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1990 Buick Century

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1990 Buick Century do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 28.

About this comparison →
33Owner complaints

Model-year median: 28

2Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
28
198716
198840
198933
199038
199145
199254
1993
Compare all Century years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seat Belts
8Electrical System
6Structure
6Engine And Engine Cooling
5Seats
5
All reported categories
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Steering
2Tires
2Exterior Lighting
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1Power Train
1Suspension
1Visibility
1

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: 0 of 33 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 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Structure. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

33 reports
Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 1996
Seats

FAILURE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT, THE SEAT IS RECLINED TO THE BACK POSITION.*AK THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT TRAVELS ON RAILS BACK AND FOWARD, WHILE DRVING A METAL BRACKET ON THE LEFT SIDE, THAT ANCHORED THE SEAT TO THE FLOOR BROKE IN HALF, THEREFORE MAKING THE SEAT AS A WHOLE TILT BACKWARD.*JB

NHTSA ODI #800742

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 1996
Electrical SystemFire

WHILE DRIVING, HEARD NOISE, WITHIN MINUTES, ALL POWER STOPPED, BLACK SMOKE POURED OUT FROM UNDERHOOD, FIRE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER VEHICLE, NO WARNING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #986839

Mileage unknown · Jul 15, 1996
Seat Belts

DESIGN FLAW IN SEAT BELT THAT ATTACHES TO DOOR, LEAVING OCCUPANT FREE TO FALL OUT OF VEHICLE IF DOOR OPENS IN ACCIDENT. *DH

NHTSA ODI #506544

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 1996
Seat BeltsCrashInjury

SEAT BELT; FAILURE ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS, CONSUMER WAS IN A ACCIDENT AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. *AK

NHTSA ODI #981357

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 1996
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING DUE TO METAL CHIPS FOUND IN PAN/FLUID BURNED. *SD

NHTSA ODI #502326

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 1995
Structure

THE DRIVER SIDE HINGE IN THE DOOR HAD BROKEN AND FELL OFF AND THE OTHER HINGES ARE CRACKED. THE DEALER SAID THAT IT'S THE OWNER PROBLEM. TT

NHTSA ODI #977062

Mileage unknown · Aug 1, 1995
Seats

DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT TORE AWAY FROM CHASSIS; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, SEAT WAS NOT STABLE, ROCKED BACK AND FORTH; COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. TT

NHTSA ODI #969630

Mileage unknown · Jul 5, 1995
Structure

HYDRAULIC LIFT/SHOCK FAILS SLIDING OFF AND WEAK SUPPORT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ODI #968219

Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 1995
Seat Belts

THE PASSENGERS AND DRIVERS SEAT BELTS HAVE NO TENSION. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #968147

Mileage unknown · Jun 23, 1995
Seat Belts

THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT BUCKLE STICKS AND YOU CANNOT GET OUT. PLEASE EXPLAIN. TT

NHTSA ODI #967622

Official recalls

2

95V173000 · 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.

92V124000 · Seats:front Assembly:recliner

Sep 1, 1992

THE POWER SEAT OR RECLINER WIRING HARNESS CAN BE PINCHED OR CAN CHAFE ON THE SEAT FRAME OR SPRING SUPPORT ROD, WEARING THROUGH THE WIRE INSULATION AND CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE HIGH CURRENT CAUSED BY THE ELECTRICAL SHORT WELDS THECIRCUIT BREAKER ELEMENTS TOGETHER IN THE CLOSED POSITION, LEAVING THE CIRCUITUNPROTECTED AND GENERATING SUFFICIENT HEAT TO BURN THE WIRE INSULATION ANDIGNITE THE SEAT CUSHION MATERIAL.

Remedy: REPAIR ANY ABRADED WIRING AND REROUTE THE WIRING HARNESS USING A WIRING HARNESS CLIP.

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

1

EA92024 · 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