1999 Buick Century

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED AND THE CONTACT BEGAN TO SMELL BURNING ANTIFREEZE. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING COOLANT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 54,310.

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT ON--MEANS AIRBAG WILL NOT/MAY NOT DEPLOY IF IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT. DEALER SHARPE BUICK REPLACED MODULE APPROX 3 TIMES BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I WAS TOLD THAT AIRBAG LIGHT HAD TO STAY ON CONSTANT BEFORE THEY COULD DO ANYTHING, LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON AND PROBLEM WAS STILL NOT RESOLVED. ALSO ANTIFREEZE LEAKING DUE TO LEAKING LOWER INTAKE GASKET WHICH HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR YEARS ALSO TAKEN TO SHARPE BUICK SEVERAL TIMES THEY DIDN'T SEE A PROBLEM EVEN WHEN THERE WAS A SMELL AT THE DEALERSHIP. ALSO THE INSTRUMENT PANEL CLUSTER WAS REPLACED IT STARTING DIMMING AND FINALLY WENT BLACK. I HAVE RECENTLY PAID FOR THESE REPAIRS. CAR CAME WITH MANUFACTURER WARRANTY WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR AND I ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENSION ON THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTY FROM THE CAR DEALER SIEF CHEVY/BUICK IN HASTINGS MI WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. *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.

ALL THE POWER WINDOWS WILL NOT WORK. I HAD THE DRIVER'S WINDOW REPAIRED AT A COST OF $325.00. IT WORKED FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR, AND NOW SOMETIMES IT WILL ROLL DOWN. MOST CERTAINLY THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THESE WINDOWS. THE OTHER WINDOWS WERE OCCASIONALLY USED, SO I KNOW THAT THEY WERE NOT WORN OUT. I AM NOT GOING TO PAY TO GET THEM FIXED BECAUSE I DON'T USE THEM. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED? *AK