IllustrationCAR SOLD TO ME IS A LEMON. THE MOTOR WENT OUT IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS.*AK
1989 Buick Century
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Buick Century do not stand out strongly from 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
Limited mileage data: 1 of 40 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
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.
- Seat Belts. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
40 reportsA TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE. TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND DETERMINED THAT ENGINE CRADLE WAS RUSTING. *AK
THE PAINT HAS BEGUN TO PEELING OFF THE CAR. THE PRIMER IS STILL THERE, HOWEVER. THE CAR HAS BEEN OWNED BY IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS SINCE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN 1989 AND HAS BEEN KEPT UNDER A CARPORT/GARAGE FOR ALL OF ITS OWNERSHIP. I OWN A 5-YR OLDER FORD THAT IS NOT GARAGED, AND THE FINISH IS STILL LIKE NEW.
DOOR HINGES SPLIT IN HALF, CAUSING DOOR TO SEPARATE FROM VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHEN GETING ON TO THE HIGHWAY THE SEAT BACK FELL IN TO THE BACK SEAT MAKING ME UNABLE TO SEE ANY TRAFFIC AHEAD OF ME.*AK
PE00 048; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A FUNNY NOISE, AND THEN TREAD CAME OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS. AND RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK DUNLOP SP 40 P195/70R14 DOT DB R W 466047 ( 006677 ) CONSUMER ADDED IT WA…
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PE00 048; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A FUNNY NOISE, AND THEN TREAD CAME OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS. AND RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK DUNLOP SP 40 P195/70R14 DOT DB R W 466047 ( 006677 ) CONSUMER ADDED IT WAS A HOT DAY
CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 ACCIDENTS RELATING TO ENGINE ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED THE SAME WAY. CONSUMER HAS A VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY. ON SEPT. 11-2000, VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE & IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A MAXIUM SPEED. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERMOSTAT RING GASKET, IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE & COMPUTER SCAN WERE THE CAUSES. *…
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CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 ACCIDENTS RELATING TO ENGINE ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED THE SAME WAY. CONSUMER HAS A VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY. ON SEPT. 11-2000, VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE & IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A MAXIUM SPEED. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERMOSTAT RING GASKET, IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE & COMPUTER SCAN WERE THE CAUSES. *AK
RIGHT FRONT CRADLE BOLTS RUSTED AND PULLED THROUGH THE FRAME WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION. VEHILCE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 97V058000. DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT BOLTS AND WASHER. *AK
INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE TRAVELING/APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, OR APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN / OUT OF INDEPENDENT SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
CONSUMER STARTED UP VEHICLE AND ENGINE WAS RUNNING A LITTLE FAST. CONSUMER HAD FOOT ON BRAKE , PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR AND IT TOOK OFF WHILE FOOT WAS ON BRAKE. VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP UNTIL THEY ENDED UP IN A CREEK. CONSUMER'S INSURANCE COMPANY CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
Official recalls
195V173000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Sep 15, 1995
THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH REAR OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGES THAT MAY NOT WITHSTAND THE REQUIRED LOAD. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO.210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IN A COLLISON, STRESS CAN CAUSE THE ATTACHMENT METAL TO TEAR AND ALLOW THE ANCHORAGE TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT PROTECT AN OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING ANCHOR BOLTS WITH A NEW SHOULDER BOLT AND THREAD LOCKING ADHESIVE. ADDITIONALLY, NOISE CONTROL PATCHES WILL BE APPLIED AT EACH ANCHORAGE.
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
1EA92024 · Sticking Throttle
Opened Jun 26, 1992 · Closed Jan 31, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available