NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

2005 Buick Rendezvous (Page 1 of 2)

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
71,545 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2005 Buick Rendezvous electrical problems

electrical problem

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2005 Buick Rendezvous Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #27

May 182023

Rendezvous

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I bought my car from a used car lot. I had it about 3-4 months and out of the blue it overheated very quickly, the warning light was on, some type of loud buzzer was going off so I pulled over and let it cool off, it took about 45 minutes but it started back up. I checked all the fluids and coolant levels and everything was ok. This continued to happen for about 3 weeks, quickly overheat, lights, alarms pulled over, checked fluids over and over. After about 3 weeks it would quickly overheat and then shut off on its own and several times it happened so fast I barely got off the road.i took it to a mechanic that drove it around a little until it overheated which at this point only took about 3 minutes to happen. He said there was air in my radiator and he released it and it was fixed, I drove about 3 miles and it overheated again so I returned to the same mechanic and after about 6 minutes he came and told me it was a head gasket but they didn't repair those there so I called the next closest mechanic who looked at the car for about 3 minutes, stuck an air hose in the radiator and he said it was blowing out gas fumes from the radiator meaning I had a cracked head. I had to tow it 200 miles to my house, my wife drove it back and forth to work which was only 1 miles from home, she was able to do that for about a month and then the engine would start stalling at different times such as slowing to turn, pulling in to park, and some times it would stall while driving in busy 4 lane roads. Well, a little over a month went by with all these things happening all the time and finally one day she came home from work and started to pull in the parking spot and it shut off again, we had to push it into the spot but once it shut off that day it has never started since

- Cabin Creek , WV, USA

problem #26

Jan 012018

Rendezvous

  • 144,000 miles
It feels like the transmission is going out but only sometimes. On occasion it will be driving fine then I go to pull off from a stop and it just wont really go like maybe skips 1st gear or at least part of it. It's crazy and dangerous. I do not believe it to be the transmission. Only happens from complete stop, sometimes. Buick Rendezvous

- Anderson, IN, USA

problem #25

Jun 152015

Rendezvous

  • miles
One day I was on my way to drop of the kids at daycare when the care suddenly turns off, I was going at least 60 mph;I was on the highway. Thank god nothing happened, I was able to pull over safely I waited for a while then maybe 15 min later it turns back on.I started to notice that the car started smelling, like gas, I took it to the mechanic, several times but they never could figure out what it was. After that incident it went down hill it started to heat up on me, wasted more gas, would turn off on me a lot and air/heat stopped working. I replaced the transmission because it started to slip, thinking that it will fix the problem and boy was I wrong. It was still doing the same, the smell was getting worse, I took it back to my mechanic. He told me that the head gasket needed to be replaced, I didn't have more money. He did't let me drive home, he was very worried because the smell of gas was so bad, he said that I should risk my kids and myself, the care can catch on fire. He had the truck towed to my house didn't charge me for it and I haven't moved it since then..ive put so much money in that truck, I kept up with the maintenance like clock work. I was just lucky that we never crashed we got close and we didn't blow up. I don't know weather I should take it in to a GM dealer to have them evaluate the truck to see if it is part of the recall.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #24

Jun 032013

Rendezvous

  • 174,925 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

We found out that we had a problem with my wife's vehicle. Initially, the vehicle was stationary. I took it to get an oil change and was asked to come into the shop to be shown that the antifreeze was like yogurt in the reservoir. We were told that we needed a coolant flush. This led to being told that we needed a new radiator; bypass hose; and last but not least, head gasket job amounting to approximately $1600. We were told that there was no open recall but yet there was litigation going on regarding dex-cool antifreeze and that it was causing all of the problems that were and are having with this vehicle.

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #23

Aug 032012

Rendezvous

  • miles
The contact owns a 2005 Buick Rendezvous. The contact stated that the TPMS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times and they indicated that air needed to be placed in the tires, rotated the tires more than once and later indicated that two of the four tires were failed. Additionally, the instrument panel failed on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the instrument panel but the failure recurred. In addition, the vehicle stalled on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced the battery but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

- Merlin, OR, USA

problem #22

Jul 092015

Rendezvous

  • 160,000 miles
On, Thursday, July 9th 2005, I tried to start my vehicle, it started but the ignition seemed to keep trying to start. None of the start up lights worked (oil, brake, service engine, seat belt), so I knew something was wrong. I turned the engine off and tried restarting it and it wouldn't start. I kept trying to start it for about 10 minutes. I finally gave up and went inside. I came back out and tried to start it again about 15 minutes later and it started up just fine and everything was working inside. On Monday, July 13th 2005, I tried to start it and nothing happened. I waited about 10 minutes and it started right up like nothing was ever wrong. I feel like there's a problem with the ignition somewhere. I'm afraid of what will happen if the car stalls while I'm driving it. The ABS seems to come and go as it pleases as well, I don't know if there have been any complaints about that.

- Pensacola, FL, USA

problem #21

Dec 292014

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 48,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

In the spring of 2012 (approximately 48,000 miles), I was driving in a 40 - 45 mph zone, made a sharp left turn into a parking lot and the engine shut down and power steering to shut down. I previously reported this incident to my local Buick dealer, pinegar Chevrolet, branson, mo, just to have this incident on record. On December 29, 2014 (89,000 miles) this same type event occurred when slowing down (in a 45 mph zone) and making a sharp left turn into a parking lot. Car shut off, had to completely stop, place gear in park and restart. Sounds like same ignition issues discovered in GM cars recently, but the Buick Rendezvous has not been included.

- Branson, MO, USA

problem #20

Apr 172014

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 61,939 miles
Speedometer giving inaccurate reading totally inoperable. All gauges instrument panel not working. AWD disable light remains on. Tachometer, speedometer, heat gauge reads erroneous speeds higher than true speeds. High 135mph when stopped. Totally inoperable.

- Lucerne Valley, CA, USA

problem #19

Sep 102014

Rendezvous

  • 184,540 miles
I was driving and my headlights flickered then I lost low beams.. parked and went back out to go to the store and I had no lights low beams wouldn't work fog light stop working and high beams stopped working look in fuse box to see if a fuse blew and 6 fuses blew and shot sparks out of the fuse box under the hood.

- Independence, WV, USA

problem #18

Jun 042012

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
While traveling from Utah to Iowa on interstate 80 with the cruise control set at roadway speed. After some time the speedometer kept climbing while the speed of the vehicle decreased. After stopping at a rest area the speedometer never moved. It was just stuck at approximately 112 mph. Luckily we were given a gps with speedometer built in as a gift. Leaving the rest stop, we continued our journey, and by the time we made it to Iowa the speedometer gauge was facing straight down whether we were stopped or driving road speeds. We did not take it to a dealership immediately because we have three small children and after sitting in the car that long, we could not justify sitting at a dealership for hours on end. Around five days after arriving in Iowa, the speedometer started working again. This greatly confused me, because when something breaks on a vehicle, it tends to stay broken. On our travels back to Utah the samething happened to the speedometer, so as soon as we arrived in Utah, I dropped my spouse and children off at home, and took it to the dealership. I explained the problem and my situation and they came to the conclusion of a loose or broken connection deep behind the dash. Here is the "kicker", according to them there was no recall for this said problem and that it would cost $600 to fix. As I am not the original owner of the vehicle it was purchased as is from a dealership in Iowa. I unfortunately do not have $600 to spend to repair the vehicle. We now have 86,365 miles on a vehicle that the speedometer no longer works. I cannot see how it is not a safety recall, but I am not in big business. So I feel I am taking the appropriate steps to fix the problem for not only myself, but all the others' comments that I have read.

- Hill Afb, UT, USA

problem #17

Jun 062014

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 112,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Started vehicle and began out of driveway, security light came on, gas gauge, tach gauge, temperature gauge and odometer stopped working, car will start but not running right, I parked the car due to safety. This exact problem was recalled by GM on the 2004 model but not 2005 model, needs to be recalled.

- Rochester, NH, USA

problem #16

Mar 282013

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 50,000 miles
We have had numerous issues with the 2005 Buick Rendezvous. The biggest issue is the fuel loss. The car is leaking fuel. Peoria Kia stated that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle and since we purchased it used it was as is. This is very dangerous and we need to get the fuel and electrical system fixed..we have two children and it is not safe for us. I am glad that I found this recall information but I need help getting the fuel and electrical system fixed.

- Kennesaw, GA, USA

problem #15

Mar 182014

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
When turning into my driveway the engine shuts off losing all steering. This has happened several times in the past (since 2009) usually when turning right from a stop sign or turning right into my driveway.

- Bethpage, TN, USA

problem #14

Mar 122014

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 81,000 miles
Update: Prior issues were due to BCM failure which that was my assumption based on numerous owner reviews. This part is a major safety issue if fails and Buick is aware and won't recall. These should last for the life of the vehicle. Occasionally one will go bad but shouldn't. the fact that many Rendezvous models face this issue of failure prematurely shows that it is a defective product! many have almost dies due to this failure. Car shutting off and lights going out while driving down highways/ expressways.

- Crystal Lake, IL, USA

problem #13

Mar 122014

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 81,000 miles
I started driving my car and a few blocks away my locks started to lock and unlock constantly and they would not stop. My seat moved on its own (has electric memory seating). The car started to shake like it was going to die. As soon as I came to a stop the car started to shake and would not accelerate. An "error" messages displayed under the non working speedometer where your miles usually show". came to another stop and tried to turn onto a street and the car would not accelerate and kept "jumping" all the while the locks were still locking and unlocking and my running daytime headlights kept flickering on and off. I'm lucky that the car didn't just quit with oncoming traffic. From what I read, it's the BCM and this causes major problems regarding the safety of the vehicle. Buick is aware and will not make a recall on this defective part. (a part that is supposed to last for the lifetime of the vehicle).. a part that has caused some drivers to lose power and headlights while traveling down highways! I'm taking my car into Buick tomorrow for a diagnostic (which I can't afford more problems with a car that cost $40K in 2005 and only has 81K miles on it!!) when they say luxury vehicle. I think Buick meant "luxury expense" just to own one! electrical issues shouldn't almost cause an accident or injury!

- Crystal Lake, IL, USA

problem #12

Feb 132013

Rendezvous

  • 98,647 miles
I was driving down eastern and stewart in las vegas nv when the car stalled and would not start again while trying to coast into a 7-11 parking lot hit a wall and car rear ended me. I replaced the fuel pump, ecv and the vehicle worked fine there was gas leaking from the ecv now I cant get the car to start at all I believe it has to do with the electronic ignition system.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #11

Feb 182013

Rendezvous

  • 140,534 miles
Stepper motors in the instrument cluster failing. One gauge goes bad they all do. Cannot determine how much gas I have or how fast I am going cause all needles point down or stop at 70. I can be at a red light, completely stopped and it says I am going 110 mph. I have a 4 year old, a 5 year old, and a 5 month old in the back of the car. Its pretty scary for them as well. I have seen this is a common problem with GM made cars from 2000-2005. Wouldn't you think they would fix this by now? not happy with this car at all.

- Warren, OH, USA

problem #10

Mar 222012

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 83,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Buick Rendezvous. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the speedometer displayed a different reading. The contact noticed the failure because the gps system was displaying the accurate mph. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they stated that the failure needed to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 83,000. Updated 08/01/12 the consumer stated the speedometer was giving an inaccurate reading. Updated 08/01/12

- Athens , GA, USA

problem #9

Oct 212011

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • 100,772 miles
Transmission clunks, jumps and shifts at the wrong times and at the wrong speeds. This can be felt and heard as a loud bank and whole vehicle jerk by all passengers. Unnerving as well as concern for safety. Two trips to the dealer without any solution.

- Vail, AZ, USA

problem #8

Mar 042010

Rendezvous

  • 80,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Buick Rendezvous. For the last two months she noticed that the brakes seemed to be locking when they were applied which made it difficult to stop the vehicle. When the dealer diagnosed the failure there were no failure codes. On April 12, 2010, the failure recurred; however, on April 19, 2010 the dealer stated that the vehicle was safe to drive and no failure codes were detected. While the contact was driving the service traction, ABS and brake lights were illuminated on the instrument panel when the failure occurred. The dealer drove the vehicle and stated that they were unable to duplicate the failure. The failure became progressively worse and it became more difficult to stop the vehicle when the brakes were applied. The service manager drove the vehicle on April 21, 2010 and was able to duplicate the failure; however, they were unable to determine what caused the failure to occur. The failure occurred at least three times in ten days. The vehicle had not been repaired when the complaint was filed. The VIN was not available. The current mileage was 85,851 and the failure mileage was 86,000.

- Abilene, TX, USA

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