n0rd5
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- Jul 1, 2026
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- Buick Ownership
- 1998 Century
Last fall I bought a 1998 Buick Century with only 57,000 miles from an old relative who rarely drove. The A/C and everything else worked perfectly last fall. But this spring I used the A/C and it wasn't blowing cold. I drove 10 miles home with the AC "on", and the second I get home and put it in park the radiator hose blew off soaking everything with coolant. I'm guessing the small pressure ripple caused the clamp to jump a tooth or something dumb) Nothing was broken, the top radiator hose simply popped off the engine barb. I refilled it and used the same hose, which was in perfect shape.
While trying to diagnose my A/C issues, I confirmed the fans DO turn on when I disconnect the coolant temp probe connector (ECU demands fans when it can't read the probe I've found out by testing). I jumpered the A/C clutch relay and it DOES engage the A/C compressor. The refrigerant has proper pressure (so not a leaked refrigerant issue). I cannot figure out why the ECU will not let the A/C system run. I even installed a new coolant temp sensor into the engine, no change.
The cooling fans never want to come on when the temp gauge goes over 50% (but temp never goes more than say 55% to red, (and evidently they don't come on until it is REALLY hot?), but the fans both work fine when the ECU demands them.
So I've been without A/C all summer. One time we accidentally left the A/C knob on "norm" for 20 minutes which heated up the antifreeze enough to cause a "low coolant" light to flash on the dash. I confirmed there was enough coolant, so I drained half, pulled the antifreeze level sensor, scrubbed the sensor prong itself (just a metal post) and reinstalled and refilled my coolant, burped it, went for a drive, and the low coolant light is ack on even though its full.
Another annoying quirk with this car is no trunk release, ONLY the keyfob button (never experienced that in any car, not even a glove box button). Also, when I push the door's LOCK switch, i have to hit it TWICE, it beeps once as if I have headlights on or something (I don't) and its warning me it doesn't want to lock on the first press... Is this normal behavior for this car?
I do NOT want to pay dealership prices to have this diagnosed, and am hoping someone here has more knowledge than I do, and have some input on my issues here relating to no A/C and heating up the coolant / false low level warnings. I thought I had scored a great condition car, but everything is spiraling down all of a sudden.
While trying to diagnose my A/C issues, I confirmed the fans DO turn on when I disconnect the coolant temp probe connector (ECU demands fans when it can't read the probe I've found out by testing). I jumpered the A/C clutch relay and it DOES engage the A/C compressor. The refrigerant has proper pressure (so not a leaked refrigerant issue). I cannot figure out why the ECU will not let the A/C system run. I even installed a new coolant temp sensor into the engine, no change.
The cooling fans never want to come on when the temp gauge goes over 50% (but temp never goes more than say 55% to red, (and evidently they don't come on until it is REALLY hot?), but the fans both work fine when the ECU demands them.
So I've been without A/C all summer. One time we accidentally left the A/C knob on "norm" for 20 minutes which heated up the antifreeze enough to cause a "low coolant" light to flash on the dash. I confirmed there was enough coolant, so I drained half, pulled the antifreeze level sensor, scrubbed the sensor prong itself (just a metal post) and reinstalled and refilled my coolant, burped it, went for a drive, and the low coolant light is ack on even though its full.
Another annoying quirk with this car is no trunk release, ONLY the keyfob button (never experienced that in any car, not even a glove box button). Also, when I push the door's LOCK switch, i have to hit it TWICE, it beeps once as if I have headlights on or something (I don't) and its warning me it doesn't want to lock on the first press... Is this normal behavior for this car?
I do NOT want to pay dealership prices to have this diagnosed, and am hoping someone here has more knowledge than I do, and have some input on my issues here relating to no A/C and heating up the coolant / false low level warnings. I thought I had scored a great condition car, but everything is spiraling down all of a sudden.
