2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS Complaints

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

I BOUGHT A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS IN JULY 2006. I HAD TO HAVE THE DRIVERSIDE WINDOW FIX IMMEDIATELY THANK GOD THE DEALER FIXED IT FOR ME AND NOW HERE WE ARE IN SEPTEMBER 2007 AND NOW THE PASSENGER SIDE WONT GO DOWN AND I LIVE ON DISABILITY AND I HAVE SEEN ALOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO HEAT OR AIR STOPS WHEN YOU ARE SITTING AT A LIGHT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. ON AUGUST 22, 2007, THE CONTACT SMELLED GAS FUMES IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND HE DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE AS A FUEL TANK FRACTURE. SHE THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A GENERAL MOTORS DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION AND THEY CONFIRMED THE FUEL TANK FRACTURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 50,300.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CONSUMED A LOT OF FUEL. SHE FOUND A LARGE PUDDLE OF FUEL ON THE GROUND UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE WELD BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE FUEL FILLER FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB

2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS WITH 87,000 MILES. I STARTED SMELLING A SWEET BURNING SMELL THROUGH THE VENT. I AM BEING TOLD THAT MY INTAKE VALVE IS LEAKING AND THE WATER PUMP NEEDS REPLACING. THIS WILL APPARENTLY COST APPROXIMATELY $2,650.00. MY FATHER OWNS THE EXACT SAME CAR AND HAD THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM ARISE IN HIS 2001 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. IT COST HIM SIGNIFICANTLY LESS. THE DEALERS ALL KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT IS HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED AS A RECALL THEREFORE THEY CAN CHARGE FOR IT. MY FATHER'S DEALERSHIP IN DAYTON, OHIO KNEW ABOUT IT AND WHEN I BROUGHT MINE INTO THE DEALERSHIP IN ALEXANDRIA, VA THE SERVICEMEN LAUGHED BECAUSE THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE FUEL TANK WHERE THE FILLER PIPE CONNECTS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE FUEL TANK, BUT IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER MADE THE REPLACEMENT AND THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER FAILURES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,737. UPDATED 02-01-08 *BF UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR

I OWN A 2003 BUICK RENDZVOUS. I AM EXPERIENCING A FUEL LEAK FROM THE GAS TANK FILLER PIPE, AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA ACTION #RQ06009. *JB

03' BUICK REDERZVOUS (WITH 65000 MILES) BEING TOLD LEAKING OF LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD WHILE BEING SERVICED AT DEALERSHIP FOR BRAKES. GIVEN ESTIMATES OF $1200 FOR THE REPAIR JOB. TO ITS CREDIT BUICK IS HELPING WITH THE TAB (ENDED UP OF PAYING 400 OUT OF POCKET). WHILE DEALER WAS DOING THE INTAKE JOB, HE CAME BACK TO SAY THE WATER PUMP IS ALSO LEAKING WHICH COSTS ABOUT ADDITIONAL 350 FOR THE FIX. *JB

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE LEAK REPAIRED. HE NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THE 2004 BUICK RENDEZVOUS IS UNDER RECALL # 03V454000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE) FOR THE SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE COULD NOT BE REIMBURSED SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE 2003 MODEL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 80,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.