Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Buick Century submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 15 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE DRIVERS WINDOW WILL GO DOWN WHEN YOU PUT KEY IN IGNITION RIGHT BEFORE YOU START VEHICLE. AFTER IT GOES DOWN YOU MUST WAIT 10 SECONDS OR SO AND YOU CAN PUT WINDOW UP. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE MY 2007 CHEVY TRAILBLAZER IS BEING RECALLED FOR. BUT THE BUICK CENTURY IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. *TR
DEFECTIVE MOTOR & REGULATOR FOR THE WINDOW MOTORS - ALL FOUR. DRIVERS WINDOW FELL DOWN, REAR PASSENGER FELL DOWN, NOW THE REAR DRIVERS WINDOW FELL DOWN. MANUFACTURER SAYS THIS IS ONLY A PROBLEM IN THE WEST - AZ & TX, NOT A RECALL ITEM. THE PRICE TO REPAIR IS $600.00 EACH. I AM RETIRED AND CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THIS. ALL OF THE BUICK CENTURY'S IN THIS AREA ARE FALLING DOWN. ALMOST EVERY ONE IS TAPED UP AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. MY GRANDDAUGHTER JUST HAD ALL 4 OF HER WINDOW MOTORS REPLACED. CAN SOMETHING BE DONE ABOUT THIS? *TR
BRAKE SYSTEM / ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED/ ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. REPLACED ABS HUB SYSTEM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK CENTURY. THE VEHICLE'S INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED AT LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON A BRAND NEW ENGINE. THE CONTACT SMELLED ANTI-FREEZE AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO CONDUCTED PRESSURE TESTING. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE MANIFOLD GASKET. IT IS A REPLACEMENT ENGINE AND IT IS DEMONSTRATING THE SAME FAILURE AS THE ORIGINAL ENGINE THAT WAS REPLACED AT 35,000 MILES BY ARBITRATION ORDER. BUICK HAS REFUSED TO PAY FOR ANY FAILED COMPONENTS CONCERNING THIS MOTOR, INCLUDING REPLACING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CONVERTER WAS PLUGGED FROM THE ORIGINAL MOTOR FAILURE ALONG WITH THE SUBSEQUENT FAILURE FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON THE NEW MOTOR. THE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR FAILED IN JANUARY OF 2007 FOR THE SECOND TIME. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 145,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
SUBJECT OF COMPLAINT IS THE POWER WINDOWS ON OUR 2001 BUICK CENTURY. I'M A MECHANIC AND DO MY BEST TO KEEP THIS CAR IN TOP SHAPE. BUT GM USED SOME VERY CRAPPY MATERIALS WHEN BUILDING THE POWER WINDOW REGULATORS. THE SYSTEM WORKS FINE UNTIL A SMALL PLASTIC PART THAT HOLDS THE OPERATING CABLES TOGETHER BREAKS. THIS PIECE PROBABLY COST THE GENERAL ABOUT $.05 TO MAKE AND IS NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH GM DEALERS. INSTEAD YOU HAVE TO BUY A COMPLETE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR ASSY. WITH MOTOR FOR BETWEEN $ 325.00- $400.00 DEPENDING ON WHICH DEALER YOU TALK TO. I'M NOW REPLACING THE THIRD REGULATOR ASSY. ON THIS CAR WITH ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON IT AND ALL WERE BROKEN IN THE SAME WAY. ALL ON DIFFERENT DOORS. *NM
WINDSHIELD WIPERS STAY STRAIGHT UP/DOWN. THEY DON'T REST IN THE PROPER PLACE. *JB
CONSUMER TURNED ON HIGH BEAM IN 2001 BUICK CENTURY AND ALL LIGHTING FAILED INSIDE VEHICLE AND OUTSIDE. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WAS A SWITCH THAT WAS SHORTENING OUT THE HEADLIGHTS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST TIME SHE HAD A SWITCH REPLACED, IT WAS DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *JB
CONSUMER 2001 BUICK CENTURY ELECTRICAL AND COOLING ARE DEFECTIVE. MASTER WINDOW SWITCH LOCK STUCK, ANTI FREEZE LEAK, COOLANT LIGHT REMAINS ON, FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. *TS THE DOME LIGHTS AND BACK UP LIGHTS, AND TAG LIGHT WERE ALL INOPERATIVE. THE CONSUMER STATED ALL THE BULBS WERE CHANGED, HOWEVER IT DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE INTAKE GASKET LEAKED. *JB
DT: CONSUMER OWNED A 2001 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM. CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT SEVERAL PROBLEMS. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS CONCERNED THE ABS LIGHT COMING ON. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE YEARS. THE ABS LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THEN GO BACK OFF. HAD NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO SEE WHAT PROBLEM WAS. THE LAST TIME THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON WAS ON AUGUST 1, 2005, THIS TIME THE LIGHT STAYED ON. ALSO, ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ABS LIGHT. IN ADDITION, TRACK LIGHT CAME ON. ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE WAS THAT WHEN TIRES WERE SERVICED THE LOW TIRE LIGHT CAME ON . THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE WHEEL WAS REMOVED FROM VEHICLE. ANOTHER PROBLEM CONCERNED THE POWER WINDOW. CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT THE PASSENGER'S REAR WINDOW WAS FALLING DOWN BY ITSELF, THE DEALER SAID THAT THE REGULATOR BROKE. CONSUMER DID NOT WANT POWER WINDOWS. HE WANTED ROLL UP WINDOWS WHICH WERE TROUBLE FREE.*AK
DT: CONSUMER OWNS A 2001 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM. CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT SEVERAL PROBLEMS. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS CONCERNED THE ABS LIGHT COMING ON. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THE ABS LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THEN GO BACK OFF. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO SEE WHAT PROBLEM WAS ON AUGUST 1, 2005 WHEN THE LIGHT STAYED ON. ALSO, SERVICE VEHICLE LIGHT/TRAC LIGHT CAME ON IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ABS LIGHT. ANOTHER PROBLEM CONCERNED THE LOW TIRE LIGHT COMING ON . THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE WHEEL WAS REMOVED FROM VEHICLE. ANOTHER PROBLEM CONCERNED THE POWER WINDOW. CONSUMER WENT TO DEALER, AND TOLD HIM THAT THE PASSENGER'S REAR WINDOW WAS FALLING DOWN BY ITSELF, THE DEALER SAID THAT THE REGISTER BROKE. CONSUMER DID NOT WANT POWER WINDOWS. HE WANTED ROLL UP WINDOWS WHICH WERE TROUBLE FREE. THE ABS BRAKE SENSOR WIRING HARNESS TO THE RIGHT FRONT HUB WAS DISCOVERED BY CONSUMER VISUALLY HANGING DOWN ON AUGUST 11, 2005. UPON INSPECTION AT GOODYEAR. TECHNICIAN STATED WIRING HARNESS HAD BEEN PULLED OFF POSSIBLY BY ROAD DEBRIS ALTHOUGH CONSUMER DIDN'T SEE ANY CUT, ABRASION, OR IMPACT. HUB ASSEMBLY REQUIRED TO REPLACEMENT BECAUSE ABS SENSOR WIRING DAMAGED IN HUB. *AK
THE WINDSHIELD WAS DESIGNED IMPROPERLY. *DT *JB
WHEN CHANGING GEARS VEHICLE REALLY FEELS ROUGH. CONSUMER CAN FEEL TRANSMISSION MOVING LIKE SOMETHING IS BROKEN. *AK.WHEN IN FIRST AND REVERSE GEAR THE VEHICLE WILL NOT HOLD ON GRADE AT IDLE. THE ENGINE RACES AND DISENGAGES ITSELF FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND THUNKS INTO GEAR. THE ENGINE FEELS FUNNY WHEN RESUMING ACCELERATION FROM COAST SPEED AS THOUGH IT IS MOVING ON MOUNTS. THE ENGINE FEELS AS IF IT WILL CUT OFF. THERE IS A WHINE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE CABIN CONTAINERS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN. STEERING COLUMN AND CASING GIVES SLIGHT MOVEMENT DURING ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. THIS WAS PARTIALLY CORRECTED BY REPLACEMENT OF THE BALL JOINT TIE ROD END (RIGHT SIDE). THERE ARE EXHAUST FUMES BEING EMMITTED INTO THE CABIN. POSSIBLE DEFECT WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR. THE OIL DRAIN PLUG SHOWS SIGNS OF LEAKING. ALSO, THE BRAKES SEEM UNDER POWERED. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE INFORMATION OF POSSIBLE RECALLS ON PARTS MENTIONED ABOVE, ALSO THE WINDSHILED WASHER FLUID DISAPPEARS AFTER FILLING. JG
COLOR OF THE DASHBOARD, LIGHT GRAY, IS CAUSING A SEVERE GLARE IN WINDSHIELD DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS REGARDLESS OF THE WEATHER. THE DASHBOARD CONTAINS A HORIZONTAL SPLIT THAT RUNS ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE DASHBOARD. THE FORWARD SECTION OF THE DASHBOARD CONTAINS THE AIR (DEFROSTER) GRILL. THIS CAUSES THE GLARE TO CONTAIN REVERSE IMAGES OF THE AIR GRILL AND THE HORIZONTAL SPLIT LINE. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND INFORMED CONSUMER NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM. *AK *JG
WINDSHIELD GLARE FROM DASHBOARD, HORN DIFFICULT TO LOCATE AND HARD TO OPERATE, TRUNK LID HEIGHT BLOCKS VIEW WHEN BACKING UP, DEFROSTER CLEARS CENTER OF WINDSHIELD AND FINALLY DRIVER'S SIDE DUE TO SMALL VENT AND FALSE CODE GIVES SERVICE ENGINE READING REQUIRING DEALER REPROGRAMMING. *AK
WINDSHIELD REFLECTS DASHBOARD MATING SURFACES AT EYELEVEL, OBSTRUCTS VISION ACROSS COMPLETE WINDSHIELD CROSS SECTION BY APPROXIMATELY 4 TO 6 INCHES HIGH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VIEWING AREA. CANNOT ADJUST SEAT TO MOVE EYE LEVEL AND AVOID OBSTRUCTED VISION AREA. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN ALL LIGHT CONDITIONS. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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