IllustrationTHE FUEL LINE FAILED. THE DEALER HAD NO IDEA WHEN THE PART WOULD BE AVAILABLE. *JB
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 →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: 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
What owners actually said
80 reportsTHE CONSUMER STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION AND THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED. *MR *SCC *NLM
NOISE WOULD COME FROM THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING, DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID LEAKING WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, AND MECHANIC INDICATED THAT HEAD GASKETS WERE LEAKING.*AK
LETTER SENT TO CEO OF GENERAL MOTORS: NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK
WINDSHIELD WASHER/WIPERS WHEN USED, SPRAY WOULD SQUIRT THE WATER THREE TIMES, CAUSE VERY POOR VISIBILITY WHICH ESPECIALLY WHEN USES AT NIGHT. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER STATED THE WINDSHIELD WASHER SHOULD SPRAY ONLY ONCE.*YD
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT FRONT LEFT SIDE OF VEHICLE. 'DOORLOCKS JAMMED, AND CONSUMER COULD NOT GET OUT OF VEHICLE. CONSUMER FELT THAT IF CAR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED UP.*AK
CONSUMER PULLRED OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND PROCEEDED DOWN THE ROAD, NOT 100 YARDS FROM DRIVEWAY SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE VENTS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER EXITED VEHICLE THEN IT CAUGHT FIRE, POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE MAY HAVE CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. NLM
Official recalls
195V173000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.