1999 Buick Century

I NEVER WAS INFORMED OF ANY RECALLS ON MY 1999 BUICK CENTURY. NOW I SEE ALL THE ADVERTISEMENTS ON TELEVISION, IN THE PAPER, ONLINE THAT THE CAR CAN BURN UP. BRAKES, STEERING, IGNITION. WHICH WAS REPAIRED FOR 400 DOLLARS. MY ENGINE WARNING LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY, AND THEY CAN'T FIND WHAT'S GOING ON. ONCE, IT JUST COMPLETELY STOPPED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE AND TRACK OFF WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE ABS SENSOR AND OTHER WIRES WERE BOUND BY ELECTRICAL TAPE AND THE FUEL AND BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE MISSING PLUGS WHICH PREVENTED WATER FROM ENTERING THE VEHICLE ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES. BOTH THE BRAKE LINE AND THE TRANSMISSION WERE LEAKING FLUIDS. THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FRONT SUB FRAME AND THE FUEL FILLER NECK WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT PART OF THE EXHAUST HANGER WAS MISSING AND THE REMAINING PARTS WERE CORRODED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE FAR TOO COSTLY TO PERFORM ANY REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED MARCH 17, 2010. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,528.

BRAKE FAILURE, FRONT BRAKE LINE CORROSION (RUST THROUGH) RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. THANKFULLY NO ACCIDENT RESULTED. CORRECTION REQUIRED NEW BRAKE LINE REPLACEMENT AND REPLACEMENT OF LOST FLUID, ETC THIS FAILURE IS THE SAME TYPE WHICH OCCURRED TO OUR 2000 BUICK CENTURY. IN THAT CAR FIRST THE FRONT BRAKE LINE FAILED (LIKE THE 1999 DID), AND ABOUT A YEAR LATER THE REAR BRAKE LINE FAILED WITH THE SAME CORROSION PROBLEM. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED OUT OF STATE AND THE REPAIR SHOP MANAGER STATED "THIS HAS BECOME A COMMON PROBLEM AND THAT HE HAS REPLACED MANY FAILED BRAKE LINES. *TR

THE BRAKE LINES ON MY 1999 BUICK CENTURY CORRODED, FLUID LEAKED AND THE BRAKES FAILED. FORTUNATELY, I NOTICED THE BRAKES BEGINNING TO FAIL (PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR), SO I DROVE DEFENSIVELY AND WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE FROM MY LOCAL GARAGE AND WENT THERE DIRECTLY TO HAVE THE LINES REPLACED. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE LINES HAD ROTTED THROUGH. I ASSUMED THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN AREAS THAT USE WINTER SALT, BUT HEARING OF THE RECALL OF GM TRUCKS, I NOW REALIZE THAT THIS MAY NOT BE A "NORMAL" EVENT. THE PARTS IN QUESTION ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. *TR

CORROSION (RUST THROUGH/FAILURE) OF FRONT/RIGHT METAL BRAKE LINE IN 1999 BUICK CENTURY (9 YR OLD CAR, 96K MILES). THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY MUSHY AND WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS LEAK OF BRAKE FLUID ONTO THE GROUND. THE REPAIR SHOP SAYS IT WAS CAUSED BY CORROSION/RUST THROUGH. THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED AT SOME TIME DURING MY MANEUVER TO AVOID A COLLISION, BUT I DIDN'T NOTICE IT UNTIL AFTER THE INCIDENT, SO I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT CONTRIBUTED TO THE VERY MINOR CONTACT CAUSED BY THE OTHER VEHICLE ENTERING MY LANE WITHOUT WARNING, BUT I WILL CHECK THE "CRASH" BOX BELOW BECAUSE BRAKE LINE FAILURE HAPPENED SOME TIME DURING A VERY MINOR CRASH (TOUCHING OF TWO CARS). IN THE SEARCH FOR MY NEXT CAR, I NOTICED THAT THE 2008 TOYOTA CAMRY AND COROLLA AS WELL AS HONDA ACCORD APPEAR TO USE "COATED" BRAKE AND GAS LINES TO PREVENT CORROSION FAILURES (COULD SEE A BLACK COATING AND NOT JUST BARE STEEL). FROM NOW ON, I WILL NEVER BUY A VEHICLE THAT DOES NOT HAVE COATED LINES (OR STAINLESS STEEL). COATING THESE LINES (OR USING STAINLESS STEEL) IS SUCH AN EASY SAFETY PRECAUTION. MOST MUFFLER PIPES ARE NOW STAINLESS STEEL, SO WHY IS THE NHTSA NOT MAKING IT MANDATORY FOR MANUFACTURERS TO COAT OR USE S.S. FOR BRAKE LINES AND GAS LINES? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED BRAKE LOSS WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. HE APPLIED THE BRAKES A SECOND TIME AND THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND LOSING FLUID. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,809 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,500.

DRIVING TO WORK, MY BRAKE PEDAL BEGAN TO GET SOFT BUT I MADE IT TO WORK SAFELY. AT WORK, I POPPED THE HOOD A FOUND THE BRAKE RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. I HAD NOT NOTICED ANY LEAKS ON MY DRIVEWAY BEFORE SO I WAS CONFUSED AT THIS LEAKAGE. I WAS ABLE TO REFILL THE RESERVIOR AND TESTED MY BRAKES AT LUNCH AND THEY SEEMED BETTER. BUT BEFORE DRIVING HOME I NOTICED THERE WAS A PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR. I DROVE HOME, WITH MY BRAKES GETTING SOFTER AT EACH BRAKE APPLICATION. ONCE HOME THE LEAKING CONTINUED. THE SOURCE OF THE LEAKS IS THE BRAKE LINES RUSTING. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE FUEL VAPOR LINES ARE ALSO RUSTING THROUGH AND LEAKING. RUSTING BRAKE AND FUEL LINES SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. I THINK THERE IS A MANUFACTURED PART DEFECT IN THESE LINES THAT IS ALLOWING THEM TO RUST. *JB

INTAKE GASKET FAILED ON 3.1 ENGINE IN A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. THIS ENGINE HAS LESS THAN 55,000 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF FAILURE. IT APPEARS AS IF THERE ARE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND THE MANUFACTURER DENIES THAT THERE WAS FAULTY WORKMANSHIP INVOLVED. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR $700.00 ALSO SAME CAR WITH LESS THAN 20,000 MILES THE BOLT HOLDING THE LEFT FRONT CALIPER FELL OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY DAUGHTER DRIVING (DRIVERS PERMIT) AND LOCKED UP THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL DAMAGING THE RIM. COST OF REPAIR $350.00. *JB