2003 Buick Century

AT TIMES WHEN USE THE DIMMER SWITCH ON MY 2003 BUICK CENTURY, THE HEAD LIGHTS GO OUR COMPLETELY. WHEN I REFLICK THE DIMMER SWITCH, THE LIGHTS WILL COME BACK ON, THIS PROPOSES A DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESP. IF ONE DOESN'T KNOW THAT REFLICKING THE SWITCH WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE SITUATION IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS IN THE LATE TWILIGHT, WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED W/ MY WIFE. SHE DROVE SEVERAL MILES BEFORE ARRIVING HOME, COMPLETELY UNAWARE THAT SHE WAS DRIVING W/O HEADLIGHT. I JUST RETRIEVED MY BUICK FROM THE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THEY INSTALLED AN ENTIRE UNIT FOR ME AT A COST OF 500.00. MORE THAN LIKELY THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH OTHER CENTURY OWNERS. THE REPAIR COST WAS BAD ENOUGH, BUT THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY, IF I HAD NOT DETECTED THE PROBLEM AND HAD IT REPAIRED. *TR

THE 2003 HAS A NUMBER OF ISSUES. 1. THE LIGHTS TURN OFF AT RANDOM IN THE DARK. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. 2. THE BRAKES NEED TO BE REPLACED ROUGHLY EVERY 8 MONTHS. MY MECHANIC SAID THE BUICK CENTURY HAS BRAKES THAT ARE NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR. COSTLY! 3. OIL SYSTEM LEAKS, COMPLETE BREAKDOWN. $1200 TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM. 4. THE DIALS ON THE TEMP CONTROL COME OFF. I AM TRADING THIS POS OFF BEFORE IT COSTS ME MORE MONEY! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING AND MADE THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT WERE FILED FOR THIS FAILURE AND BELIEVES IT TO BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 47,900 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 47,600. THE CONSUMER PROVIDED THE REPAIR INVOICE FOR THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 09/05/07 *TR

MY 2003 BUICK CENTURY DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WHEREIN THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WAS ENERGIZE AT VERY ODD TIMES; I.E. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, WHEN DRIVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED (LOW SPEED IN RESIDENTIAL AREA), WHEN SLOWING TO MAKE A TURN OR TO STOP BUT BEFORE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. WHEN THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM MYSTERIOUSLY ACTIVATED AS THE BRAKES WERE BEING APPLIED, MORE DISTANCE WAS USED TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. A MR GOODWRENCH SHOP TRIED TO FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT TO NO AVAIL. AT THE SAME TIME THIS WAS HAPPENING, THREE DASH LIGHTS WOULD SOMETIMES COME ON AND STAY ON UNTIL THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. THE THREE LIGHTS WERE CHECK VEHICLE SOON, ANTI-LOCK, AND TRAC OFF. THESE SAME LIGHTS ALSO CAME ONE AND STAYED ON WHEN THE BRAKES SYSTEM WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE SHOP COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM WITH THIS EITHER. INCLUDING PUTTING ON NEW FRONT AND REAR BRAKES (INCLUDING FRONT ROTORS, I SPENT JUST OVER $900.00. THE ONLY THING I REALLY GOT WAS NEW BRAKES WHICH DO NOT NORMALLY COST ANYWHERE NEAR $ 900.00. I HAVE SINCE REMOVED THE FUSE FOR THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS OKAY EXCEPT THAT I NOW HAVE TWO LIGHTS ON ALL THE TIME (ANTI-LOCK AND TRAC OFF). ALTHOUGH I SHOW AN INCIDENT DATE BELOW, THIS SITUATION HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR AT LEAST THREE MONTHS. *TR

WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE AT NIGHT I WENT TO USE MY HIGH BEAMS, LOW BEAMS OPERATED FINE. HOWEVER, WHEN I ACTIVATED HIGH BEAMS, ALL HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF, CAUSING ME TO RAPIDLY SLOW DOWN AND PULL TO SIDE OF ROAD. AS PULLING TO SIDE OF ROAD I TURNED OFF THE HIGH BEAMS, AND LOW BEAMS CAME BACK ON. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. THIS OBVIOUSLY VERY DANGEROUS. I TOOK CAR TO A CAR REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY ADVISED ME TO CHECK FOR ANY VEHICLE/EQUIPMENT RECALLS. I TRIED LOOKING FOR RECALLS ,BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY. REPAIR SHOP WAS INSISTENT THAT WE CHECKED WITH YOU BEFORE THEY DO ANY WORK BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE COVERED IF A RECALL WAS ISSUED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED WANTS TO KNOW THE STATUS OF HIS COMPLAINT. *TR

ANTI LOCK BRAKES , DECEMBER 2006. I NOTICED THE BRAKES WERE SPONGY, AND A LOUD GROWLING TYPE NOISE WHEN I TURNED . I TOOK IT TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC, WHO DID AN INSPECTION, AND SAID THE BRAKES WERE FINE. BRAKE PADS WERE IN GOOD SHAPE,ETC . I DROVE HOME, ANTI LOCK LIGHT WAS ON. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO REPAIR SHOP FOR TEST DRIVE. THEY DROVE IT FOR SEVERAL HOURS NO NOISES OR SPONGY BRAKING. MY DAUGHTER CALLED ME & REPORTED SEEING THE CAR FLYING DOWN THE ROAD.. I TOLD REPAIR SHOP I WASN'T DRIVING 55 OR GREATER WHEN PROBLEM OCCURRED. I WAS DOING BETWEEN 10- 40 MPH. THEY DROVE IT AGAIN AT MUCH SLOWER SPEEDS AND RECREATED THE PROBLEMS. THEY RECOMMENDED I REPLACE THE ABS SENSOR AND RIGHT/LEFT WHEEL CYLINDERS . I DID, IT AT GREAT EXPENSE. THE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES WENT OUT. I DROVE HOME, PARKED THE CAR, AND THE NEXT MORNING ROVE TO WORK, AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE WARNING LIGHT WAS BACK ON . TOOK IT BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP. EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE. THEY COULD NOT FIND A REASON FOR THE PROBLEMS. BUT, RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE ALL FOUR TIRES DUE TO THREAD SEPARATION. ANOTHER CUSTOMER THERE WITH THIS CAR, ALSO A 2003 BUICK CENTURY THAT WAS HAVING NEW TIRES PUT ON FOR THE SAME REASON. THE TREAD WAS SEPARATING. BUT NO RECALL WAS ISSUED , WHY? PERHAPS LIKE ME, MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO REPORT SUCH PROBLEMS, THEY JUST REPLACED THEM LIKE I DID. *AK

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2003 BUICK CENTURY WITH 50000 FAILURE MILEAGE AT 55 MPH AND GOING AROUND A SOFT LEFT CURVE THE FRONT WHEELS TURNED, BUT THE BACK WHEELS LOST TRACTION. THE VEHICLE WENT SIDEWAYS AND HIT A POLE AT 55 MPH ,AND THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NON-LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. THE VEHICLE HAD EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. *AK

HEADLIGHT HIGH BEAMS WOULD RANDOMLY TURN OFF LEAVING NO VISIBILITY FOR NIGHT DRIVING. THIS OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. SWITCHING BACK TO LOW BEAMS PROVIDED LIGHT. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO GM DEALERSHIP AND IT WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED THAT A REMEDY MIGHT BE TO REPLACE THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH OR BLINKER SWITCH. THIS REPLACEMENT WAS DONE ON 12/11/06 AT A COST OF $682.02. *NM