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
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Electrical system38
  2. Fuel system, gasoline20
  3. Exterior lighting15
  4. Air bags7
  5. Vehicle speed control7
  6. Suspension7
  7. Service brakes, hydraulic7
  8. Fuel system, other6
  9. Steering5
  10. Engine5
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)5
  12. Structure5
  13. Engine and engine cooling5
  14. 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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20055
20061
20072
20084
20098
20109
201119
201210
20135
201411
201513
20165
20175
20182
20190
20202
20210
20221
20231

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.

03 —Owner reports

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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 1, 2020Steering, Electrical system, EngineODI 11292507

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2014Fuel system, gasolineODI 10609886

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 15, 2022Exterior lighting, VisibilityODI 11497621

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…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 22, 2023Air bagsODI 11533809

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 1, 2020Vehicle speed control, Unknown or other, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11292508

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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 18, 2014SuspensionODI 10667140
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.