1998 Buick Century Problems

What owners report

Complaints on this model year cluster around a few recurring, well-worn systems: the ABS unit, power windows that drop and will not rise, power steering that binds or loses assist, coolant leaks from the intake gasket, and daytime running lamp sockets that overheat. Most reports come in between roughly 45,000 and 110,000 miles on an older car, and many owners say the dealer did not find a fault or declined the repair. Several describe failures that happened gradually and were noticed only when a warning light or a window stuck down.

1. 1
   Steering

   Power steering binds or loses assist

   • 21 complaints (10%)
   • median 75,063 mi at 6.2 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2016

   Owners report the steering wheel becoming hard to turn at low speed or intermittently at road speed, sometimes binding only in one direction, and some say the steering locked up while turning into a parking space. Complaints mention rack and pinion replacement, a leaking rack, and worn lower pinion bearings found by independent mechanics. Several note a similar recall existed for other vehicles but their car was not included. Reported from about 15,000 miles upward, with many between roughly 45,000 and 90,000 and some past 130,000; one owner tied the binding to cold weather.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Check power steering fluid level and look for wetness on the rack and hoses, then test slow full-lock turns both ways in a lot to feel for binding or uneven assist.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving at either slow speed, and/or fast speed, it feels as though the power steering fails. This has occurred while changing lanes on the highway as well as making slow turns in the neighborhood. I have made sure my power steering level is full to the proper level several times, and have adjusted it at once.”

   NHTSA complaint #10045832, filed 2003-11, 84,650 miles

   “1998 Buick Century steering failed & cannot turn left event happened at low speed in parking lot and no damage resulted. Dealer will not cover repair of vehicle with a 'w' designation. Although there is evidence that they to have same steering related defects as cars that received recall or service bulletin.”

   NHTSA complaint #10129635, filed 2005-07, 107,000 miles
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Power windows drop and will not raise

   Mentioned in 9 of 60 sampled complaints

   Owners describe a window that suddenly slides down on its own or stops partway and will not close again; in several reports all four windows are affected over time. Complaints attribute it to a small plastic connector or regulator piece that breaks, and say the repair often means replacing the whole regulator assembly or window motor at significant cost. Some report the same window failing again after repair, and one notes the mirrors were affected too. Reported from as low as about 11,000 miles up to roughly 77,000, spread fairly evenly across that range.

   What to check: Work every window up and down, including rears, and hold the switch to check for slow or binding movement. Ask whether any regulator or motor has been replaced and keep the receipts.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Power window and mirror issues in 1998 Buick Century. I have been dealing with this problem since 2004, I've been told by multiple mechanics that it's a known issue with the Buick Century, why is there no recall? The windows keep coming off the track, I drive on smooth roads and follow the speed limit, so what is going on???? My power mirrors haven't worked since 2004. Drivers side window is the one that's given me the worst headache, put in a new motor thinking that's why it was sticking and then it quit working again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10298224, filed 2010-01, 72,000 miles

   “1998 Buick Century custom - the electric rear window stopped working and dropped open and won't close. An examination of the window revealed that the harness is made up of two steel cables attached together by a small piece of plastic. Surprise, the plastic broke! In december 2003, the same year that the back window broke, the driver's side window broke and it is the exact same piece that broke in the back window. Only this time it broke while my daughter was in the center lane of I-75 and we're fortune that she wasn't in a serious accident. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10060534, filed 2004-03, 48,000 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   ABS light on, ABS motor pack or module failure

   • 12 complaints (6%)
   • median 57,200 mi at 8.0 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2011

   Complaints describe the ABS and brake lights coming on together, often at startup, sometimes with a clicking noise from the ABS unit. Owners say they were told the ABS motor pack, pump, or modulator had failed and quoted several hundred dollars to replace it. Several note that other cars of the same model had the same failure at similar mileage, and one owner reported a shop saying these vehicles commonly have ABS trouble. Mostly between roughly 37,000 and 83,000 miles; a few reports earlier and one around 184,000.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Turn the key and confirm the ABS and brake lamps go out after the self-test; a lamp that stays on points to the ABS unit. Ask for any history of ABS motor pack or module replacement.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Abs system on my 1998 Buick Century custom failed while I was driving on local street at about 40 MPH. Failure caused handling issues. Buick dealer inspected the vehicle and said the ABS motor power pack and the modulator have gone bad. According to the internet, it's a common problem for this vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #10164945, filed 2006-08, 54,400 miles

   “Abs failure. Now 54,931 miles on odometer.. 1998 Buick Century custom. I sent a letter to ray lahood several weeks ago, but have not received an answer from any one! This is s safety issue! I can't believe that GM engineers could not design an ABS that would last at least 100,000 miles! How many failures has GM experienced? The consumer stated a few weeks ago, the brake and ABS light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the consumer was informed the ABS pump had failed and it would cost $800 to replace it. Updated ivoq 10/29/10. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10342373, filed 2010-07, 53,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Coolant leak from intake manifold gasket

   • 11 complaints (5%)
   • median 61,360 mi at 6.1 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1998–2010

   Owners describe finding coolant drops under the car and a dry coolant reservoir, with the leak traced to the intake manifold gasket; one mentions oil appearing in the radiator. Complaints report repair bills in the several-hundred-dollar range and say the leak returned after the gasket was replaced. Some owners say a dealer could not locate the leak on repeated visits. Reported from about 23,000 to 76,000 miles, often a few years into the car's life.

   What to check: Look for coolant residue or staining around the intake and at the reservoir level, and ask whether the intake gasket has already been replaced and when.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After noticing a few drops of dexcool coolant on the garage floor, I checked the reservoir. It was empty. I checked for leaky hoses or clamps, then noticed that around some gasket I could see where coolant was obviously oozing and some had pooled in a recess in the engine mold. Anyway, I refilled the reservoir with dexcool and took the car to a local repair shop before doing any damage. The repair bill came to over $900. The car is only 5 years old and it needs a new intake manifold gasket, how absurd. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10070033, filed 2004-01, 76,020 miles

   “I own a 1998 Buick Century custom. I am the original owner and am very good about proper maintenance. Last week my husband noticed a few drops of coolant on the garage floor. He cleaned it up and agin the next day, a few more drops. He checked the hose clamps and hose conditions, they were fine. He checked the reservoir where you put in dexcool, it was dry. He filled the reservior and drove the car immediately to our local mechanic so we would not do any engine damage. After 2 days and $800, the car has been fixed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10008001, filed 2003-02, 76,020 miles
5. 5
   Exterior lighting

   Daytime running and headlamp sockets overheat

   • 22 complaints (10%)
   • median 88,642 mi at 10.1 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1998–2020

   Owners report the front daytime running light and signal sockets overheating and burning the plastic around the socket and bulb, with a burning smell noted well before the failure. Some describe headlights that work intermittently or quit entirely, with the switch having no effect, and cloudy headlamp lenses that reduce light output. Complaints say the dealer would not investigate without payment. Reported from roughly 26,000 to 118,000 miles, on cars several years old.

   Recall 99V356000Recall 98V102000

   What to check: Inspect the front lamp sockets for brown or melted plastic, check lens clarity, and confirm the headlamp aim; two recalls on this year cover headlamp aiming and the owner manual aim information.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Front day-time light/signal sockets are overheating and burning the plastic parts of socket & bulb. Replaced bulb+socket produced the same results within several weeks. Dealer does not want to investigate unless paid. Gm says car out of warranty. Burning smell was detected about two years ago but couldn't locate the source, only after the flasher failed. Bulb was still functioning but the electric contacts did not function.”

   NHTSA complaint #10016197, filed 2003-04, 55,000 miles

   “Headlight lens developed a cloudy film. This reduced the light illumination, and resulted in poor visibility. The lens could not be cleaned. The consumer believes the design of the lens is poor because it does not allow the consumer to clean the inside of the lens.”

   NHTSA complaint #10063283, filed 2004-05, 26,369 miles

Buying note. These are common, well-documented wear items on an older car rather than rare events, so budget for potential ABS, window regulator, rack, and intake gasket work on top of the purchase price. A pre-purchase inspection that includes the ABS self-test, a full window sweep, a coolant pressure check, and a look at the front lamp sockets will tell you most of what you need to know.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.