1993 Buick Century problems & reliability
54 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1993 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.
9 complaints report injuries (13 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1993 Buick Century vehicles were involved in 2 fatal crashes with 2 occupant deaths. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Air Bags → | 13 | 24% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 10 | 19% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 | 15% |
| Electrical System | 5 | 9% |
| Power Train | 5 | 9% |
| Seat Belts | 5 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 7% |
| Structure | 4 | 7% |
| Equipment | 3 | 6% |
| Steering | 3 | 6% |
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
“Tl* the contact owns a 1993 buick century. The contact stated that the vehicle was started and the defroster was engaged. The contact then smelled a burning odor and noticed smoke emitting from the defroster area. The contact moved the vehicle away from his residence and turned the engine off but the smoke continued…”
Electrical System · filed Mar 14, 2011
“Front seat belts are attached to the doors, and when the doors are opened, the seat belts extend forward. Consumer feels this feature posses a safety risk because if the doors flings open in an accident they will not restrain the occupants in their seat. *ak *nm”
Seat Belts · filed Mar 31, 2004
“1993 buick century experienced vehicle fire.*mr while driving down the highway the car jerked a little and the battery light came on. The consumer heard a pop and saw smoke, he then pulled over and the vehicle became engulfed in fire. *cb *jb”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Jan 5, 2004
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
5 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1993 Buick Century.
Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
130089009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 1, 2013
Owners of some vehicles equipped with hydra-matic 3t40, 4t60, 4t60-e or 4t65-e transaxles may comment on a grinding and / or growling noise that is noticeable when standing in park on a hill or slope with the engine…
990730030A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2001
Some vehicles equipped with hydra-matic 3t40, 4t60 or 4t60-e transxales may comment on a grinding and / or growling noise that is noticeable when in park on incline. *tt
990730030 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 1999
Vehicles may exhibit a clattering noise at idle speed originating from the timing chain and front cover area. *yc
98876121A · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1998
Grinding and/or growling noise in park on incline.*sd
9573T4001 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 1, 1995
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1993 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 1993 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.