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 2002 Buick Century owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Intake leaking antifreeze - cost too much to repair for me. My only car to get to work. Replacing bearings today for sticking back brakes. All interior accessories are broken; cosmetic mirror, ashtray, center console, passenger windshield wiper stripped motor, 1 window working. Still owe on car but cannot fix everything. Any help ????
This is an addendum to complaint/odi #10499646...this was the scariest experience of my life, driving alone in darkness, at 55mph, and without warning, headlights & dash just shut-off !! No other vehicles on road to help light my way, couldn't see anything, almost ran off the road & got killed, only had this car 10days!! Thought I got a good deal too, but now I'm stuck with a car I can't drive at night. Spoke directly with GM customer relations specialist on 3 separate occasions, who sent me to their GM dealership for inspection. After GM rep spoke with their dealership, they decided due to the age of the vehicle, and mileage, they're not responsible to assist!! I cannot understand, nor will I accept, how this situation could be anything other than a "safety issue"!! …
Intermittent headlight failure. On several occasions, the headlights have turned off for no reason or warning. This includes the dash lights. This has happened approximately 6 times in the past two years resulting in an extremely dangerous situation. Four of the instances were on roads with no streetlights - an interstate highway, and winding country roads. The only remedy seems to be to move the turn signal lever, both up and down, (turning the cornering lights on - providing a much needed source of light), and back and forth, as if turning the high beam lights on and off. Eventually, the lights seem to come back on. Pulling and pushing the dash mounted light switch on and off does not affect the situation. When mentioned to the local Buick dealer's service writer, he had no idea what I was talking about or how to approach the problem.
Each time I exit my 2002 Buick Century I get shocked. It has increased in intensity, and I sometimes get shocked twice. I took my vehicle in to have the local dealership look it over, as well as check to see if any of the recalls on the vehicle had been taken care of, as it was a program car. I was assured that none of the numerous recalls on the 2002 Buick Century applied to my care. I was also told that there is nothing they can do about my being shocked when I exit the vehicle after driving it. This concerns me a great deal, as I have read about people fueling their vehicles who cause cumbustion when the static electricity is discharged.
On three GM vehicles that I know of (02 Century, 05 Century, 06 grand prix) the headlights will go out on high beam unexpectedly. Replacing the headlight high beam switch fixes the problem. The 06 grand prix was still under warranty but the dealer refused to correct the problem. They said that until the switch fails completely they will not replace it. Going 70 down the interstate at night and suddenly no lights is not very safe. I know my vehicle (02 Century) was high mileage but the other two are not. The dealer not fixing the grand prix that belongs to a friend of mine kind of ticked me off.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Buick Century. The contact stated the gear selector failed to illuminate on the instrument panel which caused the uncertainty of knowing which gear was selected. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who informed her that the odometer needed to be replaced because the gear indicator light was located in the housing. The odometer must be sent out of state for over a week. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact will notify the manufacturer of the consistent failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.
Electronic odometer light failed. Therefore one can not read the odometer. From talking with the service tech at the Buick dealership in anderson, indiana he said it is a common occurrence. Sounds like a problem that should be covered because of a defective part. He told me the cost to get a new odometer to is around $250 to $300. The odometer still operates it just can not be read because the LED light went out. The LED light can not be replaced according to the technician the whole unit has to be replaced.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Buick Century. The contact stated that the lights on the cluster panel have failed. She could not see what gear the vehicle is in and she could not see the mileage. The contact contacted the manufacturer and they stated there was no recall on her vehicle and the repairs would cost approximately $600.00. The vehicle has not been repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. Updated 10/28/10. Updated 10/29/10
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Buick Century. The contact stated that the light which indicated the gear that the vehicle was in, does not illuminate on the instrument panel, making it difficult for the contact see which gear he was in. The dealer stated that the contact would need a new instrument panel assembly. The manufacturer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 31,600.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Buick Century. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the electrical wiring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 68,000.
Electrical complaints in other Century years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2002 Buick Century?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the electrical system of the 2002 Buick Century, 16% of the model year's 154 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Buick Century electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2002 Buick Century. 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 2002 Buick Century electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 80,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.