Problems · by component

2002 Buick Rendezvous electrical system problems

105 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2002 Buick Rendezvous cite electrical system, 21% of all 498 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
105
21% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“MY VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE HEAT. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS BLOWING COLD AIR OR NOT BLOWING AT ALL. BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO ADDRESS THE HEATING ISSUE, THE VEHICLE RAN HOT AND CONTINUED TO RUN HOT UNTIL A MECHANIC REPLACED THE THERMOSTAT AND THE COOLANT AND CU AT 2/3 SLIT IN THE RUBBER UNDER THE HOOD. IT CAME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE VEHICLE HAD OVERHEATING PROBLEMS BEFORE IT WAS SOLD TO ME. I HAVE SINCE TRIED TO SELL IT AND FOUND TH ST IT WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY TWO CAR BUYING/SELLING WEBSITES DUE TO PREVIOUS SALVAGE. I PURCHASED FROM A BUY-HERE PAY- HERE. IT STILL HAS OVER HEATING ISSUES AND IT STILL HAS NOT HEAT BLOWING INSIDE. I WANT TO KNOW IF REPAIRS WILL HELP SINCE IT'S REGARDED AS A SALVAGE. IS IT LAWFUL TO SELL A SALVAGED VEHICLE KNOWING THE PURCHASER WAS PUTTING THE CAR ON THE ROAD? I BOUGHT THE CAR IN OHIO AND I LIVE IN NEW YORK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 22, 2018Electrical system, Unknown or otherODI 11080955
“WHEN DRIVING THE BUICK RENDEZVOUS 2002 HOME THE BRAKES BEGAN TO NOT RESPOND. AFTER ARRIVING HOME AND DRIVING DOWN OUR DRIVEWAY, THE SUV HAD SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE BUICK RENDEZVOUS WAS TURNED OFF BUT CONTINUED TO EXPELLED LARGE AMOUNTS OF SMOKE UNDER THE ENGINE AREA. WITHIN 5 MINUTES THE ENGINE AREA CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE BOZRAH FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED WITHIN 15 MINUTES OR SO THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 1, 2016Electrical system, Service brakesFire reportedODI 10891970
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE FILLED WITH SMOKE FROM THE FRONT INTERIOR VENTS. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND VACATED THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CAUGHT FIRE. THE WIRE HARNESS FROM THE FUSE BOX TO THE FIREWALL WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED. THE DETAILS OF THE RECALL WERE NOT PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2016Electrical system, Visibility/wiperFire reportedODI 10881570
“DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OVER HEAT LIGHT COMES ON TRIED EVERYTHING TOOK TO SERVICE AND HEAD CASKETS NEED REPLACED! 28 DAYS AFTER PURCHASING A USED AS IS VEHICLE!EVERYTHING I HAD TO PURCHASE A JUNK.LOOKS GOOD ON THE OUTSIDE AND RUN GOOD FOR FIRST FEW WEEKS EVEN TOOK TO MIDAS BEFORE PURCHASING ALL THE FIXES ALL VERY WELL HIDDEN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 7, 2015Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10808818
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AS A BEEPING NOISE WENT OFF IN THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE RADIO LOCKED UP AND BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 189,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 23, 2015Electrical systemODI 10736090
“VALET PERSON WAS PARKING MY RENDEZVOUS IN DEC 2012 AND SAID AS HE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP HE NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM HOOD. 2,000 IN DAMAGES. MY BIGGEST COMPLAINTIS THAT I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS TWICE IN THE PAST SIX YEARS. I KEEP BEING TOLD THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL BECAUSE GM HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE A NEW CAR NOW WITH ALL THE REPAIRS IVE PUT INTO THIS, AND ITS PROBABLY NOT WORTH MUCH. WE HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT GM VEHICLES BUT WE MAY THINK LONG AND HARD BECAUSE ONCE THEIR OFF THE LOT IT SEEMS NO ONE CARES AND NO ONE WANTS TO BACK UP THEIR PRODUCT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 27, 2015Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10721812

Showing 6 of 105 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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