2002 Buick Century engine and engine cooling problems

“HAD SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON PERIODICALLY AND WAS LOOSING COOLANT, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKS, WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY FAULTY LIGHT, OR LEAK IN TANK. TOOK CAR FOR OIL CHANGE AND ASK TO LOOK FOR ANY LEAKS, FOUND COOLANT IN OIL. INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. WAS TOLD DUE TO COOLANT BEING DEXCOOL AND EATS THE GASKETS. *TR”

“2002 BUICK CENTURY. CONSUMER STATES DESIGN DEFECT *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HIS WIFE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADE WAS STUCK. HOWEVER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE RADIATOR WAS ALMOST ON THE GROUND AND IN THE PROCESS OF BECOMING DETACHED. SHE WAS REFERRED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. THE BODY SHOP STATED THE RADIATOR MOUNT WAS DRY ROTTED BEYOND REPAIR AND SHOULD HAVE NEVER OCCURRED IN AN EIGHT YEAR OLD VEHICLE. **JB UPDATED 10/20/11.*JB”

“I HAVE A 2002 BUICK CENTURY AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAS TO BE REPLACED SINCE GM DID NOT ISSUE A RECALL OF WHICH THEY SHOULD HAVE. I AM AFRAID I WILL BREAK DOWN IN THE CAR WITH NO HELP. I AM A WIDOW WHO IS CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED AND CAN NOT AFFORD TO FIX THE CAR. I HAVE PAID THE CAR IN FULL AND JUST WANT THEM TO FIX WHAT THEY SCREWED UP. I WAS NOT EVEN AWARE THERE WAS A PROBLEM UNTIL MY LOW COOLANT LIGHT STARTED COMING ON AND I NOTICED THERE IS A LEAK. *TR”

“2002 BUICK CENTURY INTAKE MANIFOLD/GASKET FAILS AT 31K MILES. COOLANT IN THE ENGINE AND MIXED WITH THE OIL. ALL OF THE PRIOR SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE WERE PERFORMED AT GM DEALERSHIPS (WHERE THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED PRIOR TO FAILURE). OIL, LUBE, ROTATIONS DONE WITHOUT WAITING FOR INDICATOR LIGHTS (2-4 TIMES PER YEAR), ALL RECOMMENDED PROCEDURES COMPLETED (INCLUDING NEW BRAKES, THROTTLE BODY AND FUEL INJECTOR SVCS). THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE REGARDING DEXCOOL EATING AWAY THE GASKETS BUT GM FILED BANKRUPTCY TO AVOID FULL SETTLEMENT AND NOW DEALERSHIPS CLAIM IGNORANCE TO THE ISSUE. NOW I HAVE TO PAY $1500 TO HAVE THE ENGINE & RADIATOR DISASSEMBLED FOR CLEANING. I WAS INFORMED THAT LABOR IS THE BULK OF THE COST. WHY WON'T GM CHARGE THE CUSTOMER FOR THE PART AND NOT THE LABOR. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THE PARTS INVOLVED ONLY COST $200-250, BUT I HAVE TO PAY $1500 FOR A KNOWN ISSUE/FAILURE THE MANUFACTURE WAS/IS WELL AWARE OF AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT CAUSES ABRUPT ENGINE FAILURE! I AM SO UPSET THAT MY VEHICLE WAS SO WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND WOULD FAIL WITH SO FEW MILES ON IT. MY CHEVY CORSICA ALSO FAILED DUE TO DEXCOOL (WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT AT 60K…”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE GASKET IN THE REAR OF THE ENGINE WAS LEAKING AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO MONITOR IT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.”

“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”