Buick Century Reliability

2,393 NHTSA complaints (1981–2005). Complaint rate: 2998.8 per 1,000 vehicles.

Severity Score
6572.7
Complaints
2,393
Crash Rate
7.7%
Fire Rate
2.0%
Injuries
186
Fatalities
4

Which Years to Buy & Avoid

Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.

Bottom line: Avoid the 1994–2003 Buick Century (122 crash-related complaints). The 2005 models had significantly fewer reported issues. Most common issue across all years: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.

Avoid These Years

1994–2003
~189/yr complaints · 122 crashes

Average

1986
~43/yr complaints
1989–1993
~56/yr complaints
2004
~51/yr complaints

Better Years

2005
~35/yr complaints
1987–1988
~29/yr complaints
1982–1985
~9/yr complaints
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Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA complaint count per model year

Buick Century — Complaints by Model YearPeak: 1999 (287)
083165248330198219841986198819901992199419961998200020022004

Common Buick Century Problems

Most reported component complaints to NHTSA

ComponentComplaintsCrash %
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION993.0%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL9233.7%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM861.2%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP8413.1%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING770.0%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER651.5%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE633.2%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING591.7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS580.0%
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL5782.5%

Year-by-Year Breakdown

NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.

YearGenerationComplaintsCrashesFiresDetails
1982GOOD—40—View→
1983GOOD—100—View→
1984GOOD—110—View→
1985GOOD—902View→
1986—4322View→
1987GOOD—3222View→
1988GOOD—260—View→
1989—4610—View→
1990—4914View→
1991—5092View→
1992—64112View→
1993—71224View→
1994AVOID—144297View→
1995AVOID—127121View→
1996AVOID—11071View→
1997AVOID—13242View→
1998AVOID—27813—View→
1999AVOID—287205View→
2000AVOID—249112View→
2001AVOID—190103View→
2002AVOID—204107View→
2003AVOID—17062View→
2004—514—View→
2005GOOD—351—View→

See also: Buick Centuryaccident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.

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Buick Century Years to Avoid (1981–2005) — Reliability, Problems & Best Years to Buy | VinItel