Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
RECALL 99 V 348 000 / WINDSHIELD WIPERS: WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD STOP DURING OPERATION OR REMAIN IN UP RIGHT POSTION, INSTEAD OF THE DOWN POSTION. DEALER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *SLC
BOTH REAR SEATBELTS ARE INOPERABLE. THEY WILL NO LONGER PULL OUT, STOPPED WORKING IN A 3 DAY PERIOD. *AK
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.
TOW BACK SEATBELTS LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES ARE JAMMED IN RETRACTOR, CONSUMER HAS KIDS, AND CAN'T RESTRAIN THEM.*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED LEAKING WHEEL CYLINDER, THE LEFT SIDE WAS WORSE THAN THE RIGHT SIDE, CONSUMER REPLACED BOTH WHEEL CYLINDERS HIMSELF DUE TO VEHICLE BEING 1000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY. *SLC
I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE LEFT INTERMITTENTLY.*AK
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. *YH
WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY ON A HILL CONSUMER FEELS A HESITATION AND PEDAL GOING DOWN MORE THAN NORMAL. CONSUMER CAN HEAR MEDAL SCRATCHING. CONSUMER FEELS VECHICLE IS NOT SAFE BECAUSE IT TAKES A WHILE TO STOP.*AK
WHEN GOING BACKWARDS DOWN A SLIGHT HILL CONSUMER FEELS A HESITATION AND BRAKE PEDAL GOES DOWN MORE THAN NORMAL. CONSUMER CAN STILL HEAR MEDAL SCRATCHING. CONSUMER FEELS ITS UNSAFE BECAUSE VECHICLE WILL NOT STOP RIGHT AWAY WHEN PRESSING THE BRAKES. *AK
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ODOMETER LIGHT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INTERMITTENTLY BLINKING, AND VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING.*AK
ENGINE HARD TO START, ROUGH IDLE, LOSS OF POWER, CONTINUOUS MISFIRES.
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN A VERY HEAVY RAIN FALLWINDSHIELD WIPERS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE STOPPED WORKING. HAD TO PULL OVER AND ASK ASSISTANCE FROM A PASSING MOTORIST. THEY GOT IT RESTARTED, BUT CONSUMER IS AFRAID THA TIT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE RAIN. *AK
SEAT BELT.
PASSENGER AIR BAG COVER KEEPS POPPING UP.
DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW BECOMES INOPERATIVE (IN UP POSITION). THE DEALERS HAVE STATED "NO PROBLEM FOUND" EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS TAKEN IN FOR THIS PROBLEM. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 2 YEARS. THE INOPERATIVE WINDOW WILL LAST FOR DAYS ON TRIPS OR WEEKENDS WHEN IT CAN NOT BE TAKEN IN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CLAIMS THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE ADDRESSED UNLESS THEY EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM AND CAN DIAGNOSE WHAT PART IS DEFECTIVE. THIS HAS BEEN A SAFETY CONCERN IF AN EMERGENCY ARISES AND THE WINDOW CAN NOT BE LOWERED, IT ALSO PROVIDES HUGE ISSUES A US CUSTOM'S BORDER CROSSINGS AND TOLL BOOTHS.
HORN TAKES EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF EFFORT TO SOUND, DUE TO DESIGN.
BELT RETRACTORS FAIL INTERMITTENTLY.
IGNITION RELAY FAILED.
DRIVE BELT FAILED. *YC
AIR CONDITIONER CONTROL KNOB/SWITCH FAILED. MJS
DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED.MGM
REAR SEAT BELT FAILURE.MGM
SERPENTINE BELT BROKE. NLM
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED CAUSING TRUNCK LOCK, HORN RELAY AND ENGINE TO FAIL. NLM
FAULTY GENERATOR AND DEFECTIVE BLOWER MOTOR. YH
ALL SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT AT TIMES. YH
BLOWER CONTROL MODULE FAILED. YH
DOOR SEALS FAILED. NLM
WHILE DRIVING IN A RAINSTORM THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER STOPPED WORKING. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE, AND NOTICED THE NUTS WERE LOOSE IN THE WIPERS. CONSUMER THEN TIGHTENED THE NUTS, BUT THEY WILL NOT STAY TIGHTENED. *AK
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. *ET
BATTERY EXPLODED ON TWO OCCASIONS.
VEHICLE'S SWAY BAR LINKS FAILED RESULTING IN NOISE FROM REAR END.
HORN BUTTON REQUIRES EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL EFFORT TO ACTIVATE, THIS RESULTED IN A COLLISION DUE TO THE DRIVER NOT BEING ABLE TO DEPRESS HORN BUTTON TO WARN OTHER DRIVER.
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.
EXCESSIVE PRESSURE NEEDED TO DEPRESS HORN BUTTON.
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT FULLY RETRACT, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO GET CAUGHT IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE SEAT BELT. PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE PASSED ANOTHER VEHICLE. IT WOULD SUDDENLY DECELERATE. LATER, ACCELERATION WOULD KICK IN. THIS HAPPENS WHEN WEATHER IS WET OR DRY. AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM THAT OCCURRED TWICE. HAD MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT & NOTHING WAS FOUND. *AK
IT IS EXTREMELY HARD TO ACTIVATE HORN IN AN EMERGENCY.
HORN IS EXTREMELY HARD TO ACTIVATE IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION.
THE LOCATION OF THE HORN SYMBOLS MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SOUND THE HORN IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK
HORN HARD TO BLOW, DUE TO LOCATION.
HORN FAILED, CAUSING ACCIDENT.
VEHICLE MOVES FORWARD WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE.
FUEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO DEFECTIVE SPARK PLUGS AND AIR BAG COVER. *AK
HORN BUTTON IS DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS, EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL EFFORT REQUIRED, ALSO BUTTON IS TOO SMALL TO ENGAGE WITHOUT REMOVING EYES FROM THE ROAD.
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG IN ACCIDENT, CAUSING BRUISES.
DESIGN OF THE HEAD LAMPS CREATE POOR VISIBILITY.
BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR.
DESIGN OF HEADLIGHTS CREATES SHADOW OR DARK AREA ON EACH SIDE OF VEHICLE, IMPAIRS DRIVERS VISION, CANNOT SEE TO LEFT/RIGHT WHEN MAKING TURNS AT INTERSECTION/AROUND SHARP CORNERS, COULD CAUSE CRASH. *AK *JB
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 Buick Century → · Every Century year → · How the figures are calculated →