IllustrationTIRE FAILURE. FAILURE WAS SPONTANEOUS. NEW TIRES LESS THAN 2 MONTHS OLD AND ONLY 200 MILES DRIVEN. BULGING SIDEWALL. IS IN PROCESS OF BEING FIXED.
1999 Buick Century
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Century years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Buick Century are substantially higher than 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
120–25K
2625–50K
3250–75K
1575–100K
14100–150K
3150K+
102 reports with mileage · 133 unknown
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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
18 crash reports4 fire reports13 injury reports
Tires complaints
8 reportsTL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR DOUGLAS (NA) TIRES, SIZE: 215/70R15/98T XTRAC2 (NA). AFTER INSPECTING THE TIRES, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SIDEWALL WAS UNEVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIR…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR DOUGLAS (NA) TIRES, SIZE: 215/70R15/98T XTRAC2 (NA). AFTER INSPECTING THE TIRES, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SIDEWALL WAS UNEVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE AND TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,803.
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. THERE WERE NO POT HOLES OR OTHER ROAD HAZARDS VISIBLE ON THE HIGH…
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TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. THERE WERE NO POT HOLES OR OTHER ROAD HAZARDS VISIBLE ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6000 MILES ON THE TIRE AT THE TIME OF THE BLOWOUT. THE TIRE WAS A DOUGLAS TOURING P205/70R15 BW. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAD AN ODOMETER READING OF 43000 MILES. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. *AK
THE TIRES WERE REMOVED DUE TO CRACKING IN THE SIDEWALLS. THE TIRES WERE DRY ROTTED. TIRES ARE GENERAL AMERI G4S. *JG
CONSUMER DISCOVERED CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRES DUE TO THEM BEING DRY ROTTED, ALL 4 TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE UPPER STRUT MOUNT WAS LUBRICATED, THE BLOWER RESISTOR IN THE AIR CONDITION WAS REPLACED, THE CARPET WAS REPLACED, AND THERE WAS A WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW.TS *JB
WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH IN A 1999 BUICK CENTURY, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A FLAT BECAUSE OF A NAIL, ALSO NOTICED A DEEP SPLIT ON SIDEWALL. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE 205/70R15, AND DOT# A3MOD81099. GENERAL DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK THE INSIDE SEAM FAILURE RAN UP BOTH SIDES OF THE SIDEWALL. THE OTHER TIRES WERE INSPECTED A…
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WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH IN A 1999 BUICK CENTURY, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD A FLAT BECAUSE OF A NAIL, ALSO NOTICED A DEEP SPLIT ON SIDEWALL. ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE 205/70R15, AND DOT# A3MOD81099. GENERAL DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK THE INSIDE SEAM FAILURE RAN UP BOTH SIDES OF THE SIDEWALL. THE OTHER TIRES WERE INSPECTED AND WERE FOUND TO HAVE THE SAME SIDEWALL FAILURE. ALL TIRES WERE REPLACED AND CARRIED THE SAME DOT NUMBER AS STATED ABOVE. *JG
THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN ACTUAL FAILURE TO THIS POINT. HOWEVER, THE TIRES HAVE INDULATIONS ON THE SIDEWALLS WHICH ARE VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE AND DRAMATIC TO THE TOUCH. *AK (TIRESIZE: P205/70R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P205/70R15 )
Official recalls
304V375000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Aug 10, 2004
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE OVERHEAD SIGN ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LESS ILLUMINATION MAY REDUCE THE ABILITY OF THE DRIVER TO READ OVERHEAD SIGNS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW LOW BEAM HEADLAMP BULBS IN BOTH OF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080. NOTE: IF THE BULB NEEDS REPLACEMENT IN THE FUTURE, GM BULB NUMBER 89024715 IS AVAILABLE FROM A DEALER, OR THE EQUIVALENT SYLVANIA BULB IS 9006HP, WITH ORANGE LETTERING ON THE BULB.
99V356000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights
Dec 17, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE VERTICAL HEAD LAMP ADJUSTING DEVICE MAY NOT BE CALIBRATED PROPERLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: DRIVER VISIBILITY MAY BE IMPAIRED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN OWNER'S MANUAL INSERT CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPTICALLY AIMING THE HEADLAMPS.
99V170000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip
Jul 9, 1999
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WITH THE KEY IN THE "ON" POSITION, EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) MOTOR SHORTS TO ITS CASE AND GROUNDS THROUGH A FLEXIBLE BRAKE FLUID PIPE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS SHORT CAN CAUSE EXTREME HEATING OF THE FLEXIBLE BRAKE PIPE WHERE IT CAN MELT A NEARBY FLEXIBLE PLASTIC FUEL HOSE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND CABLE FROM THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE (EBCM) TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BODY RAIL.
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.