Buick Century Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 192 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Buick Century across 10 model years. The 1999 model year has the most (55). The words owners use most often: “manifold gasket” (21% of reports).
- 192engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,300typical repair cost reported by owners
- 33%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Manifold gasket: mentioned in 40 of 192 complaints (21%)
- Lower intake: mentioned in 12 of 192 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Buick Century at $1,300, and half of them between $1,150 and $1,500.
Based on 18 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2003–2010), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 102 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 192 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 1 an injury.
Buick Century engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Century | 2 | 11% | 97,597 |
| 2003 Century | 13 | 10% | 47,600 |
| 2002 Century | 25 | 16% | 60,132 |
| 2001 Century | 27 | 19% | 57,500 |
| 2000 Century | 21 | 11% | 63,609 |
| 1999 Century | 55 | 23% | 52,900 |
| 1998 Century | 22 | 10% | 53,361 |
| 1997 Century | 7 | 7% | 70,000 |
| 1996 Century | 9 | 11% | — |
| 1995 Century | 11 | 11% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the Buick Century. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Every buick owner, i have talked to at about 80,000 to 100,000 miles has to replace intake manifold and bolts. This is about a $1200.00 job, gaskets and bolts should last a lot longer. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1997 buick century. The contact stated that the engine manifold gasket was deteriorating and caused the engine to overheat. The check engine warning indicator illuminated. The contact believed that the failure was caused by the dex cool antifreeze. The vehicle was towed to an…
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 buick century. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who informed the contact that the vehicle was overheating. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure…
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 buick century. The contact stated while traveling 30 mph, the vehicle decreased in acceleration. The vehicle veered to the right and was driven onto the emergency lane and placed in neutral gear. The vehicle was restarted and resumed normal operation. The failure…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Buick Centurys have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 192 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Buick Century. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Buick Century engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Buick Century?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,300 (half paid between $1,150 and $1,500), from 18 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Buick Century?
The most frequent phrase is “manifold gasket”, in 40 of 192 complaints, followed by “lower intake” (12).
Other Buick Century problems
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (170)
- Electrical System problems (168)
- Exterior Lighting problems (168)
- Visibility problems (148)
- Power Train problems (140)
- Steering problems (113)
See all Buick Century problems.