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1996 Buick Century

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Buick Century do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 28.

About this comparison →
80Owner complaints

Model-year median: 28

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
54
1993106
199499
199580
1996106
1997218
1998235
1999
Compare all Century years →

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

What owners reported most

Service Brakes, Hydraulic
12Fuel System, Gasoline
10Steering
10Engine And Engine Cooling
9Structure
8
All reported categories
Vehicle Speed Control
8Visibility
8Power Train
7Suspension
7Electrical System
6Air Bags
5Exterior Lighting
2Interior Lighting
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Seat Belts
2Unknown Or Other
2Equipment
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Parking Brake
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: 14 of 80 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 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports

Latches/locks/linkages complaints

2 reports
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145,321 miles · Mar 6, 2008
Latches/locks/linkages

1996 BUICK CENTURY. AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WILL LOCK WHEN THE CAR IS IN GEAR AND IDLING. DRIVER MISTAKENLY GOT OUT OF CAR WITH THE CAR IN GEAR AND IDLING. THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS IMMEDIATELY LOCKED THE DRIVER OUT OF THE CAR. DRIVER HAD TO BUST WINDOW TO SHUT THE CAR OFF BEFORE CAR ROLLED INTO BUILDING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10220312

Mileage unknown · Jan 21, 1998
Latches/locks/linkages

WHILE BEING DRIVEN, THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH RELEASED, ALLOWING THE SECONDARY LATCH TO CATCH FORCE. HOOD LATCH ADJUSTED BY AREA DEALER WITH HOOD LATCH STILL RELEASING, ALLOWING SECONDARY LATCH TO CATCH FORCE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #819397

Official recalls

1

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.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.