2005 Buick Rainier Fuel system Problems

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, THE GAS TANK BLOWS OUT GAS WHEN WE ARE PUMPING GAS LIKE IT'S FULL BUT IT'S NOT, THE WINDOW CRACKED FROM A LITTLE PEDDLE AND THE WHEELS AND HUBS GO BAD REALLY FAST.

NHTSA ID

11292508

Incident

Sep 20, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL GAUGE SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10609886

Incident

Jul 2, 2012

Mileage

120,000 mi

FUEL GAUGE/SENSOR NOT WORKING. WHEN FIRST STARTED TO GO OUT WOULD READ A QUARTER OF A TANK AFTER FILLING UP TANK. AFTER ABOUT 6 MONTHS IT NO LONGER REGISTERED ANY FUEL, AFTER FILLING TANK IT WOULD REMAIN AT EMPTY AND SENSOR WOULD TRIGGER BEEPING WARNING EVERYTIME CAR WAS TURNED ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10593183

Incident

Oct 30, 2010

I HAVE VARIOUS TYPES OF PROBLEMS WITH MY 2005 BUICK RAINIER. I HAVE OWNED IT FOR ABOUT 6 YEARS NOW AND IT CURRENTLY HAS A LITTLE OVER 93,000 MILES ON IT. I AM REPORTED THE PROBLEMS TO YOU SO THAT YOU CAN DOCUMENT THE PROBLEMS TO YOUR LIST AND I AM ALSO HOPING THAT YOU CAN LET ME KNOW IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THESE ISSUES? 1. AWD IS NOT WORKING. WHEN THERE WAS SNOW ON THE GROUND. IT CAUSED ME TO DITCH MY CAR WHEN I WAS TURNING A CORNER AT A VERY LOW SPEED. THERE WAS A CAR COMING TOWARDS ME, BUT MISSED MY CAR. THANK GOODNESS IT DID NOT INJURE SOMEONE, MYSELF OR MY CAR. THE REAR ALSO SLIDES WHEN IT IS WET/RAINING OUTSIDE. I'M SCARED TO DRIVE IT WHEN IT IS WET OUTSIDE...ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS SNOW ON THE GROUND. 2. MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. I JUST SEEN THAT MY DOOR COULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY A RECALL, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEN. I PAID FOR ANOTHER DOOR AND INSTALLATION. 3. WHEN I AM TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL TO BACK-UP. THERE IS A GRINDING NOISE. 4. MY SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT WORK. I DRIVE WITH OTHER CARS WHEN I CAN, BUT I ALSO DRIVE SEVERAL COUNTRY ROADS. I HAVE RECEIVED 2 SPEEDING TICKETS DUE TO THIS. 5. MY GAS GAUGE DOES NOT WORK. I KEEP TRACK OF MY GAS BY MY CURRENT MILEAGE AND PER GALLONS OF GAS, BUT I HAVE STILL RAN OUT OF GAS AT LEAST 8 TIMES AND...NEARLY GOT HIT IN THE REAR SEVERAL TIMES. 6. I BELIEVE THERE IS A WINDSHIELD RECALL. IS IT STILL ACTIVE? I DO KNOW THAT ALL OF MY CAR PROBLEMS ARE VERY COMMON WITH BUICK RAINIER'S AND I AM HOPING THAT THERE IS ACTIVE RECALLS ON ALL OF THESE SERIOUS ISSUES AND THAT BUICK/GM WILL GLADLY REPAIR THEM. THESE ARE ALL SAFETY ISSUES THAT COULD RESULT IN FATAL INJURIES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP, RESEARCH AND RESPONSE. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10543941

Incident

Jan 16, 2012

Mileage

76,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10543862

Incident

Jul 9, 2011

Mileage

54,680 mi

THREE YEARS AGO THE FUEL SENSOR ON MY BUICK RAINER FAILED. GM HAS ISSUED A BULLETIN ON THE REPAIR THAT COVERS 50% OF THE COST. I VIEW THIS AS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FROM GM THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THE SENSOR. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BUICK DEALER AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE TO REPAIR THIS ITEM IS AROUND $200. AFTER NUMEROUS CALLS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE I GAVE UP ON TRYING TO GET GM TO COVER 100% OF THE COST. AFTER TALKING TO YOUR OFFICE I UNDERSTAND THAT THE ENGINEERS ARE STILL LOOKING INTO THIS ISSUE. DO YOU KNOW WHEN THIS WILL BE RESOLVED? *TR

NHTSA ID

10525158

Incident

Jan 15, 2010

Mileage

61,998 mi

I HAVE BEEN DOING RESEARCH AND I HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT ARE DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUES I AM WHICH INCLUDES GAS GAUGE FAILURE (FALSE READINGS) AND SPEEDOMETER READING INCORRECTLY. THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO PLACE A RECALL ON THOSE CLUSTERS I WOULD THINK. I HAVE NEVER HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH A 2005 VEHICLE BEFORE LIKE I HAVE HAD WITH MY 2005 BUICK RAINIER. I HAVE RAN OUT OF GAS MANY TIMES BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10453608

Incident

Nov 26, 2010

Mileage

65,000 mi

ON 2/29/12 I CAME BACK FROM THE GROCERY STORE AND PARKED MY VEHICLE AND UNLOADED MY GROCERIES AND RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE WHICH WAS LEFT RUNNING. I PUT MY VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND PROCEEDED TO DO A UTURN AND HAD PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO PREVENT COLLISION WITH OTHER VEHICLES PARKED ON THE ODD SIDE OF THE STREET. WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE THE CAR JUST STALLED, IT DID NOT MOVE AT ALL. I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AND IT KEEP INFORMING ME THAT THE FUEL WAS LOW. THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO THE FACT I KNEW I HAD OVER A HALF TANK OF GAS IN MY VEHICLE. I HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND RE-START THE CAR TO CONTINUE PARKING THE VEHICLE. I LIVE ON A VERY BUSY STREET AND LUCKILY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC COMING WHEN MY CAR STALLED. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AGAIN ON 3/4/12 WHEN I WENT TO START MY VEHICLE AND THE DASH INDICATED THAT THE FUEL WAS LOW BUT THIS TIME THE GAS GAUGE PROCEEDED TO BEEP AND THE ORANGE LOW FUEL INDICATION LIGHT CAME ON AND THE GAS GAUGE NEEDLE BEGAN TO MOVE TO E AND THEN THE CAR STALLED ONCE AGAIN AND I WAS UNABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10450301

Incident

Feb 29, 2012

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

NHTSA ID

10446371

Incident

Feb 3, 2012

Mileage

68,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL INDICATOR GAUGE WOULD READ INACCURATELY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE CONTACT TO DETECT HOW MUCH FUEL WAS IN THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SENSOR WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE MANUFACTURER ASSISTED THE CONTACT WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

NHTSA ID

10433009

Incident

Feb 2, 2011

Mileage

102,000 mi

THE FUEL SENSOR GAUGE DOES NOT ACCURATELY DEPICT HOW MUCH GASOLINE IS IN THE TANK. WHEN I FILL UP THE TANK IT REMAINS ON "E" AND THE LOW FUEL INDICATOR LIGHT IS ON. THE GAUGE WILL FLUCTUATE UP AND DOWN AND NEVER GO ALL THE WAY TO "F". I AM VERY UPSET THAT THIS PROBLEM IS SO PREVALENT YET GM WILL ONLY COVER 50% OF THE EXPENSES. IT IS UNSAFE TO NOT KNOW THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF FUEL IN ONE'S VEHICLE. *TT

NHTSA ID

10432861

Incident

Sep 28, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE SENSOR READ ZERO DESPITE THE FUEL TANK BEING EMPTY OR FULL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED DURING THE FAILURE THE LOW LEVEL LIGHT INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,376.

NHTSA ID

10423889

Incident

Aug 1, 2010

Mileage

75,000 mi

FUEL GAUGE READS EMPTY AFTER TANK HAS BEEN FILLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10422702

Incident

Nov 1, 2010

Mileage

105,000 mi

FUEL GAUGE SENSOR MALFUNCTION. CORRECT FUEL LEVEL NOT INDICATED ON INTERIOR OF VEHICLE. READS AS ALWAYS EMPTY. *TT

NHTSA ID

10417730

Incident

Jan 25, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL GAUGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS PROVIDING INACCURATE FUEL LEVEL READINGS. WHEN REFUELING TO MAXIMUM CAPACITY, THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD READ THE FUEL TANK AS EMPTY OR HALF FULL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE WHEN HE WAS INFORMED OF AN OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO THE FUEL GAUGE FAILURE, BUT THE CONTACT WAS NOT TOLD WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 8/30/11 *CN UPDATED 09/28/11

NHTSA ID

10417011

Incident

Mar 19, 2010

Mileage

60,000 mi

MALFUNCTION OF FUEL LEVEL SENSOR. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2009, THE FUEL GAUGE IN OUR 2005 BUICK RAINIER BEGAN REGISTERING EMPTY AT ALL TIMES, EVEN WHEN THE FUEL TANK IS FULL. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS HAVING TO DO WITH A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL PUMP MODULE ASSEMBLY. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING WITH GM VEHICLE OF THIS TYPE INCLUDE THE RAINIER, BLAZER, JIMMY AND SO. I BELIEVE THIS IS SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM THROUGH THIS FAMILY OF VEHICLES AND IS DANGEROUS AS THE FUEL GAUGE WILL NOT ACCURATELY READ THE FUEL LEVEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10415094

Incident

Sep 10, 2009

Mileage

51,000 mi

GAS GAUGE FAILED READS LESS THAN 1/8 TANK. WARNING FOR LOW FUEL ALARM COMES ON EVEN AFTER FULL FILL-UP. CHECK EMISSION LIGHT PERIODICALLY TURNS ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10412356

Incident

May 17, 2010

Mileage

63,000 mi

NO GAS GAUGE, IT READS EMPTY EVEN WHEN THE TANK IS FULL. LOW FUEL LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON, AND WHEN I AM TRULY GETTING LOW ON FUEL, IT MAY BOUNCE TO AN AREA BETWEEN E AND 1/4 TANK MARK. I AM HAVING TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE MILES I DRIVE AND HOPE THAT THE MPG AT 15.9 IS ACCURATE SINCE NOTHING ELSE SEEMS TO BE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10411598

Incident

Jan 2, 2011

Mileage

30,000 mi

THIS JUST STARTED WITH MY LAST FILL UP OF GAS. THE GAUGE IS STARTING TO GO UP AND DOWN. NOT SURE IF GAS GAUGE IS CORRECT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10410052

Incident

Jun 26, 2011

Mileage

43,400 mi

VEHICLE FUEL GAUGE STARTED FLUCTUATING FROM FULL TO EMPTY, AND VEHICLE WOULD PAUSE WHILE ACCELERATING. DEALER PRICED REPAIR AT $535. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AT 47,500 MILES AND NOW FUEL GAUGE IS STUCK ON EMPTY. VEHICLE STILL RANDOMLY HESITATES ON ACCELERATION. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON GM RANIERS, TRAILBLAZERS, YUKONS, ETC. GM HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM/DEFECT FOR SOME TIME WITH NO RESPONSE.

NHTSA ID

10406692

Incident

Jun 1, 2011

Mileage

47,500 mi

GAS GAUGE IS ERRATIC, GOES FROM EMPTY TO FULL AND FULL TO EMPTY LEAVING YOU WITH NO IDEA HOW MUCH FUEL YOU HAVE. WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR TURNING, VEHICLE LUNGES OR STALLS. ALSO, LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF WITH NO WARNING AND TAKES TIME TO RE-LIGHT. LOW BEAMS ALSO TEND TO FLICKER TO DIM.

NHTSA ID

10399035

Incident

Jan 16, 2007

Mileage

28,426 mi

WE FILLED UP THE SUV AND THE GAS GAUGE DID NOT REGISTER THAT THE TANK WAS FULL. AFTER A WHILE THE GAUGE SLOWLY MOVED UP AND SHOWED THAT THE TANK WAS FULL. AFTER A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF THAT, THE GAUGE NOW DOES NOT MOVE OFF OF EMPTY AT ALL. OFTEN TIMES THE GAS REMINDER SIGNAL GOES OFF LETTING US KNOW THAT THE TANK IS EMPTY, HOWEVER WE HAD JUST FILLED UP THE TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10398671

Incident

Oct 10, 2010

Mileage

82,000 mi

GAS GAUGE IS INACCURATE- DOES NOT READ GASOLINE LEVEL CORRECTLY 2005 BUICK RAINIER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10398356

Incident

Jan 5, 2011

Mileage

45,000 mi

FUEL GAUGE REGISTERS INACCURATE READINGS, GIVING FALSE "LOW FUEL" WARNINGS IMMEDIATELY AFTER FILL UP AND DROPPING TO E UNPREDICTABLY AT OTHER TIMES, CAUSING GREAT CONSTERNATION AT BEING "RUN OVER" ON THE FREEWAY OR STRANDED WITHOUT PROPER WARNING. THE GAUGE SEEMS TO BOUNCE UP AND DOWN AT WILL. THIS IS AN '05 BUICK RAINIER, UNDER 47K MILES, SISTER VEHICLE TO CHEVY TRAILBLAZER AND GMC ENVOY WHICH ARE ALREADY DOCUMENTED WITH THIS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10355106

Incident

Aug 17, 2010

Mileage

45,501 mi

HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH DRIVING VEHICLE. SEEMED TO BE OVER ROAD. SEVERAL EVALUATIONS AT CAR DEALERSHIP, DIFFERENT FIXES WITHOUT RESOLUTIONS. FINALLY THE AIR SYSTEM WHICH REGULATES THE BALANCE, HEIGHT ETC STOPPED FUNCTIONALLY. THE CAR SITS LOW TO THE GROUND. I FIRST STARTED COMPLAINING OF UNUSUAL NOISES FROM THE SPEAKERS OF THE CAR. APPROXIMATELY 9 MONTHS AGO. DEALERSHIP DID NOT KNOW WHAT THAT COULD BE. NOW I AM TOLD THE COMPRESSOR AND THE SHOCK SYSTEM IS GONE. THE COST TO FIX IS 3000.00 I HAVE FOUND A COMPANY WHO HAS AN ADAPTIVE KIT WITH CONVERSION TO STANDARD SHOCK SYSTEM. THIS COMPANY TELLS ME THAT THEY ARE SEDMOMG 15 TO 20 OF THESE KITS OUT A WEEK. GMC DOES NOT OFFER ANY OPTIONS. MY CONCERN IS THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR MULTIPLE MONTHS WITHOUT THE DEALERSHIPS ABILITY TO FIND THE PROBLEM IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE CAR WAS RENDERED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO STEER AND DIFFICULT TO KEEP IN YOUR OWN LANE. ADDITIONALLY, THE GAS GAGE HAS GONE BADE, APPROXIMATELY 50,000, THE FIRST RAINIER I HAD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH GETTING THE FUEL INTO THE TANK. TRADED THE 2004 FOR 2005 BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. NOW THIS GAS TANK THE GAUGE IS DEFECTIVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10352603

Incident

Feb 3, 2010

Mileage

100,000 mi