2004 Buick Century Problems
- Complaints
- 39filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 73,000miles, 34 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 / 27 hwy
Sources: NHTSA records for the 2004 Buick Century (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 39 consumer complaints for the 2004 Buick Century. The part named most often is exterior lighting, with 11 complaints (28% of the total), followed by air bags (6) and fuel system (6). 34 of the complaints include a mileage, and 35% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 73,000 miles. Of all complaints, 4 involved a crash, 5 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 375 technical service bulletins for this model year. Exterior lighting complaints overlap with 8 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.
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.
- Exterior lighting11 28%
- Air bags6 15%
- Fuel system6 15%
- Electrical system5 13%
- Engine4 10%
- Suspension3 7.7%
- Vehicle speed control3 7.7%
- Brakes2 5.1%
- Other or unknown2 5.1%
- Steering2 5.1%
Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (2), Equipment (1), Latches, locks and linkages (1), Seat belts (1), Seats (1), Tires (1).
Example complaints
Exterior lighting: “Headlights went off while driving on interstate at night. ( I may have flashed my high beams to signal a truck that it was safe to change lanes before this happened. Interior lights still working when this happened. Nothing I did would bring headlights back on. Very dangerous problem!! Car mileage approximately 62,000. 12/21/2017 date.”
NHTSA complaint #11056001, filed 2017-12, 62,000 milesAir bags: “No crash/incident. Received increase in insurance premium for 2004 Buick Century. Called insurance company which stated the increase was a result of company having increased personal injury claims for failure of airbags to deploy during accidents. Although I am not reporting any accident, I indicate today's date of t his report as 12/15/2008 below. Number of deaths & persons injured are unknown; however, I placed the number 1 in each category to proceed to the next window. …”
NHTSA complaint #10251901, filed 2008-12, 1 milesFuel system: “You could smell gas inside and outside the car. I took it to my garage and they went all over it and could not find any reason for the smell. It didn't matter if the gas tank was full or half full. When the weather was warm it was much worse. I am wondering if there have been any other complaints about this problem. I am afraid the car will catch on file.”
NHTSA complaint #10702249, filed 2015-03, 106,400 milesElectrical system: “When I turn on the high beams the headlights will occasionally turn off completely, instead. To turn back on the vehicle's headlights I have to pull the high beam lever back and forth multiple times. When attempting to turn back on the headlights I engage the hazards so that other vehicles can still see me on the road.”
NHTSA complaint #10638839, filed 2014-09, 177,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
35% of the 34 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 37,000 and 125,887 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.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2004 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.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Century · sedan | not rated | 4 / 3 | — | — | — |
| Century · sedan (side air bags) | not rated | 4 / 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 2004 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).
| Version | Engine | Transmission | City | Hwy | Comb. | Fuel / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Century FWD | 3.1L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 18 | 27 | 21 | $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 2004 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. 375 on record; the latest 10 are shown.
- 11020816Jul 18, 2025Other or unknown. This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
- 11014455Feb 20, 2025Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpoint. Technician should get…
- 11009156Oct 25, 2024Electrical system. This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tester, multi media tester…
- 11007744Sep 12, 2024Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical…
- 11007743Sep 12, 2024Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling General Motors Technical…
- 11007208Sep 6, 2024Other or unknown. This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about changing the tire and wheel size on vehicles. General Motors will only support a tire calibration for tires…
- 11006621Aug 26, 2024Electrical system. Vehicle Wide Programming (VWP) is a new process to update software on GM Vehicles. It provides the ability via a single selection within Techline Connect to first identify which modules need…
- 11006421Jul 24, 2024Transmission and drivetrain. GM is receiving damaged (cracked or broken) transmission cores returned to the reman facilities. The damage is being caused either in the removal process by the technician, or inadequate packaging…
- 11004761Jun 28, 2024Fuel system, Engine. This service bulletin advises of a new fuel injection cleaner kit used for decarbonizing the intake valves to correct conditions of rough idle, Crank no start, extended crank or misfire, MIL with…
- 11004557Jun 17, 2024Other or unknown. This bulletin provides information for use on a Product Assistance Claim (PAC), which is formerly known as a Product Allegation Resolution (PAR) claim.
Other model years of the Buick Century
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 19 | 68,977 | 0 | — | 21 | — | Rising |
| 2004 | 39 | 73,000 | 0 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2003 | 127 | 63,546 | 0 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2002 | 154 | 62,000 | 0 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 145 | 54,800 | 3 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 2000 | 193 | 60,935 | 5 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1999 | 235 | 56,500 | 3 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 218 | 57,972 | 2 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 106 | 94,944 | 2 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 80 | 75,550 | 1 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1995 | 99 | 92,500 | 1 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1994 | 106 | 88,500 | 6 | — | 22 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 54 | 123,000 | 2 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 45 | 94,500 | 3 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 38 | 45,082 | 2 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 33 | — | 2 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 40 | 110,000 | 1 | — | 21 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 16 | — | 3 | — | 21 | — | Stable |
| 1987 | 28 | 90,000 | 0 | — | 20 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 22 | 100,000 | 2 | — | 20 | — | Stable |
| 1985 | 7 | — | 0 | — | 19 | — | Not enough data |
| 1984 | 8 | — | 3 | — | 20 | — | Not enough data |
All Buick Century model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 2004 Buick Century have?
NHTSA recorded 39 consumer complaints for the 2004 Buick Century as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 2004 Buick Century is reported most often?
Exterior lighting is named most often, in 11 complaints (28% of the total), followed by air bags with 6.
Has the 2004 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 2004 Buick Century get?
The EPA rates the 2004 Buick Century (Century, 3.1L 6-cyl) at 21 mpg combined, 18 city and 27 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 2004 Buick Century reported?
Among the 34 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 73,000 miles and the middle half falls between 37,000 and 125,887 miles; 35% 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.