The 1999 Buick Century has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 780,232 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 287 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine and engine cooling. Last updated July 5, 2026.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES DO NOT CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." SOME OF THESE VEHICLES DO NOT MEET THE OVERHEAD SIGN ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS.
Consequence
LESS ILLUMINATION MAY REDUCE THE ABILITY OF THE DRIVER TO READ OVERHEAD SIGNS WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW LOW BEAM HEADLAMP BULBS IN BOTH OF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080. NOTE: IF THE BULB NEEDS REPLACEMENT IN THE FUTURE, GM BULB NUMBER 89024715 IS AVAILABLE FROM A DEALER, OR THE EQUIVALENT SYLVANIA BULB IS…
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.
Consequence
DRIVER VISIBILITY MAY BE IMPAIRED INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN OWNER'S MANUAL INSERT CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPTICALLY AIMING THE HEADLAMPS.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC99V1700001999-07-09168,559 affected
Defect
SOME OF THESE VEHICLES WITH THE KEY IN THE "ON" POSITION, EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) MOTOR SHORTS TO ITS CASE AND GROUNDS THROUGH A FLEXIBLE BRAKE FLUID PIPE.
Consequence
THIS SHORT CAN CAUSE EXTREME HEATING OF THE FLEXIBLE BRAKE PIPE WHERE IT CAN MELT A NEARBY FLEXIBLE PLASTIC FUEL HOSE, WHICH COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A GROUND CABLE FROM THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE (EBCM) TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BODY RAIL.
Complaints by component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
17
1fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
15
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
15
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
14
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
13
3crashes1injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
12
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
12
3crashes1fires1injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
10
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
9
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
8
Total complaints287
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Dec 17,1999 manufacturer recall numbern990093 nhtsa recall number99v356 recall statusrecall incomplete summary 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…”
“Steering wheel locks up while making a turn”
“This morning I started my car to head to work, there was a whining noise and very hard to turn my steering wheel. As I backed up I noticed a leak onto the pavement. I purchased a bottle of power steering fluid with stop leak and put it in hoping that's what it needed. I continued my drive to work…”
“1) need headlight adjustment instructions for a known recall. 2) every door window motor in the buick failed on each window preventing the windows from lowering if in the up position or prevented the windows from raising if in a lowered position. The windows had to be duct taped shut in order to…”
“1) need headlight adjustment instructions for a known recall. 2) every door window motor in the buick failed on each window preventing the windows from lowering if in the up position or prevented the windows from raising if in a lowered position. The windows had to be duct taped shut in order to…”
“Tire failure. Failure was spontaneous. New tires less than 2 months old and only 200 miles driven. Bulging sidewall. Is in process of being fixed.”
“My car is nothing but a problem and very serious problem. I lost control of my car and almost get into accident. The abs breaks is not stable,so many electrical problems. Power windows is defect.”
“My car is nothing but a problem and very serious problem. I lost control of my car and almost get into accident. The abs breaks is not stable,so many electrical problems. Power windows is defect.”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1999 Buick Century as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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