1999 Buick Century Fuel system Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACK OFF WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ABS SENSOR AND OTHER WIRES WERE BOUND BY ELECTRICAL TAPE AND THE FUEL AND BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE MISSING PLUGS WHICH PREVENTED WATER FROM ENTERING THE VEHICLE ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. BOTH THE BRAKE LINE AND THE TRANSMISSION WERE LEAKING FLUIDS. THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FRONT SUB FRAME AND THE FUEL FILLER NECK WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT PART OF THE EXHAUST HANGER WAS MISSING AND THE REMAINING PARTS WERE CORRODED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE FAR TOO COSTLY TO PERFORM ANY REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED MARCH 17, 2010. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,528.

NHTSA ID

10392903

Incident

Mar 6, 2011

Mileage

56,500 mi

CORROSION (RUST THROUGH/FAILURE) OF FRONT/RIGHT METAL BRAKE LINE IN 1999 BUICK CENTURY (9 YR OLD CAR, 96K MILES). THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY MUSHY AND WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID ONTO THE GROUND. THE REPAIR SHOP SAYS IT WAS CAUSED BY CORROSION/RUST THROUGH. THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED AT SOME TIME DURING MY MANEUVER TO AVOID A COLLISION, BUT I DIDN'T NOTICE IT UNTIL AFTER THE INCIDENT, SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT CONTRIBUTED TO THE VERY MINOR CONTACT CAUSED BY THE OTHER VEHICLE ENTERING MY LANE WITHOUT WARNING, BUT I WILL CHECK THE "CRASH" BOX BELOW BECAUSE BRAKE LINE FAILURE HAPPENED SOME TIME DURING A VERY MINOR CRASH (TOUCHING OF TWO CARS). IN THE SEARCH FOR MY NEXT CAR, I NOTICED THAT THE 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY AND COROLLA AS WELL AS HONDA ACCORD APPEAR TO USE "COATED" BRAKE AND GAS LINES TO PREVENT CORROSION FAILURES (COULD SEE A BLACK COATING AND NOT JUST BARE STEEL). FROM NOW ON, I WILL NEVER BUY A VEHICLE THAT DOES NOT HAVE COATED LINES (OR STAINLESS STEEL). COATING THESE LINES (OR USING STAINLESS STEEL) IS SUCH AN EASY SAFETY PRECAUTION. MOST MUFFLER PIPES ARE NOW STAINLESS STEEL, SO WHY IS THE NHTSA NOT MAKING IT MANDATORY FOR MANUFACTURERS TO COAT OR USE S.S. FOR BRAKE LINES AND GAS LINES? *TR

NHTSA ID

10218760

Incident

Feb 19, 2008

Mileage

96,863 mi

DRIVING TO WORK, MY BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO GET SOFT BUT I MADE IT TO WORK SAFELY. AT WORK, I POPPED THE HOOD A FOUND THE BRAKE RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. I HAD NOT NOTICED ANY LEAKS ON MY DRIVEWAY BEFORE SO I WAS CONFUSED AT THIS LEAKAGE. I WAS ABLE TO REFILL THE RESERVIOR AND TESTED MY BRAKES AT LUNCH AND THEY SEEMED BETTER. BUT BEFORE DRIVING HOME I NOTICED THERE WAS A PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR. I DROVE HOME, WITH MY BRAKES GETTING SOFTER AT EACH BRAKE APPLICATION. ONCE HOME THE LEAKING CONTINUED. THE SOURCE OF THE LEAKS IS THE BRAKE LINES RUSTING. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE FUEL VAPOR LINES ARE ALSO RUSTING THROUGH AND LEAKING. RUSTING BRAKE AND FUEL LINES SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. I THINK THERE IS A MANUFACTURED PART DEFECT IN THESE LINES THAT IS ALLOWING THEM TO RUST. *JB

NHTSA ID

10189706

Incident

May 3, 2007

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS NOTICED THE PIPE COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK WAS COMING APART DUE TO CORROSION. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 08/15/06. *JB

NHTSA ID

10158667

Incident

May 31, 2006

Mileage

54,000 mi

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. HE STATES THAT SIX MONTHS AFTER HE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL ON THE HEADLIGHTS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS THERE THEY MAINTENANCE THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE GAS FILLER PIPE HAD DETERIORATED AND THE COOLING SYSTEM INTAKE WAS LEAKING COOLANT. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS ABOUT 50,000 MILES. BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS HAD BLOWN OUT AND THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED ALSO. WYOMING VALLEY MOTORS PO BOX 1308 KINGSTON, PA 18704-0308. HE HAS SPOKEN WITH GM THEY TOLD HIM THEY WOULD GET BACK WITH HIM IN A COUPLE OF DAYS AND THEY DID NOT CONTACT HIM BACK. HE IS NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL AFTER 4:30. THEY TOLD HIM THE GAS FILLER PIPE WAS NORMAL FOR THE VEHICLE. HE SEEN A ARTICLE THAT SAID THEY HAD BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH YEAR FOR THE COOLING SYSTEM. THEY ALSO SAID THE BUSHINGS WAS NORMAL WEAR ON A CAR ALSO. HE DID GO ONTO CARFAX AND IT DID NOT INDICATE ANY TIME OF PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. *JB *NM

NHTSA ID

10129974

Incident

Jun 7, 2005

Mileage

54,189 mi

THE GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONED. IT INDICATED THAT THERE WAS MORE GAS THAN WHAT WAS REALLY IN THE GAS TANK. *AK

NHTSA ID

10076138

Incident

Jun 14, 2004

DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP AT 31000 MILES. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING WITHOUT A WARRANTY. *AK THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. *TS *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10031382

Incident

Jul 29, 2003

Mileage

31,500 mi

NOT A SAFETY ISSUE BUT SURELY A DEFECT - INJECTORS CLOGGING EVERY 7000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

757248

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

FAILURE OF TWO FUEL INJECTORS CAUSING STALLING ACTIONS, BAD GAS REPTITIVELY USED.

NHTSA ID

9005044

Incident

Jul 30, 2001

ENGINE LIGHT IS ACTIVATED, DEALER MECHANICS CANNOT LOCATE SOURCE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

749768

Incident

Jul 26, 2001

DASHBOARD IS CONSTRUCTED OF A SHINNY VINYL MATERIAL WHICH REFLECTS ONTO WINDSHIELD CREATING POOR VISIBILITY. MJS

NHTSA ID

549161