NHTSA Complaint #764378 — 2002 BUICK CENTURY

1. SUNVISORS ARE NOT WIDE (LONG) ENOUGH TO BLOCK DIRECT SUN GLARE ENTERING AT TOP-OUTER CORNERS OF WINDSHIELD. GAPS AT OUTER ENDS BETWEEN VISORS AND CORNER POSTS ARE APPROX. 2 1/2 INCHS. DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER AND BUICK'S CUSTOMER SERVICE HAVE TOLD ME THAT THIS IS THE ONLY VISOR DESIGN MADE BY GM THAT WILL FIT. THE MOUNTING LOCATION FOR THE PIVOT CANNOT BE MOVED. AT THE OTHER (INSIDE) END OF EACH VISOR THERE IS A PULL OUT EXTENSION, THAT IS NO HELP TO COVER THE OPEN AREA. ON DRIVER'S SIDE THE EXTENSION PREVENTS TILTING THE VISOR FORWARD AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH WOULD POSSIBLY HELP IF IT WERE NOT STOPPED BY CONTACT WITH THE REARVIEW MIRROR. DANGER FROM MORNING AND EVENING SUN GLARE IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. I AM NOT THE ONLY DRIVER THAT CAN BE MOMENTARILY BLINDED BY IT. CENTURY APPEARS TO BE THE ONLY MODEL WITH A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THIS REGARD. THE CONFIGURATION OF VISOR AND/OR LOCATION OF PIVOT IN 2002 RENDEVOUS AND PARK AVENUE SERVE TO BLOCK THE GLARE WHERE THE CENTURY DOES NOT. THE DEALER'S REP SAYS VISORS FROM ANOTHER MODEL CANNOT BE SUBSTITUTED IN THE CENTURY BECAUSE THE MOUNTING LOCATION IS DIFFERNT IN EACH MODEL. I WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT THIS CAR IF I HAD KNOWN AHEAD OF TIME ABOUT THIS HAZARDOUS CONDITION. THE CAR APPEARS TO BE WELL ENGINEERED FOR SAFETY IN OTHER RESPECTS.*AK