2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS Complaints

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW WOULD NOT ROLL UP. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, AND THEY REPAIRED THE WINDOW. THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED ON THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW. THERE HAVE BEEN NO REPAIRS DONE ON THE REAR WINDOW DUE TO THE EXPENSE. *AK UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

OUR 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS BEGAN ACTING UP SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE. ONCE WHEN IT HAPPENED, WE CALLED THE BUICK HOTLINE NUMBER ON THE WINDOW STICKER & THE ONSTAR PEOPLE. BUICK GUY SAID SORRY NOT UNDER WARRANTY & A CERTIFIED CENTER WOULD HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PROBLEM AS IT WAS HAPPENING. ONSTAR COULDN'T OFFER ANY ADVICE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BUICK FOR A RECALL/LATCH REPAIR, WE ASKED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM & WERE TOLD UNLESS THEY SAW THE PROBLEM RIGHT THEN THEY COULDN'T HELP. OBVIOUSLY, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR & IT WAS STARTING AND RUNNING LIKE IT SHOULD. THE PROBLEM: PULLED INTO A NON-BUICK GARAGE TO GET VEHICLE INSPECTED. WHEN MECHANIC WAS DONE HE PULLED THE CAR OUT OF THE BAY & PARKED IT TURNING OFF ENGINE. I GOT IN TO LEAVE & ENGINE CRANKED BUT WOULDN'T START. THIS HAPPENED BEFORE IN OUR DRIVEWAY BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. THE MECHANICS COULDN'T FIGURE IT OUT SO WE LEFT IT THERE FOR THEM TO WORK ON. WHEN STAFF WENT TO START THE CAR AN HOUR LATER IT RAN JUST FINE. ANOTHER TIME, MY FINGER SLIPPED WHILE TURNING THE IGNITION KEY SO I WENT TO TURN IT A SECOND TIME. THE CAR WOULD NOT START, OR IF IT DID IT WOULD STOP, AS IF CHOKING OUT & NOT GETTING GAS TO THE ENGINE. I TRIED SEVERAL TIMES THEN GAVE IT 30 MINUTES TO SIT & IT THEN STARTED. ANOTHER TIME WE PULLED UP TO A GAS PUMP, GOT GAS, GOT BACK IN, & THE SAME PROBLEM...HAD TO LET VEHICLE SIT WHERE IT WAS FOR 20 MINUTES WITHOUT CRANKING THE IGNITION THEN IT STARTED FINE. AGAIN: ON A WEEKEND WHILE SHOPPING, PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE & CUT OFF THE ENGINE; REALIZED NEEDED TO GO TO THE BANK FIRST & WHEN ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR, IT KEPT SHUTTING OFF. NOW, FINALLY, I AM VERY LUCKY IF THIS CAR WILL START AT ALL. TOOK IT TO MY FRIENDLY GARAGE, THINKING IT NEEDED A NEW STARTER, & THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM. AM NOW ON MY WAY TO A LOCAL BUICK SERVICE CENTER, WHICH WILL NO DOUBT COST ME AN ARM & A LEG FOR SOMETHING IT SEEMS LIKE HAS BEEN PROBLEMATIC WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE! *JB

FOLLOWING A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE FRONTAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT TIGHTEN INSTANTLY WHICH CAUSED SEVERE INJURY TO BOTH DRIVER (BROKEN SHOULDER) AND PASSENGER (INTERNAL CHEST INJURY). *NM

INCIDENTS. MY 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS HAS HAD 3 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, THE LAST ONE THE TRANSMISSION EXPLODED. PER SERVICE TECH. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, WITH NO WARNING CAR STALLED, TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED FAULTY THEFT DETERRENT UNIT AND SAID IT WAS FIXED. CAR THEN STALLED AGAIN WHILE DRIVING, TOWED TO DEALER, WHO SAID THEIR WAS A INTERNAL FAULT IN THE FUEL PUMP HARNESS AND CAR IS FIXED. CAR STALLED AGAIN AT 55 MPH. *NM

BOUGHT A USED 2002 RENDEZVOUS IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP, OIL LIGHT ON. TOOK TO PENNZOIL. OIL CHANGED. TWO WEEKS LATER, LOW OIL LIGHT ON. TOOK BACK. LOW ON OIL. TOOK TO GARAGE, SAYS IT'S LEAKING FROM AROUND THE TRASNSFER CASE (THEY THINK) AND CAN'T FIX IT. NOW BIG PROBLEM: TRAVELING TO AN APPOINTMENT. HAD JUST FILLED GAS TANK ABOUT 30 MILES BEFORE, LOW FUEL LIGHT CAME ON. FUEL GAUGE WENT TO EMPTY. STARTED SURGING AND IDLING SO FAST IT COULD DRIVE ITSELF. JUST QUIT AT 60 MILES AN HOUR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. CAUSED A SLIGHT FENDER BENDER, BUT NO ONE WAS HURT. EVERYONE AGREED IT WAS OK NOT TO CALL THE POLICE FOR A REPORT. (MISTAKE) CALLED ONSTAR. THEY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A RELAY GETTING TOO HOT, PROBABLY CAUSING PART OF THE PROBLEM, BUT NOT ALL OF IT. HAD IT CHECKED OUT BY A MECHANIC FRIEND. RELATED HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. HUSBAND TOOK IT OUT A FEW DAYS LATER TO SEE IF IT WAS ACTING ANY BETTER, DROVE JUST FINE AND THEN DID THE SAME THING. QUIT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, BUT HAVE NO MONEY. STRETCHED OUR BUDGET TO BUY RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION FOR OUR FAMILY. WAS TOLD BUICK WAS A RELIABLE AUTOMOBILE. HAS TURNED OUT TO BE THE WORST WE'VE EVER OWNED. ALSO, HAVE HAD TO HAVE THE WHEEL BEARINGS CHANGED TWICE, AND WE'VE ONLY HAD IT SINCE DECEMBER. MECHANIC SAYS IT'S A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH RENDEZVOUS. THE ONES WE GOT TO REPLACE THE BAD ONES WERE EVEN BAD. HAVE NO IDEA WHERE TO TURN. IT IS UNSAFE! I HAVE NO WAY TO TRANSPORT MY CHILDREN WITHOUT TAKING OUR TWO SMALLER CARS EVERYWHERE. I WOULD APPPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU COULD PROVIDE. THANKS AND HAVE A BLESSED DAY! *JB

2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS CONSUMER RETURNED FROM A TRIP AND FOUND BATTERY DEAD. NEXT MORNING CONSUMER GAUGES WERE NOT WORKING. *TS THE DEALER INSTALLED A MODULE TO CORRECT THE GAUGE PROBLEM. THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE DEALER INSTALLED ANOTHER MODULE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT PROBLEM WAS THE AIR CONDITION BLOWING HOT AIR, IT WAS SOON DISCOVERED THAT THE INCORRECT MODULE WAS INSTALLED. THE DEALER THEN NOTIFIED THE CONSUMER THAT THE RADIO KEPT THE AIR CONDITION FROM WORKING AND A NEW RADIO WAS NEEDED. THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS JUMP STARTED DUE TO A DEAD BATTERY, HE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE ALL TYPES OF PROBLEMS. *JB

DT: 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS SUV. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON OCTOBER 3, 2005. UPON IMPACT, THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AND CALLED MY MANUFACTURER, AND THEY ASKED QUESTIONS THAT DID NOT PERTAIN TO THIS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED TO SEE IF IT COULD BE FIXED. THIS WAS THE FIRST ACCIDENT. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. WAS KNOCKED ON CONSCIOUS, WHEN THE CONSUMER WOKE UP HE WAS IN THE AMBULANCE ON THE WAY TO THE HOSPITAL, AND THE DRIVER OF THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS ALSO INJURED AND TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. TOOK PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE. IT HAD ALL THE ORIGINAL PARTS. THE CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE IN 2003. THE ONLY DAMAGE MADE WAS TO CONSUMER'S VEHICLE AND THE OTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS WEARING SEAT BELTS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR. THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED WHY AIRBAGS NOT DEPLOYING. *AK

SAFETY HAZARD: CRACKED FUEL TANK LEAKING GASOLINE/GASOLINE VAPORS ON 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CAR IS DRIVEN ON CITY/HIGHWAY PAVEMENT AND HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY CRASH OR DRIVEN ON ROUGH OR OFFROAD TERRAIN. NOTE THAT ON NOV. 10, 2003 BUICK ISSUED A RECALL ON 2004 RENDEZVOUS FOR CRACKED FUEL TANKS. SEE NHTSA RECALL ID NUMBER 03V454000. WE NOTICED STRONG GASOLINE ODORS IN OUR GARAGE BEGINNING IN MID-SEPTEMBER. ON SEPTEMBER 30, WE COULD NOT START THE CAR AND HAD A BUICK DEALER TOW THE CAR TO DEALERSHIP TO IDENTIFY THE REASON FOR THE NO START AND CHECK FOR GASOLINE FUMES. THE DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED A BAD CELL IN THE CAR'S BATTERY, WORN FUEL LEVEL SENSORS AND A CRACKED FUEL TANK. THIS COMPLAINT ONLY DEALS WITH THE CRACKED FUEL TANK UNLESS NHTSA'S INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIES A LINK BETWEEN THE OTHERS. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED FROM DON STEIN BUICK IN OVERLAND PARK, KS AND TOWED TO JOHN BAILEY BUICK IN BUFORD, GA. ON TODAY, OCT 5, 2005, I WILL BE PICKING UP THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING REPLACEMENT OF THE GAS TANK. I HAVE ASKED THE BAILEY DEALERSHIP TO MAKE THE CRACKED GAS TANK AVAILABLE FOR MY REVIEW AND TRANSPORT. I INTEND TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE TANK PRIOR TO ACCEPTING CUSTODY OF IT. THE NHTSA HOTLINE REPRESENTATIVE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF NHTSA HAS ANY CHAIN OF CUSTORY PROCEDURES FOR CONVEYING THE CRACKED TANK TO NHTSA CUSTODY. (NOTE: I DO NOT KNOW THE EXACT PURCHASE DATE BUT DO KNOW THE CAR WAS PURCHASED IN JULY 2002. I HAVE LISTED JULY 15, 2002 AS AN APPROX. DATE.). *NM

A/C CONDENSER FAILURE IN 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. IN LATE JULY 2005, I NOTICED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT BLOWING COLD AIR. IN AUGUST, THE CAR DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT LOOKED AT THE PROBLEM, AND DETERMINED THAT THE A/C CONDENSER FAILED, AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $1,000. I REFUSED SERVICE. THIS CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD, AND IS GARAGED AND DRIVEN IN PENNSYLVANIA. THE A/C IS USED FOR APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR. WHY WOULD THIS PART FAIL AFTER 18 MONTHS OF USE? WHEN LOOKING AT THE NHTSA WEB SITE LISTING OF REPORTED PROBLEMS, I FOUND MANY INSTANCES OF THIS CONDENSER FAILURE IN THE 2002 RENDEZVOUS, PONTIAC AZTEK, AND THE CHEVY VENTURE VAN. ALL OF THESE CAR MODELS HAVE THE SAME CONDENSER PART INSTALLED. IS THERE ANY TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM? *NM