IllustrationRECEIVED NOTICE 99V356000 & CONTACTED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS OF HEADLIGHTS. AFTERWARDS, HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. RECALL REMEDY HAD FAILED. CONTACTED &ANDSPOKE TO TAMMY & ROB AT GMC, BUT THEY WERE OF NO HELP. *AK
1999 Buick Century
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Century years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Buick Century are substantially higher than the model-year median of 28.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Century years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
120–25K
2625–50K
3250–75K
1575–100K
14100–150K
3150K+
102 reports with mileage · 133 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports4 fire reports13 injury reports
What owners actually said
235 reportsTHE AC DELCO BATTERY FAILED, THE CONNECTIONS BROKE CAUSING ACID TO LEAK OUT. *MJS
AFTER GETTING OFF WORK CONSUMER WENT TO TURN VEHICLE ON AND ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING TO INCIDENT OCCURRING. CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT PROBLEM WAS. SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO CALL MANUFACTURER FOR THE CONSUMER.*AK REFERENCED IN EA02-030
WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL, IT WOULD NOT DISENGAGE, CAUSING UNWANTED ACCLERATION, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GAIN SPEED. IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAD TO REMOVE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND PLACE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. …
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WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL, IT WOULD NOT DISENGAGE, CAUSING UNWANTED ACCLERATION, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO GAIN SPEED. IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE, CONSUMER HAD TO REMOVE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND PLACE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER HAS ORDERED PARTS FROM THE MANUFACTURER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
AS I WAS PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY I PULLED UP TO THE CLOSED GARAGE DOOR AND AS I PULLED TO WITHIN A FEW FEET OF THE DOOR I PUT THE BRAKES ON BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I WAS BASICALLY AT IDLE SPEED BUT THE CAR KEPT GOING THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR AT WHICH TIME I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO AVOID PROCEEDING THROUGH THE HOUSE. PLE…
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AS I WAS PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY I PULLED UP TO THE CLOSED GARAGE DOOR AND AS I PULLED TO WITHIN A FEW FEET OF THE DOOR I PUT THE BRAKES ON BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP. I WAS BASICALLY AT IDLE SPEED BUT THE CAR KEPT GOING THROUGH THE GARAGE DOOR AT WHICH TIME I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL TO AVOID PROCEEDING THROUGH THE HOUSE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH OTHER CARS, I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR SINCE THEN AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOT OCCURRED AGAIN.
THE RECALL REPAIR (99V-356) DID NOT RECTIFY THE HEAD LIGHT ILLUMINATION PROBLEM, CONSUMER IS STILL HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH VISIBILITY. *MJS
COULD NOT DRIVE IN DRIVE, REPLAC TRANSMISSION, WHEN GOT CAR BACK NOT DASH OR BACK LIGHTS ALSO THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER STOPPING
MY WIFE TRIED TO CHANGE A TIRE USING THE SUPPLIED JACK WHICH FAILED. THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR CRUSHED THE JACK WHICH WAS ON A FLAT ASPHALT SURFACE. CLEARLY THE SUPPLIED JACK COULD NOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR. *AK
WHEN REAR BRAKES GETS DAMP BACK WHEELS WILL LOCK UP, CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS NORMAL. *AK THE DEALER STATES THAT THE RUBBING AND THE GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM REAR BRAKE IS CAUSED BY BRAKE DUST. *YH
WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED.*AK
Official recalls
304V375000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Aug 10, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE OVERHEAD SIGN ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LESS ILLUMINATION MAY REDUCE THE ABILITY OF THE DRIVER TO READ OVERHEAD SIGNS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW LOW BEAM HEADLAMP BULBS IN BOTH OF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080. NOTE: IF THE BULB NEEDS REPLACEMENT IN THE FUTURE, GM BULB NUMBER 89024715 IS AVAILABLE FROM A DEALER, OR THE EQUIVALENT SYLVANIA BULB IS 9006HP, WITH ORANGE LETTERING ON THE BULB.
99V356000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Dec 17, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE VERTICAL HEAD LAMP ADJUSTING DEVICE MAY NOT BE CALIBRATED PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER VISIBILITY MAY BE IMPAIRED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN OWNER'S MANUAL INSERT CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPTICALLY AIMING THE HEADLAMPS.
99V170000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
Jul 9, 1999
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WITH THE KEY IN THE "ON" POSITION, EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) MOTOR SHORTS TO ITS CASE AND GROUNDS THROUGH A FLEXIBLE BRAKE FLUID PIPE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS SHORT CAN CAUSE EXTREME HEATING OF THE FLEXIBLE BRAKE PIPE WHERE IT CAN MELT A NEARBY FLEXIBLE PLASTIC FUEL HOSE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND CABLE FROM THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE (EBCM) TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BODY RAIL.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.