IllustrationVEHICLE COLLIDED WITH CEMENT-BASED LAMP POST IN PARKING LOT GOING 10-15 MPH, SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN PROPERLY CAUSING CONSUMER TO HIT WINDSHIELD AND BRUISE CHEST ON STEERING COLUMN. MJS
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.
Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.
About this comparison →80Owner complaints
Model-year median: 28
1Recall campaignsView recall details →
0InvestigationsView investigation details →
Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Inspection summary
1996 Buick Century
NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 80 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.
Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.
Top reported categories (up to 5)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 12 reports
- Fuel System, Gasoline: 10 reports
- Steering: 10 reports
- Engine And Engine Cooling: 9 reports
- Structure: 8 reports
Full reported-category list and vehicle report
Recall links
Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.
Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.
How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Century years →Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure 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 reportsWHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED WITH FOOT PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING UNWANTED SPEED. ALSO, IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE KEY HAS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *…
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WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED WITH FOOT PRESSED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, CAUSING UNWANTED SPEED. ALSO, IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE KEY HAS TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK *YC
WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT VEHICLE THE HANDLE ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE BROKE OFF. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE HANDLE. *AK
VEHICLE KEEPS STALLING INTERMITTENTLY WHILE IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY CAR SHUT DOWN, AND CONSUMER HAD TO COAST TO THE NEAREST SHOULDER. CAR RESTARTED 5MINUTES LATER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK
WHILE RIDING ABOUT 25 MPH CAR IN FRONT STARTED TO PUT ON ITS BRAKES. CONSUMER ALSO ATTEMPTED TO PUT ON THE BRAKES. BUT, INSTEAD, CAR SPEEDED UP AND JUMPED THE CURVE. CAR GAINED EVEN MORE SPEED AND FINALLY WAS STOPPED BY HITTING A TREE, UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DIDN'T DIPLOY. CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS BROKEN IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING…
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WHILE RIDING ABOUT 25 MPH CAR IN FRONT STARTED TO PUT ON ITS BRAKES. CONSUMER ALSO ATTEMPTED TO PUT ON THE BRAKES. BUT, INSTEAD, CAR SPEEDED UP AND JUMPED THE CURVE. CAR GAINED EVEN MORE SPEED AND FINALLY WAS STOPPED BY HITTING A TREE, UPON IMPACT, AIR BAG DIDN'T DIPLOY. CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS BROKEN IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO PUT ON THE BRAKES. THE PASSENGER WAS ALSO BANGED UP. PASSENGER SIDE DOES NOT HAVE AN AIR BAG. *AK
VEHICLE HAS PROBLEMS ACCELERATING WHEN IT STOPS AND GOES. CAR SEEMS TO BE RUNNING OUT OF GAS WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS IN TRAFFIC VEHICLE WILL STALL INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING.MECHANIC CANNOT DETERMINE DEFECT.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ALTERNATOR WENT OUT 3 TIMES . ABS WARNING LIGHTS COME ON WHEN THIS HAPPENED. DLR HAS REPLACED ALTERNATOR.*AK
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED A GRINDING NOISE IS HEARD IN THE RIGHT REAR . THE DEALER HAS CHANGED REAR BRAKE DRUMS TWICE. *AK
Recall campaigns
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 ↗
Defect investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.