1998 Buick Century Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Century years
- More complaints than other years 2nd of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 218 complaints with NHTSA about the 1998 Buick Century. That ranks 2nd out of 11 Century model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (27 complaints, 12%), typically at around 57,972 miles. Complaints mention 9 crashes, 9 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 218owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 9complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1998 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 | 27 | 12% | 57,972 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 26 | 12% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 26 | 12% | 48,148 | — | — |
| Steering | 24 | 11% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 24 | 11% | 49,933 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 22 | 10% | 53,361 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 21 | 10% | 78,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 16 | 7% | 54,696 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 12 | 6% | 77,848 | — | — |
| Structure | 11 | 5% | 54,696 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 10 | 5% | 99,285 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 10 | 5% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 8 | 4% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 8 | 4% | 51,848 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 2% | 63,800 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 1% | 83,498 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 1% | 54,696 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 0% | 116,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1998 Buick Century recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. 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.
Risk: Driver visibility may be impaired increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners will be provided with an owner's manual insert containing instructions for optically aiming the headlamps.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The owner manuals do not contain the requirement information pertaining to the vehicle headlamp aiming device. This does not comply with requirements of fmvss no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may not be able to properly aim the headlights.
Fix: Owners will be mailed an owner manual's insert which contains the appropriate information.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Power rack and pinion steering failure (EA03019) — opened Sep 15, 2003, closed Dec 18, 2003, led to recall 03V527000.
- Power rack and pinion steering failure (RQ03001) — opened Jan 2, 2003, closed Sep 15, 2003.
- Windshield wiper (EA99024) — opened Aug 20, 1999, closed Jan 13, 2000.
- Windshield wiper (PE99028) — opened Apr 16, 1999, closed Aug 20, 1999.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My vehicle's window controls and lock controls are no longer working, when locking the door or the window will go down but will not come up. The rest of the windows control throughout the car will not work as well. The lighting in the car flickers if you would push the lot or the window control…
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 buick century. While the vehicle was being operated, the brakes and steering column seized. As a result, the vehicle was involved in a front end crash. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and deemed destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact…
Multiple cracking on sidewalls of 4 michelin harmony tires being used 3000 miles a year. Tires bought in 2007 and have 99% of tread still present on tire. Feel michelin used insufficient uv/ozone inhibitor chemicals in rubber compound manufacturing these tires. Tires may be unsafe and not due to…
Was driven off the road by another vehicle i then hit a pothole at the same time my passenger dash airbag deployed. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 buick century. The contact stated that there is no alternative way to unlock the trunk. The contact locked the keys in the trunk of the vehicle and was unable to access the trunk. The contact had to go home to retrieve a spare set of keys to unlock the trunk. The contact…
Other Buick Century years
← 1997 Century · 1999 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 | 218 | 2 |
| 1997 Century | 106 | 2 |
| 1996 Century | 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 1998 Buick Century?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, power train problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 27 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Buick Century?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1998 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 1998 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.