2003 Buick Rendezvous Tires & Wheels Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING IN REVERSE LESS THAN 10 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE EMITTING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AND SUDDENLY THE FRONT PASSENGER 'S SIDE TIRE BEGAN TO SPIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES WHENEVER TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. KMJ

I HAVE A 03 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. IN 4/05 ONE OF THE FRONT TIRE HUBS WAS DEFECTIVE CAUSING A LOUD NOISE. NOW ON 11/10/05 I HAD TO TAKE THE BUICK IN FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS. AGAIN I WAS HEARING A NOISE BECAUSE BOTH FRONT TIRE HUBS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DUE TO THE FACT THAT ONE WAS REPLACED IN 4/05, IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE PARTS WARRANTY THEREFORE, I WOULD ONLY INCUR THE COST OF ONE HUB. WHEN I ASKED THE SERVICE MAN. WHY TIRE HUBS WOULD BE FAILING ON A 2 YR. OLD CAR WITH ONLY 44,500 MILES, HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY EXPLANATION EXCEPT WEAR AND TEAR. I CONTACTED OTHER LOCAL GENERAL MOTOR DEALERS TO FIND OUT IF THEY HAD SEEN SIMILAR REPAIRS WITH THIS VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD YES! THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF BUICK RENDEZVOUS AND PONTIAC AZTEC'S COMING IN FOR REPAIR AND NEEDING FRONT AND REAR TIRE HUBS REPLACED. THEY ARE SEEING AT LEAST ONE TO TWO VEHICLES PER WEEK NEEDING THESE SAME REPAIRS. THIS SOURCE SAID HE WAS TOLD BY HIS DISTRICT MANAGER THAT THERE WAS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE TIRE HUBS THAT GENERAL MOTORS WAS GETTING FROM A SPECIFIC MANUFACTURER AND THAT THEY WERE NOW CHANGING MANUFACTURERS. I CONTACTED THE SERVICE MANAGER AT MY DEALER AND ASKED HIM TO INITIATE CALLS TO HIS DIST. MANGERS. AND LOOK INTO THE PARTS AND WHAT MANUFACTURER THEY WERE COMING FROM. I DIDN'T WANT THE SAME MANUFACTURERS PARTS USED ON MY VEHICLE AGAIN. HE SAID HE WOULD TRY TO GET SOME ANSWERS BUT COULDN'T IMAGINE THERE WOULD BE ANY CHANGE IN PART NUMBERS (WHICH WOULD INDICATE A CHANGE IN MANUFACTURER) HE CALLED ME BACK, HE FOUND OUT THAT GENERAL MOTORS HAD A NEW PART NUMBER COMING OUT FOR THE TIRE HUBS AND THAT THEY HAD CHANGED SUPPLIERS. HE FELT THAT THIS CONFIRMED MY INFO. & AGREED TO THE REPAIR AT NO COST TO ME. HOWEVER I AM STILL CONCERNED ABOUT THE REMAINING 2 REAR TIRE HUBS ON MY VEHICLE THAT STILL HAVE THE OLD MANUFACTURER HUBS ON. NOT TO MENTION ALL THE OTHER OWNERS OF BUICK RENDEZVOUS AND PONTIAC AZTECS THAT COULD BE GOING DOWN THE ROAD AND HAVE A TIRE HUB BREAK. *JB

HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 2 TIRES IN THE PAST YEAR DUE TO 3 FLATS, INCLUDING ONE BLOW-OUT WHOSE CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED BY THE DEALER. ONE FLAT WAS CAUSED BY THE HANDLE OF A NAIL CLIPPER WHICH WAS NOT SHARP BUT RECTANGULAR IN SHAPE. PRIOR TO THESE TIRES I HAVE EXPERIENCED ONLY 2 FLATS IN OVER 20 YEARS AND IT SEEMS THESE TIRES DO NOT HOLD UP WELL IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.*AK

THE REAR TIRE EQUIPMENT ON THE 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS ARE CUPPING AND EGGING.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CUPPED TIRES PRODUCED A VIBRATION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE TIRES WERE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED WITH 11000 MILES ON IT. *NM

PROBLEMS WITH LOSING HUBCAP EQUIPMENT. *MR THE VEHICLE HAS LOST FIVE HUBCAPS OFF OF THE TWO FRONT WHEELS. THESE INCLUDE TWO ORIGINALS AND THREE REPLACEMENTS ALL INSTALLED AT THE DEALERS. IT WAS EVIDENT THAT ALL FIVE OF THE PLASTIC NUTS HAVE FAILED EITHER SINGLY OR ALL AT ONCE. *SC *JB