Problems · by component

2004 Buick Rainier electrical system problems

83 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Buick Rainier cite electrical system, 53% of all 158 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
83
53% of all complaints
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“LOW BEAM LIGHTS GO OUT WHEN RIGHT TURN SIGNAL IS APPLIED AND RETURNS TO CENTER POSITION. A/C COOLING FAN DOES NOT COOL COMPRESSOR ENOUGH TO RUN A/C AT LOW SPEEDS CAUSING PRESSURE TO BUILD UP IN FERON RECEIVER. CAR IS AT IDLE OR LOW SPEED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 14, 2017Electrical systemODI 11005370
“I'VE BEEN HAVING SPORADIC FLICKERING LOW BEAM ISSUES WITH THIS CAR SINCE I BOUGHT IT, AND HAVE SPENT UNTOLD HOURS AND TIME TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT INCLUDING TAKING IT TO THE DEALER. (I WORK NIGHTS.) LAST WEEK THE LOW BEAMS FAILED ON THE WAY HOME FROM WORK AT MIDNIGHT. RESEARCHED IT, AND FINALLY SAW THE RECALL FOR GMS AND SUBSEQUENTLY AN AP STORY ABOUT WIDENING THE RECALL THAT WAS DATED APRIL 29. (I WORK AT A NEWSPAPER AND SAW THE WIRE STORY). I BOUGHT AND REPLACED THE MODULE MYSELF LAST WEEK, AND THINGS ARE WORKING WELL NOW AND SEEM TO BE FIXED. HOWEVER, THE DEALER INFORMS ME THAT THIS CAR HAS NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE GM RECALL FOR FAILING HEADLIGHT MODULES, SO I CAN NOT GET MY MONEY BACK FOR THE MODULE. THIS MAKE AND YEAR MODEL SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT OTHER MODELS AND YEARS THAN HAVE BEEN RECENTLY RECALLED, ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE. IT TRULY IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND UP UNTIL LAST WEEK, I WAS ALWAYS WONDERING WHEN MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD FAIL. NOT A NICE FEELING WHEN YOU WORK NIGHTS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2017Electrical systemODI 10983108
“I TRIED TO GET MY CAR INSPECTED TODAY IN VIRGINIA BUT IT FAILED DUE TO THE DUMMY LIGHTS ON IN THE DASH BOARD ABS AND BRAKE. THE DEALER COULD NOT COMM WITH COMP BUT CHANGED THE FUSE FOR THE CIG LIGHTER THEN THE CODES READ EBCM MODULE FAULT.. IN 2014 MY RUNNING HEADLIGHTS WOULD JUST GO OUT.. NO LIGHTS UNTIL I PUT ON HIGH BEAMS I HAVE HAD THEM WORKED ON AND CHANGED BUT STILL BURN OUT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 20, 2016Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 10897381
“DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ELECTRICAL FIRE - VERY SIMILAR TO RECALL 15700 -FLUID ENTERED INTO THE DRIVER'S DOOR MASTER POWER WINDOW SWITCH MODULE, CAUSING CORROSION THAT COULD RESULT IN A SHORT IN THE CIRCUIT BOARD, CAUSING WINDOW SWITCHES, LOCKS, ETC TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. ALSO RESULTED IN AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. VEHICLE WAS UNATTENDED IN A PARKING LOT AND WINDOW WAS OPEN JUST AN INCH. UPON RETURN TO CAR WINDOW WAS UP AND DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN WITH REMOTE. OPENED VEHICLE WITH KEY AND NOTED HORRIBLE SMELL OF ELECTRICAL FIRE AND ALL DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ELECTRICAL FEATURES WERE INOPERATIVE”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2016Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10872658
“HAVE NOTICED AFTER A HEAVY AND DRIVING RAIN THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ACTS UP. WE CALL IT CRAZY CAR! ALL THE DASH LIGHTS BLINK & FLASH, BELLS DING AND GAUGES FLUCTUATE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS AT REST AND ON THE MOVE. WE SHUT THE ENGINE OFF, SIT FOR A MINUTE AND RESTART ONLY TO GET THE SAME THING. THAT MAY HAPPEN FOR THE ENTIRE RIDE DURATION OR WE MAY GET NO DASH LIGHTS AT ALL. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THERE IS A SHORT OR A MOISTURE THAT CREATES THIS HAPPENING BECAUSE AFTER A FEW DAYS OF GOOD SUNNY WEATHER WHERE THE WATER HAS EVAPORATED FROM THE ROADWAYS, OUR BELOVED RAINER COMES BACK TO NORMAL. WE STILL EXPERIENCE THE DIMMING OF THE HEADLIGHTS AS WE ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN WE ARE CRUISING WITH NO GAS PEDAL APPLICATION AT AROUND THE 32 MPH MARKING WHICH IS RATHER ANNOYING AS OTHER DRIVERS FEEL AS IF WE ARE FLASHING THEM. WE SEE A DOWN SURGE IN THE BATTERY GAUGE DROP FOR 14 VOLTS TO 11 VOLTS AND THEN COME BACK UP. SOMETIMES THIS CAN HAPPEN ONCE OR TWICE DURING A 10 MILE RIDE OR AS MANY AS 50! WE WONDER, WHEN, OH, WHEN WILL GM PAY ATTENTION TO THESE COMPLAINTS OR ARE WE JUST TALKING INTO THE WIND?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 4, 2015Electrical system, Exterior lightingODI 10723414
“AFTER PARKING MY VEHICLE AND SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS DID NOT TURN OFF AUTOMATICALLY. THERE IS NO SWITCH IN THE CABIN TO TURN THEM OFF AND THEY DID NOT TURN OFF ON THEIR OWN. I HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO SHUT THE LIGHTS OFF AND PREVENT THE BATTERY FROM DRAINING COMPLETELY. I LOOKED AT THE FUSES AND RELAYS NEXT TO THE BATTERY AND NOTICED THAT THE SOLID STATE RELAY NUMBER 46 CONTROLLING HDM WAS BULGED OUT ON ONE SIDE AND SMELLED LIKE BURNT ELECTRONICS. I SWAPPED RELAY 45 INTO THE 46 POSITION AND RECONNECTED THE BATTERY AND THE DAYTIME RUNNING LAMPS DID NOT ILLUMINATE WITH THE DIFFERENT RELAY IN PLACE. I NOTICED THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:14V755000, IN MY CASE IT WOULD NOT SHUT OFF AFTER THE RELAY FAILED. I HAVE NEVER REPORTED ANY VEHICLE PROBLEMS LIKE THIS BEFORE BUT WONDER IF A WIDER RECALL MAY NEED TO BE CONSIDERED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 27, 2015Electrical systemODI 10721777

Showing 6 of 83 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.