There are 26 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2003 Buick Rendezvousin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
VEHICLE WILL GO A FEW MILES AND STALL ILLUMINATING BATTERY LIGHT.IF YOU LET VEHICLE SIT WILL RESTART ONLY GO A FEW MORE MILES. FINALLY CAR WILL TURN OVER FOR SPLIT SECOND AND RPM WILL GO ALL THE WAY DOWN AND CAR WILL STALL. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HAD THREE DIFFERENT MECHANICS LOOK AT VEHICLE CAN NOT DIAGNOSE CHANGED JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING UNDER HOOD.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED, THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO PROVIDE AN ACCURATE READING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 191,186.
WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHITE/TERRIBLE SMELLING SMOKE CAME ROLLING OUT OF THE VENTS INSIDE MY VEHICLE. IT WAS SO BAD THAT I HAD TO PULL OVER, AS IT WAS BURNING MY THROAT/NOSE/EYES AND MADE ME DIZZY- THIS WAS IN A MATTER OF JUST A FEW SHORT MINUTES. NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS OR OTHER SIGNS OF VEHICLE MALFUNCTION OCCURRED AT THAT TIME; HOWEVER, THIS WAS A VERY ALARMING SAFETY SITUATION FOR MY CHILDREN, WHO WERE ALSO IN THE VEHICLE...! THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED, ALONG WITH THE POLICE AND A TOW TRUCK; AS I OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT WILLING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ANY FURTHER! DISTURBINGLY, MY INSURANCE COMPANY (GE*CO) HAS BEEN VERY UNWILLING TO ASSIST ME THROUGH THIS DANGEROUS OCCURRENCE; NEEDLESS TO SAY, I WILL NO LONGER BE A CUSTOMER OF GE*CO'S EVER AGAIN- AND I WILL NEVER STOP WARNING MY FAMILY/FRIENDS/THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE DANGERS OF THIS TYPE OF SITUATION, ALONG WITH HIGHLY ADVISING THEM TO NOT PUT THEIR LIVES AT RISK BY HAVING GE*CO AS AN INSURANCE COMPANY!!!!!!
BOUGHT MY RENDEZVOUS A FEW MONTHS AGO AND HAVE HAD PROBLEMS. MY SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER FOR UNKNOWN REASONS CAUSING HIM INJURY TO HIS RIBS. THEY WERE NEVER REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER. WHEN I FIRST GOT MY CAR I FILLED UP THE TANK. BAD IDEA! I CAME OUT THE NEXT MORNING AND SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GAS AND WAS MISSING A QUARTER TANK. MY BOYFRIEND LOOKED UNDERNEATH AND SAID IT WAS LEAKING BETWEEN THE FILL TUBE AND THE ACTUAL TANK. MY MECHANIC SAID THERE IS NO WAY TO PATCH THIS AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE THING. APPROXIMATELY COSTING $1000. HE ALSO SAID CHANGES ARE THIS WILL BE RECURRING BECAUSE IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL. SO NOW I ONLY PUT A HALF TANK IN MY GAS TANK BUT I'VE NOTICED A SMELL OF GAS INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY CAR THE NEXT DAY MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I HAD A DEAD BATTERY. MY INTERIOR LIGHTS NEVER TURNED OFF. AGAIN, TO REPAIR THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPENSIVE. I ENDED UP TAKING THE SENSOR OUT, SO NOW I HAVE NO INSIDE LIGHTS AT ALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ABS AND THE SERVICE TRACTION SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE FUEL GAUGE WAS GIVING INACCURATE READINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE SEAT HAD CORRODED DUE TO THE INTERNAL LEAKAGE OF THE AC UNIT. AS A RESULT, THE CARPET CREATED MOLD DUE TO THE WETNESS AND THE FLOOR BOARD WAS CORRODED AS WELL. THE MECHANIC ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE WAS DISABLED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000.
REAR LIFTGATE HANDLE SWITCH NO LONG WORKS TO OPEN THE REAR DOOR. KEY FOB STILL WORKS BUT CONCERNED THIS WILL FAIL ALSO FOR THE REAR LIFTGATE ACCESS AND EGRESS. *TR
THE CAR WAS BUCKING AND STALING WHILE I WAS ON THE ROAD. I KEPT LOSING POWER STEERING AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD COMING ON. THE GM DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM IN THE INVOICE REPORT AS " FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH" THE PART NUMBER GIVEN AS 15242754. *TR
THE CAR WOULD BUCK WHILE I WAS ON THE ROAD. DURING THESE TIMES THE WIPERS MIGHT COME ON AND BE INTERMITTENT. I TOOK THE CAT IN TO A GM DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS A FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH, AND SO STATED ON MY INVOICE. I CALLED GM ON THIS FOR A REFUND AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NOT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ON THIS MODEL. ITS INTERESTING THAT THE 2003 SATURN, WHICH WAS A RECALL, HAD THE SAME IGNITION SWITCH.
THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE IN 2004 FOR THE REAR HATCH. I BOUGHT MY VEHICLE 2006. JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES AS I WAS TOLD BY SUTTLE MOTOR CORPORATION? *TR
OPENED CAR AT END OF WORKDAY, AND FOUND AN ELECTRICAL FIRE HAD MELTED PART OF THE DASHBOARD, PART OF DRIVER'S SEAT AND CRACKED THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE ENTIRE CAR WAS COVERED IN SOOT AND SMELLED OF ELECTRICAL FIRE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A PROBLEM, NOR HAD THERE BEEN ANY RECENT REPAIRS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON, THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEGAN EMITTING SMOKE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND REMOVED THE CONTROL BOX. THE CONTACT THEN NOTICED WIRES MELTING INSIDE THE BOX WHICH STOPPED THE AIR CONDITIONER FAN FROM RUNNING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT SEAT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, SHE NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK HER VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND THEY CONCLUDED THAT WHEN SHE ADJUSTED HER SEAT, THE TRACK RAN OVER A CORD IN THE WIRING HARNESS THAT CREATED A FIRE. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE OPTIONAL HEAT/COOLER INTEGRATED SEATS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SEAT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THE WIRING IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 66,000.
SMOKE BEGAN TO BILLOW INTO VEHICLE SHORTLY AFTER OUR BABYSITTER PULLED OUT FROM PARKING LOT. SHE PULLED OFF THE ROAD IMMEDIATELY AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. AFTER VEHICLE WAS TOWED IN FOR REPAIR, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE INSULATION ON THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS HAD WORN THROUGH WHERE THE WIRES RUBBED AGAINST THE FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG. DEEMED BY MECHANIC TO HAVE BEEN A DESIGN FLAW THAT NEARLY RESULTED IN A FIRE. I HAVE THE REMAINS OF THE WIRING HARNESS AVAILABLE FOR YOUR INSPECTION IF NECESSARY. *TR
TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE HORN WILL NOT ENGAGE UNLESS THE CONTACT PRESSED THE ICON. THIS INCIDENT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO GENERAL MOTORS, AND THAT WAS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT THAT WAS RELATED TO THE PLACEMENT OF THE AIR BAG IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIX THE HORN. *AK UPDATED 02/22/07. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE CAUSES THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING TO FAIL. AS A RESULT, THE SPEEDOMETER FAILS. ALSO, THE POWER SOURCE OUTLETS DO NOT WORK AND SEVERAL ATTEMPTS MUST BE MADE IN ORDER TO START THE VEHICLE. GENERAL MOTORS COULD NOT ASSIST HER BECAUSE THE VEHICLE EXCEEDED 100,000 MILES AND DID NOT QUALIFY FOR REPAIR SERVICE. THE BUICK DEALER WHERE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS, THEREFORE SHE IS UNABLE TO OBTAIN COPIES OF THE PAPERWORK. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO THE COST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF UPDATED
I HAVE PROBLEMS TRYING TO GET THE DASH LIGHTS INCREASE IN BRIGHTNESS USING THE VARIIABLE CONTROL ON THE INTERIOR DURING A NORMAL DAYTIME ESPECIALLY WHEN I TRY TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER (DUE TO THE POOR DESIGN OF THE DASH WHICH CAN BLOCK EXTERIOR LIGHT FROM ILLUMINATING THE DIAL ESPECIALLY AROUND 10:45 AND 11:15 AM MST.) ESP. WHEN I'M DRIVING
NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO EVENT. DASH FIRE. CAR IS TOTALED. WAITING ON INSURANCE PAY OFF. *JB
2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS STALLING INTERMITTENTLY AND FAILS TO START SINCE MAY 2005. ONCE CAR'S ENGINE STOPS AND I REMOVE THE KEY, I AM UNABLE TO RE-START CAR. I HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN TWICE FOR PROBLEM. EACH TIME IT HAS BEEN MIS-DIAGNOSED AND I AM CHARGED FOR UN-NECESSARY SERVICE. LOU SOBH HAS SUGGESTED THAT IT WAS A BAD CELL IN THE BATTERY AND TRANSMISSION AND BRAKES NEEDED SERIOUS ATTENTION - I REQUESTED THE EMERGNCEY ITEMS TO BE FIXED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY AND TRANSMISSION AND PAID $537; HOWEVER, THE CAR WAS STILL STALLING. I RETURNED THE CAR TO LOU SOBH, THEN I WAS TOLD I NOW REQUIRE A NEW FUEL PUMP ALL FOR $900. A RECALL IS POSTED FOR THE 2004 BUICK RENDEVOUS. I BELEIVE THIS ALSO PERTAINS TO MY CAR MODEL AND THE RECALL MUST BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE 2003 BUICK WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.
I WAS NOT ABLE TO START MY VEHICLE. HAD TO GET IT TO THE DEALER, WHERE BY THEY FOUND WIRES THAT HAD SHORTED OUT TO THE BODY VIA VIBRATION IN DIFFERENT PLACES. I WAS ALSO CHARGED CLOSE TO $500 FOR REPAIRS ON WHAT IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE. ITS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD WITH 56,000 MILES AT THE TIME. NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT.
Showing 1–20 of 26 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026