1998 Buick CENTURY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
134 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
58,847 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 58 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting:Headlights is the most frequently named component, appearing in 11 of 134 complaints (8.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 24 | 17.9% |
| Steering behavior | 21 | 15.7% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 3.7% |
| Engine operation | 3 | 2.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 3 | 2.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 1.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 11 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip | 9 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 7 |
| Steering | 7 |
| Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls | 7 |
| Electrical System:Horn | 6 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 6 |
| Electrical System | 5 |
Exterior Lighting:Headlights: 11; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip: 9; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 7; Steering: 7; Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls: 7; Electrical System:Horn: 6; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 6; Electrical System: 5
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 14 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 15 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 10 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 15; 75,000 to 99,999: 11; 100,000 to 149,999: 10; 150,000 and above: 1
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (15). 76 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 30 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 14 |
| 2003 | 16 |
| 2004 | 20 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2006 | 4 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 3 |
| 2009 | 4 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
2000: 30; 2001: 12; 2002: 14; 2003: 16; 2004: 20; 2005: 8; 2006: 4; 2007: 5; 2008: 3; 2009: 4; 2010: 5; 2011: 3; 2012: 1; 2013: 2; 2014: 4; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2020: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting:Headlights leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 24 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 21 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 5 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10027079 · 2003-07-11 (July 11, 2003)
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, BRAKE FLUID LEAKED FROM THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER FELT THAT GM PARTS WERE OF POOR QUALITY, AS HE OWNED A BUICK BEFORE, THAT HAD A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS AT LOW MILEAGE. THE SERVICE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THE HOT CLIMATE CAUSED THE RUBBER INSIDE OF THE WHEEL CYLINDERS TO CRACK. *SCC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 28,331 miles reported. Look up ODI 10027079 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10033023 · 2003-08-18 (August 18, 2003)
FAILURE OF BRAKES AND ABS SYSTEM ON MY 1998 BUICK CENTURY. I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS. I HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CAR WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED IT AND I HAD IT WORKED ON. BUT YET IT HAPPENED AGAIN, DUE TO THE BRAKES FAILING AND NOW I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10033023 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10001541 · 2002-12-27 (December 27, 2002)
RACK AND PINION STEERING PROBLEM. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND HAD FOUND THAT PROBLEM WAS FIXED. ALSO THERE WAS A RECALL ON DIFFERENT MAKES AND MODELS WITH SAME PROBLEM; BUT, HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. TS...*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 78,126 miles reported. Look up ODI 10001541 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10040635 · 2003-10-20 (October 20, 2003)
THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BIND. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *NLM *TS *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10040635 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10061783 · 2004-03-09 (March 9, 2004)
TRANSMISSION FELL APART AT 41,600 MILES. (NAR) *PH *CB
Owner-reported narrative. 41,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10061783 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 554930 · 2000-09-20 (September 20, 2000)
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SLC
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 554930 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10046490 · 2003-12-02 (December 2, 2003)
UPON STARTING ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER STARTED TO DRIVE 5 MPH AND VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE DID RESTART WITH NO PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED.*AK ENGINE STALLED WHILE GOING AROUND A CORNER. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP AND PARTS ARE AVAILABLE. *PH
Owner-reported narrative. 33,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046490 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 717122 · 2000-01-09 (January 9, 2000)
AGAIN NEARLY 20 TIMES WHEN REVERSE WHEN ACTIVATED, THE CAR DID NOT GO INTO REVERSE BUT THE ENGINE ROARED LOUDER. UNTIL THE GEARS WERE TAKEN OUT OF REVERSE AND THEN PUT BACK DID IT FINALLY ENGAGED. THIS HAS HAPPENED NEARLY 20 TIMES SINCE AUG 1999. TWICE ON DEC 25,1999, WHEN REVERSE DID NOT ENGAGE, CAR STALLED WHEN TAKING OUT OF REVERSE GEAR. IT HAS NOT REOCCURRED WITH THE STALLING OUT. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 717122 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10069962 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
SINCE I HAVE HAD THE CAR I HAVE HAD REPEATEDLY HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL INJECTORS. IN THE BEGINNING WHILE UNDER WARRANTY THE INJECTORS WERE REPLACED AFTER THE THIRD TIME I WAS TOLD THAT THEY JUST CLEAN INJECTORS NOW AND IT'S CAUSED BY BAD GASOLINE. IN ALL MY OTHER CARS I HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEM USING STANDARD OIL GAS. EVEN THE DEALER BUYS THE SAME GAS AT THE SAME STATION FOR ALL THERE CARS. LATELY WHEN I HAD THE INJECTOR PROBLEM AGAIN THEY QUOTED ME $140 TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHEN I SAID I HAD IT DONE THE OTHER TIMES FOR LESS THEY AUTOMATICALL…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10069962 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10567578 · 2014-03-06 (March 6, 2014)
I FIRST NOTICED THE ENGINE SHUTTING OFF IN JANUARY OF 2014, ESPECIALLY GOING DOWN A HILL. THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS MOISTURE IN MY GAS TANK, BUT AFTER FILLING UP A COUPLE OF TIMES AND PUTTING IN SOME GAS DRYER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I USUALLY SHIFT TO NEUTRAL AND START THE ENGINE WHILE THE CAR IS STILL MOVING. I TOOK MY REMOTE AND OTHER KEYS OFF THE KEY RING. IT STILL SHUTS OFF THE ENGINE WITH JUST ONE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, BUT NOT AS MUCH. CAN YOU TELL ME…
Owner-reported narrative. 99,285 miles reported. Look up ODI 10567578 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10146200 · 2005-12-28 (December 28, 2005)
WE BOUGHT OUR VEHICLE TWO YEARS AGO. WITHIN THAT TIME, NONE OF OUR WINDOWS WORK. IT BEGAN WITH THE TWO BACK WINDOWS NOT ROLLING DOWN AND ONCE THEY WERE DOWN, NOT ABLE TO GO BACK UP. MY FATHER THOUGHT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE WIRING. HE PROCEEDED TO DISCONNECT THE BACK WINDOWS. THEN THE PASSENGER FRONT WINDOW WOULD DO THE SAME THING: ROLL DOWN AND THEN NOT GO UP, OR NOT EVEN ROLL DOWN AT ALL. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A FUSED. INDEED THE FUSE WAS VERY HOT WHEN REMOVING IT. NOW, NONE OF MY WINDOWS ROLL DOWN. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD HAVE …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10146200 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 862707 · 2000-05-30 (May 30, 2000)
HAD SHIFTED VEHICLE INTO REVERSE WHEN THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS CAME ON. WAS UNABLE TO STEER FORWARD OR REVERSE. TURNED VEHICLE OFF AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK. VEHICLE RESET ITSELF. IT'S WAS INTERMITTEN PROBLEM. WOULD HESITATE AT 50-55MPH. AT AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE WOULD STOP RUNNING. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC SUSPECTED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE & NOTHING FOUND. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 862707 at NHTSA ↗