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2001 Buick Century Recalls & Complaints

5

open safety recalls on record

Critical

190 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.26 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical07E021000

Fuel System, Other:Storage:Tank Assembly:Pressure Relief Devices

FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.

Remedy & full details

DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.

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.

Serious09E005000

Steering

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

Remedy & full details

DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DORMAN'S TOLL-FREE HOTLINE AT 1-800-523-2492 AND PRESS 5.

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.

Serious01V109000

Seat Belts

THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE STANDARD.

Remedy & full details

GM WILL MAIL A NEW BILINGUAL AIR BAG LABEL WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. HOWEVER, THE CUSTOMER MAY BRING THE LABEL TO THEIR DEALER FOR INSTALLATION FREE OF CHARGE. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN MAY 4, 2001. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537 OR BUICK AT 1-800-521-7300.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH SUNVISOR LOCATED AIR BAG LABELS, FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THESE VEHICLES HAVE A MESSAGE AREA LESS THAN 30 CM WHICH DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Serious00V371000

Air Bags:Side/Window

IF THE INFLATOR SEPARATES, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY DURING A CRASH AND OCCUPANT PROTECTION WOULD BE REDUCED.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG MODULE.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES EXHIBIT A CONDITION IN WHICH THE DRIVER SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG INFLATOR SEPARATES FROM THE AIR BAG MODULE DURING DEPLOYMENT.

Serious00V228003

Seat Belts

IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY DATE CODES AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE ANY SAFETY BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES, LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MINI VANS EQUIPPED WITH TRW SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLIES. THE BUCKLE BASE OF THESE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES WERE NOT PROPERLY HEAT TREATED AND THEREFORE DO NOT PASS THE LOAD BEARING REQUIREMENT OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES."

Complaint volume

190 this model-year 7 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

10Crashes
3Fires
5Injuries
0Deaths

Across 190 complaints. Severity Index 0.26.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Power Train · Automatic T…13 · 7%Vehicle Speed Control12 · 6%Service Brakes, Hydraulic…8 · 4%Visibility · Power Window…8 · 4%Engine And Engine Cooling…7 · 4%Electrical System7 · 4%Structure6 · 3%Engine And Engine Cooling6 · 3%
  1. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 13 reports
  2. Vehicle Speed Control — 12 reports
  3. Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip — 8 reports
  4. Visibility:Power Window Devices And Controls — 8 reports
  5. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 7 reports
  6. Electrical System — 7 reports
  7. Structure — 6 reports
  8. Engine And Engine Cooling — 6 reports
  9. Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control — 6 reports
  10. Tires — 5 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (1) · 1996 (2) · 1997 (4) · 1998 (4) · 1999 (5) · 2000 (7) · 2001 · 2002 (2) · 2003 (2) · 2004 (2) · 2005 (2)

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.