2003 BUICK CENTURY Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. WHENEVER THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE ENGINE SHE NOTICED THAT THE OIL LEVEL WOULD CONTINUALLY DROP AFTER HAVING AN OIL CHANGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 46000.

THE DIMMER SWITCH FOR THE HEADLIGHTS. WHEN I WAS USING IT LAST WEEK, IT MOMENTARILY TURNED OFF THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS COMPLETELY. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

FAULTY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON 2003 BUICK CENTURY. OTHER GENERAL MOTORS VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS WERE RECALLED AND FIXED, BUT BUICK HAS NOT. COST TO REPLACE EXCEEDS $600. *TR

1) WHILE DRIVING ON A NARROW, CURVY, HILLY TWO LANE ROAD IN THE DARK I ATTEMPTED TO TURN ON MY HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AS I WAS HAVING TROUBLE SEEING WHICH WAY THE ROAD WAYS TURNING. WHEN I CLICK THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT TOTALLY AND I COULD NOT SEE THE ROAD AT ALL. THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH ON THIS CAR IS THE GENERAL MOTORS MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH MOUNTED ON THE STEERING COLUMN. I WENT OFF THE ROAD NARROWLY MISSING A LARGE BOULDER AND TREE. 2) I HAD TROUBLE GETTING THE HEADLIGHTS TO COME BACK ON. MY CAR NOW ONLY HAS LOW BEAM. THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH MUST BE FIDDLED WITH AND OPERATED MANY TIME TO TRY TO GETS THE HEADLIGHT TO COME BACK ON. IF I TRY TO GET THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS TO COME ON THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AND I MUST PLAY WITH THE SWITCH TO HAVE THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN YOU NEED TO TRAVEL NARROW HILLY ROADS IN RURAL AREAS WITHOUT ANY ROAD LIGHTS. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT YOU BECOME SURPRISED AND NEED A SECOND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS HAPPENED. IN THAT SECOND YOU BECOME A LITTLE DIS-ORIENTED AS YOU ARE TRYING TO GET THE LIGHTS TO COME BACK ON AND TRYING TO STOP. THE FAILURE IS STILL THERE AS I AM TRYING TO GET IT IN FOR REPAIR. 3) I WILL HAVE THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR IN THE NEXT FEW DAY AND WILL ASK FOR THE FAULTY SWITCH BACK. I HAVE A FRIEND WITH CHEVROLET IMPALA WHO TOLD ME HE HAD THE SAND PROBLEM WITH THIS GENERAL MOTORS MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH. IT IS THE SAME SWITCH IN HIS CAR AS MINE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING HOME ONE NIGHT, MY HEADLIGHTS JUST WENT OUT! THIS HAS HAPPENED OFTEN ENOUGH WE NOW DO NOT DRIVE OUR CAR AT NIGHT IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. THROUGH RESEARCH ONLINE AND TESTING IT OURSELVES, WE DETERMINED THAT THE LIGHTS COME BACK ON IF WE FLICK THE DIMMER SWITCH. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND AFTER READING OTHER'S SIMILAR EXPERIENCES AT ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM (15 DIFFERENT ENTRIES), WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS WORTHY OF INVESTIGATION AND A RECALL BEING ISSUED. WE DID TAKE THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHO WAS NOT SURE WHAT MIGHT BE THE CAUSE. NOW THAT WE HAVE SOME IDEA, WE WILL RETURN TO HIM AND GET AN ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS. FROM THE ONLINE RESEARCH, WE CAN EXPECT IT TO COST APPROXIMATELY $600 OR MORE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

2003 BUICK CENTURY 4DR - I HAVE HAD FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS AND THIS HAPPENED ONLY ONE TIME. THANK GOD. I LEFT WALMART ON SIDE STREET, SLOWED FOR STOP SIGN AHEAD, THE ENGINE WENT COMPLETELY DEAD, LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENTS OUT, I CAME TO SUDDEN STOP. COULD NOT RESTART CAR, DOORLOCKS HAD AUTOMATICALLY CLICKED, LOCKING US INSIDE, WE COULD NOT RELEASE OR OPEN DOORS. WE WERE LOCKED INSIDE OUR CAR. LUCKILY I WORE CELLPHONE. ABOUT TEN MINUTES LATER, OUT OF THE BLUE, THE POWER CAME BACK ON ALL AT ONCE, LIGHTS CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART ENGINE AND UNLOCK THE DOORS. IT WAS A RATHER SCARY SITUATION FOR A FEW MOMENTS. I THOUGHT, "WHAT IF THERE HAD BEEN A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT?" *TR

I HAVE A 2003 BUICK CENTURY V6 WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT MY LIGHTS GO OUT IT IS VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS I WOULD LIKE TO NO THE PROBLEM AS I HAVE READ THAT THERE HAS BEEN OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ALSO IF I HIT THE DIMMER SWITCH THEY WILL COME BACK ON BUT THEN GO BACK OFF. *TR

ONGOING LEAKS AT BOTTOM OF BOTH REAR DOORS FOR SOME YEARS DESPITE AT LEAST 3 ATTEMPTS BY DEALER TO FIX. I FINALLY RESOLVED ON MY OWN WITH PLASTIC SHEETING WHICH IS UNSIGHTLY. ALSO DISCOVERED LEAK IN TRUCK IN PAST YEAR. ANOTHER ISSUE IS POOR QUALITY OF THE 2 CONTROL KNOBS ON DASH BOARD FOR A/C, ETC. THEY HAVE EITHER BROKEN OR HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO TURN. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEY DISCOVERED AN ENGINE COOLANT LEAK. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE HEAD GASKET BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 30,800.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE TO VISIT FRIENDS AT ABOUT DUSK. I ALWAYS DRIVE WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH IN THE "AUTO" POSITION, BUT BECAUSE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS I SWITCHED TO THE "MANUAL ON" POSITION. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE FOR ANOTHER HOUR AND WHEN I GOT TO WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF MY DESTINATION, THE INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS AND RADIO STARTED FLASHING. MY HEADLIGHTS WERE ALSO GOING OFF AND I COULD HEAR THE RELAY ON THE COMPUTER (PASSENGER SIDE) CLICKING. I STOPPED AND INSPECTED FOR A SHORTED WIRE BUT FOUND NONE. I SWITCHED TO THE "AUTO" POSITION AND WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE DRIVE AND RETURN BACK HOME WITHOUT RECURRENCE. TESTING IT AGAIN AT HOME THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO ON AND OFF IN THE "MANUAL ON " POSITION. AFTER EXERCISING THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH THROUGH ALL THE POSITIONS NUMEROUS TIMES, I COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM.. I BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A UNUSED CONTACT ON THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH THAT BECAME OXIDIZED AND THE LOW VOLTAGE CAUSED THE LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS AND REACTION WITH THE COMPUTER CONTROLLING THEM. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS DESIGN TO BE DRIVING AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS AND LOOSE YOUR HEADLIGHTS. *TR