Problems · by component

2005 Buick Rendezvous electrical system problems

38 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2005 Buick Rendezvous cite electrical system, 28% of all 138 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
38
28% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I bought my car from a used car lot. I had it about 3-4 months and out of the blue it overheated very quickly, the warning light was on, some type of loud buzzer was going off so I pulled over and let it cool off, it took about 45 minutes but it started back up. I checked all the fluids and coolant levels and everything was ok. This continued to happen for about 3 weeks, quickly overheat, lights, alarms pulled over, checked fluids over and over. After about 3 weeks it would quickly overheat and then shut off on its own and several times it happened so fast I barely got off the road.i took it to a mechanic that drove it around a little until it overheated which at this point only took about 3 minutes to happen. He said there was air in my radiator and he released it and it was fixed, I drove about 3 miles and it overheated again so I returned to the same mechanic and after about 6 minutes he came and told me it was a head gasket but they didn't repair those there so I called the next closest mechanic who looked at the car for about 3 minutes, stuck an air hose in the radiator and he said it was blowing out gas fumes from the radiator meaning I had a cracked…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 28, 2023Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11541076
“IT FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT BUT ONLY SOMETIMES. ON OCCASION IT WILL BE DRIVING FINE THEN I GO TO PULL OFF FROM A STOP AND IT JUST WONT REALLY GO LIKE MAYBE SKIPS 1ST GEAR OR AT LEAST PART OF IT. IT'S CRAZY AND DANGEROUS. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT TO BE THE TRANSMISSION. ONLY HAPPENS FROM COMPLETE STOP, SOMETIMES. BUICK RENDEZVOUS 05”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 26, 2018Suspension, Power train, Electrical systemODI 11103995
“ONE DAY I WAS ON MY WAY TO DROP OF THE KIDS AT DAYCARE WHEN THE CARE SUDDENLY TURNS OFF, I WAS GOING AT LEAST 60 MPH;I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY. THANK GOD NOTHING HAPPENED , I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY I WAITED FOR A WHILE THEN MAYBE 15 MIN LATER IT TURNS BACK ON.I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT THE CAR STARTED SMELLING, LIKE GAS, I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC,SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY NEVER COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. AFTER THAT INCIDENT IT WENT DOWN HILL IT STARTED TO HEAT UP ON ME, WASTED MORE GAS, WOULD TURN OFF ON ME A LOT AND AIR/HEAT STOPPED WORKING. I REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION BECAUSE IT STARTED TO SLIP, THINKING THAT IT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM AND BOY WAS I WRONG. IT WAS STILL DOING THE SAME, THE SMELL WAS GETTING WORSE, I TOOK IT BACK TO MY MECHANIC. HE TOLD ME THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, I DIDN'T HAVE MORE MONEY. HE DID'T LET ME DRIVE HOME, HE WAS VERY WORRIED BECAUSE THE SMELL OF GAS WAS SO BAD, HE SAID THAT I SHOULD RISK MY KIDS AND MYSELF, THE CARE CAN CATCH ON FIRE. HE HAD THE TRUCK TOWED TO MY HOUSE DIDN'T CHARGE ME FOR IT AND I HAVEN'T MOVED IT SINCE THEN..IVE PUT SO MUCH MONEY IN THAT TRUCK, I KEPT UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE LIKE CLOCK WORK. I WAS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 12, 2016Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10819573
“WE FOUND OUT THAT WE HAD A PROBLEM WITH MY WIFE'S VEHICLE. INITIALLY, THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. I TOOK IT TO GET AN OIL CHANGE AND WAS ASKED TO COME INTO THE SHOP TO BE SHOWN THAT THE ANTIFREEZE WAS LIKE YOGURT IN THE RESERVOIR. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE NEEDED A COOLANT FLUSH. THIS LED TO BEING TOLD THAT WE NEEDED A NEW RADIATOR; BYPASS HOSE; AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HEAD GASKET JOB AMOUNTING TO APPROXIMATELY 1600.00. WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO OPEN RECALL BUT YET THERE WAS LITIGATION GOING ON REGARDING DEX-COOL ANTIFREEZE AND THAT IT WAS CAUSING ALL OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WERE AND ARE HAVING WITH THIS VEHICLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 24, 2015Electrical system, Unknown or other, EngineODI 10806588
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TPMS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY INDICATED THAT AIR NEEDED TO BE PLACED IN THE TIRES, ROTATED THE TIRES MORE THAN ONCE AND LATER INDICATED THAT TWO OF THE FOUR TIRES WERE FAILED. ADDITIONALLY, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE BATTERY BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 1, 2015Electrical system, WheelsODI 10760841
“ON, THURSDAY, JULY 9TH 2005, I TRIED TO START MY VEHICLE, IT STARTED BUT THE IGNITION SEEMED TO KEEP TRYING TO START. NONE OF THE START UP LIGHTS WORKED (OIL, BRAKE, SERVICE ENGINE, SEAT BELT), SO I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND TRIED RESTARTING IT AND IT WOULDN'T START. I KEPT TRYING TO START IT FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. I FINALLY GAVE UP AND WENT INSIDE. I CAME BACK OUT AND TRIED TO START IT AGAIN ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER AND IT STARTED UP JUST FINE AND EVERYTHING WAS WORKING INSIDE. ON MONDAY, JULY 13TH 2005, I TRIED TO START IT AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I WAITED ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP LIKE NOTHING WAS EVER WRONG. I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SOMEWHERE. I'M AFRAID OF WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF THE CAR STALLS WHILE I'M DRIVING IT. THE ABS SEEMS TO COME AND GO AS IT PLEASES AS WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 14, 2015Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 10733978

Showing 6 of 38 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.