Total Complaints
46 filings
BUICK CENTURY · model year
1989 BUICK CENTURY
46 NHTSA complaints, 10 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989BUICKCENTURY carries 46 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 10 crashes, 0 fires, 14 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 1989 CENTURY is vehicle speed control with 6 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (4) and seats:front assembly:recliner (4). 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 1989 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.
46
Complaints
10
Crashes
0
Fires
14
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
10 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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 6 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 3 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 2 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE:LOCK | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:TRUNK LID:LOCK | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20040326ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CAR SOLD TO ME IS A LEMON. THE MOTOR WENT OUT IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS.*AK
20040203STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
A TECHNICIAN SERVICED VEHICLE. TECHNICIAN INSPECTED THE ENGINE AND DETERMINED THAT ENGINE CRADLE WAS RUSTING. *AK
20030119UNKNOWN OR OTHER
THE PAINT HAS BEGUN TO PEELING OFF THE CAR. THE PRIMER IS STILL THERE, HOWEVER. THE CAR HAS BEEN OWNED BY IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS SINCE ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN 1989 AND HAS BEEN KEPT UNDER A CARPORT/GARAGE FOR ALL OF ITS OWNERSHIP. I OWN A 5-YR OLDER FORD THAT IS NOT GARAGED, AND THE FINISH IS STILL LIKE NEW.
Mileage: 110,000
20010402STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR:HINGE AND ATTACHMENTS
DOOR HINGES SPLIT IN HALF, CAUSING DOOR TO SEPARATE FROM VEHICLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
20010315SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHEN GETING ON TO THE HIGHWAY THE SEAT BACK FELL IN TO THE BACK SEAT MAKING ME UNABLE TO SEE ANY TRAFFIC AHEAD OF ME.*AK
20010109CrashTIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00 048; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A FUNNY NOISE, AND THEN TREAD CAME OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDERS. AND RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, AND TIRE WAS STILL INFLATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. *AK DUNLOP SP 40 P195/70R14 DOT DB R W 466047 ( 006677 ) CONSUMER ADDED IT WAS A HOT DAY
20000918CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 ACCIDENTS RELATING TO ENGINE ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED THE SAME WAY. CONSUMER HAS A VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY. ON SEPT. 11-2000, VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE & IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A MAXIUM SPEED. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERMOSTAT RING GASKET, IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE & COMPUTER SCAN WERE THE CAUSES. *AK
20000918CrashENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 ACCIDENTS RELATING TO ENGINE ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED THE SAME WAY. CONSUMER HAS A VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY. ON SEPT. 11-2000, VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE & IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A MAXIUM SPEED. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERMOSTAT RING GASKET, IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE & COMPUTER SCAN WERE THE CAUSES. *AK
20000918CrashELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 ACCIDENTS RELATING TO ENGINE ACCELERATION. BOTH TIMES THIS HAPPENED THE SAME WAY. CONSUMER HAS A VERY STEEP DRIVEWAY. ON SEPT. 11-2000, VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE & IT ACCELERATED BACKWARDS AT A MAXIUM SPEED. MECHANIC FOUND THAT THERMOSTAT RING GASKET, IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE & COMPUTER SCAN WERE THE CAUSES. *AK
20000721STRUCTURE
RIGHT FRONT CRADLE BOLTS RUSTED AND PULLED THROUGH THE FRAME WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A COLLISION. VEHILCE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 97V058000. DEALER REPLACED THE RIGHT FRONT BOLTS AND WASHER. *AK
20000607ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
INTERMITTENT STALLING WHILE TRAVELING/APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, OR APPLYING ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN / OUT OF INDEPENDENT SHOP ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK
20000421CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER STARTED UP VEHICLE AND ENGINE WAS RUNNING A LITTLE FAST. CONSUMER HAD FOOT ON BRAKE , PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR AND IT TOOK OFF WHILE FOOT WAS ON BRAKE. VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP UNTIL THEY ENDED UP IN A CREEK. CONSUMER'S INSURANCE COMPANY CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
20000417CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE ENGINE IDLED HIGH, CONSUMER SHIFTED VEHICLE OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE WITH BRAKES DEPRESSED, AND VEHICLE DROVE OFF OUT OF CONTROL, RUNNING INTO A CREEK. *AK
19991129STRUCTURE:BODY
PAINT WOULD NOT STAY ON VEHICLE. NLM
19990719SUSPENSION:REAR
CRACKED REAR TRACKING BAR DETECTED ON 7/18/99. CHECKED UNDER CAR BECAUSE OF POOR STEERING AND HANDLING AND FOUND THE BAR WAS CRACKED IN HALF. WE HAD IT REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE ON 7/19/99. WE LOOKED FOR PREVIOUS RECALLS FOR THIS, BUT WEREN'T ABLE TO FIND THE INFORMATION. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS $144.45.
19990506VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE GEAR, RESULTING IN ACCIDENT. MJS
19990112STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
BOLT FAILED CAUSING BODY TO SEPARATE FROM FRAME.
19981114CrashFatalVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
LISTED VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN 10-CAR CRASH AT INTERSECTION IN OUR JURISDICTION AFTER ACCELERATOR ON VEHICLE STUCK, FOLLOWING VICTIM'S USE OF CAR WASH. VICTIM GOT INTO VEHICLE AFTER CAR WASH, PUT VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE, AND VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY, REACHING A MAXIMUM SPEED OF APPROX. 90 MPH BEFORE CRASHING INTO A LARGE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE, CAUSING THE CRASH LISTED ABOVE. THE DRIVER OF THE BUICK IN THIS LISTED QUESTIONNAIRE DIED DUE TO INJURIES RECEIVED.
19981106SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELTS. SEAT BELTS LATCH, AND TRACKS AND ANCHORS, ARE BROKEN. THE WHOLE SEATBELT SYSTEM IS SLOWLY DETERIORATING. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. THE DEFECTS ARE RELATED TO PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH RECALL NUMBER 95V173000. *AK
19981106SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT BELT TRACKS AND ANCHORS. SEAT BELTS SLIDE BACK AND FORTH. IN ADDITION, TO CRACKS IN SEAT BELT BUCKLES. *AK
Compare 1989BUICKCENTURY to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 BUICK CENTURY have?▼
The 1989 BUICK CENTURY has 46 NHTSA complaints, 10 crashes, 0 fires, 14 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 BUICK CENTURY?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 BUICK CENTURY is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 6 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER.
Is the 1989 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.