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2003 Buick RendezvousProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 281 owner complaints about the 2003 Buick Rendezvous, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 6 safety recalls.

2003 Buick Rendezvous
38
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.6× the Rendezvous median · #2 of 6 years by complaints
Safety recalls6Free fix at dealersOwner complaints28136 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage63kEngine and engine cooling, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 15, 2022. Updated daily. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Complaints by system

Where the 2003 Buick Rendezvous has problems

281 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine and engine cooling532
Electrical system457
Fuel/propulsion system430
Fuel system, gasoline360
Service brakes, hydraulic303
Power train250
Suspension214
Visibility213
Steering174
21 other systems9410

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

6 recalls

2003 Buick Rendezvous 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.

–no report yet

Fuel system, gasoline: storage

Recall 07V-349 · Aug 8, 2007 · 20,594 vehicles

Risk. A FRACTURE MAY ALLOW FUEL VAPORS TO PASS THROUGH AND ALLOW DROPLETS OF FUEL TO ACCUMULATE ON THE SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Hatchback/liftgate: lock

Recall 04V-150 · Mar 29, 2004 · 103,956 vehicles

Risk. IF THE LIFTGATE WERE TO OPEN IN A VEHICLE CRASH, AN OCCUPANT COULD BE EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN INCREASED RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Steering

Recall 03V-052 · Feb 20, 2003 · 4,512 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD ALLOW THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT TO SPIN INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN COUPLING, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 2 more recalls
–no report yet

Air bags: frontal

Recall 02V-222 · Aug 9, 2002 · 133,221 vehicles

Risk. PIECES OF THE INFLATOR COULD STRIKE AND INJURE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIR BAG CUSHION WOULD NOT INFLATE FULLY, REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF THE BAG TO PROTECT…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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 engine and engine cooling problems start?

63kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 45 engine and engine cooling complaints. 80% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
3under 30k miles36under 100k miles9100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Engine and engine cooling

13 owners mentioned a cost

$700median

Middle half: $700 – $1,849

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2003 vs. every other Rendezvous 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 Rendezvous median. How we score

'02'03'04'05'06'07
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2003 Buick Rendezvous safety ratings

2003 Buick Rendezvous 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2003 Buick Rendezvous frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2003 Buick Rendezvous side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2003 Buick Rendezvous, and the recalls they led to.

  1. FUEL TANK LEAKAGEEA07006 · closed Sep 13, 2007
    Led to recall 07V-349
  2. FUEL TANK LEAKAGERQ06009 · closed Apr 18, 2007
    No recall
In owners' words

What Rendezvous owners report

Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK VIOLENTLY. FURTHERMORE, THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FLUID AND THE CHECK ENGINE AND BRAKE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE…
Complaint 11172955 · Jan 29, 2019 · 154,200 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND STALLED AND THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, AND RESUMED DRIVING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN…
Complaint 10865901 · May 19, 2016 · 215,000 miles
ENGINE COMPLETELY DIES MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. IT WILLL TURN ON RIGHT AWAY, GO A FEW MILES AND THEN DIES AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED, THE TROTTLE HAS BEEN CLEAN, FUEL FILTER REPLACED, SPARK PLUG WIRES AND SPARK PLUGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. WE'VE EVEN CHANGED TRAMISSION FLUID AND…
Complaint 10594452 · May 28, 2014 · 165,000 miles

Own a 2003 Rendezvous?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.