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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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162,700 miles · Jan 8, 2011
Exterior Lighting

THIRD INCIDENT WHERE 2003 BUICK CENTURY HEADLIGHTS (LOW BEAM) TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT; NO CONTROLS OR BUTTONS TOUCHED. FIRST INCIDENT AT 155,000 MILES, SECOND INCIDENT AT 160,000, AND NOW THIRD INCIDENT AT 162,500 MILES. SITUATION LASTS 10 SECONDS AND THEN HEADLIGHTS RETURN. TURNING DIMMER SWITCH MAKES NO DIFFERENCE…

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THIRD INCIDENT WHERE 2003 BUICK CENTURY HEADLIGHTS (LOW BEAM) TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT; NO CONTROLS OR BUTTONS TOUCHED. FIRST INCIDENT AT 155,000 MILES, SECOND INCIDENT AT 160,000, AND NOW THIRD INCIDENT AT 162,500 MILES. SITUATION LASTS 10 SECONDS AND THEN HEADLIGHTS RETURN. TURNING DIMMER SWITCH MAKES NO DIFFERENCE AND NOR DOES HIGH BEAM CONTROL. NO DIAGNOSTIC CODE APPEARS. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND NO RECALL OR TECHNICAL BULLETIN ISSUED.

NHTSA ODI #10375989

80,000 miles · Dec 27, 2010
Exterior Lighting

03 BUICK CENTURY HEADLAMPS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING WITH HIGH BEAMS 'STILL EARLY IN DIAG HAVE NOT REPAIRED YET { GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT }. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10372612

29,000 miles · Dec 1, 2010
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

WHEN I SWITCH TO HIGH BEAMS MY HEADLIGHTS GO OUT COMPLETELY. THEY ONLY GO BACK ON WHEN I SWITCH BACK TO DIMS. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU HAVEN'T OWNED UP TO IT AND HAD A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10368470

67,000 miles · Nov 15, 2010
Exterior LightingSuspension

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IN ACTIVATION. SUDDENLY, THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH CAUTION AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO OPERATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS IN ACTIVATION. SUDDENLY, THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH CAUTION AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO OPERATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY INFORMED THAT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 67,000. UPDATED 2/23/11 *CN ALSO, THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 05/31/11

NHTSA ODI #10365800

156,000 miles · Nov 8, 2010
Exterior Lighting

DRIVING IN THE DARK WITH HIGH BEAMS ON, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT COMPLETELY, HAD TO ACTIVATE LOW BEAMS TO GET LIGHTS BACK ON. THIS IS HAPPENING FREQUENTLY.

NHTSA ODI #10364954

120,000 miles · Sep 27, 2010
Exterior Lighting

TL* THE CONTACT OWN A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED REPLACING THE DIMMER SWITCH AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWN A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED REPLACING THE DIMMER SWITCH AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. UPDATED 12/30/10 *BF UPDATED 01/07/11. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10357902

60,000 miles · Jun 14, 2010
Exterior Lighting

WHENEVER I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO USE MY HIGH BEAMS, I LOSE ALL LIGHTS, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY SINCE I LIVE IN A MOSTLY UNLIGHTED RURAL AREA WITH MANY CURVY ROADS. I HAVEN'T REPLACED ANY PARTS SINCE I'VE HEARD ESTIMATES ARE IN THE $700+ RANGE, AND I CANNOT AFFORD THE EXPENSE...I JUST DO NOT USE THE HIGH BEAMS AT AL…

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WHENEVER I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO USE MY HIGH BEAMS, I LOSE ALL LIGHTS, WHICH IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY SINCE I LIVE IN A MOSTLY UNLIGHTED RURAL AREA WITH MANY CURVY ROADS. I HAVEN'T REPLACED ANY PARTS SINCE I'VE HEARD ESTIMATES ARE IN THE $700+ RANGE, AND I CANNOT AFFORD THE EXPENSE...I JUST DO NOT USE THE HIGH BEAMS AT ALL FOR FEAR I'LL LOSE ALL LIGHTS. I STILL DON'T FEEL SAFE THAT THE LIGHTS WON'T JUST CUT OFF ANYWAY. I INHERITED THE CAR IN 2008 AND NOTICED THE PROBLEM RIGHT AWAY. THIS PROBLEM OCCURS EVERY SINGLE TIME I TRY TO USE THE HIGH BEAMS. I'VE RESEARCH THE INTERNET AND REALIZE THERE IS PLENTY OF DOCUMENTATION THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM BEFORE A DEATH OCCURS. TRUST ME...IF I FILED A LAWSUIT, THERE IS PLENTY OF EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM AND THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO BUY THE VEHICLE USED AND ARE NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10336122

113,591 miles · Mar 24, 2010
Exterior LightingPower Train

ALMOST EVERY TIME THE HEADLIGHTS ARE CHANGED FROM HIGH TO LOW BEAMS THE LIGHTS WILL SHUT OFF COMPLEATLY AND I WILL HAVE NO HEADLIGTS AT ALL, I HAVE GONE OUT AND PURCHASED A NEW TURNSIGNAL SWITCH AND PLAN TO PUT IT IN AS SOON AS POSIBLE AND I WILL HAVE THE OLD PART STILL. THE FRONT DRIVE ASSEMBELY WILL GRIND ANY TIME A TIRE LO…

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ALMOST EVERY TIME THE HEADLIGHTS ARE CHANGED FROM HIGH TO LOW BEAMS THE LIGHTS WILL SHUT OFF COMPLEATLY AND I WILL HAVE NO HEADLIGTS AT ALL, I HAVE GONE OUT AND PURCHASED A NEW TURNSIGNAL SWITCH AND PLAN TO PUT IT IN AS SOON AS POSIBLE AND I WILL HAVE THE OLD PART STILL. THE FRONT DRIVE ASSEMBELY WILL GRIND ANY TIME A TIRE LOSES TRACTION AND SPINS IN EITHER THE RAIN OR SNOW ON PAVEMENT OR OFF THE ROAD IN A DRIVEWAY SO MY CAR HAS BEEN DRIVING IN ONE WHEEL DRIVE INSTEAD OF TWO WHEEL DRIVE, I HAVE NOT HAD THE CHANCE TO GO AND BUY A NEW DRIVE AXEL ASSEMBELY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #10321892

80,000 miles · Mar 2, 2010
Exterior Lighting

MY LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN I TRY TO SWITCH FROM DIM TO BRIGHT. I FEEL THAT THIS COULD BE A BIG SAFETY ISSUE WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, SO I DON'T SWITCH TO BRIGHT LIGHTS IN FEAR THAT MY LIGHTS WONT COME BACK ON. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10315610

72,500 miles · Jan 20, 2010
Exterior Lighting

THE DIMMER SWITCH FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. WHEN I WAS USING IT LAST WEEK, IT MOMENTARILY TURNED OFF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS COMPLETELY. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10300383

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.