1990 Buick Century
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Buick › Century › 1990
These records cover every 1990 Buick Century. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 1990 Buick Century. Newest first.
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 and remedy
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.
Remedy
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.
The power seat or recliner wiring harness can be pinched or can chafe on the seat frame or spring support rod, wearing through the wire insulation and causing an electrical short.
Risk and remedy
Risk
The high current caused by the electrical short welds thecircuit breaker elements together in the closed position, leaving the circuitunprotected and generating sufficient heat to burn the wire insulation andignite the seat cushion material.
Remedy
Repair any abraded wiring and reroute the wiring harness using a wiring harness clip.
Owner complaints
33 complaints1 involved a crash3 involved a fire3 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Steering › Column
Problems with vehicle's steering.*mr stiffness in steering, sometimes consumer have to steer in neutral as it doesn't come back by itself. Sometimes it squeak while turning, no lock up has occurred yet. *ph
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Consumer states that while driving and without warning the engine blew and the vehicle started to smoke under the hood causing the consumer to pull over. dealer notified. mr
- Structure
On wednesday 6/13/2002 my 1990 buick century lost steering control due to a failure in the cradle bolts.i could have been seriously injured.i have found the following recall which includes the 1990 buick regal, nhtsa recall no. 97V058/gm recall no. 97016. My vehicle IS a 1990 buick century with…
On wednesday 6/13/2002 my 1990 buick century lost steering control due to a failure in the cradle bolts.i could have been seriously injured.i have found the following recall which includes the 1990 buick regal, nhtsa recall no. 97V058/gm recall no. 97016. My vehicle IS a 1990 buick century with 3300 V6 and IS not listed in this recall.i believe the cradle bolt's in 1990 buick century's are also subject to failure, causing the same safety related issue motioned in this recall.my vehicle does have 202000 miles on it, but this IS the kind of failure should never have happened. I believe buick should repair my vehicle at their cost. I have found two other complaint about the same problem. I tried to issued a complaint the hntsa on 6/21/2002 over the phone but it failed to get entered so here a try by email. Home email smokey90@aol.com, work email david.leingang@ptd.siemens.com, home phone 765-447-2782, work phone 765-429-1387. *ak
- Electrical system › Wiring
Circuit breaker for seat in fuse compartment overheated, causing power seats and power door to be inoperative. Driver IS unable to replace fuse because it was so hot, it burned. *Ak. Consumer states when he touched the correct fuse he was burned leaving a blister on his finger and thumb, consumer…
Circuit breaker for seat in fuse compartment overheated, causing power seats and power door to be inoperative. Driver IS unable to replace fuse because it was so hot, it burned. *Ak. Consumer states when he touched the correct fuse he was burned leaving a blister on his finger and thumb, consumer states he discovered there was a recall, however the dealer knew of the campaign but could not find consumers vehicle in the system.*jb
- Structure
While driving down the highway, I noticed that the front of car lurched and the steering wheel position changed. pulled car to side and saw that part of frame was hanging down. took to dealer who said that the cradle bolt had pulled through the support and was hanging down. why wasn't my car on…
While driving down the highway, I noticed that the front of car lurched and the steering wheel position changed. pulled car to side and saw that part of frame was hanging down. took to dealer who said that the cradle bolt had pulled through the support and was hanging down. why wasn't my car on the recall campaign as the regal was? I am afraid that the other bolts will pull through and I will lose my directional steering ability. I have kept all defective parts for the nhtsa review. it appears that the metals fussed or migrated together. did buick use the two wrong metals in this area, causing this problem? IS their an active campaign for the century? Please feel free to contact me.*ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Motor fell to ground while pulling out. This damaged steering and car was out of control. *ak
- Visibility › Power window devices and controls
None of the power windows would open or close. vehicle was taken to dealership. two broken wires were reconnected at owner's expense. Please provide any further information. *ak
- Steering › Rack and pinion · Structure
While driving on road noticed vehicle pulling a sharp left. looked at the cradles, and the retainer washer broke/was rusted through. replaced it. Also, others needed to be replaced. in addition, rack & pinion steering assembly IS connected to engine cradle frame and the steering shaft, dropped. this may cause erratic steering problems. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
While driving down the road all of sudden the vehicle just shut off when making a stop or slowing down. contacted dealer, and he was not able to find out what was wrong on the diagnosis machine. *ak
- Seat belts › Front › Anchorage · Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
During accident front bench seat latch failed causing the seat to collapse, right front passenger seat belt also became unlatched, resulting in injury. nlm
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components
Brakes failed several times.
- Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Recall on the seat belt denied due to wrong information (vin #) on the mail out .
- Structure › Frame and members
Paint started peeling away since 1993 and has gotten progressively worse.
- Electrical system › 12v/24v/48v battery · Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator · Electrical system › Ignition › Module
Vehicle stalled due to failure of the alternator.
- Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
The front driver's side split seat IS coming loose from the floor. Has not seen dealer. *ak
- Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Seat belts do not function properly. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Fan
Radiator cooling fan replaced.
- Electrical system › 12v/24v/48v battery
Every six months the electrical battery runs down, have to replace it . *ak
- Exterior lighting › Tail lights
Rear tail light assembly failed twice.
- Fuel system, gasoline › Carburetor system · Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
Carburetor backfired starting a fire, the electrical fuel pump continues to pump fuel, causing the car to completely burn.
- Seats › Front assembly › Recliner
Failure of the driver side seat, the seat IS reclined to the back position.*ak the driver's side seat travels on rails back and foward, while drving a metal bracket on the left side, that anchored the seat to the floor broke in half, therefore making the seat as a whole tilt backward.*jb
- Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Design flaw in seat belt that attaches to door, leaving occupant free to fall out of vehicle if door opens in accident. *Dh
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
While driving, heard noise, within minutes, all power stopped, black smoke poured out from underhood, fire started coming from under vehicle, no warning. *Ak
- Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator · Electrical system › Ignition · Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system · Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and associated pulleys · Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system · Power train › Automatic transmission · Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components · Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Drum · Suspension › Front · Tires
Wheel alignment repair. *Sd
- Seat belts › Front › Buckle assembly
Seat belt; failure on the driver and passenger side seat belts, consumer was in a accident and the driver and passenger side seat belt did not lock. *ak
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Sticking throttle
There is no summary currently available
Every Buick Century model year
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