NHTSA — Equipment: Appliance: Air Conditioner Problems

2002 Buick Rendezvous (Page 1 of 2)

2.3

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
67,718 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.

2002 Buick Rendezvous accessories - interior problems

accessories - interior problem

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2002 Buick Rendezvous Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #29

Jan 012011

Rendezvous

  • 200 miles

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

The contact owns a 2002 Buick Rendezvous. The contact stated that the fuel system, air conditioning and the engine failed. The fuel gauge would not indicate when the fuel tank was full or empty. The air conditioning would not blow cool air and the engine was exhibiting an abnormal knocking noise. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 200 and the current mileage was 1,794.

- Brooksville , FL, USA

problem #28

Apr 122009

Rendezvous

  • 56,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Buick Rendezvous. When the engine was started the contact could hear the engine rods and lifters knocking. The noise would stop after 3 mins. The contact has kept up with regular maintenance on the vehicle. The vehicle has not been taken to the dealer for this problem. The contact also stated that the fuel level sensor failed and the air conditioner recharge unit failed and he has had them repaired. The current mileage was 56000 miles.

- Cedar Crest, NM, USA

problem #27

Aug 182007

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65,000 miles
On my 2002 Buick Rendezvous the A/C would not cool. Went to mechanic. Added coolant and test dye for leaks. Found A/C condenser to have a leak. Bought new condenser and installed it. Upon further investigation on the internet it was suggested that a complaint be filed here due to the overly excessive incidents involving the A/C condenser on the model vehicle.

- Roseland, LA, USA

problem #26

Aug 262004

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 88,000 miles

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

Air conditioner went out at 41,000 miles---can't afford to replace front wheel-bearing went out at 80,000---can't afford to replace intake gasket blown at 89,000---can't afford to replace.

- Osawatomie, KS, USA

problem #25

Jul 152007

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 620,000 miles
Air conditioner would infrequently work. Seemed to work when the car was at highway speed but not at idle. Thought at first this was a property of the vehicle. Never could find a reference that would indicate that. Check ac pressure and it was low. Inserted a dye charge and found the condensor was cracked on the passenger side. Seems to be close to the mounting bracket.

- Brentwood, TN, USA

problem #24

Apr 012007

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 58,468 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Buick Rendezvous. While at the dealer for regularly scheduled maintenance, the contact was informed that the vehicle needed new brakes, rotors, and a body control module. All of the parts were replaced. Most recently, the air conditioner began blowing hot air and the dealer replaced the core assembly shroud valve, in addition to the hose that connects to the shroud valve. The air conditioning failed again and the vehicle is currently back at the dealer. The current mileage was 64,352 and failure mileage was 58,468.

- Topeka, KS, USA

problem #23

Sep 152007

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,000 miles

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

My car has a gas leak from the fuel tank. The intake manifold gaskets are leaking. I have an musty odor in the car along with gas smell. The air condition failed last week due to what I find out now is a known issue. The gasket failure is a known issue the fuel tank is a known issue. How can you allow a manufacturer get away with this.

- Birdsboro, PA, USA

problem #22

Sep 012007

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,000 miles
I bought my 02 Buick Rendezvous in Oct of 05. It had 53K. I just hit 90K the largest part is highway miles from this passed year with several deaths in my family. To start with my passenger floor would get soaked. At first I thought the window was left down or the sunroof was leaking. I checked and the rubber is still intact and I can spray water on the roof and nothing leaks in. The tract around the sunroof is not wet. One morning my on star system had water dripping from it but no water was felt around the sun roof and the windshield sits below it. This had been going on since I got the car. Now within the past 6 months everything on the car is failing. My driver door will not lock with the remote. This is a 300 motor. My coolant disappears from reserve with no sign of leaking. I had the check engine light come on and the first day off I had to go get it checked it went off. My ac stopped working. I have 3 kids and no ac in 100 weather suxs. Had it charged and within 2 weeks back to no ac now after weeks of research I am finding out that the intake gaskets on this motor are made from nylon and the dex cool that is said to be used in it can eat them prematurely. I have been stranded on the highway because my car was over heating. The ac condenser is also known to go out regular. I just bought brand new tires in may and had the alignment done. I noticed that the front of my car has began to shake and the front left tire is ate up. I am wondering if this is the bearing problem that this vehicle was recalled for. I am not understanding why the government is not forcing GM to recall this vehicle. My research has found hundreds if not thousands of these problems. A class action lawsuit in Canada not including the recall that Canada has forced over this exact yr and model. I still owe a lot of money on this car and my repairs are almost more then what I owe.

- Noble, OK, USA

problem #21

Jan 012006

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,000 miles
The contact owns a 2002 Buick Rendezvous. When the brakes were applied at 5 mph, the vehicle slid and felt as if it were driving over gravel. The vehicle took approximately 5-10 seconds to completely stop. The road conditions were not a factor. The dealer replaced the left and right wheel bearing as well as the control module. The current mileage was 71,000 and failure mileage was 68,000. The consumer stated has always had off and on problems with brakes the problem being if brakes are applied under 30 mph they will not respond the car feels as if you are sliding. The consumer stated that the anti lock light comes on. The dealer stated ac not working properly. Updated 08/28/07

- Wapwallopen, PA, USA

problem #20

Dec 062005

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,168 miles
Air condition not working properly, took to a dealer and found A/C condenser defective. Dealer replaced condenser. Front passenger side tire making a grating sound when making a sharp turn, took to dealer, and found passenger side tie rod defective it was replaced 1 year and 6 months ago. The problem has recurred.

- Anderson, SC, USA

problem #19

Jun 292006

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 86,000 miles

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

I purchased my 2002 Buick Rendezvous cxl in early 2003. By 2004 I had to have the A/C condenser replaced, the shocks & struts replaced and numerous problems with the A/C. then in summer of 2006 the car engine started misfiring and the car stalled out with smoke coming out of the hood, etc. Had it towed to Buick, they said the engine had a leak somewhere and water leaked into the oil...huh" anyway, of course even though I had the extended warranty, I was just out of warranty and they refused to fix it. The option was to replace the engine for $6,000. This vehicle was already paid off and worth about $14K prior to the engine blowing up. I ended up selling it for $3K. Is this normal" I think not. I submitted my case to several "lawyer" claiming to specialize in this type of rip off activity by car manufacturers but they said it wasn't worth it to them to pursue it. Maybe if someone had died it would be worth more. I would like to see Buick at least admit poor manufacturing and refund me some of my money. I took a loss of $11K on this vehicle.

- Wilmington, DE, USA

problem #18

Mar 042007

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,000 miles
I have a 2002 Buick Rendezvous and I believe it should be recalled. We have had many problems with this car! on top of our 400 dollar a month car payment we can not afford to replace all of these problems. Our ac condenser and blower do not work properly. In fact only the two highest settings of the heater work on our car. So it's great driving hours to christmas knowing that our three young daughters will either be freezing or sweating. Next the wheel bearings went. That was going to be a very costly repair. We purchased a wheel bearing at sturdevants to help us save money. Then when that didn't fix the problem we brought it into the Buick dealership again. Only then did they tell us that they were recalled and replaced them for free. The 150 we spent personally to buy the wheel bearing? too bad GM said. The electrical unit does not work properly. The car will lose power or not start at all sometimes like the battery is dead, but then it will work fine 20 minutes later. My kids love sitting in a cold car when it's 20 below zero here in South Dakota for 20 minutes until our car decides to start. This is great for the 8 month old baby. A small gust of wind hit our car door when we were getting out and now the whole darn thing is off it's track and ruining the front panel of our car. We can barely get the door open at all. Another repair we can not afford. Every spare dollar that we have gets put into this [xxx] car. We pay 400 dollars a month in car payments and the rest of our money fixing it. Too bad for my daughters that we can't afford to put money in their college fund until we get a reliable car. Only 3 more years left on our loan. Wonder if the whole [xxx] thing will blow up before we get it paid off. We've only owned it 7 months!!!!!! information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Sioux Falls, SD, USA

problem #17

Sep 032006

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 57,578 miles
At approx 20,000 miles my air conditioner unit went bad. I believe it was the condenser. At approx 23,000 miles my radio will stay on after we exited the car and would drain our battery. Took it to the dealer and found no problems. They regrounded the electrical system. After a couple of hundred miles same issue returned and didn't bother taking it to the dealer. At approx 30,000 miles we were getting a check engine light but dealer didn't find anything. They thought it was air in the fuel tank. Had same issues for a couple of times but didn't bother taking it to the dealer. At approx 45,000 -50,00 the computer unit went bad. The speedometer, odometer, temperature gauge and fuel gauge was going haywire. The dealer replaced the computer unit and at the same time they found the intake manifold gasket was bad. They went ahead and replaced it. At approx 50,00 - 52,000 the key cylinder went bad. I couldn't put in the ignition key and had to tow the truck to the dealer. I never had those problems with previous vehicles. Now at approx 57,500 miles there is a noise in the engine compartment. There's no noise when the engine idles when the car is stopped. When the truck starts speeding up you hear a hum in the engine compartment. The faster you go the louder it gets. It also gets louder if you steer to the right. I have to take it to the dealer to find out what's wrong. The problem is that after you get the car fixed, there's always some other things going bad. Once after another. I have to be at the dealer once a month. There is a website that you can reference to these similar incidents that correspond to what I have been experiencing. It is www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_75095.html.

- Colton, CA, USA

problem #16

Jun 112006

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 14,000 miles
Brought a new 2002 Buick Rendezvous cx from a dealer. At about 10,000 miles the car started having numerous problems that were beyond normal wear and tear. Starting with the engine light and other problems. They were repaired under the warranty. But about 24,000 and without warranty, the car got overheated for a 15 minutes traffic jam. Turned out the front wheel bearing needed to be replaced, and the ac sensor wasn't working. Replaced the front wheel bearing sensor. About 6 months later, the other wheel bearing needed to be replaced. Just about 1 month ago and 35,000 miles later, the overheated problem happened again, compounded with the A/C linkage, and the ABS sensor wasn't working. I paid $1,200 for fixing the overheat problem and replacing the ABS sensor. I didn't fix the ac linkage because it would cost me another $900!! now I am so worry that another major problem going to happen anytime soon. I am so disappointed with this car. I am hoping GM will issue a recall and stop cheating consumers.

- Salem, NH, USA

problem #15

Aug 182005

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 73,000 miles
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"

- Halifax, PA, USA

problem #14

Jul 012005

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,000 miles
The air conditioning stopped blowing cold air on our 2002 Rendezvous. When we took it to the dealer we were told that the condenser needed to be replaced at a cost of over $800 and that the intake gasket also needed to be replaced. We ended up having both replaced at a cost of over $1500 to us. When having repaired we were told that both of these problems are very common on GM vehicles. We were past warranty so the dealer was of no help with the cost. After reviewing other complaints on the NHTSA web site, it appears that both of these parts are failing and GM needs to take responsibility for the repairs.

- Fayetteville, NC, USA

problem #13

Aug 292005

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 60,173 miles
The air conditioner on my 2002 Rendezvous stopped cooling when the car had 60713 miles. I took the car into the dealer and was told that the condenser had 2 holes in it and it would need to be replaced. This repair was completed at a total cost of $910.

- Kennesaw, GA, USA

problem #12

Jul 012005

Rendezvous

  • miles
Air conditioning not working-condenser cracked bottom right corner. Intake manifold gasket leaking on 02 Buick Rendezvous.

- Battle Ground, WA, USA

problem #11

Apr 012004

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 65,000 miles
Cooling system: Air conditioning condenser leakage and failure in 2002 Buick Rendezvous A/C condenser needed to be replaced for this 2 year-old vehicle.

- Raleigh, NC, USA

problem #10

Aug 172004

Rendezvous 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 44,580 miles
After regular maintenance and with no warning the car started making metallic noise in first gear and reverse. Noise disappeared in second gear. The condenser for the air conditioning failed. The car has 44,600 miles (most are highway miles). The dealer has agreed to "split" the estimated $4,576.

- Rochester, NY, USA

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