2002 Buick Century Exterior lighting Problems

I was driving at night switched headlights to high beams - few minutes later switched back to low beams and ALL LIGHTS dash and head lights went completely out . Tried to pull head light knob and nothing - pitch black . Luckily i was a short distance from my home. This is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ! I have found 33 complaints (so far) about this same problem. This definitely should qualify and be recalled . PLEASE take IMMEDIATE action . Thank you.

NHTSA ID

11448914

Incident

Jan 24, 2022

TRAVELING AT NIGHT, ONCE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH LIGHTS ON LOW BEAM AND OTHER TIMES IN LIGHT OR NO TRAFFIC WITH LIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM, ALL OUTSIDE LIGHTS GO OUT CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. DOES NOT MATTER IF THE MANUAL SWITCH IS USED OR IF THE LIGHTS ARE ON AUTOMATIC. THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES THEM COME BACK ON IS SWITCHING THE HIGH/ LOW BEAM SWITCH. MILES TRAVELED OR LENGTH OF TIME TRAVELING MAKES NO DIFFERENCE ...RANDOM OCCURRENCE. REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCHES AT A AUTO REPAIR SHOP MADE NO DIFFERENCE.

NHTSA ID

10959934

Incident

Nov 24, 2016

Mileage

85,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, WHEN HIGH-BEAMS WERE TURNED ON THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM WOULD SHUT DOWN LEAVING DRIVER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO VISIBILITY. FORTUNATELY THE HEADLIGHTS DID COME BACK ON AS THE DIMMER SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED AND THE LOW-BEAMS DID COME BACK ON. I CAN ONLY USE MY LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS AS THIS ISSUE HAPPENS MOST TIMES THE SWITCH IS ACTIVATED.

NHTSA ID

10822187

Incident

Nov 27, 2015

HEADLIGHTS GO OUT COMPLETELY FOR A FEW SECONDS UNTIL THE BRIGHT/DIM IS SWITCHED AND THEN COME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED INFREQUENTLY SINCE FALL OF 2014. DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN AT DEALER SERVICE OR WHEN WE TEST LIGHTS AFTER RETURNING HOME. DEALER SAYS CAN'T BE REPAIRED UNTIL THEY CAN GET THE INCIDENT TO REPEAT. LIGHTS ARE FINE FOR A WHILE & WITHOUT WARNING THE SITUATION OCCURS AGAIN. VERY ALARMING! A FRIEND WITH A BUICK REGAL 2002 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10732028

Incident

Sep 24, 2014

Mileage

120,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING INTERMITTENTLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

NHTSA ID

10703095

Incident

Oct 15, 2014

Mileage

51,000 mi

WHEN I BOUGHT MY 2002 BUICK CENTURY IN 2003, I ASKED THE DEALER TO TURN OFF THE DRL ON THE CAR. THEY INSISTED THEY COULD NOT BECAUSE OF MANUFACTURER & HIGHWAY SAFETY LAWS, BUT SAID I COULD CONTACT THE MFG. BUT THAT IT REQUIRED MUCH PAPERWORK & AN EXTENSIVELY SATISFACTORY REASON FOR THIS TO BE DONE, SO I QUIT ASKING. ONCE AGAIN I HAVE DECIDED TO TRY TO GET THE DRL ON MY CAR TURNED OFF, SINCE IT SEEMS TO CAUSE SO MUCH CONFUSION TO ON COMING TRAFFIC WHEN I AM SIGNALING TO CHANGE LANE OR TURN. I CONTACTED BUICK & GOT CUSTOMER SUPPORT REP, THAT HAD NO IDEA WHAT DRL EVEN IS, & DECLINED TO ESCALATE MY CASE UP. AT BEST SHE TOLD ME TO GO TO A DEALER. SO THE DEALER TELLS ME TO GO THE THE MFG. THEN THE MFG TELLS ME TO GO TO THE DEALER. CAN YOU DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME? ALL I WANT IS TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT THE PARKING LIGHTS ON! I THOUGHT IT WAS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE WITH PARKING LIGHTS ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621883

Incident

Aug 12, 2014

INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE TURNED OFF FOR NO REASON OR WARNING. THIS INCLUDES THE DASH LIGHTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS RESULTING IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. FOUR OF THE INSTANCES WERE ON ROADS WITH NO STREETLIGHTS - AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, AND WINDING COUNTRY ROADS. THE ONLY REMEDY SEEMS TO BE TO MOVE THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER, BOTH UP AND DOWN, (TURNING THE CORNERING LIGHTS ON - PROVIDING A MUCH NEEDED SOURCE OF LIGHT), AND BACK AND FORTH, AS IF TURNING THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ON AND OFF. EVENTUALLY, THE LIGHTS SEEM TO COME BACK ON. PULLING AND PUSHING THE DASH MOUNTED LIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF DOES NOT AFFECT THE SITUATION. WHEN MENTIONED TO THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER'S SERVICE WRITER, HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT OR HOW TO APPROACH THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10369507

Incident

Sep 15, 2010

Mileage

51,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HIGH BEAMS HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS HAD BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80000.

NHTSA ID

10362451

Incident

Oct 26, 2010

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING 50-55 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS AUTOMATICALLY ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HIGH BEAMS, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY. SHE HAD TO ACTIVATE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AGAIN IN ORDER FOR THEM TO OPERATE. OCCASIONALLY, THE HIGH BEAMS WILL TURN ON, BUT OTHER TIMES, THEY WILL NOT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED, BUT THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000. UPDATED 05/08/09 *BF UPDATED 05/12/09.*JB UPDATED 06/09/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10265748

Incident

Oct 1, 2008

Mileage

67,000 mi

2002 BUICK CENTURY WITH SEVERAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ELECTRIC WINDOW CONTROLS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. HEADLIGHTS STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH NEEDS REPLACEMENT. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED USING THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR OR THE HIGH BEAMS, APPARENTLY TRIGGERED ALL THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT. THE HEATER CONTROLS DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10222749

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

Mileage

38,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS ON MY 65,000MI 2002 BUICK CENTURY JUST QUIT AND THEN COME BACK ON. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 4 FOUR TIMES. THE OTHER TIMES IT APPEARED AS THOUGH I MISCLICKED, BUT THE LAST TIME I HAD TO PULL OVER AND CLICK THE DIMMER SWITCH 30+ TIMES. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE AND I BARELY WAS ABLE TO STOP IN TIME FROM 55 MPH. THE OUTER HEADLIGHTS ARE ONLY ON IN LOW BEAM AND THE INNER ONLY ON HIGH BEAM. THERE ARE 4 HEADLIGHTS THIS CAN'T BE RIGHT ALL 4 SHOULD BE ON IN HIGH BEAM SETTING ON. NEED TO CHECK ON THIS HEADLIGHT OPERATION ISSUE, BUT FELT I SHOULD PASS THIS ON THAT THESE GM MODELS DO THIS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10211755

Incident

Dec 12, 2007

Mileage

65,532 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE LIGHTS REMAINED OFF FOR TWO HOURS BEFORE ILLUMINATING AGAIN. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED 4 TIMES AT NIGHT AND THE DEALER DOES NOT KNOW WHAT IS THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 09/05/07 *TR

NHTSA ID

10198852

Incident

Jul 26, 2007

Mileage

55,000 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2002 BUICK CENTURY AT ANY SPEED ON THE ROAD AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS GO OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING UNDER ALL ROAD CONDITIONS. OCCASIONALLY, THE CONTACT WOULD TURN ON THE HIGH BEAM AND TOGGLE TO REGULAR BEAMS SO THAT THE LIGHTS WOULD TURN ON. THE FAILURE HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY EVERY EVENING. THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED, BUT THE LIGHTS STILL TURN ON AND OFF. THE CONTACT WAS REFEREED TO EQ MUFFLER TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE STILL HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK UPDATED 02/27/07. *JB

NHTSA ID

10181690

Incident

Feb 2, 2007

Mileage

35,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS OCCASIONALLY FAILED TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED, LEAVING THE CONTACT STRANDED WITHOUT LIGHT WHILE TRAVELING AT NIGHT. THIS HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST SIX TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, CURRENTLY HAPPENING ABOUT EVERY OTHER WEEK. THE SERVICE DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10174477

Incident

Nov 1, 2005

Mileage

30,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND USING THE DIMMER SWITCH THE HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNALS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, THE HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 10/17/2006 - THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10169545

Incident

Sep 26, 2006

Mileage

150,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO TURN THEM ON WITH THE MANUAL SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE LIGHTS WENT OUT WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SUGGESTED THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH SHOULD BE REPLACED, ALTHOUGH THEY WERE NOT SURE THIS WILL CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10144329

Incident

Nov 1, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE HIGH BEAMS DID NOT WORK ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. HE HAD TO SWITCH BACK TO LOW BEAMS AND THEN THE HIGH BEAMS WORKED WHEN SWITCHING BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO DETERMINE D THE ELECTRICAL DIMMER SWITCH AND RELAY WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC STATED THE PART COULD BE BURNING UP AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BECAUSE ALL OF THE LIGHTS COULD GO OUT IN THE FUTURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10143524

Incident

Nov 20, 2005

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT HE SWITCHED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS TO HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF EXTERIOR LIGHTING. HE SWERVED TO MISS ONCOMING TRAFFIC. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OF TURNING THE DIMMER SWITCH ON AND OFF THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBLEMS. HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10143516

Incident

Nov 21, 2005

Mileage

82,000 mi

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY COULD NOT BE REPAIRED BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS FOR ABOUT A MONTH. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS GO OFF, SOME TIMES IF HE WIGGLED THE SWITCH THE LIGHTS WOULD COME BACK ON. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO DATA OF THIS OCCURRING ON OTHER VEHICLES.*AK UPDATED 11/29/05. *JB

NHTSA ID

10140662

Incident

Sep 1, 2005

Mileage

74,000 mi

DT: CONTACT STATED WHEN TURNING BRIGHT LIGHTS THEY WILL BE ON BRIGHT FOR A WHILE , THEN THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF AND VEHICLE WILL BE IN TOTAL DARKNESS UNTIL SHE CLICING BACK TO THE REGULAR HEADLIGHTS. THIS HAPPENED JUST ABOUT EVERY TIME SHE PUT ON BRIGHT LIGHTS. SHE HAS BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM OVER A YEAR AND SHE HAD COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER AND BECAUSE IT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY IT WOULD COST $118.00 AN HOUR TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10131229

Incident

Aug 2, 2005

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED HEADLIGHTS SHUT OFF INTEMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10106842

Incident

Dec 6, 2004

Mileage

4,000 mi

AT A STOP ON A HILL WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES THERE WAS A MINOR VEHICLE ROLL BACK ONCE THE FOOT WAS OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH EXCESSIVE ROLLBACK WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TESTED IT ROLLED BACK A DISTANCE OF 15 FEET AT A SPEED OF 15MPH. THE VEHICLE STALLED DISABLING BRAKES AND POWER STEERING. THE HEADLIGHTS ON LOW BEAM DO NOT MERGE. THEY ACT AS TWO SEPARATE SPOTLIGHTS AND DISTANCE APPEARS TO BE LIMITED. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT EVENTUALLY GENERAL MOTORS REPURCHASED THE VEHICLE. *TC

NHTSA ID

10103177

Incident

Apr 22, 2004

Mileage

33,918 mi

I HAVE A 2002 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM. THE MULTIFUNCTION LIGHT, WIPER, CRUISE SWITCH INTERMITTENTLY FAILS AND I LOSE MY HEADLIGHTS. I WAS DRIVING ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED AND I HAD TO TURN ON MY HAZARDS AND FIND A PLACE TO STOP WITH A LOT OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. ON TWO OTHER OCCASSIONS I HAD OTHER MOTORISTS FLASH ME TO LET ME KNOW TO TURN ON MY LIGHTS. THE FAILURE HAS HAPPENED A LOT SINCE AND I HAVE TO JIGGLE THE SWITCH TO GET IT TO WORK. THIS FAILURE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND HAS PUT ME AT SERIOUS RISK. I HAVE NOW FIGURED OUT THAT JIGGLING THE SWITCH WILL BRING THE LIGHTS BACK ON BUT THAT IS NO HELP IF I DON'T KNOW WHEN THEY ARE OUT. I WENT TO THE BUICK DEALER AND THEY WANT NEARLY $500.00 TO FIX THIS. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT AND I WILL HAVE TO PARK THE CAR FOR A FEW OF WEEKS UNTIL I CAN AFFORD TO FIX IT. MY REAL CONCERN IS THAT THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO HAVE BUICK CONTACT ME.*AK

NHTSA ID

10088696

Incident

Aug 18, 2004

Mileage

56,000 mi

THE REVERSE LIGHTS AND TAG LIGHT STOPPED WORKING DUE TO FRAYING OF WIRES NEAR TRUNK HINGE. FRAYING ALSO CASED THE "TRUNK/DOOR" LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE ON DASH UNTIL REPAIRED. CHEAP PLASTIC COVERING DID NOTHING TO PREVENT FRAYING FROM CONTACT WITH TRUNK HINGE. AT 3000 MILES, HAD TO GO TO DEALER THREE TIMES TO HAVE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED DUE TO LOUD NOISE WHEN WHEEL WAS TURNED. SUN VISORS ARE HARD TO USE, THEY HIT REARVIEW MIRROR WHEN ADJUSTED. INADEQUATE EVEN WHEN USED. VERY LOUD POPPING SOUND ON DRIVER'S SIDE AT TIMES UNDER BRAKE PEDAL. GOOD CAR OTHERWISE.

NHTSA ID

765118