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2003 Buick Century

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Century years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Buick Century are substantially higher than the model-year median of 28.

About this comparison →
127Owner complaints

Model-year median: 28

0Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
193
2000145
2001154
2002127
200339
200419
2005
Compare all Century years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Exterior Lighting
48Electrical System
23Engine And Engine Cooling
13Service Brakes, Hydraulic
13Structure
11
All reported categories
Steering
7Power Train
6Vehicle Speed Control
6Suspension
5Visibility
5Tires
4Air Bags
3Fuel/propulsion System
3Seats
3Electronic Stability Control (esc)
2Engine
2Equipment
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Service Brakes
2Unknown Or Other
2Fuel System, Gasoline
1Interior Lighting
1Parking Brake
1Service Brakes, Electric
1Wheels
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

94 reports with mileage · 33 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.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports2 fire reports2 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

13 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 19, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING,VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, AND NO PROBLEM WAS RECALLED FROM THE MACHINE. THEN, MECHANIC TOOK THE VEHICLE ON A TEST DRIVE . VEHICLE DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM. BUT MECHANIC I…

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WHILE DRIVING,VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER RESTARTED VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, AND NO PROBLEM WAS RECALLED FROM THE MACHINE. THEN, MECHANIC TOOK THE VEHICLE ON A TEST DRIVE . VEHICLE DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM. BUT MECHANIC INSISTED THAT NO SOLUTION WAS AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10083241

38,784 miles · May 11, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling

MY 2003 BUICK CENTURY STARTED RUNNING BAD SO I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY FOUND THAT THE BOLTS HOLDING DOWN THE ROCKER ARMS HAD STRIPPED OUT OF THE HEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS 2000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY AND GM WOULD ONLY AGREE TO PAY FOR PARTS, I HAD TO PAY $1276.46 FOR LABOR. TO ME THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE PARTS AND I …

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MY 2003 BUICK CENTURY STARTED RUNNING BAD SO I TOOK IT TO A DEALER AND THEY FOUND THAT THE BOLTS HOLDING DOWN THE ROCKER ARMS HAD STRIPPED OUT OF THE HEAD. THE VEHICLE WAS 2000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY AND GM WOULD ONLY AGREE TO PAY FOR PARTS, I HAD TO PAY $1276.46 FOR LABOR. TO ME THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE PARTS AND I SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR ANYTHING.

NHTSA ODI #10072393

3,250 miles · Sep 12, 2003
Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, Hydraulic

THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES GRABBING. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. THE CONSUMER FELT THE BRAKES WERE STILL UNSAFE. *AK THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO BACK. THERE WAS A WHINE COMING FROM THE ENGINE UPON DEACCELERATION SITTING AND STOPPING AND THEN WENT AWAY AS SOON AS THE GAS WAS DEPRESSED TO ACCELERAT…

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THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES GRABBING. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. THE CONSUMER FELT THE BRAKES WERE STILL UNSAFE. *AK THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO BACK. THERE WAS A WHINE COMING FROM THE ENGINE UPON DEACCELERATION SITTING AND STOPPING AND THEN WENT AWAY AS SOON AS THE GAS WAS DEPRESSED TO ACCELERATE THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. (IDLE WAS ROUGH) THE BRAKES SQUEAKED AND MADE NOISE WHEN WHEN APPLIED IN THE MORNING. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ODI #10033683

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.