COMPUTER REFLASHED. THE VEHICLE NOW MAINTAINS A CONSTANT SMALL EVAP LEAK WARNING CODE AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON ALTHOUGH THE SERVICE MECHANICS CANNOT FIND ANY ASSOCIATED LEAK PROBLEM AND THE CAR DRIVES PERFECT EXCEPT FOR THE INTERMITTENT AND SUDDEN ENGINE STALL AND SUDDEN LOSS OF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER . THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED ON 2 OCCASIONS SINCE THE LAST SERVICE ENCOUNTER. MY INTERNET SEARCHES INDICATE THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM THAT FEW BUICK OWNERS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESOLVE FOR MANY YEARS. I THINK THE SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND ELECTRICAL POWER FOR STEERING, BRAKES, LIGHTS AT ANY SPEED WITHOUT WARNING WARRANTS INVESTIGATION. WHEN THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT ON THE ROAD - SUDDENLY NO ONE CAN SEE YOU STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10306590

Incident

Dec 1, 2009

Mileage

110,000 mi

WHEN THE CONSUMER USES THE HORN THE HORN STICKS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10094727

Incident

Aug 8, 2004

Mileage

89,000 mi

THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER SIDE REGULATOR CABLE SNAPPED. PH SCC

NHTSA ID

8024016

Incident

Aug 9, 2002

Mileage

38,000 mi

THE AC DELCO BATTERY FAILED, THE CONNECTIONS BROKE CAUSING ACID TO LEAK OUT. *MJS

NHTSA ID

557950

Incident

Oct 4, 2000

COULD NOT DRIVE IN DRIVE, REPLAC TRANSMISSION, WHEN GOT CAR BACK NOT DASH OR BACK LIGHTS ALSO THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER STOPPING

NHTSA ID

9001715

Incident

Aug 24, 1999

CAR WOULD NOT START, ENGINE FROZE UP IN THE GARAGE, THE TEMPATURE IS NEVER 60, PUT DRY GAS IN TANK AND AFTER CAR WARMED UP IT CRANKED. ALSO THE HORN IS HARD TO LOCATE IN AN EMERGENCY EVENT.

NHTSA ID

9000610

HORN IS DIFFICULT TO SOUND AND SOMETIMES THE FIRST ATTEMPT FAILS, DESIGN FLAW. *MJS

NHTSA ID

550520

THE WAY THE HORN IS ASSEMBLED MAKES IT HARD TO PRESS. WHEN BEING PRESSED, IT MUST BE PRESSED VERY HARD TO GET IT TO SOUND. DEALER HAS BENN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

853794

CONSUMER STATES THAT HORN IS NOT LOUD ENOUGH, AND THIS IS A SAFETY MATTER. .DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THEY COULD DO NOTHING BECAUSE THE AIR BAG IS ALSO UNDER THE WHEEL. *AK

NHTSA ID

845798

Incident

Jun 16, 1999

AIR DAM DEFLECTOR ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED TOO LOW, IT HITS BOTTOM ON A LOT OF DIPS AND BUMPS IN THE ROAD SURFACE. MJS

NHTSA ID

546112

WHEN DRIVING AND TRYING TO USE THE HORN, IT IS HARD TO LOCATE THE SPOT WHERE THE HORN IS, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE HORN. *AK

NHTSA ID

835580

Incident

Feb 1, 1999