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KLUNK

2004 Buick Century

The Verdict

91 Smooth Ride

The 2004 Buick Century has 39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are electrical (18 complaints) and body (10 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 91/100, it earns a "Smooth Ride" rating. If you're shopping for a Buick Century, consider the 2005 model year which has 51% fewer complaints.

Safe Bet

The 2005 has 51% fewer complaints

View the 2005 Buick Century dashboard →

91

Klunk Score: Smooth Ride

This vehicle year has significantly fewer complaints than average. A reliable choice.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

Get notified if a recall hits this car.

We email you when NHTSA issues a new recall on the 2004 Buick Century. No spam, no marketing.

Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
20007429323644
20015722193420
2002482249407
2003321360205
20041021890
2005321031

By Category

Electrical
18
Body
10
Engine
9
Brakes
2

By Severity

1
16
2
18
3
1
4
4

Worst Problems

Complaints

Body 1

POWER SEAT WIRING HARNESS SORTED TO SEAT FRAME/SPRING

68mo ago
Electrical 3

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER SON WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE AIR BAG HIT THE CONTACT'S ARM AND FACE LEAVING MINOR MARKS AND BRUISES. THE DRIVER DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION FOR HIS INJURIES. THE CONTACT'S SON WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THEN CALLED THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD AND DASHBOARD WERE DAMAGED. THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD YET TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 156,000.

74mo ago
Electrical 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 152,000.

79mo ago
Brakes 1

FRONT AND REAR BRAKE LINES FAILED LEAVING ME WITH NO BRAKES. I WAS DRIVING AT LOW SPEED. THE REAR BRAKE LINE WAS THE FIRST TO GO. THE FRONT BURST AND ABOUT 4 WEEKS LATER THE CAUSE WAS RUST AND CORROSION. BOTH TIMES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR.

83mo ago
Brakes 2

BRAKE LINE FAILED ON REAR BRAKES. LOST ALL FLUID IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY RUST ON BRAKE LINES

92mo ago
Engine 2

WHEN DRIVING MY CAR OVER 5 MILES IT WILL CHOKE AND NOT LET ME ACCELERATE AND THE SPEEDOMETER GOES TO 0. CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE?

95mo ago
Electrical 1

THE MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN GOING AROUND CURVES AND CORNERS YOU CAN'T DIM THE HEADLIGHTS. BECAUSE THE STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T ALLOW THE LEVER TO GO FAR ENOUGH TO CATCH. NOW MY HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT TURN ON WHEN THE THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO. MY CRUISE CONTROL DOESN'T WORK. MY A/C STOPS COOLING WHEN THE SPEED REACHES 60 MPH BUT IF I MOVE THE M.F.S. (AKA TURN SIGNAL) IT GETS COOL AGAIN FOR A FEW MINUTES. THE OTHER NIGHT MY LIGHTS WENT OFF WHEN I WAS MEETING A CAR WITH ITS HEADLIGHTS ON BRIGHT. IT WAS A DARK STRETCH OF ROAD. I ALMOST RAN IN THE DITCH.

98mo ago
Electrical 2

HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT NIGHT. ( I MAY HAVE FLASHED MY HIGH BEAMS TO SIGNAL A TRUCK THAT IT WAS SAFE TO CHANGE LANES BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. INTERIOR LIGHTS STILL WORKING WHEN THIS HAPPENED. NOTHING I DID WOULD BRING HEADLIGHTS BACK ON. VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM!! CAR MILEAGE APPROXIMATELY 62,000. 12/21/2017 DATE.

104mo ago
Electrical 1

WHILE IN MOTION THE HIGH BEAM WILL GO OUT AND LOW BEAM WITH IT - NO LIGHTS AT ALL. YOU MUST PUSH OR PULL THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER TO TURN THE LIGHTS ON AGAIN.

125mo ago
Body 2

CAR STOPPED FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BUT STARTED UP IMMEDIATELY AND CONTINUED DRIVING HOME. NEXT WEEK STOPPED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING AS I PULLED INTO THE GAS STATION BUT STARTED UP AGAIN AND CONTINUED HOME. NEXT TIME DRIVING NO PROBLEMS THEN STOPPED AGAIN WHILE TURNING INTO THE GROCERY STORE AND AGAIN ON WAY HOME WHILE SLOWING DOWN FOR A CURVE. CAN'T BE TRUSTED. STOPS AT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY. VERY DANGEROUS! ONE MECHANIC THINKS IT NEEDS NEW ENGINE COMPUTER BECAUSE HE PULLED ALL SENSORS FOR TESTING AND CAR CONTINUED TO RUN.HOWEVER, HE IS ONLY GUESSING AND WON'T GUARANTEE A FIX IF I HAVE NEW COMPUTER INSTALLED.

134mo ago
Body 2

THE "SWAYBAR" FOR STEERING BROKE. I BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAYS HE HAS SEEN THIS ISSUE WITH BUICK CENTURYS BEFORE. IT COST APPROXIMATELY $825.00 TO FIX.

134mo ago
Engine 2

YOU COULD SMELL GAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CAR. I TOOK IT TO MY GARAGE AND THEY WENT ALL OVER IT AND COULD NOT FIND ANY REASON FOR THE SMELL. IT DIDN'T MATTER IF THE GAS TANK WAS FULL OR HALF FULL. WHEN THE WEATHER WAS WARM IT WAS MUCH WORSE. I AM WONDERING IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. I AM AFRAID THE CAR WILL CATCH ON FILE. *TR

137mo ago
Engine 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE TECHNICIAN WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,900. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/21/2016*LJ UPDATED 9/18/2017*CN

140mo ago
Electrical 2

WE WERE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT RANDOMLY, THIS IS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. IT DID NOT SEEM TO MATTER IF THE LIGHT SWITCH WAS ON OR IN THE AUTOMATIC POSITION.

140mo ago
Electrical 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED LACERATION TO THE TO FACE AND MOUTH WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOT WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 12/09/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 05/19/2015*JS

142mo ago
Electrical 2

WHEN I TURN ON THE HIGH BEAMS THE HEADLIGHTS WILL OCCASIONALLY TURN OFF COMPLETELY, INSTEAD. TO TURN BACK ON THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS I HAVE TO PULL THE HIGH BEAM LEVER BACK AND FORTH MULTIPLE TIMES. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN BACK ON THE HEADLIGHTS I ENGAGE THE HAZARDS SO THAT OTHER VEHICLES CAN STILL SEE ME ON THE ROAD. *TR

143mo ago
Body 2

WHEN DRIVING THE CAR INCREASE SPEED WITHOUT TOUCHING THE PEDAL WILL KEEP INCREASING SPEED SLIGHTLY MAKING YOU HIT BRAKES OR PULL OVER. I RESTART THE CAR AND SOMETIMES THIS WILL STOP IT SOMETIMES NOT. IT IS GETTING WORSE AND I HAVE HAD IT TO A DEALER WITH NO FINDING. I HAVE CONTACTED BUICK THROUGH EMAIL AND HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING YET. THE CAR WILL DO THIS EVEN IN THE CITY AT SPEEDS OF 30 MPH WE HAVE TO BRAKE OR IT WILL GO FASTER AND FASTER. I HAVE CONTACTED ALL I KNOW TO AND CANNOT FIND WHAT IS GOING ON. I NEED SOME ASSISTANCE BEFORE THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. *TR

147mo ago
Engine 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT THE DEFECT COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND NO REPAIRS WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE RECURRED APPROXIMATELY TWO YEARS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. UPDATED 05/28/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE KEYS WERE TOO HEAVY IN THE IGNITION. SINCE REMOVING THE ADDED WEIGHT, THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY OTHER FAILURE OCCURRENCE. UPDATED 05/29/2014 *JS

150mo ago
Engine 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR. THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TRAVELING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHO WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

157mo ago
Engine 2

THE GAS GAUGE IS NOT ACCURATE EVEN THROUGH IT SAYS NO FUEL IT STILL HAS PLENTY IN THE TANK. THE CAR REVERSE UP AND GOES ON ITS OWN WITHOUT USING THE GAS PEDAL AND WHEN YOU PUT THE BRAKES ON IT SHUTTERS. THE WINDOWS DON'T WORK VERY WELL ANYMORE. *TR

158mo ago

39 total

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