2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS Complaints

I OWN A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS AWD. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SATURDAY. SUNDAY GAS WAS DRIPPING FROM MY CAR. I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT THE FAILURE WAS BETWEEN THE FUEL INTAKE VALVE AND THE FUEL TANK. HE SUGGESTED THAT I CHECK TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM AND THERE WAS FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON 2004 MODELS. I CAN ONLY GET PARTS THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP AND I AM TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS WITH THEM RIGHT NOW. IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE TO BE AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR WITH MY CHILDREN, AND MY CAR SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE. *JB

DRIVER'S WINDOW "FELL" AND HAD TO BE CLOSED MANUALLY; IT WILL NOT STAY IN PLACE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ENGINE INTAKE GASKET WAS CONSISTENTLY LEAKING. DURING THE TIME OF THE LEAKAGE, THE ENGINE DID NOT STALL. WHEN THE ENGINE COOLANT BECAME LOW THE ENGINE WOULD GET HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS ONLY AT 50000 MILES AND THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THE VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE HAVING THESE PROBLEMS AT THIS POINT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED AND DETERMINED THERE WOULD BE NO REIMBURSEMENTS FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOPS; REPAIRS WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT IF PERFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER'S DEALER. UPDATED 7/7//2006 - *NM

I HAVE HAD ONGOING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH MY VEHICLE FOR ABOUT A YEAR NOW. IT KEEPS BLOWING THE NUMBER 40 FUSE WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LOSE ITS TURN SIGNALS, BREAK LIGHTS, AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS. THE DEALER HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE PROBLEM 3 TIMES SINCE JUNE OF 2005. THE FOURTH TIME THIS HAPPENED A WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE DASHBOARD CAUGHT FIRE WHILE MY WIFE AND A FRIEND OF HERS WERE TRAVELING 350 MILES FROM HOME. IT WAS AT NIGHT, IN THE RAIN, AND ON I-77 IN THE MOUNTAINS OF WEST VIRGINIA. A LOCAL GM DEALER LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE. THEY STATED A SERIOUS FIRE COULD HAVE RESULTED FROM THIS, PARTICULARLY SINCE A 30 AMP FUSE WAS PLACE IN THE #40 POSITION WHICH IS MADE TO TAKE A 15 AMP FUSE. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ON THIS VEHICLE ONE WITH UNDER 36,000 MILES AND THE OTHER WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN VERY HARD ON FRONT TIRES. I AM GUESSING DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE BEARINGS. *NM

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

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED THE BACK GROUND COLOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MADE THE INSTRUMENT GAUGES IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. THE PRIMARY PROBLEM WITH THIS IS IN DAYLIGHT. THE SUN BEAMS INTO THE WINDOW AND THERE IS DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE INSTRUMENT PANEL MAKING IT UNABLE TO BE SEEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ALTERNATIVE TO THE PROBLEM. THE CONTACT STATED HE COULD NOT READ THE SPEEDOMETER DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. IT WAS SO BAD THAT THE CONTACT'S WIFE COULD NOT AND WOULD NOT DRIVE IN DAYLIGHT HOURS. *AK

WATER PUMP FAILURE AT 40,000 MILES. HEAD GASKET COOLANT LEAK AT 45,000 MILES. REPLACED THE WATER PUMP. REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET. *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

FRONT AND REAR WINDOWS FAIL TO PROPERLY MOVE OR UP DOWN. ONE WINDOW FALLS WHILE DRIVING. ISSUE IS IDENTIFIED AS BROKEN WINDOW REGULATORS. PROBLEM APPARENTLY WIDESPREAD AS PARTS ARE HARD TO FIND (OUT OF STOCK). UNABLE TO LEAVE VEHICLE IN PUBLIC AREAS AS YOU CAN'T KEEP THE WINDOWS CLOSED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE THEN ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. THIS OCCURRED AT 5-10 MPH IN BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC ON A DRY ROAD. THE POLICE WAS NOT CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME ON FOUR FLAT TIRES. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED HEAD, NECK, AND BACK INJURIES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DEEMED IT TOTALED. UPDATED 2/28/2006 - *NM