RoadVitals

2003 Buick Century Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
8
Latest Sep 16, 2016
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
6%
of 127 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Buick Century submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 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.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesDriver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Sep 16, 2016

TURN BRIGHTS ON AND RADIO/CLOCK LIGHT GOES OFF. NO HEADLIGHTS ON DURING DAY DRIVING, RADIO/CLOCK LIGHT RANDOMLY GOES ON AND BACK OFF. HEAD LIGHTS BRIEFLY GONE OFF DURING NIGHT DRIVING 3 DIFFERENT TIMES ONLY FOR MAYBE 5 SECONDS, BUT IT ONLY TAKES A SECOND FOR A DEER OR OBJECT TO APPEAR AT NIGHT OR A CAR AHEAD BRAKING SUDDENLY. SPEEDOMETER BACK LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE FOR NIGHT DRIVING. TRAC OFF AND ANTI LOCK WARNING LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY STAY ON, I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES REPLACED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF OWNING THE CAR SINCE OCTOBER 2007 AND THE WARNING LIGHTS DO NOT RESET THEMSELVES AS THEY SHOULD, THEY CONTINUOUSLY STAY ON SINCE 2009. I AM TIRED OF DEALING WITH ALL OF THESE ELECTRICAL AND LIGHTENING ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE TRIED TO FIND GM RECALL FOR THESE PROBLEMS. PLEASE TELL ME WHERE AND HOW I CAN HAVE THESE DEFECTS FIXED.

NHTSA ID
10907184
Incident
Sep 1, 2009
Mileage
110,782 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 1, 2016
Crash reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CURB AND CONTINUED DOWN A LAWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT AXEL AND THE MUFFLER FRACTURED. IN ADDITION, A PIECE OF THE TRANSMISSION DETACHED AND OIL LEAKED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 52,000. UPDATED 03/16/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. *JS

NHTSA ID
10823428
Incident
Jan 30, 2016
Mileage
52,000 mi
Body & structureDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jan 22, 2016
Crash reported

I HAD DRIVEN MY 2003 BUICK CENTURY AT LEAST HALFWAY INTO A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT WHEN IT SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL, LEAPING UP OVER A CURB ON AN UPWARD SLOPE, SWIPING A CEMENT LIGHTPOST ON THE LEFT, CRASHING INTO ANOTHER CAR ACROSS ITS LEFT FRONT, BUMPING DOWN OVER A CURB, THEN CRASHING UP AND OVER TWO MORE CURBS. WITH DIVINE HELP I WAS ABLE TO AVOID OTHER CARS AND STEER IT TO A STOP, THEN DRIVE GINGERLY INTO THE ORIGINAL PARKING SPACE. SINCE I WAS ORIGINALLY IN THE PROCESS OF SLOWING TO A STOP, MY RIGHT FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE AT ALL TIMES. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF MANY AUTOMAKERS' INFAMOUS "SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING AS THE CAR WENT FROM 1 OR 2 MPH TO FULL THROTTLE INSTANTLY. WITH BOTH HANDS GRASPING THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE THE CAR JERKED VIOLENTLY, I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, AS I WAS ATTEMPTING TO AVOID OTHER PARKED VEHICLES. I EMERGED WITH NO BROKEN BONES, BUT THE CAR WAS TOTALED. BECAUSE I AM A "LITTLE OLD LADY," THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMS ME "L00% RESPONSIBLE," IN SPITE OF MY CLEAN DRIVING RECORD. BUT "SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" FITS MY SCENARIO TO A TEE.

NHTSA ID
10821600
Incident
Jan 19, 2016
Mileage
120,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine+1 more
Filed Aug 17, 2014

WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS CAR DIES, ALL THE DASH LIGHTS FLASH AND CLICK. IF I PULL OVER AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT RESTARTS AND DRIVES FINE UNTIL I TRY THE TURN SIGNAL AGAIN THEN THE SAME THING HAPPENS. I ALSO HAD TO DISCONNECT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SENSOR OR ELSE THE SAME THING HAPPENS. FLASHING, CLICKING AND CAR DIES. NOW, WHENEVER CAR IS IN GEAR, CONSTANT DINGING AND IT WILL DRIVE FINE BUT I CANNOT USE THE TURN SIGNALS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10625827
Incident
Aug 13, 2012
Mileage
45,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jan 13, 2014

2003 BUICK CENTURY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED FOR THE PAST 1 1/2 YEARS THE VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AT A VERY HIGH SPEED. IT WOULD ACCELERATE UP TO 60 MPH, EVEN WHEN HER FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR. ALSO, THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE VERY HIGH, WHEN THE ACCELERATION OCCURRED.

NHTSA ID
10559904
Incident
Jan 1, 2014
Driver assistance
Filed May 19, 2013

THE CAR WILL SPEED UP ON ITS OWN WHILE THE FOOT IS OFF THE PEDAL. ALSO, WHEN I HAVE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AT A LIGHT, THE CAR WILL START REVVING UP AS IF I HAD MY FOOT ON BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO DIFFERENT MECHANICS TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED TO NO AVAIL. WHAT COULD THESE BE? I AM AFRAID THAT ONE DAY I WILL GET IN AN ACCIDENT DO TO THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10512699
Incident
Nov 1, 2012
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 16, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE UNTIL THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR INTERMITTENTLY WHETHER THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED OR NOT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,400.

NHTSA ID
10326004
Incident
Mar 16, 2010
Mileage
76,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 25, 2004

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. DEALER REPLACED THE GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10059787
Incident
Feb 25, 2004
Mileage
28,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .