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Buick CenturyModel year report

2002 Buick Century Problems

Complaints
154filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
62,000miles, 101 complaints with mileage
Recalls
0campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
21 mpgcombined, 3.1L 6-cyl FWD · 18 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2002 Buick Century (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the intake manifold gasket leaking coolant (and sometimes oil) into the cooling system, about headlights that cut out intermittently, and about ABS/traction warning lights that come on with a shuddering pedal. Reports cluster at fairly low mileage for the cooling and brake items and spread out over many years of ownership, and several owners describe dealers being unable to reproduce the headlight and brake-light symptoms.

  1. Exterior lighting

    Headlights cut out intermittently

    • 21 complaints (14%)
    • median 70,500 mi at 6.8 yrs old (18 state mileage)
    • filed 2004–2022

    Owners describe headlights going dark for a few seconds or longer while driving at night, sometimes when switching between low and high beam, and sometimes coming back after cycling the dimmer or headlight switch. In several complaints the dealer could not duplicate the failure; in others the multi-function switch or light switch was replaced, which some owners say resolved it. Reported from very low mileage (under 5,000) up to about 120,000 miles, usually at night and often while changing beams.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: Test low and high beams repeatedly at night, including the turn-signal stalk, and ask whether the multi-function or headlight switch has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Headlights on my 65,000mi 2002 Buick Century just quit and then come back on. This problem has occurred 4 four times. The other times it appeared as though I misclicked, but the last time I had to pull over and click the dimmer switch 30+ times. This is a real safety issue and I barely was able to stop in time from 55 MPH. The outer headlights are only on in low beam and the inner only on high beam. There are 4 headlights this can't be right all 4 should be on in high beam setting on. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10211755, filed 2007-12, 65,532 miles

    “On three GM vehicles that I know of (02 Century, 05 Century, 06 grand prix) the headlights will go out on high beam unexpectedly. Replacing the headlight high beam switch fixes the problem. The 06 grand prix was still under warranty but the dealer refused to correct the problem. They said that until the switch fails completely they will not replace it. Going 70 down the interstate at night and suddenly no lights is not very safe. I know my vehicle (02 Century) was high mileage but the other two are not. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10300392, filed 2010-01, 140,000 miles
  2. Engine cooling

    Intake manifold gasket coolant leak

    • 17 complaints (11%)
    • median 61,616 mi at 6.1 yrs old (16 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 5 quotes)
    • filed 2004–2014

    Owners report the low-coolant light coming on when the level looks normal, sludge or oil in the coolant, and coolant in the oil. Several say the lower intake manifold gasket was found leaking and had to be replaced, with quotes in the several-hundred-dollar range, and some mention a thermostat replaced at the same time. Some complaints say the dealer attributed the gasket failure to the coolant type used, and a few report a head gasket leak afterward. Mostly reported between about 30,000 and 130,000 miles, often first noticed through a low-coolant light.

    4 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for service records of an intake manifold gasket replacement, and check the coolant reservoir for oily sludge or discoloration and the oil for a coolant smell.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 2002 Buick Century and have been told that the intake manifold gasket has to be replaced since GM did not issue a recall of which they should have. I am afraid I will break down in the car with no help. I am a widow who is currently unemployed and can not afford to fix the car. I have paid the car in full and just want them to fix what they screwed up. I was not even aware there was a problem until my low coolant light started coming on and I noticed there is a leak.”

    NHTSA complaint #10378854, filed 2011-01, 86,000 miles

    “I noticed that there was sludge in the coolant tank after I got a low coolant light when the coolant was not low and the temperature was normal. I brought the car in to the Buick dealership and was told that oil was leaking through the intake manifold gasket into the coolant channels of the manifold. The oil was interfering with the coolants sensor causing the indicator light to come on. The dealer told me the system would need to be drained, flushed and refilled after the manifold was removed and the gasket replaced. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10235548, filed 2008-07, 90,000 miles
  3. Brakes

    ABS and traction lights with pedal shudder

    • 9 complaints (6%)
    • median 78,000 mi at 10.2 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2005–2023

    Owners report the anti-lock, traction-off and service lights coming on, sometimes followed by a grinding or shuddering noise and a pedal that pulses or feels hard, often after hitting a bump. Complaints describe diagnosis as a faulty wheel speed sensor or water intrusion at a hub, and some say the lights and noise returned after brake work. Reported from roughly 30,000 to over 230,000 miles, often triggered by uneven road surfaces.

    What to check: Drive over uneven pavement and brake firmly; watch for ABS or traction lights and any grinding, and ask whether wheel speed sensors or hubs have been serviced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have a 2002 Buick Century cusedan and while turning or driving the low trac light comes on, the anti-lock brake light and the service light comes on and the brake pedal shutters and makes a loud noise when braking.....and sometimes just going down the road. When I turn the car off the lights go off and there are none of the symptoms until I hit an uneven spot in the road or go over a bump etc. The lights come on again.”

    NHTSA complaint #10521787, filed 2013-06, 134,764 miles

    “I have three lights coming on {check engine soon}{anti lock &trac off} this has been going on for over two years and several trips to the garage is not getting it repaired. I am told when these lights are on I lose antilock breaks and traction control. ] ]”

    NHTSA complaint #10135081, filed 2005-09, 32,040 miles
  4. Electrical system

    Instrument cluster and odometer lighting out

    • 10 complaints (6%)
    • median 75,000 mi at 9.7 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2003–2014

    Owners report the odometer and gear indicator lights going dark, so mileage and the selected gear cannot be read, sometimes flickering back on. Several say the whole cluster or odometer unit has to be replaced or sent out for repair, with quotes ranging widely, and one complaint notes the technician called it a common occurrence. Mostly reported between about 65,000 and 105,000 miles.

    2 related service bulletins

    What to check: With the ignition on, check that the odometer and gear display are legible and steady, and ask whether the cluster has been repaired or replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “The odometer cluster lights go out and sometimes come back on for a few minutes and back off while driving. Therefore you can not see mileage and the shifting of gears. The dealer recommends sending it back to the factory for 2 weeks while they repair it at a cost of $ 2000.00 or drive the car without repairing.”

    NHTSA complaint #10640858, filed 2014-10, 108,152 miles

    “Most of the complaints on the Buick Century 2002, my car has them: 1. Windows not working, only passengers' up to now 2. Hard upshifts on transmission 3. Mileage on the digital odometer won't show 4. Volume on steering wheel never corrected so, what's being done about it?”

    NHTSA complaint #10234484, filed 2008-07, 36,000 miles
  5. Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

    Wipers stop or park in the wrong position

    Mentioned in 4 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners report the wipers stopping mid-windshield or parking vertically, sometimes with both arms hanging together, often in rain or snow. Complaints mention a broken crank arm and repeated tightening of the arms without a lasting fix, and in one case the washer motor ran on its own on cold morning starts. Mostly reported between about 17,000 and 80,000 miles, often in rain or snow.

    What to check: Run the wipers at all speeds, including in rain if possible, and confirm they park correctly and that the washer only sprays on command.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “When starting the vehicle in the morning, the windshield washer motor comes on squirting washer fluid. The directional arm control must be held toward the front of the car to stop the washer pump from operating. As the vehicle warms up, the problem ceases until the next morning. The vehicle is a 2002 Buick Century with only 7800 miles. Due to age, it is out of warranty.”

    NHTSA complaint #10120488, filed 2005-05, 7,800 miles

    “Windshield wipers stop in the verticle position. This has happened twice, the first time it was repaired under warranty on 10/17/03. Crank arm broken. It happened during snow storms, the wipers failed after a couple of inches of light snow got on the windshield .”

    NHTSA complaint #10116759, filed 2005-04, 17,000 miles

Buying note. Look closely at the coolant and oil for cross-contamination and get any gasket work documented, then test the headlights, wipers and instrument lighting thoroughly at night, since these are the areas owners write about most.

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.

NHTSA recorded 154 consumer complaints for the 2002 Buick Century. 101 of the complaints include a mileage, and 43% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 62,000 miles. Of all complaints, 9 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 11 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 300 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (7), Body and structure (6), Other or unknown (5), Wheels (5), Suspension (4), Interior lighting (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Engine cooling: “I currently have a 2002 Buick Century custom with 107000 miles on it. I had a starter catch fire cause of a large buildup of oil coming from either the head gasket or the manifold gasket. This issue needs to be addressed. Driving at high engine temperature with cause a major safety issue for anyone driving short or long distant.”

NHTSA complaint #10299580, filed 2010-01, 106,000 miles

Electrical system: “Intake leaking antifreeze - cost too much to repair for me. My only car to get to work. Replacing bearings today for sticking back brakes. All interior accessories are broken; cosmetic mirror, ashtray, center console, passenger windshield wiper stripped motor, 1 window working. Still owe on car but cannot fix everything. Any help ????”

NHTSA complaint #10970588, filed 2017-04, 150,000 miles

Exterior lighting: “I have a 2002 Buick Century custom. The multifunction light, wiper, cruise switch intermittently fails and I lose my headlights. I was driving on a mountain road the first time it happened and I had to turn on my hazards and find a place to stop with a lot of traffic behind me. On two other occassions I had other motorists flash me to let me know to turn on my lights. The failure has happened a lot since and I have to jiggle the switch to get it to work. This failure is extremely dangerous and has put me at serious risk. …”

NHTSA complaint #10088696, filed 2004-08, 56,000 miles

Brakes: “This latest series of incidents occurred while braking hard. The anti lock braking system failed with a grinding sound occurring. The anti lock brake light goes on, the trac off light goes on and the service vehicle soon light goes on. Since this incident, both while braking and when I'm not braking I will hear the grinding sound and then the lights might go on and stay on till the car is shut off. This problem has been going on for about 2 weeks and happens on most of my driving trips. …”

NHTSA complaint #10444169, filed 2012-01, 65,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

43% of the 101 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 35,000 and 93,000 miles.

6%0–108%10–2529%25–5018%50–7517%75–10017%100–1506%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (101 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 62,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’0321’06’09’12’15’18’23
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2002 Buick Century. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Century · sedan not rated4 / 3———
Century · sedan (side air bags) not rated4 / 3———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2002 Buick Century version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Century FWD3.1L 6-cyl4-speed automatic182621$3,200

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2002 Buick Century in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 300 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 300 bulletins →

Other model years of the Buick Century

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20051968,9770—21—Rising
20043973,0000—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200312763,5460—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200215462,0000—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
200114554,8003—21Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200019360,9355—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199923556,5003—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199821857,9722—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199710694,9442——Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19968075,5501—21Not compared (before 2008)Falling
19959992,5001—20Not compared (before 2008)Falling
199410688,5006—22Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199354123,0002—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19924594,5003—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19913845,0822—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199033—2—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198940110,0001—21Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198816—3—21—Stable
19872890,0000—20Not compared (before 2008)Stable
198622100,0002—20—Stable
19857—0—19—Not enough data
19848—3—20—Not enough data

All Buick Century model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Buick Century?

Owners of this model year most often write about the intake manifold gasket leaking coolant (and sometimes oil) into the cooling system, about headlights that cut out intermittently, and about ABS/traction warning lights that come on with a shuddering pedal. The issues reported most often: Headlights cut out intermittently; Intake manifold gasket coolant leak; ABS and traction lights with pedal shudder.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2002 Buick Century have?

NHTSA recorded 154 consumer complaints for the 2002 Buick Century as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2002 Buick Century is reported most often?

Engine cooling is named most often, in 25 complaints (16% of the total), followed by electrical system with 24.

Has the 2002 Buick Century been recalled?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2002 Buick Century get?

The EPA rates the 2002 Buick Century (Century, 3.1L 6-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 18 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,200 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2002 Buick Century reported?

Among the 101 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 62,000 miles and the middle half falls between 35,000 and 93,000 miles; 43% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.