Total Complaints
43 filings
BUICK CENTURY · model year
1986 BUICK CENTURY
43 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986BUICKCENTURY carries 43 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 CENTURY is steering:rack and pinion with 3 filings, followed by seat belts:front:anchorage (3) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (3). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 1 investigation file overlapping the 1986 CENTURY. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
43
Complaints
2
Crashes
2
Fires
5
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040422CrashSTEERING
STEERING LOCKED AT SLIGHT LEFT TURN COMING OUT OF CURVE AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO STEER LEFT ACROSS CENTER AND OFF ROAD INTO TREES AT 55 MPH. MY SON WAS INJURED, THE CAR TOTALLED.
Mileage: 100,000
20020228ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HESITATION AND STALLING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. *AK THE OXYGEN SENSOR, THE SOLENOID AND FUEL FILTER WERE REPLACED AS POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR STALLING TO THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *YH
20020228ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HESITATION AND STALLING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. *AK THE OXYGEN SENSOR, THE SOLENOID AND FUEL FILTER WERE REPLACED AS POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR STALLING TO THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *YH
20020228FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
ONGOING PROBLEM WITH HESITATION AND STALLING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER ON FIVE OCCASIONS AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. *AK THE OXYGEN SENSOR, THE SOLENOID AND FUEL FILTER WERE REPLACED AS POSSIBLE CAUSES FOR STALLING TO THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *YH
20000906CrashFatalSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BROADSIDE BY A CHEVROLET TAHOE. COLLISION WAS PARTIALLY INVESTIGATED BY CHP CENTRAL DIVISION MAIT. FORCES PLACED ON BELT DURING ROTATION SEPARATED THE WEBBING. ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT CENTRAL DIVISION MAIT, CASE: CL-031-00, PHONE: (559)277-7250
19990622SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
FRONT AND REAR SPRING FAILED. MJS
19990622SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS
FRONT AND REAR SPRING FAILED. MJS
19990622SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER
REAR SHOCK ABSORBER FAILED. MJS
19990622ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
MUFFLER FAILED. MJS
19990120UNKNOWN OR OTHER
REQUESTING INFORMATION REGARDING PROBLEMS.
19980805VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER
WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.
19970724FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE, CAUSING SMOKE INHALATION AND BURNS TO THE OCCUPANT. (2ND VEHICLE ON #517357)
19961204SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATES THAT PLASTIC COVER THAT HOOKS AROUND THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE OFF, CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO BE INOPERABLE. *AK
19960725ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
INTERMITTENT STALLING. *SD
19960619STEERING:RACK AND PINION
'COLD POWER STEERING'. *SD
19960429SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
THE REAR DISC BRAKES ARE RUSTED AND THEY DO NOT HOLD WHEN APPLIED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960429SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
THE REAR DISC BRAKES ARE RUSTED AND THEY DO NOT HOLD WHEN APPLIED. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
19960417STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING LOCKED UP PRIOR TO RECALL. *SD
19960417SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
FRONT PASSENGER SEAT MOVED FORWARD IN ACCIDENT, CAUSING INJURY. *SD
19960404STEERING:RACK AND PINION
STEERING RACK AND PINION LOCKS UP. *SD
Compare 1986BUICKCENTURY to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 BUICK CENTURY have?▼
The 1986 BUICK CENTURY has 43 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 2 fires, 5 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 BUICK CENTURY?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 BUICK CENTURY is STEERING:RACK AND PINION with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1986 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 as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.