FaultScore

Buick Rendezvous engine problems

280 of the 1,798 complaints filed about the Buick Rendezvous are about the engine — 16% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2002.

280

Complaints

16%

Share of all complaints

2

Crashes

5

Fires

Engine & Cooling complaints by model year

2002 Rendezvous 130 46.4%

Median failure at 68,000 miles

2003 Rendezvous 64 22.9%

Median failure at 68,449 miles

2004 Rendezvous 31 11.1%

Median failure at 24,030 miles

2005 Rendezvous 32 11.4%

Median failure at 75,500 miles

2006 Rendezvous 15 5.4%

Median failure at 100,000 miles

Median failure at 96,523 miles

What owners said

2006 Buick Rendezvous at 134,103 miles Willowick, OH

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2006 Buick Rendezvous. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle, it was discovered that the front passenger’s side suspension sway bar was bent. Additionally, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled after driving approximately 50 feet. The cause of the failure was not yet been determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 134,103.

NHTSA complaint #11663388 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Rendezvous Cabin Creek, WV

ENGINE

I bought my car from a used car lot. I had it about 3-4 months and out of the blue it overheated very quickly, the warning light was on, some type of loud buzzer was going off so I pulled over and let it cool off, it took about 45 minutes but it started back up. I checked all the fluids and coolant levels and everything was ok. This continued to happen for about 3 weeks, quickly overheat, lights, alarms pulled over, checked fluids over and over. After about 3 weeks it would quickly overheat and then shut off on its own and several times it happened so fast I barely got off the road.i took it to a mechanic that drove it around a little until it overheated which at this point only took about 3 minutes to happen. He said there was air in my radiator and he released it and it was fixed, I drove about 3 miles and it overheated again so I returned to the same mechanic and after about 6 minutes he came and told me it was a head gasket but they didn't repair those there so I called the next closest mechanic who looked at the car for about 3 minutes, stuck an air hose in the radiator and he said it was blowing out gas fumes from the radiator meaning I had a cracked head. I had to tow it 200 miles to my house, my wife drove it back and forth to work which was only 1 miles from home, she was able to do that for about a month and then the engine would start stalling at different times such as slowing to turn, pulling in to park, and some times it would stall while driving in busy 4 lane roads. Well, a little over a month went by with all these things happening all the time and finally one day she came home from work and started to pull in the parking spot and it shut off again, we had to push it into the spot but once it shut off that day it has never started since

NHTSA complaint #11541076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Rendezvous at 175,000 miles Springfield, MO

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2005 Buick Rendezvous. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35-40 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power and was shuddering while shifting gear. The “Service Engine Now” warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to side of the roadway, turn off and restart the vehicle and drove to her residence safely. The vehicle was not taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 175,000.

NHTSA complaint #11460663 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Buick Rendezvous at 132,132 miles Midvale, UT 1 injured

ENGINE

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY GOING 70 MILES PER HOUR AND ALL THE SUDDEN MY VEHICLE HAD PRETTY MUCH CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND IF I HADN'T HAD MY SEATBELT ON, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE WENT THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA complaint #11329049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Buick Rendezvous at 110,000 miles ST Jones, MI

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSE. THERE WERE CONSEQUENCES BUT THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY. WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE VEHICLE UNINTENDEDLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING THE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY EVERY DAY FOR THE PAST TWO WEEKS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

NHTSA complaint #11308221 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Buick Rendezvous at 189,000 miles South Lyon, MI

ENGINE

I TURNED IN MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WHEN I WENT BACK TOO PURCHASE IT BACK THEY HAD CHANGED OUT THE DASH AND CLUSTER THE MILES WERE NOT CORRECT THEY ALSO DOUBLED THE PRICE OF THE THE CAR

NHTSA complaint #11300989 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Buick Rendezvous at 139,000 miles Morenci, MI

ENGINE

ENGINE TIMING CHAIN SLIPPED CAUSING VEHICLE TO BECOME UNDRIVABLE

NHTSA complaint #11255990 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Rendezvous at 1 miles Aynor, SC

ENGINE

MY 2005 BUICK RENDEZVOUS ---HEADS WERE LEVELED AND COMPLETE VALVE JOB DONE WITH NEW WATER PUMP, THERMOSTAT, RELAY BELT,BYPASS HOSE, UPPER RADIATOR HOSE, AND COMPLETE COOLANT FLUSH. MY CAR KEEPS RUNNING HOT. PLEASE HELP!

NHTSA complaint #11255363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2007 Buick Rendezvous at 167,000 miles OIL City, PA

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING 47 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE BATTERY AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED THE BODY CONTROL MODULE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,000.

NHTSA complaint #11209516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Rendezvous at 93,000 miles Athens, PA

ENGINE

SUV WAS OVER HEATING , GOT TWO ESTAMINTS AND THY CONFIRMED IT IS THE HEAD GASKETS.

NHTSA complaint #11208082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2003 Buick Rendezvous at 154,200 miles Chattanooga, TN

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK VIOLENTLY. FURTHERMORE, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FLUID AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,200.

NHTSA complaint #11172955 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Buick Rendezvous Hopkins, MN

ENGINE

THE ABS WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WIRE HARNESS HAS A FAILURE ISSUE. THIS LEADS TO THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATING WITHOUT A WARNING LIGHT TURNING ON AND CAN INCREASE THE STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN NOT NECESSARY. THE TRANSMISSION MAY SEEM TO CLUNK WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AS THE COMPUTER DOESN'T READ THE CORRECT SPEED SENT FROM THE HUB ASSEMBLY TO THE COMPUTER. PREVIOUSLY, I HAD A HUB ASSEMBLY REPLACED AND THE PROBLEMS STILL EXISTED. AFTER REPLACING THE WIRES THE PROBLEMS HAVE NOT RESURFACED.

NHTSA complaint #11133507 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Buick Rendezvous at 169,000 miles Harper Woods, MI

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STARTED TO FLASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS WERE DAMAGED AND IT WOULD BE BEST TO REBUILD THE ENGINE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,000.

NHTSA complaint #11093865 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2004 Buick Rendezvous at 200,000 miles Concord, CA

ENGINE

DASH GAUGES, WARNING LIGHTS, & ALARMS, BELLS FLASH ON & OFF AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY RUNS ROUGH. DASH CODES OF ALL SORTS BLINK ON & OFF. NEW BATTERY AND NEW ALTENATOR INSTALLED, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIS HAPPENED FIRST WHEN DRIVING ON HIWAY. AFTER VEHICLE PULLED OFF ROAD AND ENGINE TURNED OFF. THE DASH CODE THEN READ BATTERY ISSUE. WE TRIED TO DRIVE AGAIN BUT NOW VEHICLE OPERATED ROUGHLY AND THERE WAS NO MORE DAYLIGHT. WE HAD VEHICLE TOWED 100 MILES. THEN PAID FOR NEW BATTERY PROBLEM DID NOT CHANGE SO WE HAD A NEW ALTENATOR INSTALLED AFTER HAVING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ADVISING THE NEED FOR A NEW ALTENATOR. I AM QUITE UPSET BECAUS EI FEEL THAT THERE IS FRAUD ON PART OF SEARS AUTOREPAIR. DIAGNOSTIC SAID ALTENATOR WAS THE PROBLEM. I PAID OVER $450 FOR THAT SERVICE AND ANOTHER $150 FOR THE BATTERY.

NHTSA complaint #11047219 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Rendezvous at 25,000 miles North Canton, OH

ENGINE

HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEAD CASKETS TWO TIMES SINCE I BOUGHT THIS NOW HAVING PROBLEMS WITH GAS SMELL WHEN I TURN ON HEATER WHATS NEXT ITS GOT ABOUT 51000 MILES ON IT

NHTSA complaint #11040993 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2006 Buick Rendezvous at 82,000 miles Bristol, IN

ENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AN UNKNOWN LOCAL BUICK DEALER OF ELKHART, INDIANA WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED AND COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND TRANSFERRED TO CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

NHTSA complaint #11015429 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Rendezvous at 110,000 miles Troy, NY

ENGINE

REAR WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AT 30K MI. COOLING SYSTEM FAILED AT 110 K MI. CAR IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY.

NHTSA complaint #10955407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Buick Rendezvous at 165,000 miles Omaha, NE Fire

ENGINE

THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FOR 45 MINUTES ON TWO-LANE PAVED COUNTRY ROADS. I DROVE THE FIRST 15 MINUTES, WITH ONE OF MY SONS DRIVING THE OTHER 30 MINUTES WHILE I WAS A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER. WE PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND SWITCHED DRIVERS SO ANOTHER SON COULD BEGIN A DRIVING LESSON WITH ME. WHEN HE BEGAN TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE HE SAID THAT THE BRAKES DID NOT FEEL RIGHT AND NOTICED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS STEAM COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I TOLD HIM TO PULL BACK INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND RELEASE THE HOOD SO I COULD CHECK FOR AN OVERHEATING ENGINE, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS IN THE CENTER OF THE VISIBLE RANGE. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD I SAW A SIX-INCH WIDE AREA OF FLAMES TO THE RIGHT OF THE ALTERNATOR. I TOLD MY SONS TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND ASKED ONE OF THEM TO CALL 911 ON HIS CELLPHONE AND THE OTHER TO GO TO THE NEAREST BUILDING, ABOUT 75 YARDS AWAY, AND LOOK FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. IN THE MEANTIME, I OPENED THE REAR VEHICLE HATCH TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING I COULD USE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. FINDING NOTHING USEFUL, I RAN TO THE BUILDING MY FIRST SON HAD APPROACHED FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND FOUND HIM INSIDE THE OUTER DOOR OF A LOCKED LOBBY AREA. WE BOTH RAN TO THE NEXT BUILDING ABOUT 100 YARDS AWAY WHERE WE LOCATED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE. I ESTIMATE THIS TOOK LESS THAN FIVE MINUTES. WHEN WE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE THE FLAMES WERE ABOUT TWELVE INCHES WIDE, STILL ONLY TO THE RIGHT OF THE ALTERNATOR. I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT HAD TO AIM MUCH DEEPER INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAN THE VISIBLE FLAME AREA TO STOP ALL FLAMES. WHEN THE DEALER LATER CHECKED THE VEHICLE I WAS TOLD IT APPEARED THAT A RUPTURED BRAKE LINE HAD SPRAYED BRAKE FLUID ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND STARTED THE FIRE. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR LEAKS OR BRAKE ISSUES OBSERVED.

NHTSA complaint #10903410 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2002 Buick Rendezvous Hammond, IN

ENGINE

OIL AND ANTI FREEZE LEAKING VALVE COVER GASKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. AND ALSO THE WHEEL HUB AND THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY RUNNING HOT

NHTSA complaint #10897363 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

2005 Buick Rendezvous at 162,000 miles Saint Peters, MO

ENGINE

VEHICLE OVERHEATED TO THE MAXIMUM, THEN IT STALLED. I WAITED A BIT AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT. THE TEMP. RETURNED TO NORMAL. WHILE CONTINUING TO DRIVE HOME AT 35 MI PER HR. IT STALLED AGAIN, AND I WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT, AND MAKE IT HOME. I PHONED MY MECHANIC, AND HAD IT TOWED THERE. HE INFORMED ME THERE WAS WATER IN THE EXHAUST WHICH INDICATED EXPENSIVE HEAD GASKET PROBLEMS. HE SUGGESTED I SELL THIS VEHICLE ASAP. I HAD ONLY OWNED IT 2 MONTHS! WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED I WAS IN MOTION AT 35 MI PER HR. ON A CITY STREET. VERY DANGEROUS!

NHTSA complaint #10895512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Buick Rendezvous problems