1996 Buick Century Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Century years
- Fewer complaints than other years 9th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 80 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Buick Century. That ranks 9th out of 11 Century model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (12 complaints, 15%), typically at around 80,100 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 1 fire, 7 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year.
- 80owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Buick Century problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 12 | 15% | 80,100 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 10 | 13% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 10 | 13% | 88,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 9 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 8 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 8 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Power Train | 7 | 9% | 99,917 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 9% | 86,067 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 6 | 8% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 5 | 6% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 3% | 145,321 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 3% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 71,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Buick Century recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Seat belts:front:anchorage
Problem: These vehicles were assembled with rear outboard safety belt anchorages that may not withstand the required load. This does not comply with fmvss no.210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
Risk: Consequence of non-compliance: in a collison, stress can cause the attachment metal to tear and allow the anchorage to separate from the body of the vehicle. The safety belt may not protect an occupant in the event of a vehicle crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the existing anchor bolts with a new shoulder bolt and thread locking adhesive. Additionally, noise control patches will be applied at each anchorage.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I went to turn my wheel and it wouldn't turn left then the rack and pinion broke the wheel just turns 360 to the left but no movement in turning lost all steering
While backing into my daughter's attached garage, the gas line ruptured and leaked a lot of gasoline before i shut-off the ignition. I promptly re-started the car and backed it out of the garage, unwittingly risking igniting the gasoline in the process, but still afraid of the gas/fumes in the…
Started car and gasoline started gushing out from beneath the car between the driver's door and the front wheel-well. As the car was partly in the garage, i drove it out of the garage and turned the engine off. This stopped the flow of gasoline. A mechanic later determined that the plastic gas line…
Driving towards a stoplight and the brake pedal went to the floor on a 1996 buick century. Pumping gave only partial rear braking. Drove to friend's house (during which the brakes worked normally the whole way). We pulled the driver side tire and discovered that the fibrous finely woven tube cover…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 buick century. The contact stated that the driver's side seat belt was too tight and causes her to choke. She noticed bruises on her neck. She took the vehicle to several dealers requesting that they adjust or change the seat belt. The dealers stated that they were unable…
Other Buick Century years
← 1995 Century · 1997 Century →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Century | 19 | 0 |
| 2004 Century | 39 | 0 |
| 2003 Century | 127 | 0 |
| 2002 Century | 154 | 0 |
| 2001 Century | 145 | 3 |
| 2000 Century | 193 | 5 |
| 1999 Century | 235 | 3 |
| 1998 Century | 218 | 2 |
| 1997 Century | 106 | 2 |
| 1996 | 80 | 1 |
| 1995 Century | 99 | 1 |
See all Buick Century problems by year, every Buick model, or the Buick VIN decoder.
Similar Buick models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Buick Century?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, fuel system, gasoline, steering problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 12 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Buick Century?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Buick Century a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Century model years, the 1996 has fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.