IllustrationANTI LOCK BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPAIRED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, SEVERAL COMPONENTS REPLACED, HOWEVER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE VIBRATION/GRINDING. MJS
1994 Buick Century
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Century years
Owner complaints for the 1994 Buick Century are substantially higher than 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: 6 of 106 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 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
24 crash reports4 fire reports17 injury reports
What owners actually said
106 reportsWHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES THERE IS A CLICKING SOUND BEFORE THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, AND THEN THEY BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING SOUND. EVENTUALY BRAKES COME BACK UP AND CONTINUE NORMAL OPERATIOS. *AK
ENGINE PULLEY/ EXHAUST SYSTEM/ABS BRAKES AND CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED. UNDER 34,000 MILES. *AK
ABS LIGHT COMES ON, IT BEGAN WHEN IT RAINED AND NOW AT VARIOUS TIMES. THE SENSOR HAS BEEN WORKED ON BY A DEALER 6 TIMES, IT HAS BEEN CLEANED, CHECKED, REPLACED, REPOSITIONED,TEST DRIVEN, ETC. AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS AT THIS DATE.6/3/99.*AK
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH AND ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HEAD-ON. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK
TRAVELING 65MPH WHEN A THINNING SOUND HEARD FROM ENGINE. TOOK VEHICLE TO MECHANIC & NOTICED THE TIE ROD WAS BROKEN. WAS INFORMED THAT A NEW ENGINE WOULD BE NEEDED. *AK
I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE AUGUST 1998 RECALL ON EMISSIONS EQUIPMENT. THEY FIRST SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART, THEN THEY SAID THEY HAD THE PART AND HAD REPLACED IT, THEY DID NOT. I HAD THEM DO THE SEAT BELT RECALL, BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER THEY REALLY DID IT OR NOT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER THE PREVIOUS RECALLS, ON THE FRONT E…
Read full complaint
I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE AUGUST 1998 RECALL ON EMISSIONS EQUIPMENT. THEY FIRST SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PART, THEN THEY SAID THEY HAD THE PART AND HAD REPLACED IT, THEY DID NOT. I HAD THEM DO THE SEAT BELT RECALL, BUT HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER THEY REALLY DID IT OR NOT. I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER THE PREVIOUS RECALLS, ON THE FRONT END, FOR EXAMPLE WERE EVER DONE. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAID MY GRIEVANCE WAS WITH THE LOCAL PEOPLE AS EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN LOCAL POLICIES. I HAVE NO IDEA WHETHER MY CAR IS SAFE OR NOT, ALL I KNOW IS THEY CANNOT BE TRUSTED AND I CAN'T VERY WELL TAKE IT BACK THERE. *AK
AT A STOP SIGN AND PROCEEDED FORWARD, HAD A DIRECT FRONTAL IMPACT IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, AND DID NOT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT. DEALER SAID FRONTAL IMPACT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE HIGHER IN ORDER TO ACTIVATE THE AIRBAG. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WITH THE AMOUNT OF MILES ON THIS CAR, I FEEL WE SHOULD NOT BE REPLACING THE ENGINE. WE ARE VERY UPSET WITH THIS SITUATION AND WOULD LIKE SOME CORRESPONDENCE AND EXPLAINATION FOR THESE TYPES OF PROBLEMS.
VEHICLE IS USING UP A LOT OF OIL. WHEN GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE ONE CAN SMELL OIL, BUT THERE ISN'T AN OIL LEAK. CONSUMER CAN'T DETERMINE WHERE THE OIL IS GOING TO. *AK
Official recalls
695V173000 · 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.
94V189000 · Steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm
Oct 4, 1994
THE RIGHT HAND SPINDLE NUT WAS NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED DURING ASSEMBLY. THIS CAN CAUSE PREMATURE WHEEL BEARING FAILURE AND OVER TIME, THE SPINDLE CAN FRACTURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS WOULD CAUSE THE WHEEL TO SEPARATE FROM THE AXLE AND RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TORQUE ON THE RIGHT HAND FRONT SPINDLE NUT. IF THE SPINDLE NUT IS UNDERTORQUED THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE RIGHT HAND FRONT WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY AND THE SPINDLE NUT WILL BE REPLACED.
94V159000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch
Aug 31, 1994
WATER INTRUSION CAN CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE POWER DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE POWER DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLY CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE POWER DOOR LOCK RELAY AND ANY CORRODED TERMINALS. IN ADDITION, THE NEW RELAY WILL BE RELOCATED TO AN AREA WHERE WATER INTRUSION IS LESS LIKELY.
94V008000 · Vehicle Speed Control:springs
Jan 12, 1994
IN THE EVENT OF A PRIMARY ACCELERATOR CONTROL SPRING FAILURE, THE SECONDARY (BACK-UP) ACCELERATOR CONTROL RETURN SPRING WILL NOT RETURN THE THROTTLE TO THE FULLY CLOSED POSITION, AS REQUIRED BY FMVSS NO. 124, "ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEM."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SECONDARY THROTTLE RETURN SPRING.
94V021000 · Vehicle Speed Control:cables
Jan 8, 1994
DURING ASSEMBLY, WATER MAY HAVE ENTERED THE ACCELERATOR CONTROL CABLE CONDUIT CAUSING IT TO DEVELOP A HIGH EFFORT AND/OR BINDING CONDITION IN VERY COLD WEATHER.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: HIGH EFFORT OR BINDING CONDITIONS CAUSE LOSS OF NORMALTHROTTLE CONTROL OR THE THROTTLE MAY NOT RETURN TO IDLE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: THE DEALER WILL PURGE THE THROTTLE CABLE OF ANY INTERNALLY TRAPPED WATER, IF IT IS PRESENT.
93V162000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Sep 27, 1993
THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE MAY SEPARATE FROM THE CONDUIT END FITTING WHILE ENGAGED AND ACCELERATOR CONTROL COULD BE LOST.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL MAY NOT REDUCE ENGINE SPEEDTO A LEVEL ANTICIPATED BY THE DRIVER. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE CAN STILL BE STOPPEDWITH THE SERVICE BRAKE, LOSS OF ACCELERATOR CONTROL COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLECRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Remedy: REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.