Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 1998 Buick Century
NHTSA data on file today
The 1998 Buick Century has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns and 217 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #09E005000 STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING/LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #07E021000 AFTERMARKET FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #99V356000 GM/FMVSS 108 NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #98V102000 GM/FMVSS 108 NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Electrical System 26 complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 24 complaints
- Visibility 24 complaints
- Steering 23 complaints
- Power Train 22 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 21 complaints
Of the 217 complaints on file, 9 report a crash; across all 217 complaints, owners report 9 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Below average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,500–$7,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 1998 Buick Century has below-average reliability, with frequent electrical and brake issues, along with potential steering knuckle defects, resulting in higher ownership costs.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| electrical system | 70,000–100,000 miles | $300–$700 | very common |
| brake system | 60,000–90,000 miles | $250–$600 | common |
| steering knuckle | 100,000–130,000 miles | $400–$800 | occasional |
| fuel regulator | 80,000–110,000 miles | $150–$300 | occasional |
| headlights | 50,000–80,000 miles | $100–$200 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes
- Brake fluid replacement
- Transmission fluid check
- Air filter replacement
- Spark plugs replacement
- Tire rotation and alignment
- Coolant system flush
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Steering stiffness or noise
- Intermittent electrical failures
- Brake pedal sponginess
- Fuel smell near engine
- Headlights dimming or flickering
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 1998 Buick Century at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.