2001 Buick Century recalls and problems

The 2001 Buick Century has 3 recalls and 145 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is engine.

How the 2001 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 6 Century model years — 3rd most.

3recalls

145complaints

9crashes

2fires

5injuries

54,800median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

3 recalls

Seat Belts

Apr 6, 2001 · NHTSA campaign 01V109000 · 116,007 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Certain passenger vehicles, equipped with sunvisor located air bag labels, fail to conform to federal motor vehicles safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." these vehicles have a message area less than 30 cm which does not meet the requirements of the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH SUNVISOR LOCATED AIR BAG LABELS, FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES HAVE A MESSAGE AREA LESS THAN 30 CM WHICH DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Risk: These vehicles do not comply with the standard.

Original NHTSA wording

THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE STANDARD.

Remedy & notes

Gm will mail a new bilingual air bag label with installation instructions. However, the customer May bring the label to their dealer for installation free of charge. Owner notification began May 4, 2001. Owners who do not receive the free label and installation instructions within a reasonable time should contact Oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537 or Buick at 1-800-521-7300.

Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Air Bags

Nov 13, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V371000 · 12 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles. Some of these vehicles exhibit a condition in which the driver side impact air bag inflator separates from the air bag module during deployment.

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH THE DRIVER SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG INFLATOR SEPARATES FROM THE AIR BAG MODULE DURING DEPLOYMENT.

Risk: If the inflator separates, the air bag will not deploy properly during a crash and occupant protection would be reduced. If is also possible that a separated inflator could be propelled downward and could result in injury to a rear seat passenger whose foot is positioned approximately under the inflator module.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE INFLATOR SEPARATES, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY DURING A CRASH AND OCCUPANT PROTECTION WOULD BE REDUCED. IF IS ALSO POSSIBLE THAT A SEPARATED INFLATOR COULD BE PROPELLED DOWNWARD AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO A REAR SEAT PASSENGER WHOSE FOOT IS POSITIONED APPROXIMATELY UNDER THE INFLATOR MODULE.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will replace the side impact air bag module.

Owner notification is expected to begin during December 2000.owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020 or Buick at 1-800-521-7300.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Seat Belts

Aug 7, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V228003 · 156,305 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: Passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and MINI vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "seat belt assemblies."

Original NHTSA wording

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant May not be properly restrained.

Original NHTSA wording

IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect the vehicle's safety belt buckle assembly date codes and, if necessary, will replace any safety belt buckle assembly.

Owner notification began August 24, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Buick at 1-800-521-7300; Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020; GMC at 1-800-462-8782; Oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537; Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737; or Saturn at 1-800-553-6000. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine31

Service Brakes26

Power Train21

Vehicle Speed Control19

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

2001 vs. other Buick Century years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2001. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2001 Buick Century have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns covering the 2001 Buick Century, the latest from Apr 6, 2001 (seat belts). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2001 Buick Century?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention engine (31), service brakes (26), power train (21). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.