Page 4 of 4 · complaints 151–193 of 193

2000 Buick Century complaints

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 2000 record →

Tires
Filed May 29, 2001MD

TIRE SIZE P205/70R15, ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT WITH 9,000 MILES ON TIRES MOUNTED ON A BUICK, CENTURY. LEFT FRONT TIRE HAD A BLOWOUT. *AK CONSUMER STATES HE CHECKED THE TIRE AND THERE WAS A VERY LARGE SPLIT HE BELIEVES HE RAN OVER SOMETHING.*JB

Structure › Body
Filed May 21, 2001CA

CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT THE DRIVERS SUN VISOR HITS THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WHEN IN USE CAUSING HIM TO READJUST THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. *JG

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Apr 20, 2001MA

VEHICLE HAS EXTREME BURNING OIL SMELL COMING THROUGH VENTS AFTER OIL CHANGE, DEALER REPLACED ENGINE'S REAR MAIN SEAL BUT DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED MANUFACTURER BUT HAS NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. *JB

Suspension
Filed Apr 10, 2001NY

VEHICLE WAS MAKING A KNOCKING AND HUMMING NOISE UNDER NORMAL OPERATION. DEALERSHIP HAS LOOKED AT VEHICLE AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NO DEFECT IN ENGINE. *SLC

Visibility › Windshield
Filed Mar 28, 2001MO

WHEN ROLLING DOWN REAR WINDOW WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, IT CAUSES SEVERE VIBRATION /AIR PRESSURE AND NOISE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF PROBLEM, AND NOTHING WILL BE DONE. *AK *SLC

Suspension
Filed Mar 26, 2001MO

WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN WITH REAR WINDOWS DOWN ENTIRE VEHICLE SEVERELY VIBRATES. DEALER CANNOT IDENTIFY PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

Visibility › Glass, Side/Rear
Filed Mar 21, 2001MA

MAJOR PROBLEMS ARE CAUSED BY POOR DESIGN AND CAN NOT BE FIXED 1)WITH ONE REAR WINDOW OPEN IN REAR VEHICLE SHAKES WITH GREAT FORCE 2) PARKING ON UNLEVEL GOUND CAUSE FRAME TO DISTORT SO DOORS ARS STICK 3) EXTREME GLARE FROM DASH BOARD 4)WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN NOT BE ALINED.

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Mar 1, 2001WI

THE DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM IS FLAWED BECAUSE THE LOW BEAM DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY, INSTEAD OF LIGHTING THE ROAD AHEAD FULLY THE LIGHT SPREADS ONLY TO THE SIDE END OF THE FRONT FENDER ON BOTH SIDES RESULTING IN POOR VISIBILITY. NLM

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 26, 2001CA

WHEN PUTTING VEHICLE INTO PARK OR SHIFTING OUT OF PARK VEHICLE MAKES A CLICKING NOISE AS IF DOORS ARE LOCKING. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, AND SAID IT WAS NOT A PROBLEM. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Feb 22, 2001FL

THE CONSUMER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THE RECALL PARTS (00V-228) TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. NLM

Seats
Filed Feb 21, 2001MI

THERE IS A HARD SHARP PIECE OF METAL BEHIND THE DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SEAT WHICH HAS NO PADDING OVER IT, THIS PIECE OF METAL HAS WORN A HOLE THROUGH THE FABRIC OF THE SEAT. NLM

Exterior Lighting › Headlights
Filed Feb 6, 2001WI

LOW BEAM LIGHT CASTS A SHADOW ON BOTH SIDES WHEN USED, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER NOTIFIED,AND UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAD LIGHT SYSTEM WAS FLAWED AND DAMAGES. *YH

Electrical System › Horn
Filed Feb 2, 2001WI

THE HORN IS DIFFICULT TO ACTIVATE, THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO WARN A DRIVER WHO WAS BACKING UP BUT THE HORN WOULD NOT SOUND RESULTING IN A CRASH. NLM

Electrical System › Horn
Filed Jan 29, 2001MI

HORN LOCATION IS DIFFICULT TO FIND AND HARD TO BLOW DUE TO AIR BAG INSTALLATION ON STEERING. WHEN BACKING UP SLOWLY OR STOPPING, BRAKES MAKE THUMPING NOISE. *SLC

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Filed Jan 26, 2001MN

WHILE IN MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE DIED. CONSUMER COULD NOT START VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ELECTRIC POWER, HAD TOWED VEHICLE TO DEALER. AFTER AN HOUR, THEY FOUND A BLOWN FUSE. CONSUMER INQUIRED OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IT THIS OCCURRED ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH. *AK THE CAUSE FOR THE FUSE BLOW WAS NOT KNOWN *YH

Unknown or Other
Filed Jan 24, 2001NJ

THREE DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE LOW TIRE LIGHT CAME ON AND HAS CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE EVERY MONTH OR SO, THE TIRE INFLATION MONITOR SYSTEM IS EXTRA SENSITIVE CAUSING THE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE WHEN ONLY ONE OR TWO POUNDS OF AIR IS NEEDED OR WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. NLM

Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly
Filed Jan 23, 2001MI

NHTSA RECALL 00V228003/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 00067/SEAT BELT BUCKLES. VYLETTEL BUICK IN STERLING HEIGHTS ISN'T ORDERING PARTS UNTIL THEY CAN SEE IF ORDER NUMBER ON BUCKLE IS RECALLED. CONSUMER FEELS IT IS INCONVINIENT TO COME BACK TWO WEEKS LATER WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE THEM ALREADY ORDERED. *AK DEALER WAS NOT READY TO FIX THE RECALL AND CUSTOMER HAS TO MAKE SECOND TRIP. *YH

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Jan 16, 2001NC

WHENEVER VEHICLE WAS COLD STARTED, THERE WOULD BE A TAPPING NOISE. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP TWICE. HAD FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE DOWN & WAS INFORMED THAT PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. ALSO, MECHANIC TESTED OTHER VEHICLES ON A COLD START, AND HERE WAS NO TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM ENGINE.*AK TAPPING SOUND IN THE ENGINE HAS INCREASED IN LOUDNESS AND DURATION ON COLD STARTS. THE DEALER INSTALLED A SYNTHETIC OIL AND FRAM OIL FILTERS. *YH

Suspension
Filed Jan 3, 2001TX

WHILE DRIVING CAR STARTED TO WIGGLE ACROSS ROAD AT 55MPH. CONSUMER HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO KEEP CONTROL OF VEHICLE, TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *AK

Electrical System › Horn
Filed Nov 15, 2000NY

HORN DOES NOT ACTIVATE EASILY. CONSUMER MUST DEPRESS IT VERY HARD AND AT EXACT SPOT. THEREFORE, IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION CONSUMER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE HORN IN TIME , WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS , OR AVOID ACCIDENTS. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Oct 19, 2000CA

2 DEFECTIVE ENGINES(REPLACED) 1ST AT 1500 MI. 2ND AT 2784MI. STILL ENGINE MISSES STALLS. NHTSA PROVIDED TO US CAMPAIGN R#00V143000 THAT BUICK CENTURIES HAVE REAR BRAKE PROBLEMS AND G.M. WOULD RECALL STARTING JULY 2000--G.M. TELLS US NO RECALLS INVOVLING OUR VEHICLE--IT WAS BUILT 11/99 IN OSHAWA CANADA--PLEASE STRAIGHTEN US OUT ON THIS--IS /IS NOT A NY RECALL ON OUR VEHICLE

Visibility › Windshield
Filed Oct 16, 2000OH

WHEN THE REAR WINDOWS ARE DOWN THEY CAUSE A LOUD SHAKING NOISE. *SLC

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited SlipCrash
Filed Sep 28, 2000MD

ABS PROBLEMS: WHEN MAKING AN EMERGENCY STOP AT 15 MPH BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN BUT THE VEHICLE JUST DIDN'T STOP, CAUSING VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO BACK OF A WORK TRUCK. IT HAD JUST STARTED DRIZZLING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THIS CAUSED $1,202.00 DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THIS PROBLEM. *AK

Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls
Filed Sep 19, 2000PA

WHEN EITHER OR BOTH OF BACK POWER WINDOWS ARE ROLLED DOWN, IT VIBRATES THE INTERIOR OF VEHICLE EXCESSIVELY. ALSO, IT MAKES A LOUD NOISE. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 2 TIMES, AND AND NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX PROBLEM.*AK

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Sep 19, 2000WI

ORIGINAL TIRES ON A BUICK, CENTURY, 2000 , TIRE SIZE P20570R15. TIRE TREAD HAS TORN AND STARTED TO SEPARATE. *AK *SLC

Visibility › Windshield
Filed Sep 9, 2000OH

WHEN THE REAR WINDOWS OF A BUICK CENTURY ARE WIDE OPEN AND THE FRONT WINDOWS CLOSED, THE CAR SHAKES VIOLENTLY, TO THE EXTENT OF CAUSING PANIC. WE TRIED FIRST ONE WINDOW AND THEN THE OTHER, FINALLY BOTH TOGETHER, AND THE VIOLENT SHAKING CONTINUED. IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THIS CAR EVEN FOR A FEW MINUTES UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. THE SALESMAN EVEN TOOK OUT A BRAND NEW CAR AND IT ACTED THE SAME. I HAVE ASKED FRIENDS WHO HAVE A BUICK CENTURY TO VERIFY MY DESCRIPTION, AND THEY ALL HAVE THE SAME REACTION. WHEN I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, I WAS TOLD IT WAS A DESIGN FAULT AND BASICALLY TOLD TO LIVE WITH IT.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › GasolineCrash
Filed Sep 8, 2000TN

CONSUMER DRIVING DOWN ON HIGHWAY VEHICLE JUST DIED, CAUSING IT TO RUN OFF THE ROAD AND INTO SOME TREES.*AK

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Aug 23, 2000CA

WHILE DRIVING PASSENGER'S SIDE WOULD STARTE TO SMOKE. SMELLED LIKE OIL BURNING. EVERYONE WOULD BECOME NAUSEOUS & SICK. TOOK TO DEALER & NOTHING COULD BE FOUND THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THIS WAS A DAILY PROBLEM.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Gear Position Indication (prndl)
Filed Aug 15, 2000NV

SHIFT GEAR INDICATOR LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE. WHEN VEHICLE IS BEING PLACED INTO GEAR, THIS PRESENTES A PROBLEM. CONSUMER THOUGHT VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, BUT IT WAS IN REVERSE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 11, 2000AZ

NO SUMMARY

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Drum
Filed Jul 28, 2000CA

CONSUMER BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL SERVICE (00V-143) HOWEVER WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO PROBLEMS WITH REMEDY. *MJS

Visibility › Windshield1 injured
Filed Jul 24, 2000VA

WHILE DRIVING AN ALAMO RENTAL CAR ON JULY 21, 2000, ON I-94 OUTSIDE OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, THE LEFT FRONT WINDOW, DRIVER'S SIDE, LITERALLY EXPLODED IN MY EAR. I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 60 - 65 MPH AND WHAT OCCURRED WAS LITERALLY AN EXPLOSIVE DECOMPRESSION. THE WINDOW GLASS SHATTERED, MOST GOING OUT THE WINDOW BUT SOME FRAGMENTS ENTERING INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I CONTROLLED THE VEHICLE AND STEERED IT ONTO THE SHOULDER WHERE WE STOPPED. BECAUSE OF THE TREMENDOUS SPEEDS OF THE OTHER VEHICLES PASSING BY, I QUICKLY TRIED TO PUSH THE EXCESS GLASS THAT REMAINED IN THE DOOR TO FEEL SAFE IN DRIVING THE REST OF THE DISTANCE TO THE AIRPORT. WE TRIED TO CONTACT THE ALAMO EMERGENCY NUMBER - WHEN MY TRAVELLING COMPANION CONTACTED ALAMO AND TOLD THEM IT WAS AN EMERGENCY, SHE WAS TOLD TO HOLD ON. SHE DID SO BUT WAS DISCONNECTED. WE TRAVELLED TO THE AIPORT BELOW SPEED LIMIT SINCE THE LEFT WINDOW WAS NO LONGER THERE AND THERE WERE FRAGMENTS OF GLASS THAT, AT TIMES, WOULD BLOW INSIDE . WHEN WE REACHED THE ALAMO RENTAL CAR AGENCY, THEY APPEARED TO BE LITTLE CONCERNED - THEY SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE OTHER SIMILAR OCCURRENCES. UNFORTUNATELY, THE MANAGER OF ALAMO TRIED TO CONVINCE ME THAT IT WAS A ROCK THAT HAD STRUCK THE WINDOW AND CAUSED THE PROBLEM. SINCE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND FELT THE SUDDEN DECOMPRESSION AND EXPLOSIVE QUALITY OF WHAT HAPPENED, I BELIEVE HIM TO BE WRONG. THANKFULLY, THE GLASS DID NOT BLIND ME OR PREVENT MY CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, U

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Drum › Drum
Filed Jul 21, 2000NC

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00V143000 CONCERNING REAR DRUM BRAKE FAILURE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. BUT, DEALER STATED PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. CONSUMER HAS BEEN WAITING 4 WEEKS.*AK

Visibility › Power Window Devices and Controls
Filed Jul 7, 2000PA

WHILE DRIVING WITH THE REAR WINDOWS DOWN, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES VERY HARD WHICH MAY CAUSE A LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. DEALER SAID IT DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FLAW DESIGN OF THE AERODYNAMICS. *AK *ML

Steering › Linkages › Knuckle › Spindle › Arm
Filed Jun 30, 2000CO

NHTSA RECALL 00V143000 AND MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 00047. NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Gear Position Indication (prndl)
Filed Jun 29, 2000LA

GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED, PREVENTING THE DRIVER FROM DETERMINING THE GEAR POSITION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Seats › Front Assembly › Head Restraint
Filed Jun 5, 2000WA

THE EXCESSIVELY LARGE AND TALL HEADREST BLOCKS LEFT SIDE AND REAR VIEW OF THE DRIVER CAUSING LANE CHANGING UNSAFE. YH

Unknown or Other
Filed May 20, 2000MA

UNDERNEATH ASSEMBLY SCRAPES WHEN RIDING OVER A DEEP DIP IN ROAD. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed May 18, 2000CA

THE ENGINE WAS DEFECTIVE RESULTING IN A METALLIC NOISE. NLM

Structure › Body
Filed Apr 18, 2000PA

PLASTIC SPOILER WILL HIT BOTTOM AND SCRAPE WHEN GOING OVER A DIP, CAUSING DRIVER TO HESITATE OR SLOW DOWN SO THAT THE SPOILER WILL NOT HIT HARD. *AK

Seats1 injured
Filed Apr 10, 2000NY

DRIVERS SEAT LEANS TO THE SIDE, CONSUMER HAS PAIN DUE TO SITTING UNBALANCED AND POOR STABILITY. *MJS

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Apr 3, 2000TX

VEHICLE WAS IN AN EMERGENCY STOP SITUATION, AND THE ANIT-SKID SYSTEM DID NOT RESPOND. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Mar 5, 2000TX

APPLICATION OF BRAKES RESULTED IN SPONTANEOUS RACING OF ENGINE, BOTH FRONT AND REAR WHEELS JUMPED CURB IN SPITE OF HARD BRAKING. CAR STOPPED PRIOR TO ENTERING FREEWAY. *AK

Reading these

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.

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