2003 Buick Rendezvous Body & structure Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ABS AND THE SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE FUEL GAUGE WAS GIVING INACCURATE READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE SEAT HAD CORRODED DUE TO THE INTERNAL LEAKAGE OF THE AC UNIT. AS A RESULT, THE CARPET CREATED MOLD DUE TO THE WETNESS AND THE FLOOR BOARD WAS CORRODED AS WELL. THE MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE WAS DISABLED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ID

10598957

Incident

Jun 12, 2014

Mileage

115,000 mi

REAR LIFTGATE HANDLE SWITCH NO LONG WORKS TO OPEN THE REAR DOOR. KEY FOB STILL WORKS BUT CONCERNED THIS WILL FAIL ALSO FOR THE REAR LIFTGATE ACCESS AND EGRESS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10498506

Incident

Feb 1, 2013

Mileage

112,000 mi

THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE IN 2004 FOR THE REAR HATCH. I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE 2006. JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES AS I WAS TOLD BY SUTTLE MOTOR CORPORATION? *TR

NHTSA ID

10471797

Incident

Apr 2, 2012

OWNER PURCHASED 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS IN JULY, 2007. AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST, 2007, WITH APPROXIMATELY 80K MILES ON IT, THE VEHICLE'S ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE GAS GAUGE BEGAN FLUCTUATING ERRATICALLY. UPON INSPECTION AT THE LOCAL GM SERVICE CENTER, THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURER DESIGN FLAW RELATED TO THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IN WHICH THE CONDENSATION DRAIN WAS MADE FORWARD FACING, WHICH WHILE DRIVING AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEEDS, WOULD PREVENT THE CONDENSATION TO DRAIN PROPERLY WHILE RUNNING THE AIR CONDITIONING DUE TO WIND RESISTANCE. THIS CAUSED THE CONDENSATION (WATER) TO POOL INSIDE THE VEHICLE, CAUSING MULTIPLE VALVES TO RUST, VARIOUS ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS TO MALFUNCTION, AND RESULTED IN A MUSTY MILDEW SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE CARPET WAS BECOMING SATURATED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT BUICK REMEDIED THE PROBLEM FOR THE 2005 AND NEWER MODELS. THEREFORE, THE REMEDY PROVIDED WAS THAT THE ORIGINAL A/C CONDENSATION DRAIN WAS REPLACED TO MATCH THAT OF THE 2005 AND NEWER RENDEZVOUS. THIS REMEDY ALONE WOULD HAVE BEEN RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE HAD BUICK ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS DESIGN FLAW (WHICH THEY CLEARLY RECOGNIZED AS EVIDENCED BY THE DESIGN MODIFICATION ON THE 2005 AND NEWER MODELS), HOWEVER SINCE THE PROBLEM WAS NOT OBSERVABLE UNTIL SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE HAD BEEN DONE (INCLUDING MULTIPLE RUSTED VALVES THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED AND SEVERAL HOURS OF LABOR), THE REPAIR ENDED UP COSTING THE CONSUMER OVER $1,000. *TR

NHTSA ID

10203634

Incident

Aug 1, 2007

Mileage

83,000 mi

THE DASHBOARD FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE PROPERLY. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE DASHBOARD PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK DURING THE DAY THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT LIGHT UP AND AS A RESULT IT IS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER, RPM'S, ETC. THE HORN CAN NOT BE SOUNDED BY EXTENDING THUMB FROM STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER HAS TO REMOVE ONE HAND FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND PRESS IT FIRMLY IN THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO ACTIVATE THE HORN. *BF *NM

NHTSA ID

10117376

Incident

Apr 4, 2005

E-MAIL FWD FM FHWA INQUIRING ABOUT A RECALL TO REPLACE A STRUCTURAL SUPPORT AT THE LATCH ATTACHMENT IN THE REAR LIFGATE OF HIS 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. *LA *NM

NHTSA ID

10080186

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO HAVE LIFTGATE LATCH RECALL 04V150000 REPAIRS PERFORMED BECAUSE THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS RECALL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10080002

Incident

Jun 25, 2004

INTERIOR ROOF SUPPORT MISSING. ADDED, OCTOBER 15, 2003. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043505

Incident

Oct 15, 2003

THE SIDE VIEW MIRRORS WERE GROSSLY OVERSIZED AND MADE THE VISION OBSCURE AT THE INTERSECTION. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO VIEW VEHICLES TRAVELING IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE CONSUMER ALMOST HAD SEVERAL ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TURNED HIS BODY IN ORDER TO MAKE RIGHT/LEFT TURNS AT INTERSECTIONS. THE MIRROR WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE SIDE WINDOW. *AK *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10031301

Incident

Jul 28, 2003