NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Exterior Lighting complaints
24 reportsClear category filterMileage unknown · Jan 25, 2022
Exterior LightingService BrakesUnknown Or Other
I was driving at night switched headlights to high beams - few minutes later switched back to low beams and ALL LIGHTS dash and head lights went completely out . Tried to pull head light knob and nothing - pitch black . Luckily i was a short distance from my home. This is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ! I have found 33 complaints (s…
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I was driving at night switched headlights to high beams - few minutes later switched back to low beams and ALL LIGHTS dash and head lights went completely out . Tried to pull head light knob and nothing - pitch black . Luckily i was a short distance from my home. This is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ! I have found 33 complaints (so far) about this same problem. This definitely should qualify and be recalled . PLEASE take IMMEDIATE action . Thank you.
NHTSA ODI #11448914
85,000 miles · Mar 10, 2017
Exterior Lighting
TRAVELING AT NIGHT, ONCE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH LIGHTS ON LOW BEAM AND OTHER TIMES IN LIGHT OR NO TRAFFIC WITH LIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM, ALL OUTSIDE LIGHTS GO OUT CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. DOES NOT MATTER IF THE MANUAL SWITCH IS USED OR IF THE LIGHTS ARE ON AUTOMATIC. THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES THEM COME BACK ON IS SWITCHIN…
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TRAVELING AT NIGHT, ONCE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WITH LIGHTS ON LOW BEAM AND OTHER TIMES IN LIGHT OR NO TRAFFIC WITH LIGHTS ON HIGH BEAM, ALL OUTSIDE LIGHTS GO OUT CREATING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. DOES NOT MATTER IF THE MANUAL SWITCH IS USED OR IF THE LIGHTS ARE ON AUTOMATIC. THE ONLY THING THAT MAKES THEM COME BACK ON IS SWITCHING THE HIGH/ LOW BEAM SWITCH. MILES TRAVELED OR LENGTH OF TIME TRAVELING MAKES NO DIFFERENCE ...RANDOM OCCURRENCE. REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCHES AT A AUTO REPAIR SHOP MADE NO DIFFERENCE.
NHTSA ODI #10959934
Mileage unknown · Jan 25, 2016
Exterior Lighting
WHILE DRIVING, WHEN HIGH-BEAMS WERE TURNED ON THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM WOULD SHUT DOWN LEAVING DRIVER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO VISIBILITY. FORTUNATELY THE HEADLIGHTS DID COME BACK ON AS THE DIMMER SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED AND THE LOW-BEAMS DID COME BACK ON. I CAN ONLY USE MY LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS AS THIS ISSUE HAPPENS MOST TIMES THE SWIT…
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WHILE DRIVING, WHEN HIGH-BEAMS WERE TURNED ON THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT SYSTEM WOULD SHUT DOWN LEAVING DRIVER WITH ABSOLUTELY NO VISIBILITY. FORTUNATELY THE HEADLIGHTS DID COME BACK ON AS THE DIMMER SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED AND THE LOW-BEAMS DID COME BACK ON. I CAN ONLY USE MY LOW-BEAM HEADLIGHTS AS THIS ISSUE HAPPENS MOST TIMES THE SWITCH IS ACTIVATED.
NHTSA ODI #10822187
120,300 miles · Jul 5, 2015
Exterior Lighting
HEADLIGHTS GO OUT COMPLETELY FOR A FEW SECONDS UNTIL THE BRIGHT/DIM IS SWITCHED AND THEN COME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED INFREQUENTLY SINCE FALL OF 2014. DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN AT DEALER SERVICE OR WHEN WE TEST LIGHTS AFTER RETURNING HOME. DEALER SAYS CAN'T BE REPAIRED UNTIL THEY CAN GET THE INCIDENT TO REPEAT. LIGHTS ARE FINE FOR …
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HEADLIGHTS GO OUT COMPLETELY FOR A FEW SECONDS UNTIL THE BRIGHT/DIM IS SWITCHED AND THEN COME ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED INFREQUENTLY SINCE FALL OF 2014. DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN AT DEALER SERVICE OR WHEN WE TEST LIGHTS AFTER RETURNING HOME. DEALER SAYS CAN'T BE REPAIRED UNTIL THEY CAN GET THE INCIDENT TO REPEAT. LIGHTS ARE FINE FOR A WHILE & WITHOUT WARNING THE SITUATION OCCURS AGAIN. VERY ALARMING! A FRIEND WITH A BUICK REGAL 2002 HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.
NHTSA ODI #10732028
51,000 miles · Apr 1, 2015
Exterior LightingInterior Lighting
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING INTERMITTENTLY FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000.
NHTSA ODI #10703095
Mileage unknown · Aug 12, 2014
Exterior Lighting
WHEN I BOUGHT MY 2002 BUICK CENTURY IN 2003, I ASKED THE DEALER TO TURN OFF THE DRL ON THE CAR. THEY INSISTED THEY COULD NOT BECAUSE OF MANUFACTURER & HIGHWAY SAFETY LAWS, BUT SAID I COULD CONTACT THE MFG. BUT THAT IT REQUIRED MUCH PAPERWORK & AN EXTENSIVELY SATISFACTORY REASON FOR THIS TO BE DONE, SO I QUIT ASKING. ONCE AGAIN I…
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WHEN I BOUGHT MY 2002 BUICK CENTURY IN 2003, I ASKED THE DEALER TO TURN OFF THE DRL ON THE CAR. THEY INSISTED THEY COULD NOT BECAUSE OF MANUFACTURER & HIGHWAY SAFETY LAWS, BUT SAID I COULD CONTACT THE MFG. BUT THAT IT REQUIRED MUCH PAPERWORK & AN EXTENSIVELY SATISFACTORY REASON FOR THIS TO BE DONE, SO I QUIT ASKING. ONCE AGAIN I HAVE DECIDED TO TRY TO GET THE DRL ON MY CAR TURNED OFF, SINCE IT SEEMS TO CAUSE SO MUCH CONFUSION TO ON COMING TRAFFIC WHEN I AM SIGNALING TO CHANGE LANE OR TURN. I CONTACTED BUICK & GOT CUSTOMER SUPPORT REP, THAT HAD NO IDEA WHAT DRL EVEN IS, & DECLINED TO ESCALATE MY CASE UP. AT BEST SHE TOLD ME TO GO TO A DEALER. SO THE DEALER TELLS ME TO GO THE THE MFG. THEN THE MFG TELLS ME TO GO TO THE DEALER. CAN YOU DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME? ALL I WANT IS TO DRIVE MY CAR WITHOUT THE PARKING LIGHTS ON! I THOUGHT IT WAS ILLEGAL TO DRIVE WITH PARKING LIGHTS ON. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10621883
51,000 miles · Dec 7, 2010
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE TURNED OFF FOR NO REASON OR WARNING. THIS INCLUDES THE DASH LIGHTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS RESULTING IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. FOUR OF THE INSTANCES WERE ON ROADS WITH NO STREETLIGHTS - AN INTERSTATE HI…
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INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE TURNED OFF FOR NO REASON OR WARNING. THIS INCLUDES THE DASH LIGHTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS RESULTING IN AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. FOUR OF THE INSTANCES WERE ON ROADS WITH NO STREETLIGHTS - AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, AND WINDING COUNTRY ROADS. THE ONLY REMEDY SEEMS TO BE TO MOVE THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER, BOTH UP AND DOWN, (TURNING THE CORNERING LIGHTS ON - PROVIDING A MUCH NEEDED SOURCE OF LIGHT), AND BACK AND FORTH, AS IF TURNING THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ON AND OFF. EVENTUALLY, THE LIGHTS SEEM TO COME BACK ON. PULLING AND PUSHING THE DASH MOUNTED LIGHT SWITCH ON AND OFF DOES NOT AFFECT THE SITUATION. WHEN MENTIONED TO THE LOCAL BUICK DEALER'S SERVICE WRITER, HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT OR HOW TO APPROACH THE PROBLEM. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10369507
80,000 miles · Oct 26, 2010
Exterior Lighting
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HIGH BEAMS HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS HAD BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILE…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HIGH BEAMS HAD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, WITHIN A FEW SECONDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS HAD BEGAN TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 111000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80000.
NHTSA ODI #10362451
67,000 miles · Apr 17, 2009
Exterior Lighting
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING 50-55 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS AUTOMATICALLY ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HIGH BEAMS, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY. SHE HAD TO ACTIVATE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AGAIN IN ORDER FOR THEM TO OPERATE. OCCASIONALLY, THE HIGH BEAMS WILL TURN ON, BUT OTHER…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING 50-55 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS AUTOMATICALLY ILLUMINATED. WHEN THE CONTACT ACTIVATED THE HIGH BEAMS, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY. SHE HAD TO ACTIVATE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AGAIN IN ORDER FOR THEM TO OPERATE. OCCASIONALLY, THE HIGH BEAMS WILL TURN ON, BUT OTHER TIMES, THEY WILL NOT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED, BUT THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000. UPDATED 05/08/09 *BF UPDATED 05/12/09.*JB UPDATED 06/09/09.*JB
NHTSA ODI #10265748
38,000 miles · Mar 20, 2008
Exterior LightingVisibility
2002 BUICK CENTURY WITH SEVERAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ELECTRIC WINDOW CONTROLS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. HEADLIGHTS STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH NEEDS REPLACEMENT. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED USING THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR OR THE HIGH BEAMS, APPARENTLY TRIGGERED ALL THE LIGHTS TO GO …
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2002 BUICK CENTURY WITH SEVERAL PROBLEMS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ELECTRIC WINDOW CONTROLS HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. HEADLIGHTS STARTED WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH NEEDS REPLACEMENT. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED USING THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR OR THE HIGH BEAMS, APPARENTLY TRIGGERED ALL THE LIGHTS TO GO OUT. THE HEATER CONTROLS DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10222749