2001 BUICK CENTURY Power Train Problems

WE PURCHASED THIS CAR (AS IS) FOR OUR GRANDSON. ON OUR WAY HOME FROM THE DEALER, AS SOON AS THE TRANSMISSION WARMED UP (4-5 MILES), THE SHIFTING WAS HARD AND JERKING WITH A WHINE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. TOOK THE CAR TO A GARAGE WHICH FOUND THE COMPUTER CODE OF P1811 AND WERE TOLD A COMPLETE REBUILD WOULD BE NECESSARY. WENT ONLINE AND DISCOVERED MANY OTHERS HAD COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME NATURE. WOULD HOPE GM WOULD COME FORWARD WITH REIMBURSEMENT SINCE ITS TRANSMISSION IN THIS MODEL WAS INCORRECTLY DESIGNED. THE REBUILDING GARAGE OWNER EVEN HAD TO GO TO A SPECIAL SCHOOL TO LEARN HOW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM IN THE BUICK CENTURY. AFTER PAYING $1,757.25 TO QUEENS TRANSMISSION, INC., IN BRADENTON, FL (941-746-7480), THE SHIFTING IS NOW NORMAL.

Mileage: 63,334

HAD TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT AUTHORIZED GMC DEALERSHIP MAY 2006 .THIS CAME WITH A WARRANTY. SEVERAL TIMES OVER SEVERAL SUMMERS SINCE THEN HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP WITH CONCERNS THAT HAPPENED AFTER VEHICLE WOULD BE DRIVEN IN HIGH HUMIDITY HIGH TEMPERATURE DAYS AFTER TRAVELING A MINIMUM OF 60 MILES MOSTLY ON STATE HIGHWAYS THAT ARE QUITE ROUGH AND CURVY, I.E. IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 90 MINUTES OR MORE TOGO THIS DISTANCE. THEN WHEN IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC AND TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD OR STOPPING THE CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE LIKE JUMPING INTO THE WRONG GEAR AND IN MORE THAN ONE TIME THE CAR'S ENGINE WOULD DIE. IT ALWAYS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEEDS SO LUCKILY WE DIDN'T LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. BUT, THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS FROM CONTINUING WAS TO STOP AND PARK TO LET THE ENGINE AND OR COOL DOWN. WE EVEN PUT ON THE HEATER WHILE DRIVING TO HELP REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO GO BELOW THE HALFWAY MARK. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN SHELTON, WA NOT IN KY, SO WE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS PRIOR TO TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS NEVER BEEN ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM, NOW THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS STOPPED WORKING. WE HAVE DASHBOARD WARNINGS CONTINUALLY STATING LOW OIL, SERVICE ENGINE SOON (WHEN JUST COMPLETED), ETC. *TR

Mileage: 100,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTING JERKING AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000. *TR

Mileage: 123,000

WE BOUGHT ARE CENTURY LIKE 3 MONTHS AGO WITH 109K ON IT WE NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHIFTING HARD WHEN CAR IS WARMED UP OR RESTARTED GM CURRENT KNOWS ABOUT JUST FEELING IT NOT THERE PROBLEM WELL IT IS A COSTLY ONE TO CAR OWNS AS I READ ON THE INTERNET OVER 50 THOUSAND COMPLAINTS FOR THIS ISSUE I FEEL GM HAS TO RECALL THIS ISSUE ITS THERE MISTAKE NOT MINE ARE CENTURY OTHER WISE IS A FINE CAR BUT DASH IS OUT FOR ODO AND THAT GM CUTTING CORNERS AS WELL ITS POOR PENMENSHIP ON THEIR BEHALF AS CAR MAKERS AND WE LOVE THEM BUT WE NEED THEM TO DO MORE AND BE LIKE THE OLD GM GOOD AND HONEST THANKS HOPE TO GET RESOLVED SOON AS I MIGHT ADD IT DOES WHEN IT NORMAL TEMP AND WHEN A RESTART HAPPENS SHIFT REALLY HARD 2ND AND 3 RD GEAR NOT NORMAL I GOT A COST OF $890.00 TO FIX 6,3 HOURS OF LABORS TO FIX TC AND OTHER SENSOR IN TRANSMISSION ON CAR. *TR

Mileage: 111,000

BRAKE SYSTEM / ABS BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED/ ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. REPLACED ABS HUB SYSTEM. *TR

LOST ABILITY TO READ POSITION OF GEAR SELECTION (PRNDL) ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND ODOMETER READINGS ON 2001 BUICK CENTURY CUSTOM. THIS WAS AN ELECTRONIC PRNDL AND ODOMETER DISPLAY. IT WAS LIKE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION BLIND FOLDED. SAFETY. *AK

Mileage: 99,000

2001 BUICK CENTURY WITH 25,000 MILES, NEEDED TO HAVE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. SOME SLIPPAGE A WEEK BEFORE, THEN TWO STOP SIGNS, SLIPPAGE, THEN HORRIBLE GRINDING. WHEN MECHANIC TORE DOWN TRANSMISSION, SHARDS OF METAL WERE FOUND. WORD FROM THE SHOP WAS THAT THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THIS MODEL AT 25,000 MILES, USUALLY SEE THIS MODEL AROUND 40,000 MILES. *JB

Mileage: 25,000

2001 CENTURY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. *TS WHILE COMING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. *JB

Mileage: 73,108

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. HARD SHIFTS IN ALL GEARS. TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REBUILT AT DEALERSHIP IN NOVEMBER 2002 AFTER IT HAD TOTALLY WENT OUT AT 46000 MILE AND GOING OUT AGAIN AT 83000. *AK

Mileage: 83,000

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY A LOUD CLANKING NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE FRONT. ALSO, DASHBOARD LIGHT FLASHED ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY . CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BEARING SHEARED OFF THE TRANSMISSION. BATTERY AND TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STOPPED ACCELERATING. THEN, STARTED SHAKING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE BEARING BETWEEN THE SUN GEAR FAILED, AND CAUSED SUN GEARS TO STRIP, CREATING METAL CONTAMINATION THROUGH OUT THE TRANSMISSION. THE SUN GEAR ASSEMBLY AND TRANSMISSION WERE REPLACED. *AK

Mileage: 29,000

WHILE DRIVING UPHILL TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Mileage: 25,000

THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE TOTALLY REBUILT DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE TARRINGTON BEARING WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE WHOLE INSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION TO GET CHEWED UP AND ALL THE INTERNAL PARTS HAD TO BE REPLACED.

Mileage: 55,000

WHILE IN MOTION THERE WAS A THUMPING NOISE EMMITING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED AND THE KEY WOULD NOT RETURN IT TO IT'S NORMAL POSTION. ALSO THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES, ALSO THE GEAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK.*JG *JB

Mileage: 28,997

WHEN VEHICLE IS ON A HILL IN DRIVE GEAR, VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS, UNLESS BRAKE IS APPLIED.*SCC

WHEN CHANGING GEARS VEHICLE REALLY FEELS ROUGH. CONSUMER CAN FEEL TRANSMISSION MOVING LIKE SOMETHING IS BROKEN. *AK.WHEN IN FIRST AND REVERSE GEAR THE VEHICLE WILL NOT HOLD ON GRADE AT IDLE. THE ENGINE RACES AND DISENGAGES ITSELF FROM THE TRANSMISSION AND THUNKS INTO GEAR. THE ENGINE FEELS FUNNY WHEN RESUMING ACCELERATION FROM COAST SPEED AS THOUGH IT IS MOVING ON MOUNTS. THE ENGINE FEELS AS IF IT WILL CUT OFF. THERE IS A WHINE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE CABIN CONTAINERS ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN. STEERING COLUMN AND CASING GIVES SLIGHT MOVEMENT DURING ACCELERATION AND BRAKING. THIS WAS PARTIALLY CORRECTED BY REPLACEMENT OF THE BALL JOINT TIE ROD END (RIGHT SIDE). THERE ARE EXHAUST FUMES BEING EMMITTED INTO THE CABIN. POSSIBLE DEFECT WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR. THE OIL DRAIN PLUG SHOWS SIGNS OF LEAKING. ALSO, THE BRAKES SEEM UNDER POWERED. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE INFORMATION OF POSSIBLE RECALLS ON PARTS MENTIONED ABOVE, ALSO THE WINDSHILED WASHER FLUID DISAPPEARS AFTER FILLING. JG

I WAS PARKED ON A HILL FACING FORWARD OR UP HILL WHEN I TOOK OFF THE PARKING BRAKE AND PUT THE CAR IN DRIVE IT WENT SLIDING FAST DOWN THE HILL...LUCKILY NO ONE WAS BEHIND ME. I REPORTED THIS TO BROWNS BUICK AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL. A FEATURE TO SAVE GAS. I CALLED ANOTHER BUICK DEALER IN ALEXANDRIA VA. AND THEY SAID IT WAS NORMAL AND IT WAS A FEATURE THAT EPA REQUIRED AMD SOMETHING TO DO WITH FUEL ECONOMY. I TOLD THEM I DID NOT HAVE AMANUAL TRANSMISSION AND THOUGHT THIS WAS A SEVERE PROBLEM AND IT SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE BACK ...MAYBE A LITTLE I COULD DEAL WITH BUT NOT JUST ROLL BACK SO FAST AND THAT I HAD TO BRAKE TO STOP I WASN'T IN NEUTRAL AND I DO NOT HAVE A CLUTCH. I BOUTH A AUTOMATIC FOR A RESON AND WANTED A BETTER ANSWER. I CALLED BUICK HEADQUATERS AND THEY CALLED THE DEALER I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND THEY MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME TO TAKE IT IN ON APR. 25 AT 1:30 P.M. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME IT WAS NORMAL AFTER HE DROVE THE CAR AND LET IT ROLL ON A HHILL. HE SAID I HAD TO PUT ON THE GAS RIGHT AWAY. I MENTIONED I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS A REAL PROBLEM FOR SAFETY REASONS AND I WAS NEVERE TOLD THAT THE CAR WOULD DO THIS AND THAT IT DOES NOT SAY THAT IN THE MANUAL. HE WAS TELLING ME THAT IT WAS APPROVED BY THE NATIONAL SAFETY TRANSPORTATION PEOPLE AND IT HAD TO DO WITH FUEL ECONOMY. I TOLD HIM I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR IF I HAD KNOWN THIS AND I BOUGHT A V-6 WHICH IS NOT THE BEST WITH FUEL ECONOMY AND THAT THAT WAS NOT AN ISSUE TO ME. I CALLED BUICK HEADQUATERS AGAIN WHEN I CAME HOME AT 7 P.M. THE PERSON I SPOKE TO MR.RICHARD PERES SAID THAT IT WAS NORMAL AND A SAFETY FEATURE. NOW I HAVE SAFETY, EPA AND FUEL ECONOMY AS REASONS FOR MY CAR ROLLING BACK WHILE IN DRIVE.!!! I WAS ALSO TOLD ALL GM CARS MADE IN THE LAST 5 YEARS DO THIS. IS THIS TRUE? I THINK IT IS A SAFETY PROBLEM IF PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AROUND AND NOT ALWAYS ON HILLS AND COME TO FIND OUT OUT OF THE BLUE THAT YOUR CAR WILL NOT GO FORWARD WHILE IN DRIVE...UNLESS YOU IMMEDIATELY HIT THE GAS.I WOULD

CONSUMER STATES WHEN ENGINE IS ON AND ON AN INCLINE IN DRIVE, CONSUMER HAS TO KEEP FOOT ON BRAKE OR VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKARDS. WHEN COMING UP TO A STOP AT A STOP SIGN VEHICLE ROLLS BACK UNTIL YOU PRESS BRAKE, AND WHEN VEHICLE IS IN REVERSE IT WILL GO FORWARD, DEALER STATED THIS WAS NORMAL. *NLM *YD

ENGINE STARTS - BRAKE PEDAL DOES NOT DEPRESS, GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR MOVES ON PRNDL INDICATOR BUT TRANSMISSION DOES NOT APPEAR TO ENGAGE - CAUSE - IMPROPERLY SEALED. JAN 04 2002 - WITH MILAGE OF 7199 - TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO LOCK P AFTER PUTTING IN PARKS THEN TRYING TO TAKE OFF PARK AGAIN - CAUSE : SHIFT LEVER CLEARANCE TOO TIGHT. REPLACED PART #26056013 WHICK TOOK 2 WEEKS TO REPLACE. THIS WAS 2 PROBLEMS ON A NEW CAR BOTH INVOLVING THE TRANSMISSION WHICH SEEMS VERY UNUSUAL. *AK

VEHICLE CANNOT BE PARKED ON A INCLINE IN A NOSE DOWN POSITION DUE TO THE FACT THAT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE CAN NOT HOLD WEIGHT OF VEHICLE, ONCE THE CAR STARTED AND EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS REMOVED,CONSUMERS FOOT HAD TO BE APPLIED TO GAS PEDAL, AND ONE TO BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO KEEP CAR FROM MOVING, DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT WAS NORMAL, TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE PROBLEM OCCURRED, RESULTING IN A THOUSAND DOLLARS DAMAGE DONE TO VEHICLE. *AK *YD

WHEN VEHICLE IS ON AN INCLINE IT WILL ROLL BACKWARD WHEN BRAKES ARE RELEASED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK