Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Buick Century problems

Owners filed 241 complaints about the 1999 Buick Century with NHTSA between Feb 1999 and Feb 2018. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (56).

Complaints
241
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
18
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
18
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling56
  2. Visibility28
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic25
  4. Exterior lighting23
  5. Electrical system15
  6. Air bags15
  7. Vehicle speed control14
  8. Steering13
  9. Power train10
  10. Structure10
  11. Suspension9
  12. Fuel system, gasoline9
  13. Tires8
  14. Engine6

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
199934
200034
200118
200221
200331
200432
200512
200613
20078
20088
20093
20106
20112
20122
20134
20142
20155
20161
20174
20181

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

56 reports2 fires
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED AND THE CONTACT BEGAN TO SMELL BURNING ANTIFREEZE. THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE AND A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE INTAKE GASKET WAS LEAKING COOLANT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 54,310.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 9, 2008Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10241425

Visibility

28 reports
“INTERIOR REAR-VIEW MIRROR HAS DEVELOPED SOME KIND OF DARK BROWN OIL LEAK INSIDE THE (AUTO-DIMMING) MIRROR. IT HAS DECREASED VISIBILITY IN THE MIRROR TO NEARLY ZERO. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH THIS MIRROR SINCE IT IS ESSENTIALLY LIKE HAVING NO REAR-VIEW MIRROR. JUST TODAY I HAD TWO OR THREE NEAR-INCIDENTS ON ROADS I NEVER HAD A PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING OTHER CARS WHICH HAVE FUNCTIONING REAR-VIEW MIRRORS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 18, 2009VisibilityODI 10292646

Service brakes, hydraulic

25 reports3 crashes1 fire1 related recall
“I NEVER WAS INFORMED OF ANY RECALLS ON MY 1999 BUICK CENTURY. NOW I SEE ALL THE ADVERTISEMENTS ON TELEVISION, IN THE PAPER, ONLINE THAT THE CAR CAN BURN UP. BRAKES, STEERING, IGNITION. WHICH WAS REPAIRED FOR 400 DOLLARS. MY ENGINE WARNING LIGHT IS ON CONSTANTLY, AND THEY CAN'T FIND WHAT'S GOING ON. ONCE, IT JUST COMPLETELY STOPPED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 26, 2014Steering, Service brakes, hydraulic, Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10594028

Exterior lighting

23 reports2 related recalls
“DEC 17,1999 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBERN990093 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER99V356 RECALL STATUSRECALL INCOMPLETE SUMMARY THESE VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE VERTICAL HEAD LAMP ADJUSTING DEVICE MAY NOT BE CALIBRATED PROPERLY. SAFETY RISK DRIVER VISIBILITY MAY BE IMPAIRED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 4, 2018Exterior lightingODI 11066889

Electrical system

15 reports1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE SHIFT GEAR BOARD AND ODOMETER LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FOUNTAIN BUICK (8701 S ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL A, ORLANDO, FL 32809) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2017Electrical systemODI 11040328

Air bags

15 reports10 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1999 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLID ON ICE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A HEAD INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 2, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10680503
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.