Total Complaints
26 filings
BUICK CENTURY · model year
1988 BUICK CENTURY
26 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988BUICKCENTURY carries 26 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. 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 1988 CENTURY is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 4 filings, followed by steering:rack and pinion:rack (3) and steering:rack and pinion (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 1988 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.
26
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK | 3 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 3 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020319SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
FRONT END COLLAPSED BECAUSE ENGINE CRADLE BOLT AND STEERING COLUMN DISINTEGRATED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INCLUDED UNDER RECALL 88 V048 000. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER STATES THIS VIN WAS NOT ON THE RECALL. *YH
20020319STRUCTURE
FRONT END COLLAPSED BECAUSE ENGINE CRADLE BOLT AND STEERING COLUMN DISINTEGRATED. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INCLUDED UNDER RECALL 88 V048 000. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER STATES THIS VIN WAS NOT ON THE RECALL. *YH
20011019SEATS
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT FRAME BROKE. TOOK TO DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT WARRANTY EXPIRED. PLEASE ADD ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19990823STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION STEERING FAIILED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK AND RESIST ANY TURNS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT CAUSING THE DRIVER TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO UNLOCK THE SEIZED WHEEL. NLM
19981005POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CHANNEL PLATE (SIDE) ON THE TRANSMISSION IS WARPED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE.
19981005SUSPENSION
POOR SUSPENSION.
19981005STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
STEERING RACK FAILED.
19970804STEERING
WHILE DRIVING AT 10 MPH THE LEFT CRADLE BOLT BROKE, AND THE RIGHT CRADLE BOLT FELL THROUGH THE FRAME, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE INOPERATIVE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19970627SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER
SHOCKS ABSORBER FAILED.
19970627STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK
RACK FAILED.
19970627STEERING:RACK AND PINION
RACK AND PINION FAILED.
19970627STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHEN TEMPERATURE IS COLD THE STEERING LOCKS UP.
19960711SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
FRONT SEAT BELT PLASTIC COVERS BROKE. *SD
19960619STEERING:RACK AND PINION
'COLD POWER STEERING'. *SD
19960307SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PLASTIC COVER ON SEAT BELT
19960307SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE COVER POPPED OFF ON 2 1988 BUICK CENTURYS. TT
19960307SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PLASTIC COVER ON SEAT BELT
19960307SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE COVER POPPED OFF ON 2 1988 BUICK CENTURYS. TT
19960227SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE SIT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AND SOMETIMES IT LOCKS YOU IN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
19960227SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE SIT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AND SOMETIMES IT LOCKS YOU IN. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK
Compare 1988BUICKCENTURY to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 BUICK CENTURY have?▼
The 1988 BUICK CENTURY has 26 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 BUICK CENTURY?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 BUICK CENTURY is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK and STEERING:RACK AND PINION.
Is the 1988 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.