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Worst years for a Buick Century

Owners have filed 2,393 complaints about the Buick Century with NHTSA across model years 1981 to 2005. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.

Avoid

1999 Buick Century

287 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly engine & cooling.

Cleanest on record

2005 Buick Century

35 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Buick Century year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2005 A 35 1 0 57,000 Lights
2004 B 51 4 0 90,000 Lights
2003 C 170 6 2 65,092 Lights
2002 C 204 10 7 61,000 Engine & Cooling
2001 C 190 10 3 55,000 Engine & Cooling
2000 C 249 11 2 64,218 Transmission & Drivetrain
1999 D 287 20 5 54,189 Engine & Cooling
1998 D 278 13 0 54,696 Brakes
1997 B 132 4 2 100,000 Electrical System
1996 C 110 7 1 80,100 Brakes
1995 C 127 12 1 92,500 Brakes
1994 C 144 29 7 88,500 Brakes
1993 C 71 22 4 — Airbags
1992 — 64 11 2 95,000 Brakes
1991 — 50 9 2 — Brakes
1990 — 49 1 4 — Electrical System
1989 — 46 10 0 — Seat Belts
1988 — 26 0 0 — Steering
1987 — 32 2 2 — Steering
1986 — 43 2 2 — Engine & Cooling
1985 — 9 0 2 — Engine & Cooling
1984 — 11 0 0 — Steering
1983 — 10 0 0 — Brakes
1982 — 4 0 0 — Transmission & Drivetrain
1981 — 1 0 0 — Brakes

What breaks on a Buick Century

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Engine & Cooling 304 12.7%

Worst in 1999

Brakes 289 12.1%

Worst in 2000

Electrical System 231 9.7%

Worst in 1998

Lights 193 8.1%

Worst in 2003

Transmission & Drivetrain 172 7.2%

Worst in 2000

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 170 7.1%

Worst in 1999

Steering 168 7.0%

Worst in 1998

Acceleration & Cruise Control 120 5.0%

Worst in 2001

Seat Belts 111 4.6%

Worst in 1997

Airbags 108 4.5%

Worst in 1994

Body & Structure 101 4.2%

Worst in 2003

Fuel & Propulsion 94 3.9%

Worst in 1998

Suspension 82 3.4%

Worst in 1999

Other & Unspecified 65 2.7%

Worst in 1998

Exactly what failed on a Buick Century

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Automatic Transmission 99 17.0%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 84 14.4%
Gasoline 63 10.8%
Headlights 58 9.9%
Frontal 57 9.8%
Power Window Devices AND Controls 53 9.1%
Engine 51 8.7%
Horn 42 7.2%
Foundation Components 40 6.8%
Windshield 37 6.3%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Buick Century, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jan 1995 peak 50 Apr 2025

Buick Century problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Buick Century in California 273 Buick Century in New York 197 Buick Century in Florida 160 Buick Century in Ohio 152 Buick Century in Pennsylvania 140 Buick Century in Michigan 130 Buick Century in Illinois 106 Buick Century in New Jersey 102 Buick Century in Texas 78 Buick Century in Indiana 72 Buick Century in North Carolina 68 Buick Century in Wisconsin 67

Compare the Buick Century

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.

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