IllustrationVEHICLE ACCELERATES UNCONTROLLABLY INTERMITTENTLY, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY.
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 reportsELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE ODOR COMING FROM VENT, SUDDENLY DASH CAUGHT FIRE, DUE TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING SHORT IN DASH. *AK VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MANY ELECTRICAL RELATED PROBLEMS, BATTERY FAILED, BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO OFF EVEN AFTER VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND DEALER FOUND AN OPEN CIRCUIT STOP…
Read full complaint
WHILE DRIVING NOTICED SMOKE ODOR COMING FROM VENT, SUDDENLY DASH CAUGHT FIRE, DUE TO ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING SHORT IN DASH. *AK VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MANY ELECTRICAL RELATED PROBLEMS, BATTERY FAILED, BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT GO OFF EVEN AFTER VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND DEALER FOUND AN OPEN CIRCUIT STOP AT LAMP SWITCH, WINDSHIELD WIPER FUSE BLEW MANY TIMES EVEN AFTER DEALER REPLACED TERMINALS AT FUSE PANEL, ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE STALLED, DEALER REPLACED ALTERNATOR, DEALER FOUND A SHORT IN THE COLUMN HARNESS. WHENEVER IT RAINED, FLOORBOARD ON PASSENGER SIDE WOULD GET SOAKED, DEALER RESEALED WINDHSIELD. AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT BLOWING COLD AIR, DEALER FOUND A LOOSE FITTING AT THE CONDENSOR. *SLC
ON A SUNNY DAY THE REFLECTION OF THE DASH SHOWS UP ON THE WINDSHIELD. ITS LIKE A CLOUD OF FOG WHICH IMPAIRS VISIBILITY. *AK
VEHICLE SURGED, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *DH
DRIVER'S SEAT TRACK BROKE. *SD
FRONT BRAKES COMPLETELY REPLACED. *DH
DESIGN OF HORN BUTTON CAUSES DIFFICULTY ACCESSING IN EMERGENCY SITUATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT. *SD
WIRING HARNESS SHORTED, CAUSING SMOKE.
DRUMS WARP AND PADS WEAR OUT TOO QUICKLY, REAR BRAKES MISADJUSTED, ALSO CAR CAN'T BE STOPPED QUICKLY AND VEHICLE JERKS UNTIL STOPPED.
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.