1998 Buick Century complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH APPLIED BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE WAS SHAKING. *AK

THIS IS THE 2D TIME THIS COMPONENT HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED--

DESIGN OF DASHBOARD REFLECTS ON WINDSHIELD CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *YC

DESIGN OF PLASTIC DASHBOARD REFLECTS BACK INTO THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *YC

LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS BEING USED AT 30 MPH IN A UNLIGHTED ROAD OR STREET ARE UNSAFE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUME RTHAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE AND THEY MEET THE FMVSS. CAN NHTSA HELP OR PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN THIS MATTER. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYED ON, AND VEHICLE VIBRATED. ALSO, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL INJECTORS. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GO INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. *AK

HEAD LIGHTS WERE REPAIRED DUE TO FAILURE, AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE, OTHER PARTS BEGAN TO MALFUCNTION. *YC

VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM ENGAGING TRANSMISSION FROM PARK TO REVERSE.

STARTED ENGINE,NO REVERSE, NO FORWARD; TURNED ENGINE OFF, WAITED 30 SECONDS OR SO; TURNED ENGINE ON, SHIFTED TO DRIVE- OK, SHIFTED REVERSE - OK. BROUGHT TO DEALER ON 4/5/99. TOLD TODAY 4/9/99 THAT A "RING" IN TRANSMISSION POPPED OUT. MY QUESTION IS: "IF A RING DID POP OUT THE FIRST TIME I SHIFTED, DID IT POP BACK IN AGAIN AFTER SHUTTING OF ENGINE AND RESTARTING?" MY MECHANIC AT MY LOCAL GARAGE HAS HEARD OF THE SAME PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES,BUT IN THOSE CASES (GM CARS) IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH A COMPUTER PART. THANK YOU.. *AK

DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, THE ENTIRE WHEEL INCLUDING THE RIM CAME OFF OF THE CAR. TIRE HAD NEVER BEEN REMOVED OR CHANGED.

BECAUSE OF THE AIR BAG BEING DIRECTLY UNDER THE HORN AND THE RADIO CONTROLS ON THE STEERING WHEEL, IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO PRESS THE HORN, IT TAKES AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF EFFORT FOR CONSUMER HORN TO ACTIVATE THE HORN. *AK

AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS FAILED.

WHEN SHIFTING TRANSMISSIOM FROM PARK TO DRIVER OR ANY OTHER GEAR, THE GEARS WILL NOT ENGAGE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION CABLE WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER A SECOND TIME, TRANSMISSION CABLE WAS ADJUSTED, AND THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE FIXED. *AK *ML

DEFROSTER CONTROL SWITCH FAILED. *YC

AIR CONDITIONER CONDENSOR FAILED. *YC

THE INDICATORS ON THE STEERING WHEEL BECOME VERY WARM.

BATTERY FAILED. *YC

TRANSMISSION HOUSING FAILED. NLM

TIRE BLOW OUT (GENERAL). *YC

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED. YH

REVERSE GEAR FAILED. YH

STEERING OIL PUMP FAILED. YH

FUEL PUMP FAILED. YH

TRANSMISSION CABLE FAILURE CAUSING DIFFICULTY IN SHIFTING, EXCESSIVE EFFORT. YH

DASHLIGHTS FAILED. *YC

STEERING FAILED, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. YH

THE INCORRECT DESIGN OF DASH BOARD CAUSES ITS REFLECTIION TO APPEAR ON THE WINSHIELD. YH

LEFT TURN SIGNAL FAILED. YH

STARTER FAILED. YH

DRIVER EXPERIENCING GLARE IN WINDSHILED.

OIL IS LEAKING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE ENGINE TOWARDS THE FIREWALL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED THE LEAKING LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, AND RESEALED OIL PUMP WHICH HAS NOT REMEDIED THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR IS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO THE SELECTED GEAR. HAD ACCIDENT INVOLVING DUMP TRUCK BACKING INTO VEHICLE BECAUSE COULD NOT SHIFT QUICKLY ENOUGH TP AVOID COLLISION. AFTERWARDS, GEAR SHIF TFAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY ON SEVERAL OTHER OCCASIONS. *AK

VEHICLE HAS ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED/REPLACED SOME PARTS, AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. DEALER INFORMED, THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE HAS ONGOING PROBLEM WITH STALLING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED AND PARTS REPLACED. HOWEVER, STALLING STILL OCCURS. DEALER INFORMED, PROBLEM CANNOT BE FOUND. *AK

WHENEVER TRYING TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE, IT WOULD NOT SHIFT. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. THE GAUGE INDICATES IT'S IN REVERSE WHEN ITS NOT. IT'S AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. BUICK REACHED AN AGREEMENT WITH CONSUMER FOR THE FOLLOWING: THE CUSTOMER IS BEING TRADED FOR A 1999 BUICK. THE CUSTOMER IS PAYING 10 CENTS PER MILE AND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STICKER PRICE. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER ARM BECOMES LOOSE AND EVENTUALLY BECOMES INOPERATIVE. DEALER HAS ADJUSTED THIS THREE TIME PREVIOUSLY ON WARRANTY. IN THE LATEST INCIDENT I WAS PASSING AN 18 WHEELER DURING A DRIVING RAINSTORM AT NIGHT WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER SUDDENLY LOCKED UP AND STOPPED WORKING. I AM LUCKY TO STILL BE ALIVE. HAD I HAD AN ACCIDENT AND BEEN KILLED NO ONE WOULD HAVE KNOWN OR SUSPECTED THE CAUSE. ON A PREVIOUS OCCASION THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER BECAME ENMESHED WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER AND BOTH WIPERS SUDDENLY QUIT WORKING. HAD THIS HAPPENED AND BOTH WIPERS QUIT IN THIS LATEST INCIDENT I VERY LIKELY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. THIS HAPPENED IN A 1998 BUICK CENTURY, BUT ANY GM CAR WITH A SIMILAR WIPER DESIGN COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. ANY TIME A WIPER ARM IS REMOVED FOR ANY REASON, CARE MUST BE TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT IT IS PROPERLY TIGHTENED OR IT WILL BEGIN TO SLIP AND EVENTUALLY CAUSE THIS SAME POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEM. GM NEEDS TO ISSUE TORQUE SPECS FOR WIPER ARMS.

I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 15 MPH DOWN DRIVEWAY AT WORK-CAR OVERSTEERED CRASHING INTO SIDE OF BUILDING-IMPACT SO INTENSE MY HEAD HIT REARVIEW MIRROR, BREAKING IT AND WINDSHIELD. ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF CAR (FRAME, TIE ROD, SUSPENSION,ETC.) IS DAMAGED. NATIONWIDE INS. INVESTIGATOR PROVIDED ME WITH A COPY OF GM MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ISSUED 11/17/97 REGARDING POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK FROM MAGNASTEER ACUTATOR PIGTAIL AREA FOR 1998 W,C,G &H BODY VEHICLES. THE LEAK ORIGINATES FROM THE WIRING HARNESS FOR THE MAGNA STEER ACTUATOR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERSTEER. THE CORRECTION SUGGESTED IS TO REPLACE THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEAR AND FOLLOW UP WITH VME PRODUCT REPORT. MY CAR HAS BEEN AT COOK BUICK EVERY 3000 TO 3500 MILES FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, INCLUDING FLUID LEVEL CHECKS, AND THIS WAS NEVER CAUGHT. ACCORDING TO THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR, MY CAR HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS. HAD I BEEN GOING ANY FASTER WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I WOULD NOT BE HERE TO TELL YOU THIS! I COMPLAINED TO BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE - REFERENCE NO. 980168019 AND I GOT NOWHERE. THEY SAY THE LEAK IN THE RACK & PINION STEERING GEAR WAS CAUSED BY THE ACCIDENT! MY INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR HAS PICTURES THAT PROVE OTHERWISE.

FRONT SEATBELT IS TOO TIGHT. SHE STATED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT SEATBELT CUTS OFF HER CIRCULATION WHEN SHE DRIVES HER CAR . ALSO THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER THAT SHE CAN GET A CLOTHES PIN TO ATTACH TO THE SEATBELT TO STOP THE SEATBELT FROM BEING TOO TIGHT. SEATBELT REPLACED, BUT REPLACEMENT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK *ML

THE WINDSHIELD ANGLE AND DESIGN RESULTS IN VISION BEING OBSCURED DUE TO REFLECTION.

SPOTS ON LOW BEAM LIGHT CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.

WHILE ON AN INCLINE POSITION AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND BRAKES APPLIED, WHEN RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACK, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK

BRAKES OVERHEAT ON OCCASIONS.

WHEN LOWERING REAR WINDOW, SOUNDS LIKE A HELICOPTER IS NEXT TO VEHICLE, VERY LOUD NOISE IN VEHICLE. DEALER SERVICE ADVISES TO KEEP WINDOW UP. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE HEAD LAMP LIGHT SWITCH FAILED.

DASHBOARD REFLECTS ON THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY DUE TO MATERIAL DESIGN.

WHEN STARTING VEHICLE THE NOISE IS COMING FROM THE DASH. WHEN FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING OR WITHOUT MANUAL OPERATION THE HORN CONTINUOUSLY BLOWS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. DEALER REPLACED HORN ASSEMBLY AND FUSE WHICH DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS TROUBLE ENGAGING INTO REVERSE GEAR.

DIFFICULTY ACCESSION HORN BUTTONS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.