no report yet
Visibility: windshield
Risk. IF A CRASH OCCURS, THE WINDSHIELD MAY NOT BE RETAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.
2005 Buick RainierProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 103 owner complaints about the 2005 Buick Rainier, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 22, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Kevauto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2005 Buick Rainier has problems
103 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
38Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
20Fuel system, gasoline1 crash/fire/injury
15Exterior lighting
7Suspension
7Vehicle speed control
7Air bags
7Service brakes, hydraulic
6Fuel system, other
5Steering
3915 other systems5 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 38 | 2 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 20 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 15 | 0 |
| Suspension | 7 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 7 | 0 |
| Air bags | 7 | 4 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 7 | 2 |
| Fuel system, other | 6 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 2 |
| 15 other systems | 39 | 5 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2005 Buick Rainier recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Buick.
Mileage at failure
When do electrical system problems start?
75kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 29 electrical system complaints. 69% were reported before 100,000 miles.
2under 30k miles20under 100k miles9100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2005 vs. every other Rainier year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Rainier median. How we score
'04'05'06'07
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2005 Buick Rainier safety ratings
2005 Buick Rainier 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
- Rollover: 4 stars (19.1% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2005 Buick Rainier, and the recalls they led to.
- Fuel Level Gauge System FailureNo recall
- Fuel level gauge system failureNo recall
- Loss of HeadlightsNo recall
In owners' words
What Rainier owners report
Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
POWER STEERING LEAKS, THE GAS GAUGE AND OTHER GAUGES DON'T WORK, MOST THE ELECTRICAL DON'T WORK INSIDE THE CAR, MAKES A WEIRD NOISE WHEN IT BACKS UP AND THE ENGINE REVS WHEN IT'S STARTS AND SOMETIMES WHEN IT DRIVES AND GOES FASTER EVEN WHEN YOU ARE NOT HITTING THE GAS
ELECTRONIC BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE COMMUNICATION. LOUD BANGING, AWD LIGHT CAME ON, CODE SHOWED THE ABOUT REASON. (ELECTRONIC BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL MODULE COMMUNICATION)
THE DRIVERS DOOR MASTER POWER SWITCH SHORTS OUT - CANNOT ROLL DOWN WINDOWS (OF ANY KIND), LIGHTS FLICKER AND GO OUT COMPLETELY MY HEADLIGHTS TURN OFF COMPLETELY WHILE IM DRIVING!!!!! AND HAS CAUSED ME TO IMMEDIATELY PULL OVER WITH NO LIGHTS, NO VISION TO TURN THEM ON MANUALLY!!! UNACCEPTABLE!!
Own a 2005 Rainier?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.