IllustrationCONSUMER ACCIDENTLY TRIPPED THE DOOR LOCKS WHEN GETTING OUT OF CAR. CONSUMER SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR WHEN KEYS ARE IN VEHICLE. CONSUMER GETS LOCKED OUT AND HAS NO PRIOR WARNING OR INDICATION. DEALER CONTACTED AND STATED THAT VEHICLE HAD A DESIGN FLAW, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK
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 reportsANTI LOCK BRAKES LOOSEN WHEN HIGH PRESSURE IS APPLIED.
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT WARMED UP, THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. *AK WHEN PROCEEDING AFTER A STOP, VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT WARNING, CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS INTERMITTENT, AND THAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE FUEL JETS. *TT
OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED.
THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE IGNITION SYSTEM. WHEN STARTING VEHICLE IT VIBRATES. THE CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED T MANUFACTURER TWICE, BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *AK
CRUISE CONTROL SPEED INCREASES UPON DESCENDING A HILL. (QCAW)
CONSUMER COMPLAINING OF VEHICLE CONTINUALLY SHAKING/VIBRATING AND HESITATING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON NUMEROUS TIMES. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THE PROBLEM IS THE CHEAP GAS SHE PUTS INTO THE VEHICLE. *AK
SUDDEN ACCELERATION RESULTING IN A VEHICLE COLLISION.
STEERING ASSEMBLY ON VEHICLE IS NOT DESIGNED PROPERLY, TURNING RADIUS IS TOO LARGE, STEERING SENSE IS SLUGGISH AND POWER STEERING ASSIST IS NOT ADEQUATE.
VEHICLE'S BACK WINDOW SHATTERED FOR NO APPARENT REASON, NO PROTECTIVE COATING ON WINDOW TO ELIMINATE GLASS FRAGMENTS FROM ENTERING THE INTERIOR OF VEHICLE,DUE TO DESIGN.
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.