There are 17 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2003 Buick Rendezvousin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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
AWD DISABLED ITSELF AND THE ANTILOCK CAME ON AND HAVE STARTED TO STAY ON THEN WHEN I MAKE TURNS THE CAR STARTS SCREACHING REALLY LOUD SO I JUST RECENTLY LEARNED OF A RECALL FOR THIS SO WHAT CAN I DO
I WAS LOOKING UP INFO ON MY CAR FOUND THERE WAS RECALLS ON MY SPECIFIC PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS VERY HARD WITH POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE. IT IDLES HIGH AND AT TIMES IT SPUTTERS TAKING OFF FROM A STOP. I AM AFRAID ONE OF THESE TIMES IT WILL STALL AND WILL END UP IN AN ACCIDENT. WE HAD IT HOOKED UP FOR A DIAGNOSTIC IT CAME UP TROUBLE CODE P0742. THIS IS OUR MAIN TRANSPORTATION AND THE CAR USED TO TRANSPORT OUR SON. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO GET THIS FIXED BEFORE IT BECOMES A MAJOR ISSUE OR A PROBLEM RESULTING IN A NEW CAR OR ACCIDENT. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES WILL START TO LOCK UP AND CAUSE IT HARD TO STOP THIS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL THE MESSAGE COMES UP THAT THE TRACTION IS OFF. ONCE THE TRACTION SYSTEM DISABLES ITSELF THE BRAKE WILL WORK PROPERLY. IF A BUMP IS HIT THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON AND CONTINUALLY DINGS UNTIL YOU TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART IT. *TR
2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS...MAKING HUMMING NOISE WHEN TURNING WHEEL. VERY BAD. I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THEY TELL ME IT IS THE DIFFERENTIAL, THAT IT WILL TAKE 9 PINTS OF FLUID TO FLUSH IT OUT AT 29 DOLLARS A PINT! IF I DON'T GET THIS DONE, IT WILL FREEZE UP AND WILL NOT MOVE. I CAME HOME AND LOOKED IT UP ON THE INTERNET AND CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT I AM READING. EVERY PERSON THAT HAS HAD A BUICK RENDEZVOUS , THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. I AM NOT TALKING A FEW, THERE WAS ABOUT 300 OF THEM , JUST POSTED ON THE INTERNET. WHY WOULD THERE NOT BE A RECALL ON THIS? I WOULD REALLY CONSIDER THAT ALL OF THEM DOING THIS IS DEFINITELY A DEFECT SOMEWHERE. ONE WOMAN EVEN STATED THAT SHE HAD TO DO THIS EVERY YEAR THAT SHE HAD IT!!! THESE ARE NOT CHEAP CARS TO OWN. I HAVE ONLY HAD MINE 1 YEAR AND HAVE PUT 2000 MILES ON IT. IT NOW ONLY HAS 55, 000 MILES ON IT. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT QUALIFIES A RECALL? I AM SURE I WILL BE LETTING IT SIT WHILE I AM STILL MAKING ANOTHER 4 YEARS PAYMENTS ON IT. NO WAY CAN ANYONE AFFORD TO KEEP FIXING THE SAME THING EVERY YEAR. IT IS GOING TO COST BETWEEN 450 AND 625 TO FIX IT...THE MECHANIC TOLD ME AND THEN COULDN'T PROMISE THAT IT WOULD STAY FIXED. I THINK SOMETHING SHOULD REALLY BE INVESTIGATED ON THIS ONE. I HOPE YOU CHECK OUT THE COMPLAINTS ONLINE CONCERNING THIS....THANK YOU! *TR
UNDETECTED SAFETY HAZARD WITH 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS..SPENT OVER 11,000 WITH REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE ON THIS SUV AND NOW OVER 5000 DOLLARS TRYING TO FIND THE REASON FOR THE VEHICLE TO KEEP SHUTTING DOWN AFTER APPX. 40 MILES OF STOP AND GO TRAFFIC..HAVE HAD MANY CLOSE CALLS OF BEING HIT WHEN THIS HAPPENS AND HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE IN 5 TIMES TO THE DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM TO NO AVAIL..CAN NOT AFFORD TO TRADE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE TOO..IT LOSES POWER TOO WHEN THIS PROBLEM HAPPENS..THEY SAY THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE IT WHEN THEY DRIVE IT..I HAVE HAD 2 OTHER PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM..I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY BIG CONCERN FOR MY SAFETY AND OTHERS TOO. *TR
HAD TO REPLACE FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING ON 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS CZ (AWD) AT ABOUT 65,000 MILES. NOW THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING IS BEING REPLACED AT 70,000 MILES. THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT IN THIS BUICK PRODUCT AND A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ALL WHEEL LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THAT IT WAS DISABLED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A NEARBY BUICK DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS COMING APART ON THE INSIDE. THE COST FOR THE REPAIR WAS $2,667, BUT THE CONTACT WAS CHARGED $1,302.58. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 67,083. UPDATED 05/20/08. *LJ UPDATED 05/20/08
WHEN SNOW BUILDS UP IN WHEEL WELLS THE AWD BECAME DISABLED AND SPUN OUT IN ROAD, HAVE FAILED WITH MUD, BUILD UP AS WELL HAD REPLACED 3 TIMES SINCE OWNING VEHICLE. ALSO FEEL THAT THE SIDEVIEW MIRRORS HAVE DANGEROUS BLIND SPOT THAT COULD BE A PROBLEM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN, THE VEHICLE MADE A GRINDING NOISE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. WHEN THE SPARE WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE, THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE SYSTEM HAD TO BE DISABLED. IRONICALLY, THE NOISE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. ONCE THE REPAIRS WERE MADE, THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE WAS REACTIVATED AND THE NOISE RETURNED. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, SHE HEARD A DINGING NOISE AND THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE CONTACT DROVE OFF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKES LOCKED, WHICH CAUSED THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE TO ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE. THEY STATED THAT THE TWO FRONT ALL WHEEL DRIVE SENSORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND A CODE WAS RECEIVED FOR THE ABS LIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS LIGHT NEVER ILLUMINATED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,000.
MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A VEHICLE FROM LITTLE APPLE TOYOTA IN MANHATTAN, KS ON JUNE 2, 2006. THE VEHICLE WE PURCHASED WAS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS AND THIS WAS DONE THROUGH TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT CORPORATION. WE EXPLAINED TO THE GENTLEMEN NAMED TIM THAT WE WOULD BE MAKING A FEW TRIPS BACK AND FORTH FROM KANSAS TO TEXAS. ALSO, MY HUSBAND WANTED PEACE OF MIND WITH HIM DEPLOYING TO IRAQ THAT WE WOULD BE SAFE. WE WERE INFORMED BY HIM THAT THIS VEHICLE WOULD BE ACCEPTED EVEN UNDER THE MILES PROGAM AND THAT OUR VEHICLE WOULD MEET AND EXCEED THOSE. WE TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND HEARD SOME GRINDING AND HE SAID THAT THEY WOULD PUT ON NEW BRAKES THAT THIS WAS PROBABLY THE CAUSE. SO ANYWAY WE HAVE IT A YEAR TO DATE AND I AM MAKING A TRIP TO KANSAS WHEN IT GOES HAYWIRE. I TAKE IT TO LITTLE APPLE WHO WILL NOT HELP ME AND THEY SEND IT TO STAGG HILL TRANSMISSION WHO TELLS ME IT'S GOING TO BE $4,000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AND THAT ALL MY WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED REPLACED, BUT THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO FIX THAT. I GUESS BOTTOM LINE IS THAT NO ONE WANTS TO MAKE GOOD ON A VEHICLE THAT WE HAVE ONLY HAD FOR 1 YEAR. THE TRANSMISSION SHOULDN'T JUST GO OUT AT 24,000 MILES. I WENT TO A SITE AND FOUND OTHERS COMPLAINING OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR BUICK RENDEZVOUS. I THINK THEY NEED TO BE LOOKED INTO MORE CAREFULLY. I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND ANYONE BUY ONE. NOW I AM STRANDED, CAR LESS, AND MY HUSBAND IS DEPLOYED AND CAN'T HELP TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUES. I WOULD LIKE THE BUICK RENDEZVOUS 2003 INVESTIGATED. *TR
03' BUICK RENDEZVOUS. AXLE ASSEMBLY (FRONT) FAILED AT 60,000/4 YEARS. REPAIRED AT BUICK DEALERSHIP THAT COSTS ~600 PARTS PLUS LABOR. WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE A SEVERE SAFETY RISK IF NOT FIXED. *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK INTO TRANSMISSION SHOP TO HAVE LOOKED AT TOLD IT MIGHT BE SENSOR SO TOOK IT TO ELECTRONIC SHOP WHO FIXED WIRING THAT HAD RUBBED IN HALF. STARTED TO NOT GO WHEN GAS PUSHED TOOK BACK TO TRANSMISSION SHOP AND TRANSMISSION OUT. *NM
BLOWN TRANSMISSION. *JB
BOTH OF THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS ON MY 2003 RENDEZVOUS HAVE FAILED. THEY WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE FIRST SIDE WENT AROUND 18K MILES, THE OTHER SIDE WENT AT JUST OVER 36K MILES.
WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARK IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT GEAR ARM INDICATOR PROBLEM. WHEN CHANGING GEAR IT WOULD NOT ALWAYS INDICATE IN WHICH GEAR IT WAS ON. MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THE TIME OF THIS CALL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY WOULD GET BACK TO HER.*AK
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