2002 Buick Rendezvous Powertrain & Transmission Problems

VEHICLE GAVE NO KIND OF NOTICE JUST STARTED JUMPING OUT OF GEAR GOING DOWN THE MAIN ROAD. IT WILL JUMP IN AND OUT OF GEAR AND JUST STOPS SHIFTING. HAVE TO TURN ENGINE OFF THEN BACK ON FOR IT TO GO BACK INTO GEAR AND SOMETIMES THAT STILL DOES NOT WORK. ALMOST GOT HIT FROM THE REAR BECAUSE IT JUMPED OUT OF GEAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ACCELERATION DECREASED AND THE ENGINE REVVED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

CAR IS RELUCTANT TO MOVE AT LOW SPEEDS (25/30 MPH). GEAR MOVES VERY RELUCTANTLY INTO HIGHER GEAR. HEAR LOUD CLUTTERING NOISES FROM GEAR BOX, METALS GRINDING AGAINST EACH OTHER. THIS CAUSES SLOWING THE TRAFFIC AND FEEL AS IF SOMEONE WILL HIT ME FROM BEHIND. FEEL UNSAFE TO DRIVE. SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING AND AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND HAD BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE FAILURE PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING, WHICH COULD HAVE LED TO A CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000.

AT 54,000 MILES AND ONLY 2 WEEKS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF THIS VEHICLE THE HEAD GASKET HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER ONLY 80,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE BLOWER FOR THE HEAT OR AIR CONDITIONER ONLY WORKS ON THREE OR ABOVE, THE AIR CONDITIONING NO LONGER WORKS, BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS MUST BE REPLACED, AN OUTER TIEROD IS BAD, TWO REAR BUSHINGS NEED TO BE REPLACED, THE FRONT RIGHT CONTROL ARM IS BROKEN, THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW GOES DOWN BUT NOT UP, IT IS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE AND THE TIRES KEEP GOING BAD BECAUSE THEY ARE WEARING INCORRECTLY. THIS CAR IS A TOTAL PIECE OF GARBAGE. EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND IT NEEDS ANOTHER REPAIR. THE COST OF THE REPAIRS IS ALMOST AS MUCH AS I HAVE PAID ON THE VEHICLE SO FAR. *TR

MANIFOLD LEAK/ ELECTRICAL. *TR

PURCHASED 02 RENDEZVOUS CXL AWD LAST FALL FROM DEALER. LAST WEEK VEHICLE STARTED ACTING LIKE IT WAS CONSTANTLY RUNNING IN 4WD OR DRAGGING AND WE NOTICED A WHINNING NOISE IN THE REAR END. TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER, WAS TOLD THAT THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BEARING WAS SHOT AND THE RIGHT ONE WAS STARTING TO GO BAD. ESTIMATED COST OF OVER $1,000. $303 FOR EACH WHEEL BEARING HUB ASSY (AUTO PART STORE MAX PRICE OF $134 EA) 1.4 HR LABOR FOR EACH SIDE (MANAGER SAID HIS MECHANIC COULD HAVE EACH SIDE DONE IN AN HOUR). EQUALS $606 ($338 IN PROFIT) IN PARTS AND $400 IN LABOR FOR 2 HOURS OF WORK. VEHICLE HAS 79,000 MILES AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO REPLACED EVERY 30-40,000 MILES. *NM

VEHICLE'S RPMS KEPT RACING WHEN GAS WAS PRESSED. EVENTUALLY FELT A SLIPPING IN GEAR WHEN CAR WAS IN DRIVE. SOON IT STARTED HAPPENING IN REVERSE. TOOK IN TO DEALERSHIP FOR DIAGNOSTICS AND A TEST DRIVE AND WAS TOLD NO ERROR CODES CAME UP AND NOTHING WAS WRONG. THIS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN AND ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF LATER - GEAR SHIFTING GOT MUCH ROUGHER AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN INITIALLY PUT INTO DRIVE, THEN WOULD JUMP INTO GEAR - BUT WOULD JUMP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING! BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER SERVICE COMPANY AND WAS TOLD IT WAS MAJOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 54,000 MILES ON IT AND IS USED MOSTLY FOR LOCAL DRIVING. I HAVE HEARD ABOUT 4 OTHERS WHO HAVE RENDEZVOUS STATE THAT THEY ARE HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITHIN THE PAST MONTH. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING EXTENSIVE TRANSMISSION WORK - SHOULDN'T HAPPEN ON SUCH LOW MILEAGE. BUICK SHOULD BE MADE TO LOOK INTO. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DIMMED FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE SECONDS. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THEY REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE ALONG WITH THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE HVAC CONTROL HEAD AND THE BATTERY CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HER HUSBAND REPLACED BOTH PARTS AND THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLINKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE THEN SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. AS OF NOVEMBER 8, 2007, THE MECHANIC HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE ELECTRONIC DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT OPERATE. AS OF NOVEMBER 8, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED TRANSMISSION FAILED. WHILE STOPPING AT A RED LIGHT SHE DEPRESSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *AK

INCIDENTS. MY 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS HAS HAD 3 TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, THE LAST ONE THE TRANSMISSION EXPLODED. PER SERVICE TECH. *JB

IT IS SUGGESTED THAT YOU CALL OUR AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON SPECIFIC DEFECTS, RECALLS, AND OTHER AUTO SAFETY QUESTIONS, AND TO REPORT AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY ISSUES SUCH AS THAT YOU DESCRIBE. THE NUMBER IS 1-888-327-4236. IN ADDITION, THE NHTSA WEB SITE @ WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV CAN BE USED TO OBTAIN VEHICLE SAFETY INFORMATION AS WELL AS REPORT POSSIBLE DEFECTS AS YOU DESCRIBE. -----ORIGINAL MESSAGE----- FROM: APPLIANCEMART [MAILTO:APPLIANCEMART@SPEEDNETLLC.COM] SENT: MONDAY, AUGUST 01, 2005 5:02 PM TO: SEIGEL, STU SUBJECT: I HAVE A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS WITH THE FOLLOWING PROBLEM SINCE: 7/31/05 I HAD LEFT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, AND MY WIFE WAS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD, AND SHE TRIED TO CLIMB OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE TO HIT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT COULD NOT MAKE IT AND SO SHE TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND THEN THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE AND RAN OVER HER LEFT LEG, BANGING HER UP PRETTY BADLY AND NOW SHE IS IN THE HOSPITAL. I KNOW THAT ENVOY'S, TRAILBLAZERS HAD A RECALL ON THEIR TRANS. SINCE THE LAST RECALL. I NEED TO KNOW HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED THIS AND TO GET IT REPAIRED. MY VEHICLE IS AN AWD, CXL, 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. CAN YOU PROVIDE ME WITH ANY INFORMATION. *JB WARNER GLASS MANAGER OF THE APPLIANCEMART. *JB

2004 BUICK RENDEVOUS 64K MILES - COMPLETE ATO TRANSMISSION FAILURE - INCLUDING TRANSFER ASSEMBLY. OCCURED 40MPH WITH NO PREVIOUS SIGNS OR SYMPTOMS - ALMOST CAUSED REAR END COLLISION. LOST ALL GEARS, 1,2 AND REVERSE - ONLY 3RD BARELY OPERABLE. 5 MILES FROM DEALER - HAD TO BE TOWED. SUPERIOR BUICK (KANSAS CITY) PULLED PAN - SAID LOT OF GROUND UP METAL. INITIAL COST $5K! INVESTIGATING OTHER CASES - FINDING GM KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM - IN SOME CASES DEALERS BUYING BACK '02 RDV'S. FINDING THIS EXACT SAME OCCURANCE WITH OTHER OWNERS IS NOT JUST A RANDOM - BUT MANY FAILURES. JUST 30 DAYS AGO ALSO HAD TO REPLACE ENTIRE AC CONDENSER UNIT $1,500 - NOW FINDING THIS TOO IS A GM DEFECT WITH LOT OF OTHER RDV OWENERS. WILL TRY TO PURSUE VEHICLE BACK BY FROM GM - SEEING A LOT OF 'LEMON' CASES OUT THERE.

HAD MY LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACE REAR BRAKES. STILL GETTING NOISE FROM REAR WHEELS, TOOK IT TO BUICK DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE. THEY ADJUSTED BRAKES AND THEY FAILED WITHIN A WEEK. I WAS THEN CHARGED $1000 PLUS A $400 RENTAL CAR BILL WHILE THEY "FIXED THE BRAKES." AFTER GETTING MY CAR BACK IT WAS STILL "WHIRRING", TURNS OUT THE PROBLEM WAS A HUB BEARING FAILURE ON ALL FOUR TIRES.

MY WIFE HAD A FLAT TIRE AND DESTROYED THE TIRE ON THE HIGHWAY. WE WERE SOLD THE TIRE MONITOR SYSTEM WITH THE CXL. IT IS ALSO CIRCLED IN OUR BROCHURE FROM THE SALESMAN. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE THE SYSTEM AND GM IS BLOWING US OFF! THIS IS FALSE ADVERTISING. *AK ALSO, THIS YEAR, BOTH REAR AXLE HUBS HAVE GONE BAD AS WELL AS PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR DRIVE MODULE.

AFTER REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND WITH NO WARNING THE CAR STARTED MAKING METALLIC NOISE IN FIRST GEAR AND REVERSE. NOISE DISAPPEARED IN SECOND GEAR. THE CONDENSER FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING FAILED. THE CAR HAS 44,600 MILES (MOST ARE HIGHWAY MILES). *JB THE DEALER HAS AGREED TO "SPLIT" THE ESTIMATED $4,576.

VEHICLE HAS 24,200 MILES. DEALER SAYS REAR (AWD) DIFFERENTIAL IS RUINED AND NEEDS REPLACEMENT. DEALER WON'T TELL ME IF CONDITION IS DANGEROUS. ODD NOISES NOTED FIVE MONTHS AGO. SECOND TIME TO DEALER. FIRST TIME - NO PROBLEMS NOTED. NOW TELL ME DIFFERENTIAL RUINED BY BAD TIRES (MANUFACTURERS CHOICE) - THIS NOT NOTED BY DEALER IN JUNE. IF TIRES ARE NOT PROPER SIZE, ETC. "AWD DISABLED" LIGHT IS SUPPOSED TO ILLUMINATE. HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS LIGHT ON THIS VEHICLE.*AK

(1)LOUD ROAD NOISE FROM RIGHT FRONT WHEEL, WHEEL BEARING FAILURE, DEALER REPAIR-VERY EXPENSIVE! (2)AC NO LONGER WORKED - AC CONDENSER FAILURE. DEALER REPAIR ALSO VERY EXPENSIVE!! (3) GAS GAUGE QUIT WORKING , MISC ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS- AT DEALER RIGHT NOW PROBABLY EXPENSIVE!!!

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. *AK