Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Buick Century owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My vehicle's window controls and lock controls are no longer working, when locking the door or the window will go down but will not come up. The rest of the windows control throughout the car will not work as well. The lighting in the car flickers if you would push the lot or the window control. Anterior light is no longer working. None of this works even when parked or driving down the road.
I first noticed the engine shutting off in January of 2014, especially going down a hill. The engine shuts down at different speeds and the air bag light stays on. At first I thought that there was moisture in my gas tank, but after filling up a couple of times and putting in some gas dryer, the problem continued. I usually shift to neutral and start the engine while the car is still moving. I took my remote and other keys off the key ring. It still shuts off the engine with just one key in the ignition switch, but not as much. Can you tell me how I can remedy this problem with my 1998 Buick Century? Will this be at my own expense?
Front day-time light/signal sockets are overheating and burning the plastic parts of socket & bulb. Replaced bulb+socket produced the same results within several weeks. Dealer does not want to investigate unless paid. GM says car out of warranty. Burning smell was detected about two years ago but couldn't locate the source, only after the flasher failed. Bulb was still functioning but the electric contacts did not function.
Dash board light where the mileage shows. Cannot see anything, the light suddenly went out and cannot see miles on car. Also, automatic button to push seat back and forth is not working. I consider this a safety factor because the seat is pushed up to close to the front .
We bought our vehicle two years ago. Within that time, none of our windows work. It began with the two back windows not rolling down and once they were down, not able to go back up. My father thought there was a short in the wiring. He proceeded to disconnect the back windows. Then the passenger front window would do the same thing: roll down and then not go up, or not even roll down at all. We were told it was a fused. Indeed the fuse was very hot when removing it. Now, none of my windows roll down. We were told that the dealership would have to replace all the mechanisms at our cost. Hoping to trade this vehicle off.
Engine check light started flashing on dashboard. Consumer parked vehicle, and dealership determined that 5th fuel injector was defective, and a spark plug was inoperative. On second occurrence, while traveling at approximately 50 MPH, engine started misfiring, and engine check light came on. Then, engine suddenly died, causing consumer to lose power steering capabilities. Dealership examined vehicle, and found 4th fuel injector to be defective. Had to change oil because fuel leaked into t crank case.
The circuit board that regulates the temperature control does not work. This problem in the beginning was intermittent but we never reported it until some time between jan. 2002 to present. They claim that the board is defective but it would cost us aroung $ 500.00 to be replaced. We believe that a car with less than 35000 miles should not have this problem.
Horn failed to work when trying to use it while driving. Horn failed to work even when vehicle was parked. Took vehicle to dealership & informed by mechanic that problem could not be duplicated. Also, front seat belts failed to operate properly. Latch plate would not go into the buckle mechanism.
Upon attempting to depress horn in an emergency situation horn failed to sound which could have caused an accident. Also, one had to apply an extreme amount of pressure to sound off horn. Consumer has contacted dealer, dealer has yet to determine cause of problem.
Horn & air bag modules connected to same fuse. Horn does not work. Told by manufacturer it meets all specs. Need to hit horn in certain location which causes eye to leave road in order to do so. Was given instructions on hitting horn.
Electrical complaints in other Century years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1998 Buick Century?
NHTSA has 26 complaints about the electrical system of the 1998 Buick Century, 12% of the model year's 218 complaints. The component named most often is horn (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Buick Century electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 1998 Buick Century, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Buick Century electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.