no report yet
Exterior lighting: headlights
Risk. DRIVER VISIBILITY MAY BE IMPAIRED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
1998 Buick CenturyProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 218 owner complaints about the 1998 Buick Century, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through December 29, 2020. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 1998 Buick Century has problems
218 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
27Service brakes, hydraulic
26Electrical system
26Power train
24Steering5 crash/fire/injury
24Visibility
22Engine and engine cooling1 crash/fire/injury
21Exterior lighting
12Seat belts
11Structure
6014 other systems8 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 27 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 26 | 0 |
| Power train | 26 | 0 |
| Steering | 24 | 5 |
| Visibility | 24 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 22 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 21 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 12 | 0 |
| Structure | 11 | 0 |
| 14 other systems | 60 | 8 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
1998 Buick Century recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Exterior lighting: headlights
Risk. IF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES ARE REPLACED, CUSTOMERS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY AIM THE HEADLIGHTS.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Buick.
Best & worst years
1998 vs. every other Century year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Century median. How we score
'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
1998 Buick Century safety ratings
1998 Buick Century 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 1998 Buick Century, and the recalls they led to.
- POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURELed to recall 03V-527
- WINDSHIELD WIPERNo recall
- WINDSHIELD WIPERNo recall
- POWER RACK AND PINION STEERING FAILURENo recall
In owners' words
What Century owners report
Recent service brakes, hydraulic complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED INDICATING A BRAKE MALFUNCTION. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THE ABS MOTOR PACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE ANTI-LOCK…
ABS FAILURE. NOW 54,931 MILES ON ODOMETER.. 1998 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM. I SENT A LETTER TO RAY LAHOOD SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, BUT HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER FROM ANY ONE! THIS IS S SAFETY ISSUE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT GM ENGINEERS COULD NOT DESIGN AN ABS THAT WOULD LAST AT LEAST 100,000 MILES! HOW MANY…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING IN RAINY WEATHER APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH HE HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THEY WOULD FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER OR A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE CURRENT…
Own a 1998 Century?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.