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1991 Buick Century

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1991 Buick Century do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 28.

About this comparison →
38Owner 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
16
198840
198933
199038
199145
199254
1993106
1994
Compare all Century years →

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

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
9Electrical System
8Engine And Engine Cooling
5Vehicle Speed Control
5Seat Belts
4
All reported categories
Seats
4Power Train
3Unknown Or Other
3Fuel System, Gasoline
2Visibility
2Child Seat
1Engine
1Structure
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: 2 of 38 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.

  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 8 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.

7 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

8 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Oct 2, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE BEGAN OVERHEATING, CONSUMER HAD ALL 6 FROST PLUGS REPLACED AND THE WATER PUMP, STARTER, THERMOSTAT, HEAD GASKET AND RESURFACED THE ENGINE HEAD. NLM

NHTSA ODI #555749

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 1999
Electrical System

MY CLEAR COAT IS CHALKING AND PEELING MAINLY ON MY HOOD AND TWO SIDE PANELS, THE PAINT ON MY BACK BUMPER IS COMPLETLY FLAKING OFF. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS REPLACED FREE UNTIL 1995. I DONT FEEL I HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. I WASH AND WAX MY CAR REGULARLY. I FEEL GM SHOULD …

Read full complaint

MY CLEAR COAT IS CHALKING AND PEELING MAINLY ON MY HOOD AND TWO SIDE PANELS, THE PAINT ON MY BACK BUMPER IS COMPLETLY FLAKING OFF. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS REPLACED FREE UNTIL 1995. I DONT FEEL I HAVE DONE ANYTHING TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. I WASH AND WAX MY CAR REGULARLY. I FEEL GM SHOULD PAY SINCE THEY ADMITTED FAULT WITH BAD PAINT UNTIL 1995 AND I DID NOT CAUSE THIS PROBLEM NOR OWN THE CAR UNTIL AFTER 1995

NHTSA ODI #712634

Mileage unknown · Jun 25, 1999
Electrical System

HAD STARTED VEHICLE, WHICH DID NOT START RIGHT AWAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC & HAD BATTERY REPLACED HOWEVER, PROBLEM CONTINUED. VEHICLE WOULD RUN FOR A WHILE. TURNED VEHICLE OFF & LEFT. RETURNED & VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. THERE IS A TSB #916D-5. *AK

NHTSA ODI #841197

Mileage unknown · Mar 1, 1999
Electrical System

WE ARE HAVING [PROBLEMS WITH ALL THE ELECTRICAL IN THE DASH ANS POWER WINDOWS, NOW THE CAR WONT START EITHER

NHTSA ODI #703898

Mileage unknown · May 14, 1998
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

ALTERNATOR FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #535534

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 1998
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, Gasoline

FUEL PUMP FAILED.

NHTSA ODI #531457

Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 1995
Electrical System

WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN IT CUTS OFF AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ODI #975647

Mileage unknown · May 5, 1995
Electrical SystemCrash

VEHICLE STALLED TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. THIS IS THE FOURTH INCIDENT. TT

NHTSA ODI #964887

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