1999 Buick Century problems
Owners have filed 287 complaints about the 1999 Buick Century with NHTSA. Engine and engine cooling accounts for 20.2% of them — the clear leader, ahead of visibility at 10.5%.
Complaints287
Crashes20
Fires5
Injuries18
Deaths0
What owners report breaking
Engine and engine cooling 20.2% · 58
Visibility 10.5% · 30
Service brakes, hydraulic 9.1% · 26
Exterior lighting 8.4% · 24
Air bags 5.2% · 15
Electrical system 5.2% · 15
Vehicle speed control 4.9% · 14
Unknown or other 4.9% · 14
Severity
Of those complaints, 20 describe a crash, 5 describe a fire and 18 report an injury.
Reading the numbers
Across the 10 model years of the Buick Century in this data, 1999 draws the most complaints of any of them.
Filings have fallen off, 7 in the last three years against 21 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 54,189 miles.
In owners' own words
My complaint is on my 1999 Buick Century. December of 2002 I took my car to my mechanic because it was leaking dex-cool coolant. My mechanic informed me it was the intake manifold gasket and it would cost around $440.00. My car only had 59,000 miles on it and was only three years old. This shouldn't have happened. Very poor job of quality in this area by general motors/. Engine and engine cooling · reported at 59,000 miles
Intake manifold coolant leak caused engine failure. *Ak intakes manifold gasket was replaced. Gasket now has a new part number to correct the defect on the original component, gm claim #1-180791866. Gm has recalled for coolant leak, but it was on a different model. Also, lower intake manifold gasket was leaking. Mechanic replaced the lower gasket. Engine and engine cooling · reported at 72,515 miles
Second failure of intake manifold gasket on 1999 Buick Century 3.1 M engine. Causes anti freeze to leak from manifold which could cause a fire (as stated in owners manual, warning not to spill anti-freeze on a hot engine when filling radiator as it could cause a fire). First failure occurred at 72,000 miles. Second failure at 115,000 miles. Engine and engine cooling · reported at 115,000 miles
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…
Other Buick Century years
1996 110 complaints · 13.6% service brakes, hydraulic 1997 132 complaints · 16.7% electrical system 1998 278 complaints · 10.1% service brakes, hydraulic 2000 249 complaints · 19.7% power train 2001 190 complaints · 15.3% engine and engine cooling 2002 204 complaints · 14.2% engine and engine cooling