2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS Complaints

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS CX/CSL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 5-10 MPH IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC. SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE CAR STARTED SHAKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND THEN IT FLIPPED OVER THREE TIMES, LANDING IN AN EMBANKMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT HAD RAINED EARLIER THAT DAY, BUT THAT THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AFTER THE RAIN STOPPED. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND WAS CURRENTLY STILL UNDER THE CARE OF A DOCTOR. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED, HOWEVER, THEY NEVER CAME TO THE SCENE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NO RESEARCH WAS DONE CONCERNING THE CAUSE OF THE CRASH. *AK UPDATED 1/29/2007 - *NM

LEAKS ANTIFREEZE AND ANTIFREEZE GETTING INTO THE OIL. WILL REPLACE THE HEAD GASKET. *NM

IN 11/05, AT APPROXIMATELY 43K MILES, MY 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS CXL REQUIRED A NEW INTAKE GASKET & THERMOSTAT AFTER THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY LOST ALL OF ITS ENGINE COOLANT AND I WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP. THIS WAS A CERTIFIED USED GM VEHICLE, BUT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 39K MILES SO I INCURRED AT $700+ REPAIR BILL. NOW, AT 59K MILES, I AM HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM; THE ENGINE COOLANT OVERHEATED, ALSO LEADING TO AN EMERGENCY STOP AND TOWING, AND THE REPAIR SHOP SAYS THAT THE SAME INTAKE GASKET HAS FAILED AGAIN. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE HORN WILL NOT ENGAGE UNLESS THE CONTACT PRESSED THE ICON. THIS INCIDENT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO GENERAL MOTORS, AND THAT WAS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT THAT WAS RELATED TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE AIR BAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE HORN. *AK UPDATED 02/22/07. *JB

INTAKE-MANIFOLD STARTED LEAKING AT 69,000 AND WILL COST ME $800.00. WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2002-2003 BUICK RENDEVOUZ'S. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS CORRODED BY GM COOLANT AFTER A COUPLE YEARS. SPECIFIC TO COMBINATION OF FACTORY COOLANT AND FACTORY GASKET. MECHANIC REPLACED GASKET WITH ONE THAT DOESN'T CORRODE WHEN IN CONTACT WITH THE FACTORY COOLANT. THIS REQUIRED 6.5 HOURS OF LABOR PLUS PARTS TOTALING $600. *JB

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 AM WRITING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE INTAKE GASKETS ON THE GENERAL MOTORS 3.4 LITER ENGINE. THE FAILURE MOST COMMON WITH 2002 AND 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. MY RENDEZVOUS HAD 40,000 MILES ON IT WHEN THE GASKETS FAILED AND WAS OUT OF THE 36,00 MILE WARRANTY. THE FIRST INDICATION OF THE FAILURE WAS THAT MY HEATER WAS NOT BLOWING HOT AIR. I TOOK IT INTO A LOCAL SHOP AND THE MECHANIC SUSPECTED GASKET FAILURE BEFORE EVEN LOOKING AT THE CAR STATING THAT "THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND WE REPAIR 2 OR 3 A MONTH IN OUR SHOP. THE PROBLEM IS YOU THINK YOU ARE JUST LOOSING (DEXCOOL) ANTIFREEZE FROM EVAPORATION DURING THE SUMMER BUT IN THE WINTER WHEN YOU TRY TO USE YOUR HEATER IT DOES NOT HEAT PROPERLY. THE ENGINE DOES NOT LEAK ANTIFREEZE ON THE GROUND, IT GOES INTO YOUR ENGINE OIL AND CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE IF NOT CAUGHT QUICKLY ENOUGH." I CALLED MY LOCAL BUICK DEALER TO SEE IF GM COULD HELP ME OUT SINCE MY CAR WAS ONLY 4.000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY SAID BRING IT IN AND THEY WILL LOOK AT IT. THEY CALLED ME BACK AND SAID IT WAS THE INTAKE GASKETS THAT FAILED AND IT WOULD COST ME $900 TO REPAIR. I CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND AFTER A WEEK OF NEGOTIATIONS, I FINALLY GOT MY CAR REPAIRED AT A REDUCED PRICE($360). NOW I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO MY ENGINE AFTER HAVING ENGINE COOLANT CONTAMINATING MY ENGINE OIL. I WAS TOLD BY THE BUICK SERVICE TECH. THAT "NO COOLANT GOT INTO THE OIL. IT GOES OUTSIDE THE ENGINE." THAT IS VERY STRANGE, BECAUSE PART OF THE REPAIR IS TO CHANGE THE ENGINE OIL. I WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT AT NO TIME WAS THERE EVER ANY INDICATION OF ANY TYPE OF FLUID LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE. IF YOU GOOGLE "GM ENGINE COOLANT LEAK" MORE THAN 100,000 ITEMS COME UP ON THIS. *NM

FAILURE OF MANIFOLD INTAKE GASKETS, AND MANIFOLD CRACKED, BOTH AT 43,000 MILES. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OUT INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON FOR DAYS. THE ALRM DIDN'T WORK, THE KEY WOULD GET STUCK IN THE IGNITION, THE AC DID NOT COOL PROPERLY, THE ABS WOULD ENGAGE WHEN IT WAS NOT NEEDED, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED, THE TURN SIGNALS WOULDN'T CANCEL, THE DOORS WOULDN'T UNLOCK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK. UPDATED 12/29/06. *JB