IllustrationCONSUMER LETTER IN REGARDS TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL EXPENSES INCURRED FOR REPAIRS ON THE 2000 BUICK CENTURY.*MR THE PRESSURE SOLENOID WAS THE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF SUBSEQUENT DAMAGES TOT HE INTAKE SYSTEM, BRAKE LINES AND TRANSMISISON. *NM
2000 Buick Century
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Century years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
80–25K
2225–50K
3250–75K
1675–100K
9100–150K
6150K+
93 reports with mileage · 100 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.
- Power Train. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports1 fire reports10 injury reports
Power Train complaints
48 reportsAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTS TO WHINE AND SHIFTS IRRADICALLY AFTER WARMUP.HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL'S TRANSMISSION.MANY COMPLAINTS ON WEBSITES.CONYACTED GM AND THEY SAID IT WAS TO BE EXPECTED WITH A VEHICKE WITH THAT MANY MILES,TRUE,BUT WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF IT HAPPENING IN S…
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AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STARTS TO WHINE AND SHIFTS IRRADICALLY AFTER WARMUP.HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL'S TRANSMISSION.MANY COMPLAINTS ON WEBSITES.CONYACTED GM AND THEY SAID IT WAS TO BE EXPECTED WITH A VEHICKE WITH THAT MANY MILES,TRUE,BUT WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF IT HAPPENING IN SO MANY OF THE SAME TYPE OF CAR AT ABOUT THE SAME MILEAGE.SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO REIGN GM IN WITH THEIR SORRY ATTITUDE.*AK
2000 BUICK CENTURY DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE 4T65 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED VERY HARD AND MADE UNUSUAL SOUNDS.*JB
WHILE DRIVINGM, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AS IF IT DID NOT KNOW WHAT GEAR IT SHOULD BE IN. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK THERE WAS ALSO A JERKING MOTION DISPLAYED WHEN SHIFTING THE GEARS UP AND OR DOWN. THE P/C SOLENOID WAS REPLACED. *SC *JB
WHEN MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK NOW WHEN THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS PUT INTO ANY GEAR THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. WHEN THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED THEN RECONNECTED MILES STARTED MOVING ON THE VEHICLE ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION. *NM
TRANSMISSION JERKS INTO GEAR WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY - SEEMS TO BE ESPECIALLY PROMINENT AFTER USING THE OVERDRIVE; WILL STOP IF CAR IS STOPPED, ENGINE SHUT OFF FOR AWHILE, AND THEN RESTARTED. *LA
TWO HUNDRED MILES AWAY FROM HOME I STARTED HAVING TANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON MY 2000 BUICK CENTURY, LIMITED EDITION, WITH 33,000 MILES ON IT. BROUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND MAINTAINED IT RELIGIOUSLY. SHIFTING WAS EXTREMELY HARSH. DID OK GOING 55 - 65 MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY. NON FREEWAY DRIVING IT WENT BACK TO HARSH SHIFTIN…
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TWO HUNDRED MILES AWAY FROM HOME I STARTED HAVING TANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON MY 2000 BUICK CENTURY, LIMITED EDITION, WITH 33,000 MILES ON IT. BROUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND MAINTAINED IT RELIGIOUSLY. SHIFTING WAS EXTREMELY HARSH. DID OK GOING 55 - 65 MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY. NON FREEWAY DRIVING IT WENT BACK TO HARSH SHIFTING, WHINING ENGINE, SLOW ACCELERATION. TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER NEXT AM. WAS TOLD MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $750. AFTER TALKING WITH THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, THEY AGREED TO A 50-50 SPLIT. HOWEVER, I FEEL GM IS SOLELY RESPONSIBLE. THEY WERE AWARE OF THIS TWO YEARS AGO. FORTUNATELY, I WASN'T STRANDED IN THE DESERT IN 100 DEGREES TEMPERATURE WITH MY YOUNG GRAND CHILDREN. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT GM HAD ISSUED A BULLETIN REGARDING THIS DEFECTIVE PART. THE PCS SOLENOIDS WERE MADE OF A SOFTER METAL THAN THE HOLE THEY RIDE IN AFTER A WHILE THEY WEAR AND START HANGING UP. THE GM BULLETIN STATES, "SLIPS, HARSH SHIFT OR GRAGE SHIFTS, LAUNCH SHUDDERS, FLARES, ERRATIC SHIFTS AND INTERMITTENT CONCERNS, DTC P1811 OR PO748 SET (REPLACE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY) #00-07-30-002B-(02/19/2002)." *AK
MY 2000 CENTURY SPECIAL HAS 38,497 MILES ON IT. WE HAD TO SPEND $1718.42 TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. *AK
MY CAR WAS EXPERIENCING AN ERRATIC, AND HARSH UPSHIFT WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST, TO SECOND, AND THEN TO THIRD GEAR.THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A FAULTY PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY. AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND OUT THAT 17 DIFFERENT VEHICLES HAVE THIS TRANSMISSION WITH THE SAME VALVE IN IT, THAT COULD HAVE THE SAME TROUBLE…
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MY CAR WAS EXPERIENCING AN ERRATIC, AND HARSH UPSHIFT WHEN SHIFTING FROM FIRST, TO SECOND, AND THEN TO THIRD GEAR.THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A FAULTY PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID VALVE ASSEMBLY. AFTER INVESTIGATING I FOUND OUT THAT 17 DIFFERENT VEHICLES HAVE THIS TRANSMISSION WITH THE SAME VALVE IN IT, THAT COULD HAVE THE SAME TROUBLE.GM HAS A FILE ON THIS PROBLEM, SHTML FILE=901351
VEHICLE HAD A DELAY IN ACCELERATION WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP. DEALER REPLACED THE PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID THAT IS LOCATED IN THE TRANSMISSION.*AK
Official recalls
501V109000 · Seat Belts
Apr 6, 2001
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH SUNVISOR LOCATED AIR BAG LABELS, FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES HAVE A MESSAGE AREA LESS THAN 30 CM WHICH DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE STANDARD.
Remedy: GM WILL MAIL A NEW BILINGUAL AIR BAG LABEL WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. HOWEVER, THE CUSTOMER MAY BRING THE LABEL TO THEIR DEALER FOR INSTALLATION FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 4, 2001. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537 OR BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300.
00V371000 · Air Bags:side/window
Nov 13, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH THE DRIVER SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG INFLATOR SEPARATES FROM THE AIR BAG MODULE DURING DEPLOYMENT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE INFLATOR SEPARATES, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY DURING A CRASH AND OCCUPANT PROTECTION WOULD BE REDUCED. IF IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT A SEPARATED INFLATOR COULD BE PROPELLED DOWNWARD AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO A REAR SEAT PASSENGER WHOSE FOOT IS POSITIONED APPROXIMATELY UNDER THE INFLATOR MODULE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG MODULE.
00V228003 · Seat Belts
Aug 7, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY DATE CODES AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE ANY SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
00V160000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly:filler Pipe And Cap
Jun 16, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE CLAMP THAT SECURES THE FLEXIBLE FUEL FILL HOSE TO THE METAL FILL TUBE MAY BE LOOSE AND COULD SEPARATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD CAUSE FUEL LEAKAGE EXCEEDING THE PERMISSIBLE AMOUNT.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FUEL HOSE FILL NECK CLAMP AND, IF NECESSARY, REPOSITION AND TIGHTEN THE CLAMP.
00V143000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:drum
May 17, 2000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH REAR DRUM BRAKES. THE BOLT HEAD(S) ON THE REAR SPINDLE ROD CAN SEPARATE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE REAR WHEEL CAN SHIFT, CAUSING REAR STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER COULD LOSE CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR SPINDLE BOLTS.
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
1SQ00004 · Accelerator Cable Detaches From Throttle
Opened Feb 2, 2000 · Closed Jan 19, 2001
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available