Illustration1999 BUICK CENTURY DEVELOPED A ROUGH IDLE RIGHT AFTER START UP. THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. *BF NAR *JLS THE PROBLEM RESTRICTED THE FUEL INJECTORS. THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT WOULD FLASH AND AFTER SOME DRIVING, IT WOULD RESET ITSELF AND RUN OKAY UNTIL THE NEXT COLD START CYCLE REPEATS ITSELF. *SC
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 reportsHEADLIGHTS WERE REPAIRED. CONSUMER STATED AFTER RECALL REPAIRS THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM. *AK
DRIVING DOWN ROAD ONE DAY WHEN CAR OVERHEATED. ONE MECHANIC REPLACED THERMOSTAT BUT CONTINUED TO DO SAME. TOOK TO ANOTHER FACILITY WHO RAN DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE R & R INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. CAR IS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY WITH ONLY 46,191 MILES. HAVE BEEN TOLD THE COST TO FIX PROBLEM IS APPROX. $700. WIT…
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DRIVING DOWN ROAD ONE DAY WHEN CAR OVERHEATED. ONE MECHANIC REPLACED THERMOSTAT BUT CONTINUED TO DO SAME. TOOK TO ANOTHER FACILITY WHO RAN DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE R & R INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. CAR IS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY WITH ONLY 46,191 MILES. HAVE BEEN TOLD THE COST TO FIX PROBLEM IS APPROX. $700. WITH ALL OF THE OTHER IDENTICAL PROBLEMS OF OTHER OWNERS WHY HASN'T SOMETHING BEEN DONE WITH THIS PROBLEM? CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FOOT THE BILL FOR GM'S DEFECTIVE PARTS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE DESIGN. HAD A BUICK REGAL BEFORE THIS AND IT IS STILL RUNNING WITH OVER 195,000 MILES. NO ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM PROBLEM WITH IT. *JB
AFTER HAVING THE LOW BEAM RECALL DONE THE LOW BEAMS ARE EVEN WORSE THEN WHEN I STARTED. THE RECALL BULBS ARE LESS AFFECTIVE THEN THE ORIGIONALS WITCH ARE NOTHING TO BRAG ABOUT. HI BEAMS ARE NOT AFFECTED. I WILL BE REPLACING WITH AFTER MARKET TYPE BULBS ON MY OWN.*AK
SERVICE VEHICLE, ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. THE LIGHT WOULD GO OUT AT FIRST BUT NOW IS STEADY. TOOK CAR TO DEALER WHO SAID IT WAS BROKEN WIRE UNDER HOOD. THEY HAVE FOUND MANY WITH SAME PROBLEM. A WIRE HARNESS IS TO SHORT AND THE WIRE EVENTUALLY FAILS. ABS DOES NOT WORK DURING THIS FAILURE.
BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW. HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS NOT OPERATING. IN JUNE, DRIVERS WINDOW FELL DOWN AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. MECHANIC REPLACED ENTIRE WINDOW MECHANISM. THREE WEEKS LATER LEFT REAR WINDOW BEGIN TO FALL WHILE DRIVING. DROVE TO DEALERSHIP WHERE MECHANIC TAPED WINDOW UP AND HE SAID THIS HAD BE…
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BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW. HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRIC WINDOWS NOT OPERATING. IN JUNE, DRIVERS WINDOW FELL DOWN AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. MECHANIC REPLACED ENTIRE WINDOW MECHANISM. THREE WEEKS LATER LEFT REAR WINDOW BEGIN TO FALL WHILE DRIVING. DROVE TO DEALERSHIP WHERE MECHANIC TAPED WINDOW UP AND HE SAID THIS HAD BEEN A PROBLEM BUT THOUGHT IT WAS WITH ALL MAKES/MODELS NOT JUST BUICK. THE ORIGINAL REPAIR ON FRONT WINDOW WAS $440. TO REPAIR REAR WINDOW WOULD BE THE SAME. MY HUSBAND HAS DISCONNECTED SWITCH AND TEMPORARY FIXED WINDOW UP. NOW THE REMAINING TWO WINDOWS SELDOM OPERATE.*AK
WHEN THE CONSUMER USES THE HORN THE HORN STICKS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING DURING NIGHT HOURS, IT WAS HARD DIFFICULT FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE BECAUSE THE HEAD LIGHT LENS COVERS WERE NOT CLEAR. DETERMINED. *JB THE HEADLIGHTS HAD MOISTURE INSIDE THEM. ONCE THE MOISTURE EVAPORATED THE HEADLAMPS DID NOT ILLUMINATE PROPERLY. *NM
REAR SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE FOR MORE ROOM. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
POWER STEERING FAILURE REGARDING 1999 BUICK CENTURY. *MR THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE 1997-1998 BUICK(S) AND FELT THAT SHE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH HER VEHICLE. *SC *JB
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.