1999 Buick Century Visibility Problems

I HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET TWICE. MECHANIC INDICATED THE FIRST TIME THAT THE COOLANT MIGHT BE THE CAUSE FOR THE GASKET DETERIORATION. WHEN REPLACED THE SECOND TIME, THE GASKET WAS (I BELIEVE) A METAL RATHER THAN PLASTIC OR RUBBER AND THE COOLANT WAS GREEN. SO FAR, SO GOOD. BOTH REPLACEMENTS COST $1000+. RECENTLY HAD BRAKES REPLACED AND WAS TOLD THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1100. THE CAR RUNS WELL, BUT HAS SERIOUS RUST ON THE RAIL BELOW THE DOORS. NOT SURE I SHOULD SPEND THAT MUCH ON A 16 YR OLD CAR. I'VE ALSO HAD TO HAVE A MOTOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW REPAIRED. THAT SEEMS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL, TOO.

NHTSA ID

10721329

Incident

Mar 18, 2015

Mileage

78,000 mi

INTERIOR REAR-VIEW MIRROR HAS DEVELOPED SOME KIND OF DARK BROWN OIL LEAK INSIDE THE (AUTO-DIMMING) MIRROR. IT HAS DECREASED VISIBILITY IN THE MIRROR TO NEARLY ZERO. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH THIS MIRROR SINCE IT IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE HAVING NO REAR-VIEW MIRROR. JUST TODAY I HAD TWO OR THREE NEAR-INCIDENTS ON ROADS I NEVER HAD A PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING OTHER CARS WHICH HAVE FUNCTIONING REAR-VIEW MIRRORS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10292646

Incident

Nov 17, 2009

Mileage

100,000 mi

IN JUNE OF 2007 THE RIGHT REAR MOTOR FOR ELECTRIC WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING. THEN IN SEPTEMBER OF 2007 THE LEFT REAR MOTOR FOR ELECTRIC WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING. THESE WERE BOTH REPLACED IN EARLY 2008. SHORTLY AFTER REPLACEMENT OF THESE MOTORS THE FRONT DRIVERS WINDOW MOTOR STOPPED WORKING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10246032

Incident

Jun 1, 2007

WINDOWS JUST STOP WORKING PROPERLY THE WILL ROLL DOWN BUT NOT BACK UP. CONTINUOUS PROBLEM I.E. EACH WINDOW FAILED OVER LIFE OF CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10235050

Incident

Jul 3, 2008

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE RIGHT FRONT WINDOW'S IS INOP.. REPLACED BROKEN REGULATOR CABLES. I WOULD HAVE JUST EXCEPTED THIS NORMAL ON DAY OF REPAIR,AUG 29 2007, BUT THE LEFT REAR SIDE WINDOW BECAME INOP. ON JAN 3 2008 AND ON JAN 21 2008 THE RIGHT REAR SIDE WINDOW BECAME INOP.(BOTH WITH THE SAME SYMPTOMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10224436

Incident

Aug 29, 2007

Mileage

61,532 mi

ALL THE POWER WINDOWS WILL NOT WORK. I HAD THE DRIVER'S WINDOW REPAIRED AT A COST OF $325.00. IT WORKED FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR, AND NOW SOMETIMES IT WILL ROLL DOWN. MOST CERTAINLY THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THESE WINDOWS. THE OTHER WINDOWS WERE OCCASIONALLY USED, SO I KNOW THAT THEY WERE NOT WORN OUT. I AM NOT GOING TO PAY TO GET THEM FIXED BECAUSE I DON'T USE THEM. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED? *AK

NHTSA ID

10191191

Incident

May 18, 2007

Mileage

50,000 mi

WINDOW REGULATOR FAILURE. THIS IS MY SECOND COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THE LAST OF FOUR WINDOWS REGULATORS HAS FAILED IN A YEAR''S TIME. A PLASTIC OR NYLON CLIP THAT HOLDS THE TWO CABLE ENDS BECOMES BRITTLE AND GIVES WAY. THE WINDOW THEN IS UNSUPPORTED AND FALLS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TRACK. FIRST THE DRIVE WINDOW FAILED. THIS IN MY OPINION IS A SAFETY AND SECURITY HAZARD AND THE DRIVER IS THEN EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS, COLD, RAIN, ETC. THE SAME GOES FOR PASSENGERS. THE PASSENGER WINDOW FAILED WITHIN MONTHS AFTER, FOLLOWED BY THE REAR LEFT WINDOW AND NOW THE REAR RIGHT WINDOW. THIS WINDOW REGULATOR IS COMMON ACROSS ALL GM MODELS IN THIS CHASSIS TYPE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10183080

Incident

Dec 27, 2006

Mileage

90,000 mi

REAR POWER WINDOW FAILED WHILE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. WINDOW CONTROL WAS PUSHED BY ACCIDENT AND WHEN PUSHED AGAIN TO BRING WINDOW BACK UP, A LOUD "POPPING" NOISE WAS HEARD AND WINDOW REFUSED TO STAY UP. SERVICE DEPT. AT DEALER DETERMINED A NEW REGULATOR WAS NEEDED. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME POWER WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE, AS BOTH REAR WINDOWS FAILED WHILE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. VEHICLE VERY RARELY HAS ANY BACKSEAT PASSENGERS, SO THESE WINDOWS GET VERY LITTLE TO NO ROUTINE USE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10174654

Incident

Nov 18, 2006

Mileage

91,000 mi

WINDOW REGULATORS, IN THIS LAST TWELVE MONTHS, THE DRIVER, PASSENGER AND TODAY REAR PASSENGER WINDOW REGULATORS HAVE FAILED. A NYLON CLIP HOLDS THE TWO ENDS OF THE CABLING. THE PART BREAKS, THEN WINDOW DROP TO THE DOWN POSITION. THE ENTIRE WINDOW REGULATOR ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A SAFETY & SECURITY RELATED ISSUES AS THE DRIVER IS THEN EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS OR DISTRACTED BY THE PASSENGERS WHO ARE EXPOSED. THE ELEMENTS BEING COLD, RAINS, SLEET, WIND, ETC. THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE SECURED WITH THE WINDOW DOWN. THE PART THAT FAILS NEEDS TO BE STRENGTHENED AND OF MADE OF METAL. *JB

NHTSA ID

10174271

Incident

Nov 26, 2006

Mileage

85,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT PASSENGER AND REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOWS FELL DOWN AND WOULD NOT STAY UP. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE REGULATORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10173639

Incident

Oct 18, 2006

Mileage

41,000 mi

1999 BUICK CENTURY. HAVE HAD TO REPLACE POWER WINDOWS 6 DIFFERENT TIMES ON 2 WINDOWS. LEFT FRONT POWER WINDOW MOTOR TWICE. HAVE HAD TO REPLACE RIGHT REAR POWER WINDOW MOTOR TWICE PLUS THE REGULATOR. THE RIGHT REAR POWER WINDOW HAS GONE AGAIN AND THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME. I HAVE TIRE PLUS DO THE LEFT FRONT WINDOW AND THE DEALER WORKING ON THE RIGHT REAR. THE DEALER STATES THERE IS ONLY A 12,000 OR ONE YEAR WARRANTY SO I HAVE TO KEEP PAYING FOR THESE REPAIRS EVERY ONE TO TWO YEARS. ONE MECHANIC SAID THE PART WAS RUSTING. THAT INDICATES WATER BUT WHY CAN'T THEY FIX THE PROBLEM WITH THE WATER CAUSING THEM TO RUST RATHER THAN ME PAYING $300 EACH TIME WHEN THE MOTOR FINALLY RUSTS OUT?

NHTSA ID

10124280

Incident

Jun 6, 2005

Mileage

66,000 mi

BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW. HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS NOT OPERATING. IN JUNE, DRIVERS WINDOW FELL DOWN AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. MECHANIC REPLACED ENTIRE WINDOW MECHANISM. THREE WEEKS LATER LEFT REAR WINDOW BEGIN TO FALL WHILE DRIVING. DROVE TO DEALERSHIP WHERE MECHANIC TAPED WINDOW UP AND HE SAID THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM BUT THOUGHT IT WAS WITH ALL MAKES/MODELS NOT JUST BUICK. THE ORIGINAL REPAIR ON FRONT WINDOW WAS $440. TO REPAIR REAR WINDOW WOULD BE THE SAME. MY HUSBAND HAS DISCONNECTED SWITCH AND TEMPORARY FIXED WINDOW UP. NOW THE REMAINING TWO WINDOWS SELDOM OPERATE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10093513

Incident

Jun 15, 2004

Mileage

70,190 mi

1999 BUICK CENTURY, BOUGHT NEW, CURRENTLY HAS 22,000 MILES. FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED AT APPROXIMATELY 19,000 MILES. PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW STOPPED FUNCTIONING DUE TO WORN OUT PLASTIC GRASP. DEALER EXPLAINED THAT IS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT HAS NEVER BEEN RECALLED. 400 DOLLARS TO FIX!! NOW THE OTHER 3 WINDOWS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER WANTS 1200 DOLLARS TO PUT IN THE SAME PLASTIC GRAPS!!!! HELP. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043441

Incident

Oct 3, 2003

CONSUMER STATES 3 OF THE 4 WINDOW MECHANISMS BROKE WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER. THE WINDOWS WERE STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION. CONSUMER PAID $700.00 IN REPAIRS. *AK *CB *JB

NHTSA ID

10027153

Incident

Jul 1, 2003

Mileage

180,000 mi

THE REAR POWER WINDOWS MOTOR FAILED WHICH CAUSED THE WINDOW TO BE INOPERATIVE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10017896

Incident

Mar 30, 2000

Mileage

2,000 mi

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD.*JB VEHICLE'S WINDSHIELD BUILDS UP A FILM MAKING IT HARD FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE OUT OF.*MR

NHTSA ID

10011118

POWER WINDOWS FAIL AND WILL "GO DOWN" WHILE DRIVING WITH NO WARNING. UNABLE TO CLOSE THE WINDOWS AS THEY ARE "OFF THE TRACK". THIS THE 4TH WINDOW THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. THE 3RD HAPPENED 4 DAYS PRIOR TO THE 4TH. THE 1ST AND 2ND HAPPENED SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE. REPAIRS ARE OVER $425.00 PER WINDW. I HAD BEEN INFORMED THEY ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY I HAD PURCHASED. AT THIS TIME ALL 4 WINDOW HAVE FAILED. TWO HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AT MY COST. THE OTHER TWO I AM NOT ABLE TO REPAIR AT THIS TIME DUE TO THE EXPENSE.

NHTSA ID

10007851

Incident

Nov 16, 2002

CONSUMER EXPERIENCES POOR VISIBILITY THROUGH WINDSHIELD ,ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT TIME AND DURING RAIN. WHEN HEADLIGHTS SHINE ONTO WINDSHIELD VIEW BECOMES OPAQUE , AND CONSUMER CAN OT SEE CENTER OR EDGE LINES ON THE ROAD. TS....*AK

NHTSA ID

10001829

Incident

Nov 1, 2002

DRIVER AND REAR DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOWS CEASED TO OPERATE. *YH PLEASE REFER TO ATTACHED COPY OF THE LETTER SENT 10/11/2002 WHICH SETS OUT INFORMATION ABOUT TWO PREVIOUS POWER WINDOW FAILURES ON THE ABOVE IDENTIFIED VEHICLE. BOTH OF THEM HAD TO BE REPLACED AT #391.87. AND SURELY A THIRD POWER WINDOW FAILED IT IS OBVIOUSLY A PRODUCT FAILURE AND MATTERS NEED TO BE RESOLVED. *CB

NHTSA ID

568010

Incident

Aug 1, 2002

CONSUMER DISCOVERED CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRES DUE TO THEM BEING DRY ROTTED, ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE UPPER STRUT MOUNT WAS LUBRICATED, THE BLOWER RESISTOR IN THE AIR CONDITION WAS REPLACED, THE CARPET WAS REPLACED, AND THERE WAS A WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW.TS *JB

NHTSA ID

8021382

Incident

Sep 1, 2001

Mileage

24,000 mi

HEATED, MONOCHROMATIC GLASS ON MIRROR TURNED DARK YELLOW .*AK

NHTSA ID

760622

Incident

Apr 1, 2002

WINDSHIELD CRACKED WITHOUT JUST CAUSE. CAR WAS PARKED WHEN WINDSHIELD CRACKED. THERE IS NO START OF ORIGIN OR BLEMISH TO BLAME CRACK ON ROCK, BB, ETC. TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC WHO STATED LOOKED LIKE A "STRESS FRACTURE" TO HIM. I WANTED TO REPORT THIS IN CASE THERE WERE OTHER SIMILAR CASES LIKE THIS ONE. THANK YOU.*AK

NHTSA ID

743347

Incident

Mar 27, 2001

WINDOWS FOG UP TOO EASILY, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. 2. NO INSULATION IN FIREWALL, CAUSING LOUD ROAD NOISE , AND DISTRACTING THE DRIVER. *AK

NHTSA ID

858553

THE REFLECTION ON THE WINDSHIELD IS BLOCKING THE DRIVER'S VIEW ESPECIALLY WHEN FACING SUN LIGHT. YH

NHTSA ID

550511

THIS CUSTOMER WAS NOT GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST DRIVE THIS VEHICLE BEFORE PURCHASE. THIS CAR IS "UNSAFE " TO DRIVE. THE WHY'S ARE LISTED BELOW. MYM BASIC COMPLAINT IS THE CONSTANT ANNOYING REFLECTIONS IN THE WINDSHIELD AND EVEN MAKES IT DIFFERCULT TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD UNDER CERTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS. SOME OF MY EXPERIENCES AND EXAMPLES. STOPPING AND CROSSING A ELEVATED RAILROAD TRACKS. VERY DIFFERCULT TO DISTINGUISH A HOROZONTAL REFERENCE LINE RELATED TO THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND THE HOROZONTAL LINE ON THE WINDSHIELD IN THE BOTTOM THIRD OF THE WINDSHIELD RESULTING FROM THE REFLECTION OFF THE TOP OF THE LARGE DASHBOARD SURFACE. CONSTRUCTION CONES LOCATED ALONG THE SIDE OF ROADWAY, DIFERCULT TO DISTINGUISH THEIR ASSIGNED LOCATIONS. WHEN USING FULL DEPTH OF THE SUN VISOR, YOUR ONE THIRD SEE THRU AREA OF THE WINDSHIELD IS CONTAMINATED WITH THE FULL ANNOYING REFLECTIONS FROM THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD. IN NY STATE, THE VEHICLE REGISTRATION, AND THE INSPECTION CERTIFICATE MUST BE ATTACHED TO THE LOWER LEFT HAND CORNER OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THESE TWO STICKERS COVER A 7X3 INCH SURFACE AREA. DURING THE DAYLITE HOURS DRIVING, THE REFLECTION FROM THE 7X3 INCH STICKERS IS FURTHER ENLARGED ONTO THE CORNER OF WINDSHIELD AS A LARGE BLACK AREA, RESULTING IN FURTHER LOSS OF SAFE DRIVING WINDSHIELD VISIABILTY SEEING AREA. *AK

NHTSA ID

716600

Incident

Jul 24, 1999