2000 BUICK CENTURY Electrical System Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK CENTURY. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WITHOUT WARNING. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN THE HIGH BEAM SWITCH WAS ACTIVATED, THE CHECK ENGINE, ABS, AND TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

Mileage: 200,000

DEFECTIVE ODOMETER READINGS, GEAR INDICATORS DISAPPEARED. THE ODOMETER READING DISAPPEARED, AND THE GEAR INDICATOR DISAPPEARED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I HAVE NO WAY TO READ MY ODOMETER, NOR DO I KNOW WHAT GEAR I AM IN, PRND21. NOW I CAN ACCIDENTLY BE IN REVERSE AND NOT EVEN KNOW IT. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION, AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. MECHANIC CHARGES $100.00 TO FIX, AND ALSO STATES THEY CAN INSERT ANY ODOMETER READING THAT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE. THIS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. I NO LONGER HAVE A VALID ODOMETER READING FOR MY YEARLY INSPECTIONS, OR IF I WERE TO SELL MY VEHICLE. I COULD DRIVE IN 1ST GEAR AND BURN UP MY TRANSMISSION AND SHUT DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSTATE AND CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR BE RUN OVER FOR DEAD STOPPED ON ROADS. MY INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS NOT HAD AN ACCURATE FUEL GUAGE READING IN YEARS, IT COMES AND GOES. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT GAS USAGE BY MILEAGE, NOW THAT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE. I MUST FILL UP WEEKLY JUST SO I KNOW I WONT RUN OUT OF GAS. THE CAR ONLY HAS 55,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT. THIS IS JUST NOT RIGHT. I EXTREMELY UPSET ABOUT THIS AND DONT KNOW HOW TO GET IT FIXED PROPERLY AND COVERED FROM THE DEALERSHIPS. YOU SHOULD HAVE A LIFETIME WARRANTY ON YOUR ODOMETER READING AND KNOWING WHAT GEAR YOU ARE IN. PLEASE ADVISE AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU CONCERNING THIS VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE.

Mileage: 55,000

THE ODOMETER DOES NOT LIGHT UP, NOT ALLOWING THE MILEAGE TO SHOW. *TR

Mileage: 200,000

I HAVE A 2000 BUICK CENTURY LIMITED AND THE TRANSMISSION HARSH SHIFT 1234, WHEN HOT AND SOMETIMES COLD, I KNOW THAT IT NEEDS A NEW 1234 UP SHIFT SOLENOID AND TO BE INSPECTED FOR FAILED PARTS ETC, ALSO THE ODOMETER,FUEL GAUGE,AND WINDOW REGULATORS/MOTORS HAVE FAILED, THE ODOMETER IS OUT AND FUEL GAUGE FLOATS AND WINDOWS HAVE FAILED DUE TO BAD DESIGN OF MOTORS/REGULATORS AND MY AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND EACH 4T65- E TRANS AND MANY BUICK TRANS LIKE THE ONE ABOVE HAS HARSH SHIFT AND COULD CAUSE DAMAGE AND CAUSE TRANS TO FAIL. AND THE PROBLEMS ABOVE WILL BE FOUND IN MANY BUICK CENTURY AND GM SHOULD FIX THE ISSUES ABOVE FOR FREE IT IS A DANGER FOR THE TRANS TO FAIL AND ODOMETER/GEAR SHIFT SELECT TO FAIL BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE WILL NOT KNOW WHAT GEAR THEY ARE IN, AND THE TRANS COULD LOCK AND CAUSE A WRECK OR A HUGE INJURY OR WORST. AND THE TRANS 1234 UP SHIFT PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID NOT KEEPING THE RIGHT PRESSURE COULD DAMAGE THE TRANS, AND EVEN IF THE TRANS IS BOUGHT USED IT STILL HAS THIS PROBLEM AND IS THE SAME 4T65-E TRANS AND GM NEEDS TO FIX THIS FOR FREE THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS AND ISSUE WITH THE 2000 BUICK CENTURY,REGALS ETC WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANS. AND SHOULD BE FIXED RIGHT AWAY BEFORE IT BECOMES A COSTLY REPAIR OR WRECK! AND THE TRANS SHOULD BE CHECKED FOR ANY OTHER FAILURES. FOR FREE. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2000 BUICK CENTURY HAS A HARD SHIFT CONDITION THAT WAS DIAGNOSED AT 2 DIFFERENT TRANSMISSION SHOPS AS A PRESSURE CONTROL SOLENOID FAILURE THAT IS VERY COMMON WITH THIS CAR. ONE OF THE SHOPS SAID THE PROBLEM WILL REOCCUR EVEN WITH REPLACEMENT OF THE PART UNLESS A SHIFT KIT IS INSTALLED.AFTER RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE ON LINE IT BECOMES APPARENT THAT THE SHOPS ARE CORRECT IN THEIR DIAGNOSIS. WHY HAS THIS ISSUE NOT BEEN A RECALL! *TR

Mileage: 73,000

VEHICLE EXHIBITED HARD TRANSMISSION SHIFTS AND JERKING WHILE SHIFTING IN TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DIAGNOSED WITH CODE P1811, WHICH INDICATES HIGH TRANSMISSION FLUID PRESSURE AND SOLENOID PROBLEMS. *TR

Mileage: 83,249

THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER INDICATING WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE IS IN HAS QUITE WORKING. THIS IS A DIGITAL L.E.D. INDICATOR THAT ALSO DISPLAYS THE VEHICLES MILEAGE AND ODOMETER READING. CHECKED AROUND AND FIVE OTHER BUICKS ALL HAD THE SAME ISSUE. YOU HAVE TO GUESS AT THE GEAR YOU ARE IN AND THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL WHAT THE ODOMETER READING IS. *TR

THE ELECTRONIC ODOMETER AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DISPLAY HAS GONE COMPLETELY DARK. WITH INDICATOR DARK, THE FOLLOWING ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE ON THE VEHICLE. A) AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION INDICATOR - FOR VEHICLES WHERE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER IS MOUNTED ON THE STEERING COLUMN (LIKE MINE), OTHER THAN COUNTING THE NUMBER OF CLICKS OF THE TRANSMISSION LEVER UP OR DOWN, THE VEHICLE OPERATOR HAS NO IDEA IF THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL OR REVERSE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE VEHICLE OPERATOR MAY INADVERTENTLY LEAVE THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL OR IN GEAR AND NOT KNOW IT AND LEAVE THE VEHICLE UNATTENDED. B) VEHICLE MILEAGE -- THERE IS NO WAY TO DETERMINE HOW MANY MILES THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN. THERE ARE NUMEROUS INSTANCES ON THE INTERNET DESCRIBING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 101,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 BUICK CENTURY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE IF THE VEHICLE STALLED DUE TO A LACK OF FUEL. THE CONTACT WAS ONLY ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE BY JUMP STARTING IT. THE FAILURE OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY TWELVE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED; YET, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

Mileage: 110,000

BOUGHT 2000 BUICK CENTURY AND LIKE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON THE LIST I HAVE REPAIRED THE MANIFOLD, WATER PUMP, FUEL FILTER AT 83,000. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE WHINNING AND HARD SHIFTING THE ENTIRE TIME I OWNED THE CAR. I HAD INTERMITTENT DASH LIGHT FAILURE WHICH IS REAL DANGEROUS SINCE YOU CAN'T SEE THE SPEEDOMETER OR ANYTHING ON THE DASH. MY BRAKES HAVE FAILED TO BRAKE AND I WENT OUT INTO TRAFFIC - LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT AND THERE WAS A MEDIAN I COULD STEER INTO! I HAVEN'T HAD A WORKING GAS GAUGE FOR YEARS. LAST NIGHT GOING 70 MPH I FELT 3 CHUGS AND LOST POWER. AGAIN LUCKILY I WAS AT A FREEWAY EXIT AND COULD COAST OFF THE FREEWAY. SO MY 3 MOST EXPENSIVE BILLS (AND NONE OF THE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN SOLVED -$1800. FOR BRAKE CALIPERS, ROTORS AND PADS. $1100 FOR WIRE SET, MANIFOLD SET, FUEL FILTER AND WATER PUMP. $350 FOR HEADLAMP SWITCH AND DASH LIGHT PROBLEMS. I AM PUTTING NO MORE MONEY INTO THIS CAR AND UP UNTIL LAST NIGHT I WAS LOOKING FOR A BUICK BUT NEVER AGAIN. I DIDN'T PUT THE MILEAGE DOWN WHEN THESE INCIDENTS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE SYMPTOMS ARE ONGOING!!! IT LOOKS LIKE 1000'S OF COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN IGNORED THROUGH THE YEARS AND THE BRAKE ISSUE AS WELL AS SHUTTING DOWN GOING 70 MPH ARE BOTH SAFETY ISSUES WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED IN A RECALL MANY YEARS AGO!!! I AM DEVASTATED BY THE FACTS I LEARNED RESEARCHING THE COMPUTER LAST NIGHT. I AM ON A FIXED INCOME AND NOW WITHOUT A CAR TOO. WHAT REPORTS DO I BELIEVE WHEN SHOPPING FOR A NEW CAR?????? DOWN BELOW WHERE YOU DATE THE INCIDENT LUCKILY I CAN SAY NO TO ALL OF THE QUESTIONS (BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD!) *TR

Mileage: 131,000

THE VEHICLE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM ON MY 2000 BUICK CENTURY KEEPS FAILING AND HAS PUT MY FAMILY AND I IN NUMEROUS UNSAFE CONDITIONS THAT MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO POSSIBLE INJURIES.*TR

Mileage: 110,000

I DRIVE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS ON ALL THE TIME. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION DIMS DRASTICALLY WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. I CANNOT SEE THE GAUGES. ALTHOUGH THERE IS A DIMMER SWITCH FOR THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE BRIGHTEST SETTING IS INADEQUATE WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON. I NEED TO HAVE THE AUTOMATIC DIMMING FEATURE REMOVED. *TR

2000 BUICK CENTURY WITH ANTI LOCK BRAKE FAILURE**CC THE ALTERNATOR DRIVE BELT WAS REPLACED. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER PARKING VEHICLE AND TURNING IT OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER FAN KEPT RUNNING. SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. CURRENTLY, THE VEHICLE HAD EXTERIOR LIGHTING DEFECTS. THE LIGHTS WILL COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE IS AT THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK UPDATED 01/11/06. *JB

Mileage: 21,000

CLICK NO START CONDITION HAPPENED TWICE IN ONE DAY. WAITED A LITTLE WHILE AND TRIED STARTING VEHICLE AGAIN AND IT STARTED. CHECKED BATTERY,STARTER AND CHARGING SYSTEMS. *AK

Mileage: 26,300

CONSUMER COMPLAINS THAT THE HORN IS TOO HARD TO BLOW. *JG

THE HORN IS DIFFICULT TO ACTIVATE, THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO WARN A DRIVER WHO WAS BACKING UP BUT THE HORN WOULD NOT SOUND RESULTING IN A CRASH. NLM

HORN LOCATION IS DIFFICULT TO FIND AND HARD TO BLOW DUE TO AIR BAG INSTALLATION ON STEERING. WHEN BACKING UP SLOWLY OR STOPPING, BRAKES MAKE THUMPING NOISE. *SLC

WHILE IN MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE DIED. CONSUMER COULD NOT START VEHICLE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ELECTRIC POWER, HAD TOWED VEHICLE TO DEALER. AFTER AN HOUR, THEY FOUND A BLOWN FUSE. CONSUMER INQUIRED OF WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IT THIS OCCURRED ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH. *AK THE CAUSE FOR THE FUSE BLOW WAS NOT KNOWN *YH

HORN DOES NOT ACTIVATE EASILY. CONSUMER MUST DEPRESS IT VERY HARD AND AT EXACT SPOT. THEREFORE, IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION CONSUMER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO ACTIVATE HORN IN TIME , WILL NOT BE ABLE TO WARN OTHER DRIVERS , OR AVOID ACCIDENTS. *AK