Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Buick Rainier submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
POWER STEERING LEAKS, THE GAS GAUGE AND OTHER GAUGES DON'T WORK, MOST THE ELECTRICAL DON'T WORK INSIDE THE CAR, MAKES A WEIRD NOISE WHEN IT BACKS UP AND THE ENGINE REVS WHEN IT'S STARTS AND SOMETIMES WHEN IT DRIVES AND GOES FASTER EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT HITTING THE GAS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE DOOR LOCKS STARTED TO LOCK AND UNLOCK RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING. AFTER THE LIGHT CHANGED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND THEN STALLED. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.MA 09/25 UPDATED 11/27/2017*CN
PULLING OUT OF PARKING LOT OF A MEDICAL CENTER OFF OF RT. # 486 IN LECANTO, FLORIDA...ONTO A SIDE STREET. CAR TOTALLY DIED. I COULD NOT MOVE IT. I COULD NOT STEER. I COULD NOT START THE CAR BACK UP. I HAD TO CALL FOR TOWING. REPAIR FACILITY SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE SAME THING HAPPENED A FEW MONTHS EARLIER IN LECANTO, FLORIDA IN A CARWASH...COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD. CALLED FOR A TOW. THE REPAIR FACILITY SAID IT WAS A LINK ASSEMBLY. I AM VERY AFRAID THIS CAR WILL STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD AND HAVE A VEHICLE CRASH INTO THE BACK OF ME. I CAN NOT FIND IT ON A RECALL LIST, BUT I SEE GM HAS RECALLED VEHICLES FOR FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES WHICH HAVE CAUSED FATALITIES. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
FUEL GAUGE STARTED DISPLAYING ERRATIC GAS LEVEL DISPLAYS. SOON, WHEN TANK WAS FILLED, IT WOULD SHOW EMPTY. ON ONE OCCASION IT LEFT US STRANDED ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD NO WARNING, THE ENGINE DIED, AND I HAD TO SAFELY NAVIGATE FROM THE FAST LANE ON THE FAR LEFT TO THE SHOULDER ON THE RIGHT. LUCKILY, I AVOIDED OTHER TRAFFIC CONTACT WHILE DOING THIS. I ASKED MY MECHANIC AND HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE SENSOR IN THE TANK. HE SAID THE CHEVY TRAIL BLAZERS WERE NOTORIOUS FOR THIS. I CHECKED CARCOMPLAINTS.COM AND SAW WHERE MY VEHICLE, A 2005 BUICK RAINIER, WAS ALSO IN THIS GROUPING. MY MECHANIC THOUGHT THE MANUFACTURER HAD OFFERED SOME FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN MAKING THE REPAIRS. I AM ABOUT TO FIND OUT. THEY SHOULD! I SEE THERE HAS BEEN A PETITION FOR THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE AND CONSIDER A RECALL. I THINK THEY SHOULD. MY SCENARIO COULD HAVE BEEN VERY BAD IF I HAD BEEN STRUCK BY OTHER CARS AS I TRIED TO MOVE OFF THE INTERSTATE WITH NO ENGINE POWER - JUST MY COAST AND FORWARD MOMENTUM. MY VEHICLE IS DUE FOR IT'S SAFETY INSPECTION, AND MY MECHANIC CANNOT PASS IT WITHOUT THIS REPAIR. DOESN'T THAT SAY SOMETHING IN ITSELF ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVED. HE SUGGESTED I GO TO MY BUICK DEALERSHIP, WHICH I WILL TOMORROW. IF THE DEALER AND BUICK GIVE ME TROUBLE WITH THE REPAIR, YOU CAN BET YOU FOLKS WILL HERE ABOUT THAT TOO! THE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER IS DP10001. *TR
FUEL SYSTEM SENSOR WAS THE FIRST TO MALFUNCTION. THEN THE OIL GAUGE IS MALFUNCTIONING AND NOW AIR SUSPENSION AND OTHER SYSTEMS ARE STARTING TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON THE CONSOLE. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE ENGINE HEADS HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO PASS EMISSIONS DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 70,000.
I WAS THIRD IN LINE WAITING TO PULL OUT OF A PARKING LOT IN PEORIA, AZ IN MY 2005 BUICK RAINIER. MY FOOT WAS RESTING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE CAR REVVED UP AND SURGED FORWARD (FROM A STANDING START) WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO CRASH INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND PUSHING THAT CAR IN TO THE ONE IN FRONT OF IT--ALL THREE CARS WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED. *TR
(1) COMPLETE BRAKE JOB W/ROTORS AND DRUMS REPLACED, I WAS TOLD I HAD BEEN DRIVING WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON THOUGH I NEVER HAD USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE..FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. (2) HATCH BACK DOOR "PISTONS??" THAT HOLDS UP THE HATCHBACK FAILED..FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. (3) FAN CLUTCH FAILED...FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. (4) PAINT CHIPPING/PEELING; RADIO BUTTONS CHIPPING/PEELING. (5) AC/HEATER GETS STUCK ON HOT AIR BLOWING OUT WHEN SWITCHING TO AC SOMETIMES. (6) PASSENGER SIDE FEELS LIKE TIRE OR FRONT END IS WOBBLY??...DEALERSHIP COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. (7) DEC 2008, DRIVER SEAT HEATER WAS REPLACED DUE TO MAJOR OVERHEATING...FIXED UNDER WARRANTY. (8) FEB 2010 - 14 MONTHS LATER REPLACING DRIVER SEAT HEATER AGAIN DUE TO MAJOR OVERHEATING...SEAT HEATER HAS NOW BURNED 3 HOLES INTO LEATHER SEAT..NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR
DESIGN FAULT - AIR PUMP IS MOUNTED LOW ON THE FRAME OF 2005 BUICK RAINIER. ON 10/30/07 IT FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. MILEAGE AT THAT TIME WAS 30,947. PUMP FAILED AGAIN BECAUSE OF WATER INTRUSION. SINCE IT IS MOUNTED LOW WITHOUT ANY SHIELD I WOULD EXPECT RAIN WATER TO SPLASH UP AS YOU DRIVE. PUMP WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME ON 12/12/08, MILEAGE WAS 39,994. THE SECOND PUMP ONLY LASTED 9,000 MILES AND GM REFUSES TO PAY FOR REPLACEMENT ( THE WARRANTY IS FOR 12,000 MILES OR 12 MONTHS, YOUR PART IS 13 MONTHS OLD). *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .