1997 Buick Century problems
Owners have filed 132 complaints about the 1997 Buick Century with NHTSA. Electrical system accounts for 16.7% of them — narrowly the most common, ahead of visibility at 12.1%.
Complaints132
Crashes4
Fires2
Injuries2
Deaths0
What owners report breaking
Electrical system 16.7% · 22
Visibility 12.1% · 16
Steering 11.4% · 15
Seat belts 11.4% · 15
Exterior lighting 6.8% · 9
Service brakes, hydraulic 5.3% · 7
Engine and engine cooling 5.3% · 7
Suspension 5.3% · 7
Severity
Of those complaints, 4 describe a crash, 2 describe a fire and 2 report an injury.
Reading the numbers
Across the 10 model years of the Buick Century in this data, 1997 draws comparatively few complaints; 1999 is the outlier year.
Filings are rising — 5 in the last three years against 3 in the three before. For a vehicle this age that usually points to a wear-related failure owners are hitting now.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 100,000 miles.
In owners' own words
Due to design and location of horn assembly, which is connected to air bags, and upon attemtping to sound off horn in an emergency situation when making a left or right hand turn, buttons are hard to locate. Consumer has contacted dealer. *Ak the whole air bag and horn assembly was replaced . The horn blowing is slightly improved but still impossible to blow when trying to turn. Electrical system
It's very difficult for consumer to honk the horn because the bottom horn is so small and so hard that he couldn't operate it. Causing consumer to have an accident. *Akthe service manager told to the consumer that the only way to correct this problem was to replace the entire car and that the horn area could not be done. Electrical system
The electronic display module second time after replacing in my 1997 Buick Century does not display and the part cost $300-500 and its not something like a bulb and nobody want s to address this issue . Electrical system
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…
Other Buick Century years
1994 144 complaints · 17.4% service brakes, hydraulic 1995 127 complaints · 18.9% service brakes, hydraulic 1996 110 complaints · 13.6% service brakes, hydraulic 1998 278 complaints · 10.1% service brakes, hydraulic 1999 287 complaints · 20.2% engine and engine cooling 2000 249 complaints · 19.7% power train