Recalls (3)
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 1981 Buick Century. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗WHEELS:SINGLE:DISC:SPIDER
- Summary
- "TX" HEAVY DUTY WHEELS MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH LAMINATED STEEL. THE WHEEL DISC MAY FRACTURE AND THE WHEEL AND TIRE COULD PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
- Remedy
- THE DEFECTIVE WHEELS WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE.
SUSPENSION:SINGLE AXLE:REAR:CONTROL ARM
- Summary
- THE BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE LOWER REAR CONTROL ARM TO THE FRAME MAY FRACTURE. THE REAR CONTROL ARM SUPPORTS AND POSITIONS THE REAR AXLE. FRACTURE OF THE BOLTS WOULD ALLOW THE CONTROL ARM TO DROP FREE.
- Remedy
- BOTH REAR CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT BOLTS WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE.
WHEELS
- Summary
- THE STEEL USED IN SOME COMPACT SPARE WHEELS IS TOO THIN. WHILE IN SERVICE THE WHEEL MAY FRACTURE, RESULTING IN A PARTIAL OR COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE WHEEL AND TIRE FROM THE VEHICLE.
- Remedy
- SPARE WHEELS WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNERS WITHIN 60 DAYS OF RECALL NOTIFICATION.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (1)
1 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The service brakes is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 1 | 100% |
How 1981 compares with other Century years
Best and worst Century years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 1 | 3 |
| 1982 | 3 | 2 |
| 1983 | 1 | 1 |
| 1984 | 8 | 3 |
| 1985 | 7 | 0 |
| 1986 | 22 | 2 |
| 1987 | 28 | 0 |
| 1988 | 16 | 3 |
| 1989 | 40 | 1 |
| 1990 | 33 | 2 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Looking at a 1981 Century for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
1981 Buick Century FAQ
How many recalls does the 1981 Buick Century have?
NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns: 81V036000 (wheel), 81V025000 (suspension), 81V009000 (wheel). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 1981 Buick Century problems?
Owners filed 1 complaints with NHTSA. Service brakes (1) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
How does the 1981 Century compare with other years?
Among the 1981–1990 Buick Century model years at least five years old, the 1981 drew the fewest complaints (1) and the 1989 the most (40). The 1981 drew 1. Counts are owner reports, not failure rates.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.