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2002 Buick Century

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Century years

Owner complaints for the 2002 Buick Century are substantially higher than the model-year median of 28.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

101 reports with mileage · 53 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 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

9 crash reports4 fire reports7 injury reports

What owners actually said

154 reports
105,000 miles · Jul 15, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE INCREASED ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS SHIFTED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WA…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE INCREASED ACCELERATION WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN THE GEAR SELECTOR WAS SHIFTED INTO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMALLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWO DIFFERENT TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED ON THE THIRD OCCURRENCE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE COULD POSSIBLY BE CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE. THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE WAS DISABLED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000. UPDATED 10/01/2010. *LJ UPDATED 10/04/10

NHTSA ODI #10343417

75,000 miles · Jun 29, 2010
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS ON THE CLUSTER PANEL HAVE FAILED. SHE COULD NOT SEE WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN AND SHE COULD NOT SEE THE MILEAGE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON HER VEHICLE AND THE REPAIRS WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $6…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTS ON THE CLUSTER PANEL HAVE FAILED. SHE COULD NOT SEE WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN AND SHE COULD NOT SEE THE MILEAGE. THE CONTACT CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL ON HER VEHICLE AND THE REPAIRS WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $600.00. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000. UPDATED 10/28/10. *LJ UPDATED 10/29/10*JB

NHTSA ODI #10340634

110,000 miles · Apr 18, 2010
Engine And Engine Cooling

FAILURE OF INTAKE ENGINE GASKET ON 2002 BUICK CENTURY WITH 110,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10326197

154,000 miles · Mar 2, 2010
Latches/locks/linkages

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. HE NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LOCKS ON ITS OWN WHICH HAS CAUSED THE OTHER DOORS TO ALSO LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. HE WILL NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1544,000.

NHTSA ODI #10315824

140,000 miles · Jan 20, 2010
Electrical System

ON THREE GM VEHICLES THAT I KNOW OF (02 CENTURY, 05 CENTURY, 06 GRAND PRIX) THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT ON HIGH BEAM UNEXPECTEDLY. REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT HIGH BEAM SWITCH FIXES THE PROBLEM. THE 06 GRAND PRIX WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT UNTIL THE SWITCH FAILS COMPLETELY T…

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ON THREE GM VEHICLES THAT I KNOW OF (02 CENTURY, 05 CENTURY, 06 GRAND PRIX) THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OUT ON HIGH BEAM UNEXPECTEDLY. REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT HIGH BEAM SWITCH FIXES THE PROBLEM. THE 06 GRAND PRIX WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT UNTIL THE SWITCH FAILS COMPLETELY THEY WILL NOT REPLACE IT. GOING 70 DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT NIGHT AND SUDDENLY NO LIGHTS IS NOT VERY SAFE. I KNOW MY VEHICLE (02 CENTURY) WAS HIGH MILEAGE BUT THE OTHER TWO ARE NOT. THE DEALER NOT FIXING THE GRAND PRIX THAT BELONGS TO A FRIEND OF MINE KIND OF TICKED ME OFF. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10300392

106,000 miles · Jan 13, 2010
Engine And Engine CoolingFire

I CURRENTLY HAVE A 2002 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM WITH 107000 MILES ON IT. I HAD A STARTER CATCH FIRE CAUSE OF A LARGE BUILDUP OF OIL COMING FROM EITHER THE HEAD GASKET OR THE MANIFOLD GASKET. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. DRIVING AT HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE WITH CAUSE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANYONE DRIVING SHORT OR LONG DISTANT.…

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I CURRENTLY HAVE A 2002 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM WITH 107000 MILES ON IT. I HAD A STARTER CATCH FIRE CAUSE OF A LARGE BUILDUP OF OIL COMING FROM EITHER THE HEAD GASKET OR THE MANIFOLD GASKET. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. DRIVING AT HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE WITH CAUSE A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE FOR ANYONE DRIVING SHORT OR LONG DISTANT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10299580

99,000 miles · Oct 1, 2009
Air BagsCrashInjury

LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR ON A WET ROAD AND HIT A TREE. TOTALED CAR WITH MOST OF THE DAMAGE AND IMPACT BEING THE FRONT OF THE CAR. THE PROBLEM IS NEITHER OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED TO PREVENT STERNUM AND BROKEN BACK.. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10285970

138,000 miles · Apr 28, 2009
SteeringSuspension

WHILE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE (WHEEL BEARING REPLACEMENT) I DISCOVERED A THROUGH AND THROUGH CRACK IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE AT THE POINT OF ATTACHMENT OF THE TIE ROD END ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE CASTING WAS SPLIT WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE TIE ROD TO DISCONNECT AND POTENTIALLY FATAL CONSEQUENCES. THE CAR IS A 2002 BUICK CENTUR…

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WHILE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE (WHEEL BEARING REPLACEMENT) I DISCOVERED A THROUGH AND THROUGH CRACK IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE AT THE POINT OF ATTACHMENT OF THE TIE ROD END ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, THE CASTING WAS SPLIT WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE TIE ROD TO DISCONNECT AND POTENTIALLY FATAL CONSEQUENCES. THE CAR IS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM WITH 138,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10267046

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

95,000 miles · Nov 20, 2008
Visibility

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD SPARKLES IN THE SUNLIGHT DUE TO FROST. THE GLARE IMPAIRS HIS VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT HE BUY A NEW WINDSHIELD. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 95,000. UPDATED 12/08/08. *LJ

NHTSA ODI #10249427

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.