2003 Buick Century Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/12/2026

20Electrical System complaints

15.7%Of all 127 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

EXTERIOR LIGHTING37 · 29.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM20 · 15.7%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC8 · 6.3%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH8 · 6.3%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING7 · 5.5%

Share of the 127 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 Buick Century overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK CENTURY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE ALARM SECURITY…”NHTSA complaint 10652003 — filed 11/03/2014

“WHEN USING TURN SIGNALS CAR DIES, ALL THE DASH LIGHTS FLASH AND CLICK. IF I PULL OVER AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK IT RESTARTS…”NHTSA complaint 10625827 — filed 08/17/2014

“PULLED OUT OF GAS STATION TO ENTER STREET AND NOTICED HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT ON. PULLED OUT THE HEAD LIGHT SWITCH AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I PULLED…”NHTSA complaint 10617431 — filed 07/29/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Electrical System complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2003 Buick Century have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2003 Buick Century: 20 of 127 complaints on file (15.7%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2003 Buick Century have in total?

127 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 4 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 2 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.