The 1996 Buick Century has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 2,216,325 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 110 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the service brakes, hydraulic. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SEAT BELTS95V1730001995-09-152,216,325 affected
Defect
THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH REAR OUTBOARD SAFETY BELT ANCHORAGES THAT MAY NOT WITHSTAND THE REQUIRED LOAD. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO.210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES."
Consequence
CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: IN A COLLISON, STRESS CAN CAUSE THE ATTACHMENT METAL TO TEAR AND ALLOW THE ANCHORAGE TO SEPARATE FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY BELT MAY NOT PROTECT AN OCCUPANT IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE EXISTING ANCHOR BOLTS WITH A NEW SHOULDER BOLT AND THREAD LOCKING ADHESIVE. ADDITIONALLY, NOISE CONTROL PATCHES WILL BE APPLIED AT EACH ANCHORAGE.
Complaints by component
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
7
1crashes2injuries
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
6
1fires
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
5
1crashes
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
5
SUSPENSION:FRONT
5
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
4
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
4
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
3
2crashes3injuries
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
3
Total complaints110
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“I went to turn my wheel and it wouldn't turn left then the rack and pinion broke the wheel just turns 360 to the left but no movement in turning lost all steering”
“Started car and gasoline started gushing out from beneath the car between the driver's door and the front wheel-well. As the car was partly in the garage, I drove it out of the garage and turned the engine off. This stopped the flow of gasoline. A mechanic later determined that the plastic gas…”
“While backing into my daughter's attached garage, the gas line ruptured and leaked a lot of gasoline before I shut-off the ignition. I promptly re-started the car and backed it out of the garage, unwittingly risking igniting the gasoline in the process, but still afraid of the gas/fumes in the…”
“Driving towards a stoplight and the brake pedal went to the floor on a 1996 buick century. Pumping gave only partial rear braking. Drove to friend's house (during which the brakes worked normally the whole way). We pulled the driver side tire and discovered that the fibrous finely woven tube cover…”
“Driving towards a stoplight and the brake pedal went to the floor on a 1996 buick century. Pumping gave only partial rear braking. Drove to friend's house (during which the brakes worked normally the whole way). We pulled the driver side tire and discovered that the fibrous finely woven tube cover…”
“Tl*the contact owns a 1996 buick century. The contact stated that the driver's side seat belt was too tight and causes her to choke. She noticed bruises on her neck. She took the vehicle to several dealers requesting that they adjust or change the seat belt. The dealers stated that they were…”
“I have a 1996 buick that recently developed a problem with the power steering. The rack in the rack and pinion steering system will not allow the car to turn left. I researched this problem on the internet and found many instances of this problem with many general motors vehicles. I contacted gm…”
“I have a 1996 buick that recently developed a problem with the power steering. The rack in the rack and pinion steering system will not allow the car to turn left. I researched this problem on the internet and found many instances of this problem with many general motors vehicles. I contacted gm…”
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 Buick Century as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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