1987 Buick Century problems & reliability
28 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1987 Buick Century. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1987 Buick Century vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering | 8 | 29% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 11% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 11% |
| Power Train | 3 | 11% |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 7% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 7% |
| Child Seat | 1 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 4% |
| Seats | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“My mother has a buick that she had firestone radial tires installed on the front. The tires, p185/75r14 had a belt break in them within one week of each other. The dealer she bought them from refuses to talk to her about it. What can she do? *tr”
Tires · filed Jul 22, 2009
“Transmission slips and doesn't lock into gear. Also makes clunking sound when acceleration is let off then re-applied. This car was driven gently throughout its life by senior citizens.”
Power Train · filed Apr 22, 2004
“While being involved in an accident at 20-25 mph front driver's side seat broke off the track. Contacted dealer, and dealer was not willing to do anything.*ak”
Seats · filed Apr 2, 2002
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- STICKING THROTTLE
Engineering Analysis EA92024 · opened Jun 26, 1992 · closed Jan 31, 1994
- LOSS OF POWER STEERING
Engineering Analysis EA89026 · opened Jun 12, 1989 · closed Oct 9, 1990
- POWER STEERING HOSE FAILS
Preliminary Evaluation PE89105 · opened Mar 20, 1989 · closed Jun 12, 1989
- BRAKE INEFFECTIVENESS
Engineering Analysis EA89010 · opened Jan 17, 1989 · closed May 8, 1990
- STALLING
Engineering Analysis EA87022 · opened Aug 27, 1987 · closed Nov 27, 1991
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1987 Buick Century in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1987 Buick Century?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.