Problems · NHTSA complaints
2005 Buick Rainier problems
Owners filed 103 complaints about the 2005 Buick Rainier with NHTSA between Mar 2005 and Jul 2023. The most-cited component is electrical system (38).
Complaints
103
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Electrical system38
- Fuel system, gasoline20
- Exterior lighting15
- Air bags7
- Vehicle speed control7
- Suspension7
- Service brakes, hydraulic7
- Fuel system, other6
- Steering5
- Engine5
- Electronic stability control (esc)5
- Structure5
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Power train3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
1
2
4
8
9
19
10
5
11
13
5
5
2
0
2
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 8 |
| 2010 | 9 |
| 2011 | 19 |
| 2012 | 10 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Electrical system
38 reports1 crash2 fires
“POWER STEERING LEAKS, THE GAS GAUGE AND OTHER GAUGES DON'T WORK, MOST THE ELECTRICAL DON'T WORK INSIDE THE CAR, MAKES A WEIRD NOISE WHEN IT BACKS UP AND THE ENGINE REVS WHEN IT'S STARTS AND SOMETIMES WHEN IT DRIVES AND GOES FASTER EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT HITTING THE GAS”
Fuel system, gasoline
20 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL GAUGE SENSOR FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.”
Exterior lighting
15 reports
“The contact owns a 2005 Buick Rainier. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front windshield wipers and wiper fluid spray activated independently and failed to turn off. The contact also stated that occasionally the headlights would inadvertently turn off; requiring the vehicle to be restarted before the vehicle regained headlight functionality. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The contact referenced the headlight failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V519000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.”
Air bags
7 reports4 crashes
“My 16 year old son was making a left hand turn out of a school onto a road with no curve, no hole, no accident but the 4 side air bags deployed for no reason. He was OK and pulled over for safety and got a ride home. We had it towed home and contacted gmac buick and they had it towed to a dealership and had a diagnostic test ran and found no reason for them to deploy but they said the car had been altered because we had put subs and a radio in it through a lisc. Professional but that makes them not liable for anything that would happen. They said putting a radio in can cause the bags to deploy or brakes to fail and it is in their manual and they are not liable for any problem if we alter the car in any way. If this is the case anyone with an aftermarket radio should be warned that their child car anyone can be killed and it will. E no one's fault. I am out a car because insurance said they don't cover it because it wasn't an accident and GMAC says it happens not uncommonly but that they will not help in any way. They told me I was not allowed to talk abijt this to anyone. They read me a statement on the phone which said I can not talk outside of GMAC. They…”
Vehicle speed control
7 reports
“POWER STEERING LEAKS, THE GAS GAUGE AND OTHER GAUGES DON'T WORK, MOST THE ELECTRICAL DON'T WORK INSIDE THE CAR, MAKES A WEIRD NOISE WHEN IT BACKS UP AND THE ENGINE REVS WHEN IT'S STARTS AND SOMETIMES WHEN IT DRIVES AND GOES FASTER EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT HITTING THE GAS, THE GAS TANK BLOWS OUT GAS WHEN WE ARE PUMPING GAS LIKE IT'S FULL BUT IT'S NOT, THE WINDOW CRACKED FROM A LITTLE PEDDLE AND THE WHEELS AND HUBS GO BAD REALLY FAST.”
Suspension
7 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY LOWERED TO THE GROUND. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE BOUNCED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR COMPRESSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.