2003 Buick Century

Typical pattern

5.6% of complaints about the 2003 Buick Century came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2003 vehicle — around the middle of the 228 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 6.6 yr in service. The most-reported system is exterior lighting (49 complaints), typically at 7.1 yr or about 80,000 miles.

Complaints: 162
Median age at failure: 6.6 yr
Median mileage: 67,000 n=117
Crash / fire / tow: 5.6% of reports
Safety recalls: 2

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

09E005000 2009-02-17

Steering

DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.

A BROKEN STEERING KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

07E021000 2007-03-12

Fuel system, other:storage:tank assembly:pressure relief devices

CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, P/NOS. FP10020-11B1, FP10026-11B1, AND FP10027-11B1, SOLD AFTER JANUARY 9, 2007, AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE UNIVERSAL PRESSURE REGULATORS (UPR) WERE PRODUCED WITHOUT AN O'RING AND RETAINER.

FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

In owners’ own words

Electrical system 21,000 mi 10 mo in service

THE ALTERNATOR PRODUCED A LOUD HUMMING SOUND. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR THREE TIMES, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *AK *JB

Electrical system mileage not reported 1.8 yr in service

THE DOOR LOCKS FAILED TO LOCK FROM USING THE REMOTE KEY ENTRY DEVICE. ALSO, CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE LOCK BUTTON FAILED TO UNLOCK THE DOORS INTERMITTENTLY. *AK INSPECTOR VERIFIED THAT THE POWER DOOR LOCKS OPERATED AS DESIGNED. THE ODOMETER OPERATED NORMALLY. TRUNK POPPED OPEN ONCE WHILE DRIVING. THE BRAKES APPLIED AND RELEASED AS DESIGNED; AND THE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HELD THE VEHICLE PROPERLY AND APPEARED TO BE PROPERLY ADJUSTED. *TT

Electrical system mileage not reported 1.8 yr in service

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED TO SHUT OFF. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO REMAIN UNLOCKED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE CONTACTED. *AK *SC *JB

Exterior lighting mileage not reported 1.8 yr in service

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS FAILED TO SHUT OFF. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO REMAIN UNLOCKED FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE CONTACTED. *AK *SC *JB

Other Century model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2003 Buick Century

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

Safety recalls — NHTSA campaigns

In owners’ own words

Other Century model years

How to read this