1999 Buick Century Transmission 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

UNSURE IF THIS IS AN ACTUAL SAFETY PROBLEM BUT IT RELATES TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FOR OUR 1999 BUICK CENTURY. SINCE THE PROBLEM COULD RENDER THE CAR UNABLE TO MOVE AT ANY TIME, I WOULD CLASSIFY IT AS A SAFETY PROBLEM. OUR SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MILES BACK. WE CHECKED EVERYTHING WE COULD AND FINALLY HAD THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE SERVICE CODE MEANT THAT A TRANSMISSION COMPONENT WAS SLIPPING. I FIND THAT VERY TROUBLING SINCE THE CAR HAS ONLY 44,011 MILES. WE WERE ALSO TOLD BY THE SAME SERVICE CENTER THAT A 2000 BUICK CENTURY THAT HAD 45,000 MILES HAD THE SAME PROBLEM ONLY THE DAY BEFORE. IS THERE AN ON-GOING INVESTIGATION INTO THIS PROBLEM? SHOULD THERE BE?

NHTSA ID

10031070

Incident

Aug 6, 2003

Mileage

43,995 mi

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

VEHICLE DRIFTS FORWARD WHEN IN REVERSE AND WHEN BACKING UP AN INCLINE WITH FOOT ON OR OFF THE ACCELERATOR, DEALER INDICATED CONDITION WAS NORMAL. NLM

NHTSA ID

559430

Incident

May 10, 1999

VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS ACCELERATING WHEN IT STOPS AND GOES. CAR SEEMS TO BE RUNNING OUT OF GAS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. *AK

NHTSA ID

846878

Incident

Sep 3, 1999

WHEN PUTTING TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE IT WILL NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *YC CONSUMER WAS TOLD AT THE SHOP THAT THIS WAS A WOMAN THING. *SLC

NHTSA ID

844388

Incident

Dec 15, 1998

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS ON AN INCLINE AND THE TRANSMISSION IS IN "DRIVE" THE VEHICLE WILL RAPIDLY ROLL BACKWARD IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BRAKE IS RELEASED. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT INDICATED THAT ALL OF THE NEW BUICKS WILL ROLL BACK WHILE IN DRIVE AND ON AN INCLINE WHEN THE DRIVER RELEASES THE BRAKE AND DOES NOT SIMULTANEOUSLY ACCELERATE. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DEMONSTRATED WITH A VEHICLE OFF OF THE LOT THAT OTHER BUICK CENTURY VEHICLES ALSO RAPIDLY ROLL BACKWARD. THIS ROLL BACK HAS ALSO OCCURRED AT A RISE FOR A RAILROAD CROSSING AND IN THE PARKING LOT NEAR MY PLACE OF BUSINESS. THE DEALERSHIP CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION AND TOLD ME THAT THE CAR WAS OPERATING ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS. NO WARNING OF THE RAPID ROLL BACK PROBLEM IS PRESENT IN THE LITERATURE CONCERNING THE VEHICLE. A SAFETY WARNING NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S INFORMATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE GRADENT LEVEL AT WHICH THE CONSUMER WILL EXPERIENCE THE ROLL BACK SHOULD BE STATED IN THE PRODUCT INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID

710224

Incident

Aug 18, 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