2004 Buick Rainier Complaint Log

I HAVE A 2004 BUICK RAINIER THAT HAD THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT WITH 28,000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 64,000 MILES. *TR

MALFUNCTIONING SPEEDOMETER- THE SPEEDOMETER STOPS WORKING AT RANDOM TIMES WHILE DRIVING. IT IS DANGEROUS TO ALL TRAVELERS WHETHER IN CAR OR THOSE TRAVELING ALONGSIDE US. THERE IS NO WAY TO TELL WHEN IT GOES OUT. THE SPEEDOMETER WILL JUST STICK AT A CERTAIN SPEED-IT WILL THEN CONTINUE FROM THAT SPEED AND AT TIMES SHOWS THAT YOU ARE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS WELL ABOVE THE LIMIT. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED WHERE IT DROPS 5 MILES EVERYTIME ITS TURNED OFF BUT IT ALSO HAS RESET ITSELF AT TIMES. I DO BELIEVE THAT WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS I'VE SEEN SUPPORTING THE SAME FACTS THAT THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL AND FIX. I TOOK THE CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT SHOPS FOR HELP - SHOP 1 COULDN'T EASILY SEE HOW TO FIX & SUGGESTED IT WOULD BE EXPENSIVE, SHOP 2 (*BUICK DEALER) STATED NO IDEA ON PROBLEM BUT WOULD NEED COMPLETE PANEL REPLACEMENT MINIMUM PRICE $700. IN VIEW OF OUR ECONOMY AND DEALERS WANTING SUPPORT I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS A MAJOR PROBLEM DUE TO ALL THE COMPLAINTS BEING VERY SIMILAR. HARD TO PIN DOWN TO A SPECIFIC DATE AND ONCE STARTED NOW OCCURS MONTHLY. I HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEMS WITH THE LIGHTS DIMMING AND THE HARD TO READ MILEAGE DISPLAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK RAINIER. THE SPEED ODOMETER DISPLAYED INACCURATE READINGS. WHEN THE DRIVER IS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE CORRECT SPEED OF THE VEHICLE, EXCESSIVE SPEED MAY BE EXHIBITED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THE CONTACT WAS BILLED $500.00 FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 30,000.

MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A USED 2004 BUICK RAINIER WITH 33,000 MILES LAST MAY 2008. ONE EVENING DURING THE SUMMER WE WERE MAKING A 20 MINUTE TRIP AND THE SPEEDOMETER JUST STOPPED WORKING WHILE EN ROUTE. SINCE THEN THE SPEEDOMETER GETS STUCK WHILE MAKING 20+ MINUTE TRIPS AND WILL ONLY GO DOWN 5 MPH EACH TIME YOU SHUT OFF THE SUV AND RESTART. SO YOU HAVE TO SHUT OFF AND RESTART SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE IT REACHES BACK DOWN TO ZERO AND IT WILL THEN OPERATE OKAY FOR A LITTLE WHILE UNTIL YOU MAKE THAT 20+ MINUTE TRIP AGAIN. SOMETIMES WHILE JUST DRIVING AROUND TOWN RUNNING ERRANDS IT WILL GET STUCK. SO I WOULD SAY AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK IT GETS STUCK. IT'S VERY FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU HAVE TO WATCH YOUR SPEED ESPECIALLY AROUND THE SCHOOL ZONES. I OFTEN TAKE MY EYES OFF THE ROADS TO WATCH MY RPM'S AND TRY TO CALCULATE HOW FAST I'M GOING. I'M CURRENTLY SAVING TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED AS I'VE HEARD OF IT BEING A VERY PRICING ITEM (INSTRUMENT CLUSTER) TO HAVE REPLACED. I'VE BEEN DOING SOME RESEARCH ON A POSSIBLE RECALL FOR THIS ITEM AND I'VE FOUND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS AND EVEN A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST GM FOR OTHER SUV'S SIMILAR TO THE RAINIER BUT THE BUICK RAINIER WAS NOT LISTED IN THIS CLASS ACTION SUIT AND NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THIS ITEM ON BUICK RAINIERS. ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *TR

MY WIFE WAS STOPPED BY THE SC HIGHWAY OFFICER FOR SPEEDING. BASED ON HER SPEEDOMETER READING SHE WAS NOT SPEEDING. IN ADDITION TO SPEEDING TICKET SHE RECEIVED WARNING FOR OPERATING VEHICLE WITH BROKEN EQUIPMENT. IT TURNED OUT THAT THE SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING AND IS NOW ACTING UNPREDICTABLE. *TR

INSTRUMENT GAUGE CLUSTER STARTED WORKING ONLY SPORADICALLY MARCH 08. SPEEDOMETER AND TACK HAVE ALSO FAILED TO WORK ABOUT 25% OF TIME IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. ON ONE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD, THE GAS PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND AND THE ENGINE WOULD ONLY IDLE AT 1000 RPM. AFTER PULLING OVER AND RESTARTING, THE GAS PEDAL RETURNED TO NORMAL. *TR

FAILURE OF FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. *TR

MY FIANCE WAS IN ACCIDENT WITH MY SUV AND THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY CAN I SUE THE COMPANY WHO SOLD ME THE VEHICLE? *TR

I WAS DRIVING ONE MORNING AND NOTICED THAT MY SPEED REGISTERED 80MILES WHEN I HAD JUST PULLED OFF. I CUT THE CAR OFF AND THEN STARTING BACK DRIVING AND IT THEN SAID I WAS GOING 120. I TOOK MY CAR IN AND THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY FOR THIS REPAIR, AND IT WOULD COST ME $575. TO GET IT FIXED. I ASKED FOR THE MAIN NUMBER TO BUICK AND CALLED THEM, THEY SAID THAT MY CAR DID NOT FALL IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY CATEGORY AND THEY DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH COMPLAINTS TO HAVE THIS AS A RECALL. I ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I COULD BE SITTING WITH THE CAR IDLE AND THE SPEEDOMETER READS 120, EVEN WHEN I MADE THE APPT. TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT THE SERVICE GUY SAID THAT QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HAVE BEEN IN WITH THAT PROBLEM. *TR

SPEED AND OIL PRESSURE INDICATOR FAILURES. *TR

AS I BEGAN TO WORK ON TUESDAY OF THIS WEEK, I LOOKED DOWN AND MY SPEEDOMETER WAS REGISTERING 120 MPH. I WAS ONLY JUST BEGINNING SO I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I STOPPED AND SWITCHED THE CAR OFF AND THOUGHT IT WOULD RESET THE GAUGES BUT IT ONLY WENT TO 65MPH. AS I BEGAN DRIVING AGAIN IT STARTED REGISTERING 120MPH. THEN ON WEDNESDAY, IT WOULD NOT LEAVE OFF THE 120MPH WHEN I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF. THE NEXT TIME IT WENT BACK IT BEGINNING AT 65 AND AS I ACCELERATED IT WENT TO 120. I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT SPEED I AM TRAVELING WHILE DRIVING. I WENT TO MY DEALER AND HE SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT TO BE FIXED. I DID NOT HAVE IT FIXED. *TR

INSTRUMENT CONTROL FOR SPEEDOMETER AND RADIO JUST QUIT WORKING. NOT ALWAYS SURE OF TRAVELING SPEED BECAUSE SPEEDOMETER QUITS WORKING. VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF NOT SURE OF TRAVELING SPEEDS AND AFRAID OF GETTING TICKET BECAUSE OF UNKOWN SPEED. *TR

THERE SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE WITH SPEEDOMETER CONTROL MODULE. THE DEALERS KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, TRANSMISSION AND SPEEDOMETER REPAIR SHOPS KNPW ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM AS YOU ARE DRIVING AND THE SPEED REGISTERS DIFFERENT & SOMETIMES NOT AT ALL. *TR

SPEEDOMETER BEGAN GETTING STUCK AND NOW DOES NOT GIVE SPEED STAYS ON ZERO OR SLOWLY MOVES UP AND GETS STUCK. *TR

MY SPEEDOMETER STARTED TO STICK AT 60 MPH WHEN DRIVING SLOWLY AFTER EXITING OFF OF THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT. I THEN PROCEEDED ON MY WAY HOME IN A 30MPH ZONE AND THEN THE SPEEDOMETER WAS PEGGED OUT AT OVER 120MPH. FROM THEN ON SOMETIMES THE NEEDLE ON THE GAUGE ALMOST GOES TO ZERO UNTIL YOU START TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, AND THEN IT PEG'S OUT AGAIN. CONSEQUENTLY MY WIFE AND I DO NOT KNOW HOW FAST WE ARE GOING WHICH IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE ESPECIALLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS OR DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE CHILDREN PLAY. I HAVE NOT PAYED TO REPLACE A 500 HUNDRED DOLLAR ITEM. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER READS ERRATICALLY AT REST PEGGED TO 120 WHEN DRIVING. THIS OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN DRIVING YOU DO NOT HAVE RELIABLE DISPLAY OF YOUR SPEED. GM SAYS THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, I DISAGREE. IT IS A FAILURE IN A FUNDAMENTALLY IMPORTANT FUNCTION OF THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE FIXED. THIS BEGAN WITH ONSET OF COLD WEATHER AND CONTINUES TO THE PRESENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER OPENING THE DRIVER SIDE POWER WINDOW, THE WINDOW COULD NOT BE CLOSED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD ONLY OCCUR IN EXTREMELY COLD TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ALSO, THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT WOULD BECOME VERY HOT TOO THE TOUCH BEFORE THE SEAT WARMER COMPLETELY FAILED ALTOGETHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.

INTERMITTENT SPEEDOMETER READINGS. SPEEDOMETER STUCK ANYWHERE BETWEEN 0-120MPH. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK RAINIER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE SPEEDOMETER WILL DISPLAY SPEEDS BETWEEN 20-120 MPH. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON THE FREEWAY, THE SPEED WILL DECREASE ON ITS OWN. THE CONTACT MUST LITERALLY STAND ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO MAINTAIN A STEADY SPEED. WHILE IDLING AT A STOP SIGN OR LIGHT, THE ENGINE CONTINUES TO REV. THE CONTACT SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER FOR JUNE 23, 2008 TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURES. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 41,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

FAULTY SPEEDOMETER, READS BETWEEN 70 MPH TO 130 MPH AT ALL TIMES. *TR

THE DASH CLUSTER LIGHTING IS TOO DIM IN THE DAYLIGHT AND NON EXISTENT AT DAWN AND DUSK. THERE IS NOT A MANUAL OVERRIDE THAT ALLOWS YOU TO SELECT NIGHT LIGHTING DURING THESE TRANSITIONAL TIMES AND ON CERTAIN DAYS SO YOU CAN NOT SEE THE SPEEDOMETER OUTPUT NOR THE DRIVER ADVISORY DISPLAY. I DISCUSSED IT WITH SEVERAL DEALERS AND THEY SAY SOME WORK THIS WAY AND SOME DON'T. THEY HAVE NO WAY TO TELL WHICH WORK PROPERLY AND WHICH ONES WILL NOT. THEY ALL REFUSED TO REPLACE IT UNDER WARRANTY AS BUICK SAYS THAT IS THE WAY THE SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. FOR UP TO 15 MINUTES IN MORNING AND NIGHT THE DISPLAY IS TOTALLY UNREADABLE WHILE IT IS SLOWLY TRANSITIONING NIGHT TIME VISIBILITY. YES, I HAVE THE LIGHTING SET AS BRIGHT AS THE SYSTEM WILL ALLOW AT ANY GIVEN TIME BUT IT IS STILL NOT VISIBLE TO ME OR ANYONE ELSE THAT DRIVES THE CAR. I HAVE FOUND QUITE A FEW OTHERS ON THE NET THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE SAME COULD CARE LESS RESPONSES FROM BUICK ON THIS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS GOES ON EVERYDAY SO IT PROBABLY IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL IT RESULTS IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND/OR A SERIOUS MECHANICAL FAILURE THAT WILL BE MISSED BECAUSE YOU CAN'T READ THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER UNDER CERTAIN BUT DAILY CONDITIONS SUCH AS SUNRISE AND DUSK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK RAINIER. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS NORMAL. REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM; HOWEVER,THE CONTACT COULD NOT REMEMBER WHAT SPECIFICALLY WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,000.

PURCHASED VEHICLE WHICH HAD 34,000 MILE ON IT. IT NOW HAS 46,403 AND HAVE HAD TO FILL THE POWER STEERING PUMP UP THREE TIMES. I HAVE DETECTED NO LEAKS. TOOK TO THE BUICK DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND LEAK. PUT SOME DYE IN IT AND SAID BRING IT BACK IN A MONTH OR SO. *TR

WITH VEHICLE TEMPERATURE AT NORMAL RANGE, IN PARK AND AT NORMAL IDLE WHEN I PUSH ON THE GAS PEDAL THE RPM WOULD DROP TO UNDER 500 AND THEN GO BACK UP, ALMOST LIKE A HESITATION OF SORTS. TOOK VEHICLE TO BUICK DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE SECONDARY AIR PUMP, BASICALLY THE EGR VALVE. WAS TOLD THIS WAS PART OF THE EMISSIONS OF THE VEHICLE BUT NOT COVERED UNDER THE EMISSIONS WARRANTY NOR WOULD MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVER AS WELL. VEHICLE HAS 46,403 MILES ON IT. *TR

AT 46,403 MILES I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP MORE THAN NORMAL WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. TOOK INTO THE BUICK DEALER AND UPON INSPECTION THE TECH FOUND THAT THERE WAS SCORING IN THE VALVE BODY OF THE TRANSMISSION. EXTENDED WARRANTY TOOK CARE OF THE ISSUE HOWEVER I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS RARE FOR RANIERS. *TR

WE HAVE A 2004 BUICK RAINIER. DURING THE COLDER TIMES, OUR SPEEDOMETER TIC, SO YOU DON'T KNOW HOW FAST OR SLOW YOU ARE GOING. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. HAVING NO WAY TO TELL YOUR SPEED, WE COULD GET A TICKET, CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED ONLINE, NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL. WE HAVE NOT HAD IT FIXED. IT WOULD $600 TO FIX, AND SHOULD NOT BE CHARGED TO US, BUT TO BUICK FOR A MALFUNCTION. *TR

2004 BUICK RAINIER SPEEDOMETER & GAS GAUGE WENT HAYWIRE AT 43,000 MILES. THE NEEDLES POINTED RANDOMLY AND THE GAS GAUGE SHOWED 180 DEGREES OFF THE MARKINGS, POINTING STRAIGHT DOWN. COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO STATED THIS WAS A KNOWN DEFECT AND REPLACED THE ENTIRE UNIT FOR A $100 DEDUCTIBLE EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

I WAS IN THE MIDST OF A 10 HOUR ROAD TRIP OVER THE HOLIDAYS WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER ORIGINALLY QUIT WORKING. I WAS TRAVELING AT A RATE OF 70 MPH. THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED INCHING UP AND BURIED ITSELF AT 120 MPH. I PULLED OFF THE ROAD IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET THE SPEEDOMETER TO GO BACK DOWN BUT IT SETTLED ON 60 MPH WHILE IN PARK. I CONTINUED ON W/MY TRIP AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP UPON ARRIVAL IN ABILENE, KS. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM IN THE CLUSTER AND CHECKED BULLETINS FOR PAST PROBLEMS W/SPEEDOMETERS. OVER THE COURSE OF 3 MONTHS THE SPEEDOMETER CONTINUED TO REPEAT THIS ACTION. I HAD IT INTO A DEALERSHIP IN AUSTIN, TX ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS W/THE SAME RESPONSE FROM THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL THE SPEEDOMETER FINALLY QUITE WORKING ALTOGETHER. THE DEALER TOLD ME HE HAD SEEN THIS IN A FEW OTHER MODELS BY GM. I CALLED AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GM AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO. I THEN HAD TO PAY TO HAVE THE CLUSTER REPLACED IN FEBRUARY 2007. THREE WEEKS LATER THE CAR WAS BACK IN B/C THE ENTIRE SYSTEM SHUT DOWN AND THE SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAW THE PROBLEM UPON ARRIVAL BUT WAS UNABLE TO PROLONG. *JB

FAULTY SPEEDOMETER REGISTERS UNRELIABLE SPEED. 2004 BUICK RAINIER. NOW, THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE IS ALSO FAULTY AND JUMPS AROUND. NOTIFIED GM, WHO WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT CLAIMED IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE WORTHY OF A RECALL. INTERNET WEBSITE SHOWED HUNDREDS OF OTHER GM SUV OWNERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. *AK

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK RAINIER WITH A FAILURE MILEAGE OF 47,000 AND A CURRENT MILEAGE OF 57,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DISPLAYED THE INCORRECT SPEED. WHEN SHE PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWED THAT THE SPEED WAS ABOVE ZERO. THE REGISTERED SPEED VARIED. WHEN SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE IT WOULD AUTOMATICALLY DISPLAY A SPEED WHICH WAS ABOVE ZERO. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED TO DRIVE THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD KEEP GOING HIGHER UNTIL IT REACHED 120. THE CONTACT HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER OR SPOKEN TO THE MANUFACTURER. *AK

WHILE CROSSING AN INTERSECTION I WAS HIT IN THE FRONT RIGHT QUARTER OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS HIT BY A PERSON RUNNING A RED LIGHT. HE WAS DOING 40 TO 50 MPH IN A LIGHT TRUCK AND KNOCKED MY SUV SIDEWAYS ABOUT 15 FEET. THERE IS MORE THAN $8,000 DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE BUT THE SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I SUFFERED A CONCUSSION AND SOFT TISSUE INJURIES. GM TOLD ME I HAD TO GET HIT IN A CERTAIN WAY FOR THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THEY DON'T TELL YOU THAT WHEN SELLING THE CAR. CAN YOU TELL ME IF THE BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED? *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE, THE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD REPETITIVELY UNTIL THE FRONT WHEELS WERE STRAIGHTENED OUT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE ISSUE WAS A RESULT OF THE DESIGN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE COMPUTER READING THAT ONE WHEEL WAS TRAVELING FURTHER THAN THE OTHER, AND COMPENSATING FOR THIS BY ENGAGING THE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE JERKED. IN ADDITION, AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENCODER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000.

TRANSFER CASE SHIFT MODULE CONTROL MODULE

AT NIGHT, HEADLIGHTS FLICKER BETWEEN DIM TO BRIGHT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEMS SINCE APRIL 2004. BUICK SERVICE MANAGER ADMITS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO FIX IT.*JB

I WAS STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT TO CHANGE. ONE VEHICLE WAS IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS IMPACTED FROM THE REAR BY A THIRD VEHICLE TRAVELING AT A RATE OF SPEED I WOULD ESTIMATE AT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 40 MPH. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT THREW MY CAR INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. IN ADDITION TO THE SIGNIFICANT REAREND DAMAGE SUSTAINED, THE IMPACT DESTROYED THE FRONT END OF MY SUV, INCLUDING BUMPER, RADIATOR, HOOD AND DAMAGE TO BOTH FRONT QUARTER PANELS. AND YET THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I'M RECOVERING FROM BACK AND NECK STRAINS AND PAINS FROM THE WHIPLASH EFFECT OF THE ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, I AM SURE THAT I WOULD HAVE EXPERIENCED AND ENDURED LESS TRAMA HAD THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED. THE 2004 BUICK RANIER SUV HAS BEEN TOWED FROM THE SCENE. TODAY OR MONDAY, THE INSURANCE ADJUSTOR WILL DETERMINE IF THE VEHICLE IS REPAIRABLE. BELOW, I HAVE REFERENCED ALL COMPONENT CHOICES RELATED TO THE AIRBAG BECUASE IT DID NOT DEPLOY. NO DETERMINATION HAS BEEN MADE TO DETERMINE THE SPECIFIC PART RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG.

HEADLIGHTS DIM WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE HEADLIGHTS SOME TIMES FLICKER BRIGHT TO DIM THEN BACK TO BRIGHT AND THE VOLTAGE GAUGE FLUCTATES. THIS HAS ESCALATED TO WHERE FOR NO REASON THE HEADLIGHTS WILL GO DIM FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 TO 10 SECONDS THEN RETURN TO NORMAL, AT THIS TIME THEY GO DIM ENOUGH THAT YOU CAN'T SEE WHEN DRIVING AND HAVE TO PULL OVER. THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS SPOKE TO GM AND BUICK REPRESENTITIVES FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS AND WAS BASICALLY TOLD: THERE IS A PROBLEM - WE'RE AWARE OF IT - WE DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT.*AK

AT DAWN OR DUSK THE SPEEDOMETER FADES OUT AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE HOW FAST SHE WAS GOING. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO SOLUTION AT THIS TIME. *AK GM SUGGESTED THAT THIS WAS AN ENGINEERING DESIGN PROBLEM. THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE ODOMETER WOULD FADE AWAY WHEN IT WAS DUSK OR DAWN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTICED IN JUNE 2004. THE CONSUMER MARKED MARCH 22, 2005 AS THE INCIDENT DATE. *SC *JB

DT: CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ALONG AND VEHICLE STARTS SPUTTERING AND THEN DIED OUT IN THE ROAD. AFTER THE 1ST INCIDENT VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE DRIVER DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO DEALER WHO INDICATED THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT THE CONSUMER GET A SECOND OPINION. THE CONSUMER HAS PARKED THE VEHICLE BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT FOR SAFETY REASONS. *NM

NUMBERS ON SPEEDOMETER DISAPPEAR IN EARLY MORNING AND JUST BEFORE DARK. *AK

CAR IS 2004 BUICK RAINIER WITH AWD. LESS THAN 2000 MILES AT TIME OF INCIDENT. TEMP 0 F, 4" FRESH SNOW. RETURNING HOME AT 5:00 P.M., TURNED INTO 100' LONG DRIVEWAY AND PROCEEDED TOWARD GARAGE. BECAUSE OF SNOW IN DRIVEWAY, HAD TO ACCELERATE TO REACH FRONT OF GARAGE WHEN NORMALLY I JUST COAST BECAUSE IT IS A SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL APPROACH. CAR WOULD NOT STOP BY PUSHING BRAKES AND HIT GARAGE DOOR. CAR SEEMED TO BE ACCELERATING AS IT PUSHED GARAGE DOOR INTO SNOW BLOWER AND SNOW BLOWER INTO STORED VEHICLE INSIDE GARAGE CAUSING DAMAGE TO BOTH. SPEED WAS LESS THAN 5 MILES PER HOUR. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. INCIDENT REPORTED TO INSURANCE COMPANY NEXT MORNING AND INSURANCE COMPANY SET UP AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER. DEALER PROVIDED ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS BUT DID NOT INVESTIGATE FOR MECHANICAL FAILURE. RETURNED VEHICLE TO INVESTIGATE AFTER CHRISTMAS BUT NOTHING FOUND TO HAVE CAUSED INCIDENT. *JB

DT: HEADLIGHTS FLICKER ON/OFF, AND GM DOESN'T HAVE A SOLUTION FOR THIS PROBLEM. HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY CANNOT FIX IT. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. *AK *NM

WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, BUT STOPPED. VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM THE REAR. THE OTHER DRIVER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE BRAKE LIGHTS FROM BEHIND. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE HOME. WILL CALL THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN APPOINTMENT. *AK

IN OCTOBER, 2003 I PURCHASED A NEW 2004 BUICK RAINIER. A COUPLE MONTHS LATER MY WIFE AND I WERE DRIVING HOME ONE NIGHT AND THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY DIMMED AND THEN CAME BACK UP. IT HAPPENED AT LEAST TWICE THAT NIGHT. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND REPORTED THE PROBLEM. THEY WERE FIXING SEVERAL OTHER PROBLEMS AT THE SAME TIME SO WE ASSUMED IT WAS FIXED. LAST WEEK, OCTOBER 28, 2004, I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OVER A DARK MOUNTAIN PASS WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OFF. THEY STAYED OFF FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS BEFORE COMING BACK ON. LUCKILY, I DIDN'T CRASH BECAUSE THE LIGHTS OF A NEARBY SEMI KEPT ME FROM CRASHING INTO THE FREEWAY BARRIER. I FOLLOWED THE SEMI AFTER THAT BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID THEY WOULD GO OFF AGAIN. A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD, IN A NARROW ON-LANE CONSTRUCTION AREA THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED SEVERAL TIMES BUT NEVER WENT COMPLETELY OUT. HEN I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY HE WAS ABSOLUTELY WILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND UNDERSTOOD COMPLETELY HOW DANGEROUS IT WAS. BUT, THE GM REPRESENTATIVES AND CORPORATE OFFICE REFUSES TO EVEN RECOGNIZE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN REPLICATED IN THE SHOP SO WILL NOT AUTHORIZE OUR DEALER TO FIND THE PROBLEM AND FIX IT. THE DEALER HAS CALLED GM SEVERAL TIME AND I HAVE CALLED SEVERAL TIMES. GM BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT THEY DIDN'T CARE IF I DIED AND/OR KILLED OTHER PEOPLE AS FAR AS THEY WERE CONCERNED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. *AK

AT DAWN OR EARLY EVENING THE DIGITAL DISPLAY SPEEDOMETER DISAPPEARS, AND MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE HOW FAST CONSUMER IS TRAVELING. MANUFACTURER STATES THE VEHICLE IS DOING WHAT IT IS DESIGNED TO DO.*AK...ALSO, DOES IT DURING DAY IF IT GETS VERY CLOUDY LIKE IT IS GAONG TO SNOW, ETC. IN MICHIGAN, WHER ECONSUMER LIVES, THERE WERE SEVERAL SUCH DAYS. *AK

POWER MEMORY SEAT WENT TO EXIT POSITION IN VEHICLE AND WILL NOT RETURN TO DRIVING POSITION FORCING VEHICLE TO BE DRIVEN WITH SEAT ALL THE WAY BACK. MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO REACH PEDALS. RETURNED TO DEALER WHO HAD TO ORDER PART (SEAT TRACK). PART IS NOT AVAILABLE. CALLED GM AND ASKED THEM TO PROVIDE A PART FROM THE FACTORY, WHICH THEY WOULDN'T DO. TOLD ME I WOULD NEED TO WAIT UNTIL PARTS PROCESS LOCATED PART. VEHICLE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.

IN SEPTEMBER 2004 WHILE DRIVING THE FUSE BOX BLEW AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. ON JANUARY 14, 2005 THE DASHBOARD COMPLETELY FAILED.*AK

THERE ARE NO DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE. WHEN IT GETS DARK CONSUMER CANNOT SEE THE SPEED. THE DEALER STATES THEY CANNOT REPAIR THE DEFECT. MANUFACTURER INDICATES IT IS NORMAL.*AK

THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION INTO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCHES IS MUCH BROADER THAN CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED.. IN 2004 I PURCHASE THE BUICK RAINIER ABOVE. ON INITIAL TEST DRIVE WITH SALESMAN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AT 35 MPH. AFTER REVIEW BY THE MECHANIC IT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A COMPUTER ISSUE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AFTER RETESTING. DURING THE NEXT 4 YEARS THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST 3 MORE TIMES. EACH TIME IT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A COMPUTER UPGRADE. I HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM SINCE THEN IN 2008. THE SYMPTOMS AND THE RESULTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH ALL REPORTED FAILURES. I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND WITH A BUICK FULL SIZE CAR 2006 I BELIEVE WHO HAD THE SAME ISSUE. THE REPORTS THAT THIS HAS NOT OCCURRED ON BUICKS OR SUV IS NOT CORRECT. THIS IS A LARGER PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SWAYED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE DASHBOARD INDICATOR LIGHTS FLASHED AND THE CONSUMER FOUND DIFFICULTLY STOPPING THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSFER CASE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. AS A RESULT, THE ENCODER SENSOR WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE TRANSFER CASE MODULE. THERE WAS AN OCCASION WHERE THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HAD A HARD TIME KEEPING THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WOULD ALSO FEEL A DRAGGING ALONG WITH A HARD TIME STOPPING. *SC *JB