Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Buick Rendezvous submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 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
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ALL OF A SUDDEN NO MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING AND THE TEMPARTURE OF CAR IT SLIPS WHILE IN DRIVE OUT OF GEAR AND STARTS IN GEAR WHEN IT WANTS TO WHICH IS BAD ON HIGHWAY GOING 55-70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN CARS ARE BEHIND YOU AND YOU CAN NOT GO ANY SPEED BUT COAST AND IS GETTING WORSE
AWD DISABLED ITSELF AND THE ANTILOCK CAME ON AND HAVE STARTED TO STAY ON THEN WHEN I MAKE TURNS THE CAR STARTS SCREACHING REALLY LOUD SO I JUST RECENTLY LEARNED OF A RECALL FOR THIS SO WHAT CAN I DO
ENGINE COMPLETELY DIES MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. IT WILLL TURN ON RIGHT AWAY, GO A FEW MILES AND THEN DIES AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED, THE TROTTLE HAS BEEN CLEAN, FUEL FILTER REPLACED, SPARK PLUG WIRES AND SPARK PLUGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. WE'VE EVEN CHANGED TRAMISSION FLUID AND FILTERED. *TR
I WAS LOOKING UP INFO ON MY CAR FOUND THERE WAS RECALLS ON MY SPECIFIC PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD WITH POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE. IT IDLES HIGH AND AT TIMES IT SPUTTERS TAKING OFF FROM A STOP. I AM AFRAID ONE OF THESE TIMES IT WILL STALL AND WILL END UP IN AN ACCIDENT. WE HAD IT HOOKED UP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC IT CAME UP TROUBLE CODE P0742. THIS IS OUR MAIN TRANSPORTATION AND THE CAR USED TO TRANSPORT OUR SON. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS FIXED BEFORE IT BECOMES A MAJOR ISSUE OR A PROBLEM RESULTING IN A NEW CAR OR ACCIDENT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES WILL START TO LOCK UP AND CAUSE IT HARD TO STOP THIS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE MESSAGE COMES UP THAT THE TRACTION IS OFF. ONCE THE TRACTION SYSTEM DISABLES ITSELF THE BRAKE WILL WORK PROPERLY. IF A BUMP IS HIT THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND CONTINUALLY DINGS UNTIL YOU TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART IT. *TR
UNDETECTED SAFETY HAZARD WITH 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS..SPENT OVER 11,000 WITH REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE ON THIS SUV AND NOW OVER 5000 DOLLARS TRYING TO FIND THE REASON FOR THE VEHICLE TO KEEP SHUTTING DOWN AFTER APPX. 40 MILES OF STOP AND GO TRAFFIC..HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS OF BEING HIT WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN 5 TIMES TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL..CAN NOT AFFORD TO TRADE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TOO..IT LOSES POWER TOO WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS..THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE IT WHEN THEY DRIVE IT..I HAVE HAD 2 OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM..I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY BIG CONCERN FOR MY SAFETY AND OTHERS TOO. *TR
2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS...MAKING HUMMING NOISE WHEN TURNING WHEEL. VERY BAD. I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THEY TELL ME IT IS THE DIFFERENTIAL, THAT IT WILL TAKE 9 PINTS OF FLUID TO FLUSH IT OUT AT 29 DOLLARS A PINT! IF I DON'T GET THIS DONE, IT WILL FREEZE UP AND WILL NOT MOVE. I CAME HOME AND LOOKED IT UP ON THE INTERNET AND CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT I AM READING. EVERY PERSON THAT HAS HAD A BUICK RENDEZVOUS , THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. I AM NOT TALKING A FEW, THERE WAS ABOUT 300 OF THEM , JUST POSTED ON THE INTERNET. WHY WOULD THERE NOT BE A RECALL ON THIS? I WOULD REALLY CONSIDER THAT ALL OF THEM DOING THIS IS DEFINITELY A DEFECT SOMEWHERE. ONE WOMAN EVEN STATED THAT SHE HAD TO DO THIS EVERY YEAR THAT SHE HAD IT!!! THESE ARE NOT CHEAP CARS TO OWN. I HAVE ONLY HAD MINE 1 YEAR AND HAVE PUT 2000 MILES ON IT. IT NOW ONLY HAS 55, 000 MILES ON IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT QUALIFIES A RECALL? I AM SURE I WILL BE LETTING IT SIT WHILE I AM STILL MAKING ANOTHER 4 YEARS PAYMENTS ON IT. NO WAY CAN ANYONE AFFORD TO KEEP FIXING THE SAME THING EVERY YEAR. IT IS GOING TO COST BETWEEN 450 AND 625 TO FIX IT...THE MECHANIC TOLD ME AND THEN COULDN'T PROMISE THAT IT WOULD STAY FIXED. I THINK SOMETHING SHOULD REALLY BE INVESTIGATED ON THIS ONE. I HOPE YOU CHECK OUT THE COMPLAINTS ONLINE CONCERNING THIS....THANK YOU! *TR
HAD TO REPLACE FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING ON 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS CZ (AWD) AT ABOUT 65,000 MILES. NOW THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING IS BEING REPLACED AT 70,000 MILES. THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT IN THIS BUICK PRODUCT AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ALL WHEEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT IT WAS DISABLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NEARBY BUICK DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS COMING APART ON THE INSIDE. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $2,667, BUT THE CONTACT WAS CHARGED $1,302.58. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,083. UPDATED 05/20/08. *LJ UPDATED 05/20/08
2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS - ENGINE GASKETS, WHEEL BEARINGS, AWD, REAR DIFFERENTIAL, A/C CONDENSER AND ON AND ON. CAR IS A LEMON. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE MADE A GRINDING NOISE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. WHEN THE SPARE WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE, THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM HAD TO BE DISABLED. IRONICALLY, THE NOISE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. ONCE THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE WAS REACTIVATED AND THE NOISE RETURNED. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, SHE HEARD A DINGING NOISE AND THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CONTACT DROVE OFF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES LOCKED, WHICH CAUSED THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE. THEY STATED THAT THE TWO FRONT ALL WHEEL DRIVE SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND A CODE WAS RECEIVED FOR THE ABS LIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS LIGHT NEVER ILLUMINATED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,000.
03' BUICK RENDEZVOUS. AXLE ASSEMBLY (FRONT) FAILED AT 60,000/4 YEARS. REPAIRED AT BUICK DEALERSHIP THAT COSTS ~600 PARTS PLUS LABOR. WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE A SEVERE SAFETY RISK IF NOT FIXED. *TR
BUICK RENDEVOUS. 1ST WAS A 2002 CXL - PROBLEMS: REAR DIFFERENTIAL SLIPPED, PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE, AC CONDENSER BROKEN, REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF, BACK UP SENSORS SHUT DOWN VEHICLE - BECAUSE OF THIS FRIED ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED AT 30K. 2ND IS A 2003 CXL - PROBLEMS - REAR DIFFERENTIAL SLIPPING, PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR BROKEN, DRIVER 1 & 2 MEMORY BROKEN, ENGINE RUNNING HOT BECAUSE OF LEAK IN RADIATOR - AGAIN 30K *JB
I JUST PURCHASE A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS WITH 41,532 MILES ON IT. WITHIN 700 ADDITIONAL MILES A FRONT WHEEL BEARING HAS FAILED. ANY AUTO SHOULD BE ABLE TO LAST TWICE THAT MILEAGE. IS THIS A ONE OF A KIND FAILURE OR HAS BUICK'S QUALITY CONTROL PEOPLE ASLEEP? *JB
I HAVE HAD SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH MY RENDEZVOUS I FEEL LIKE THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD MY CAR MORE THAN I HAVE. FOR STARTERS, THE FRONT AND REAR HUB FAILED FOUR TIMES, WITH THE FOURTH ONE STILL NEEDING TO BE REPAIRED AND GM REFUSING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF MILES ON THE CAR, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON INTERMITTENTLY, THE REAR WIPER STAYS ON AND I HAD TO REMOVE THE FUSE, I HAVE REPLACED THE TIRES THREE TIMES WITH NO EXPLAINATION ON THE UNEVEN EXCESSIVE WEAR, THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAKES LOUD WHINING NOISE AND LEAKS POWER STEERING FLUID WITH NO EXPLAINATION, WINDSHIELD WIPERS CATCH ON EACH OTHER AND I HAVE ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS HAD TO STOP THE CAR, GET OUT AND UNTANGLE THEM, HOWEVER, THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THE REAR AIR COMPRESSOR STILL DOES NOT WORK AFTER BEING REPAIRED TWICE, FUSES BLOW FOR NO REASON. *NM
BOTH OF THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY 2003 RENDEZVOUS HAVE FAILED. THEY WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE FIRST SIDE WENT AROUND 18K MILES, THE OTHER SIDE WENT AT JUST OVER 36K MILES.
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
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