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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.

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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

Exterior Lighting complaints

48 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 19, 2021
Electrical SystemExterior LightingFuel/propulsion System

THE VEHICLE'S GAS TANK WON'T HOLD MUCH AND CLICKS AS IF FULL. ALSO, WHEN ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT OR GROUND, THE ⛽ GAS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, EVEN AFTER GAS WAS JUST PUT IN. IN ADDITION, AT TIMES I SMELL A "BURNING ELECTRICAL" SMELL AND THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT, THE BRIGHTS FAIL TO "CLICK" ON OR GOES OFF BY ITSELF. THE TURN SIGN…

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THE VEHICLE'S GAS TANK WON'T HOLD MUCH AND CLICKS AS IF FULL. ALSO, WHEN ON UNEVEN PAVEMENT OR GROUND, THE ⛽ GAS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, EVEN AFTER GAS WAS JUST PUT IN. IN ADDITION, AT TIMES I SMELL A "BURNING ELECTRICAL" SMELL AND THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT, THE BRIGHTS FAIL TO "CLICK" ON OR GOES OFF BY ITSELF. THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS HAVE TO BE TURNED MANUALLY TO BLINK. ALL TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES AND THIS DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE BACK TURN SIGNALS WORK AND LIGHT UP, BUT NOT THE FRONT & BLINK AT A FASTER RATE. EVEN ONE SIDE HEADLIGHT ENGAGEMENT WAS REPLACED AND THE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST.

NHTSA ODI #11403916

79,846 miles · Nov 22, 2018
Exterior Lighting

BRIGHT LIGHTS WON'T STAY ON.

NHTSA ODI #11153248

98,000 miles · Oct 16, 2018
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE MAINLY OCCURRED WHILE SWITCHING FROM LOW TO HIGH BEAM AND VICE VERSA. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE MAINLY OCCURRED WHILE SWITCHING FROM LOW TO HIGH BEAM AND VICE VERSA. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. *TT*JB

NHTSA ODI #11140588

79,846 miles · May 19, 2018
Exterior Lighting

BRIGHT LIGHTS WON'T STAY ON AND SOMETIMES IF YOU CAN GET THEM TO COME ON THEY WILL GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. WAS ON A CITY STREET AND TURNED RIGHT , THEY WENT OFF. SINCE THEN YOU CAN HOLD THE BRIGHT LIGHT SWITCH, BUT WHEN YOU TURN LOOSE THEY GOES OFF.

NHTSA ODI #11096874

132,704 miles · Sep 5, 2017
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO RESPOND. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,704.

NHTSA ODI #11021460

110,782 miles · Sep 16, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior LightingService Brakes

TURN BRIGHTS ON AND RADIO/CLOCK LIGHT GOES OFF. NO HEADLIGHTS ON DURING DAY DRIVING, RADIO/CLOCK LIGHT RANDOMLY GOES ON AND BACK OFF. HEAD LIGHTS BRIEFLY GONE OFF DURING NIGHT DRIVING 3 DIFFERENT TIMES ONLY FOR MAYBE 5 SECONDS, BUT IT ONLY TAKES A SECOND FOR A DEER OR OBJECT TO APPEAR AT NIGHT OR A CAR AHEAD BRAKING SUDDENLY. SP…

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TURN BRIGHTS ON AND RADIO/CLOCK LIGHT GOES OFF. NO HEADLIGHTS ON DURING DAY DRIVING, RADIO/CLOCK LIGHT RANDOMLY GOES ON AND BACK OFF. HEAD LIGHTS BRIEFLY GONE OFF DURING NIGHT DRIVING 3 DIFFERENT TIMES ONLY FOR MAYBE 5 SECONDS, BUT IT ONLY TAKES A SECOND FOR A DEER OR OBJECT TO APPEAR AT NIGHT OR A CAR AHEAD BRAKING SUDDENLY. SPEEDOMETER BACK LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE FOR NIGHT DRIVING. TRAC OFF AND ANTI LOCK WARNING LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY STAY ON, I HAVE HAD MY BRAKES REPLACED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS OF OWNING THE CAR SINCE OCTOBER 2007 AND THE WARNING LIGHTS DO NOT RESET THEMSELVES AS THEY SHOULD, THEY CONTINUOUSLY STAY ON SINCE 2009. I AM TIRED OF DEALING WITH ALL OF THESE ELECTRICAL AND LIGHTENING ISSUES WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE TRIED TO FIND GM RECALL FOR THESE PROBLEMS. PLEASE TELL ME WHERE AND HOW I CAN HAVE THESE DEFECTS FIXED.

NHTSA ODI #10907184

185,000 miles · Aug 1, 2016
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS CAUSED A HAZE OVER THE HEADLIGHTS, WHICH PREVENTED THEM FROM ILLUMINATING CORRECTLY AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE TECHNICIAN TO CLEAN OR REPLACE THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS.…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS CAUSED A HAZE OVER THE HEADLIGHTS, WHICH PREVENTED THEM FROM ILLUMINATING CORRECTLY AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE TECHNICIAN TO CLEAN OR REPLACE THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHT COVERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI #10892161

22,300 miles · Jun 21, 2016
Exterior Lighting

PURCHASED ON 2004, USED, THE 2003 VEHICLE HAS CONSISTENTLY HAD THE HEAD LAMPS GO OUT WHEN IN HIGHBEAMS ARE ACTIVATED. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS A SHORT AND SAID IT WOULD COST ME TO FIX THEM AND THIS HAPPENS TO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE LIGHTS GO OUT. CLICKING THE LOW BEAMS ON …

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PURCHASED ON 2004, USED, THE 2003 VEHICLE HAS CONSISTENTLY HAD THE HEAD LAMPS GO OUT WHEN IN HIGHBEAMS ARE ACTIVATED. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS A SHORT AND SAID IT WOULD COST ME TO FIX THEM AND THIS HAPPENS TO MANY OF THESE VEHICLES. MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND THE LIGHTS GO OUT. CLICKING THE LOW BEAMS ON TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON. SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN ISSUE, WHY IS THERE. TO A RECALL ON THIS? THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AT ALL SPEEDS. (ONLY IN THE DARK, SINCE THIS IS WHEN THE HIGH BEA,S ARE USED!)

NHTSA ODI #10875487

55,000 miles · Jun 3, 2016
Exterior Lighting

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT HEAD LIGHTS JUST SHUT OFF BRIEFLY. IT SEEMS TO DO THIS ON DIMS OR BRIGHTS. I SEE A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND I DON'T SEE ANY RECALLS. THEY COME BACK ON, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO DETERMINE IF THEY COME BACK ON FROM MESSING WITH THE SWITCH OR IF THEY JUST COME BACK ON BY THEMSELVES. I'M NOT SURE IF THE TAILLI…

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WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT HEAD LIGHTS JUST SHUT OFF BRIEFLY. IT SEEMS TO DO THIS ON DIMS OR BRIGHTS. I SEE A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND I DON'T SEE ANY RECALLS. THEY COME BACK ON, BUT I CAN'T SEEM TO DETERMINE IF THEY COME BACK ON FROM MESSING WITH THE SWITCH OR IF THEY JUST COME BACK ON BY THEMSELVES. I'M NOT SURE IF THE TAILLIGHTS GO OUT AS WELL BUT IF THEY DO THAT'S A HAZARD FOR THOSE COMING UP BEHIND ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED!

NHTSA ODI #10872464

94,000 miles · Mar 17, 2016
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEAD LAMPS WERE ACTIVATED, BUT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

NHTSA ODI #10850174

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.