Everything NHTSA's vPIC database knows about this exact vehicle:
Decoding from NHTSA…
Vehicle history — accidents, title & owners
The decode above is what this vehicle is. For what it's been through — accidents, title brands, odometer, theft/total-loss and previous owners — pull a full history report.
NHTSA publishes the first 11 characters of the VIN with every complaint — that identifies the plant, model year, body and engine. So these are reports from cars built exactly like this one, not an average across the whole model.
2G4WS52J221••••••2002 Buick CENTURY
This build draws 3.2× more complaints than the average 2002 Buick CENTURY build (14 vs 4).
14on this build
121on the model
28builds in total
1involved a crash
2injuries
Most reportedExterior Lighting 4Power Train 2Service Brakes 2Engine And Engine Cooling 2
What owners of this build wrote
Air BagscrashJun 2006
The contact stated while driving 50 mph and approaching a crossroads another vehicle ran a stop sign and was hit by the contact. This was a full frontal impact. The air bags did not deploy. Although seat belts were in use, both occupants sustained minor injuries. A police report…
Power TrainMar 2015
Automatic transmission has very harsh shift between 1st and 2nd gears and also between 2nd and 3rd. Seems to happen after warmed up and on highway for awhile
SuspensionOct 2011
The contact owns a 2002 buick century. The contact stated that the oil was being changed when he was informed by an independent mechanic that the hubs were detaching. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and offered no assistance. The…
Exterior LightingJul 2008
The contact owns a 2000 buick century. While driving 50 mph, the interior and exterior lights flashed on and off. The contact stated that the multi-function switch, which controls the lights for the vehicle, failed. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current…
Engine And Engine CoolingMar 2008
I noticed that there was sludge in the coolant tank after I got a low coolant light when the coolant was not low and the temperature was normal. I brought the car in to the buick dealership and was told that oil was leaking through the intake manifold gasket into the coolant…
Read all 14 complaints on this exact buildFull text, search by keyword, and the systems that fail most on cars built like yours.Unlock with Pro →
Owner complaints…
Now the whole model — all 28 builds of it, not just this build. Same NHTSA reports, wider net:
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Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
The original window sticker and factory options
Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
Decoded via NHTSA vPIC. Recalls, complaints and safety from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Full history reports from our partner. VIN 2G4WS52J221268199 · decoded Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.