Total Complaints
9 filings
BUICK CENTURY · model year
1985 BUICK CENTURY
9 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1985BUICKCENTURY carries 9 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1985 CENTURY is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:cooling system (1) and steering:rack and pinion (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1985 CENTURY. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
9
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010627STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
ITIS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN STEERING WHEEL. DEALER REPAIRED POWER STEERING ONCE UNDER A RECALL. CONSUMER STATED PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
19980323ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE MOTOR BLOCK CRACKED.
19970728SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
WHILE DRIVING THE REAR RIGHT BRAKE CALIPER BROKE AND WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP. PRIOR TO THIS, THE LEFT SIDE HAD BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE. *AK
19970127SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
WHEN APPLYING THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES IN A SUDDEN STOP SITUATION, THE VEHICLE'S RIGHT REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK
19960123FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER WAS PARKING AND OVERHEATED CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE . TT
19951026ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
COOLANT LEAK.
19951026STEERING:RACK AND PINION
COLD POWER STEERING. *AK
19951026VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN.
19950608FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ORIGINATING IN VICINITY OF BATTERY, OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT. *TW
Compare 1985BUICKCENTURY to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1985 BUICK CENTURY have?▼
The 1985 BUICK CENTURY has 9 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1985 BUICK CENTURY?▼
The most-complained component for the 1985 BUICK CENTURY is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM and STEERING:RACK AND PINION.
Is the 1985 BUICK CENTURY safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1985 BUICK CENTURY; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.