2001 BUICK CENTURY Complaints

SUBJECT OF COMPLAINT IS THE POWER WINDOWS ON OUR 2001 BUICK CENTURY. I'M A MECHANIC AND DO MY BEST TO KEEP THIS CAR IN TOP SHAPE. BUT GM USED SOME VERY CRAPPY MATERIALS WHEN BUILDING THE POWER WINDOW REGULATORS. THE SYSTEM WORKS FINE UNTIL A SMALL PLASTIC PART THAT HOLDS THE OPERATING CABLES TOGETHER BREAKS. THIS PIECE PROBABLY COST THE GENERAL ABOUT $.05 TO MAKE AND IS NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH GM DEALERS. INSTEAD YOU HAVE TO BUY A COMPLETE POWER WINDOW REGULATOR ASSY. WITH MOTOR FOR BETWEEN $ 325.00- $400.00 DEPENDING ON WHICH DEALER YOU TALK TO. I'M NOW REPLACING THE THIRD REGULATOR ASSY. ON THIS CAR WITH ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON IT AND ALL WERE BROKEN IN THE SAME WAY. ALL ON DIFFERENT DOORS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES OUT OF CONTROL. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING IS TO MANUALLY TURN OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY AND AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER; THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. IT WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER; UPON INSPECTION THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE AT THE THROTTLE BODY CAME LOOSE. THE CABLE WAS RECONNECTED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKED TEMPORALLY. THE VEHICLE IS NOW HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS BEFORE WITH THE ACCELERATION OF THE CRUISE CONTROL. UPDATED 04/11/06. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS STAY STRAIGHT UP/DOWN. THEY DON'T REST IN THE PROPER PLACE. *JB

THE CONSUMER'S 2001 BUICK CENTURY STALLS WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. *TS *NM

CONSUMER TURNED ON HIGH BEAM IN 2001 BUICK CENTURY AND ALL LIGHTING FAILED INSIDE VEHICLE AND OUTSIDE. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THERE WAS A SWITCH THAT WAS SHORTENING OUT THE HEADLIGHTS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST TIME SHE HAD A SWITCH REPLACED, IT WAS DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. *JB

2001 BUICK CENTURY ENGINE PISTON CRACKED DAMAGING THE CYLINDER WALL. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER SETTING THE CRUISE CONTROL THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES TO UNKNOWN SPEEDS. THERE IS NO PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS. THE PROBLEM CONTINUES UNTIL THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON IS TURNED OFF. ALTHOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AT FIRST IT CONTINUES TO WORSEN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED. *NM

CONSUMER 2001 BUICK CENTURY ELECTRICAL AND COOLING ARE DEFECTIVE. MASTER WINDOW SWITCH LOCK STUCK, ANTI FREEZE LEAK, COOLANT LIGHT REMAINS ON, FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. *TS THE DOME LIGHTS AND BACK UP LIGHTS, AND TAG LIGHT WERE ALL INOPERATIVE. THE CONSUMER STATED ALL THE BULBS WERE CHANGED, HOWEVER IT DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE INTAKE GASKET LEAKED. *JB

THE TEMPERATURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE GAUGE READ HOT ON MY 2001 BUICK CENTURY AT THE BEGINNING OF A 200 MILE TRIP. I TOOK THE NEXT EXIT, FOUND A STATION WITH A MECHANIC AND ASKED TO HAVE HIM CHECK THE WATER LEVEL IN THE RADIATOR. HE SAID THE BUICK CENTURY HAS A HISTORY OF THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND ADVISED THAT I WATCH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER UPON MY RETURN HOME. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION, MY SON INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS WIFE'S 1999 BUICK CENTURY, ADDED A SEALANT TO THE RADIATOR AND IT SEEMED FINE. WHEN I GOT HOME AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE RADIATOR CHECKED, THE SERVICE MANAGER IMMEDIATELY INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS PROBABLY NOT THE RADIATOR AND THAT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED TO THE TUNE OF APPROXIMATELY $700. SIX HOURS LATER HE CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE INTAKE GASKET AND THE REPAIRS WERE ONLY $648.52. PARTS REPLACED INCLUDED: GASKET KIT, GASKET, SEALER-THE(?), SEAL, SEAL, COOLANT, ADHESIVE, SEAL, ENG., THERMOSTAT (?), GASKET (191.84) LABOR: 428.75. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY SON TONIGHT TO ADVISE ME THAT HIS '99 CENTURY WAS "STEAMING" AND WAS TOLD BY HIS MECHANIC THAT PROBLEM WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. REPAIRS APPROXIMATELY $800. *JB

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE FRONT SEAT BELTS FAILED TO LOCK. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE ON OCTOBER 5, 2005, AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP THEY CHECKED THE VEHICLE. AT FIRST, THE DEALER SAID THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE ALRIGHT. THEN, HE TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE WITH THE CONTACT, AND THE SEAT BELTS WORKED ON/OFF. AFTERWARDS, HE THOUGHT THAT THE SEAT BELTS WERE NOT SUPPOSE TO LOCK WHEN BEING HIT FROM THE REAR. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE CONTACT SHOULD TURN VEHICLE OVER TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK UPDATED 11/29/05.*JB