Problems · NHTSA complaints
2003 Buick Rendezvous problems
Owners filed 284 complaints about the 2003 Buick Rendezvous with NHTSA between Mar 2003 and Mar 2022. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (55).
Complaints
284
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
13
Reported by owners
Injuries
13
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling55
- Electrical system46
- Fuel/propulsion system43
- Fuel system, gasoline36
- Service brakes, hydraulic30
- Power train25
- Suspension21
- Visibility21
- Steering17
- Service brakes13
- Engine9
- Equipment9
- Structure9
- Air bags7
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 Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
16
16
34
26
36
20
14
12
14
12
10
23
24
10
3
5
1
4
2
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 16 |
| 2004 | 16 |
| 2005 | 34 |
| 2006 | 26 |
| 2007 | 36 |
| 2008 | 20 |
| 2009 | 14 |
| 2010 | 12 |
| 2011 | 14 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 10 |
| 2014 | 23 |
| 2015 | 24 |
| 2016 | 10 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
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
Engine and engine cooling
55 reports2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK VIOLENTLY. FURTHERMORE, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FLUID AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,200.”
Electrical system
46 reports7 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. *TT *TR”
Fuel/propulsion system
43 reports
“After filling the fuel tank there is a strong gas odor that is present until the tank is almost empty. When walking around the vehicle or loading/unloading the vehicle, the strong gas odor is always present. This vehicle was at a dealership and they took it to the local personal auction company where i bid on it and bought it along with household items.”
Fuel system, gasoline
36 reports1 related recall
“I AM HAVING TROUBLE OUT OF MY VEHICLE. I HAVE REPLACE SEVERAL PARTS AND STILL HAVE NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR AND CUT IT OFF I HAVE TO WAIT 30-45 MINS. BEFORE IT WILL START AGAIN. I HAVE CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP 3 TIMES AND OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR AND I HAVE NOT YET FOUND A SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD THE TRUCK FOR A YEAR AND EIGHT MONTHS. THE VEHICLE IS MOTION BUT IT CUTS OFF AND I HAVE TO WAIT 30-45 MINS. BEFORE MY TRUCK CAN RESTART. IT'S BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME MONTHS AND I HAVE CHANGED MANY PARTS AND IT STILL DOES THE SAME THING. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
30 reports2 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS USED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO NOTICED THAT THE WARNING INDICATOR LOW BRAKE FLUIDS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINES THAT CROSSED OVER FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WERE FRACTURED DUE TO RUST ON THE INSIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000. UPDATED 09/05/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED WHICH CAUSED THE LEAK. THE RUST WAS HIDDEN UNDER THE SHIELD. UPDATED 12/4/2014 *JS”
Power train
25 reports
“DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD ALL OF A SUDDEN NO MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE DRIVING AND THE TEMPARTURE OF CAR IT SLIPS WHILE IN DRIVE OUT OF GEAR AND STARTS IN GEAR WHEN IT WANTS TO WHICH IS BAD ON HIGHWAY GOING 55-70 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN CARS ARE BEHIND YOU AND YOU CAN NOT GO ANY SPEED BUT COAST AND IS GETTING WORSE”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.