15 of the 132 complaints about the 1997 Buick Century are about the steering — 11% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 102,000 miles.
15
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STEERING
WHEN I BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE, I TURNED STEERING WHEEL WITH A "HARD LEFT." CAR MADE CLICKING NOISE.
NHTSA complaint #10629567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND THE STEERING LOCKED AND THERE WAS A LOUD BANG. I WASN'T ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN CAUSING ME TO DRIVE OFF THE ROAD AND ONTO A LAWN. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULDN'T GO BACK TO THE CORRECT POSITION AND IT SEEMED TO BE IN MANUAL STEERING MODE. I COULD BARELY MOVE THE WHEEL. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AT THIS TIME.
NHTSA complaint #10401262 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
1) CAR NEEDED TOWED TO GARAGE FOR STARTER FAILURE. AS IT LEFT THE GARAGE THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND SENT CAR ALMOST INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC WITH 2 CHILDREN IN THE CAR. THERE HAD BEEN NO OTHER WARNINGS OF A PROBLEM. 2) IT HAPPENS EVERY TIME THE STEERING IS TURNED ONE DIRECTION THEN BACK TO THE OTHER. IT DOES NOT JUST COME BACK. ESPECIALLY TO THE LEFT. I ALMOST CRASHED 4 TIMES JUST TRYING TO GET IT HOME. 3) I FILED AN INSURANCE CLAIM ON THE TOW COMPANY THINKING THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE. THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, THAT NOTHING WAS BENT. AFTER GETTING ON LINE AND INVESTIGATING, I LEARNED OF THIS STEERING PROBLEM. IT MATCHES IT PERFECTLY. I HAD SOMEONE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF MECHANICS LOOK AT THE CAR AND THEY SAID THE STEERING GEAR RACK NEEDS REPLACED AND NOT TO DRIVE THE CAR AS IT IS. IT IS TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I ALSO JUST HAD NEW INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FROM THE DECOOL PROBLEM GM HAS. NOW I HAVE A CAR THAT I CAN'T DRIVE AND CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX. NOBODY ASSUMES LIABILITY AND I THINK GM SHOULD HAVE HAD THIS RECALLED AND CORRECTED.
NHTSA complaint #10260319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
1997 BUICK CENTURY-STEERING LOCKS UP RANDOMLY CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #10133285 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
1997 BUICK CENTURY-STEERING LOCKS UP RANDOMLY CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.
NHTSA complaint #10133290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
POWER STEERING LOCKED UP WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS. THE STEERING WHEEL EITHER LOCKED, DID NOT GO INTO THE FULL TURNS OR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE RACK AND PINION AS DESCRIBED IN STEERING GEAR BEARINGS RECALL 03V527000. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN.
NHTSA complaint #10076112 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
1997 BUICK CENTURY POWER STEERING STARTED TO LOCK UP WHEN STEERING TO THE LEFT. *MR VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND A NEW RACK AND PINION WAS INSTALLED. CONSUMER REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR BUT WAS DENIED BECAUSE VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL.
NHTSA complaint #10073324 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
WHEN TURNING CORNERS STEERING WHEEL STICKS. CONSUMER HAS TO PULL HARD TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEEL UP. *AK REPAIR WAS PERFORMED ON STEERING INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF STEERING RACK.
NHTSA complaint #10057957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:PINION SHAFT
1997 BUICK CENTURY, WHILE DRIVING TO A SOCCER GAME I BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE AN INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING. AFTER THE GAME I TURNED LEFT TO EXIT MY PARKING SPOT AND WHILE TURNING AT LOW SPEED I HEARD A CLICKING NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOCKED. IT TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL STRAIGHT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY FRIEND WHOM IS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC (BUT NO LONGER WORKS FOR GM) AND HE ADVISED ME THAT THE LOWER PINION WAS DESTROYED WHICH CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ENTIRE GEAR ASSEMBLE AND POWER STEERING PUMP. I HAD HIM REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS AT A COST OF $800 PLUS DOLLARS. SUBSEQUENT TO THIS TIME I AM NOW AGAIN EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT LOSS OF STEERING. MY MECHANIC ADVISED ITS POSSIBLE THAT THE REBUILT STEERING GEAR PLACED IN MY REPAIR CONTAINS THE SAME DEFECTIVE PINION BEARING BECAUSE GM MAY NOT HAVE COMMUNICATED THE FAULTY PROBLEM TO THE PART SUPPLIERS WHOM REBUILD THE GEAR ASSEMBLIES. IN LIGHT OF THE RECENT NEWS ABOUT GM STEERING GEAR PROBLEMS AND PENDING RECALLS FOR CAR MODELS OTHER THAT THE BUICK CENTURY I WISH TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH GM TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE INITIAL REPAIR AND THE SUBSEQUENT FOLLOW-UP REPAIRS THAT I WILL NEED.
NHTSA complaint #10054623 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN IN THE DRIVEWAY. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A FAILURE IN THE STEERING RACK AND PINION.
NHTSA complaint #10054138 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE DRIVING A 1997 OR 1998 VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. DEALER REPLACED RACK AND PINION, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING INTERMITTENTLY.
NHTSA complaint #10040513 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
STARTED CAR AND BACKED OUT OF PARKING SPACE. STEERING WHEEL WOULD HARDLY TURN WHEELS TO THE LEFT; NO POWER ASSIST. STARTED MOVING FORWARD AND TURNING RIGHT, THEN POWER ASSIST RESUMED. ALSO, STEERING SHUDDER OCCURS AFTER ROUNDING CORNERS AND ACCELERATING. LOCAL DEALER SERVICE REP STATES CAR NEEDS NEW RACK & PINION ASSEMBLY AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN CENTURIES AND REGALS 4-5 YEARS OLD.
NHTSA complaint #10005824 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
AFTER PARKING THE CAR, GOT BACK IN TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE AND DISCOVERED VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN LEFT. THERE WAS NO POWER ASSIST. BUT IT TURNS RIGHT WITH NO PROBLEM. REPAIR REQUIRED A NEW RACK AND PINION SYSTEM. FAILURE OCCURED WITHOUT WARNING.
NHTSA complaint #9002135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT INTERMITTENTLY.
NHTSA complaint #734087 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
THE DESIGN OF THE MAGNETIC VARIABLE STEERING ON VEHICLE RESULTS IN POOR HANDLING, VEHICLE SWAYS AT 35-55 MPH, POOR STRUTS CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNSTABLE FEELING CAUSING BOUNCING.
NHTSA complaint #536157 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.