2003 Buick Rendezvous Engine Problems

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 FAILURES RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,200.

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 INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN A FOURTH TIME TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, AND SERPENTINE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 215,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE FUEL TANK LEAKED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL LEAK WAS NEAR THE FILLER SPOUT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V349000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE) WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

THE CAR HAS A NOISE AND IT LAGS AT 4K RPM. WE HAD IT DIAGNOSED AND THERE WHERE NO CODES. THE NOISE HAS GOTTEN WORSE. WE WERE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND IT STALED OUT ON US AND THEN AGAIN WHEN WE WERE PULLING IN OUR DRIVEWAY. I NEED IT FIXED AND I REFUSES TO PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT WONT EVEN SHOW UP ON A SHOPS COMPUTER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE UP AN INCLINE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN TRAVELLING AT A STEADY SPEED, THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED. AFTER THE VEHICLE STALLED IT WOULD RESTART ON ITS ON WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 162,408. UPDATED 9/12/14-*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR, CAMSHAFT SENSOR, AND CRANK SENSOR WERE ALL REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WOULD IDLE /STALL WALL BEING DRIVEN. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD LOCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. UPDATED 2/5/2015*JS

CRANK SEALS, OIL PAN SEAL, HEAD GASKET CORROSION AND POTENTIAL FAILURE. MECHANIC FOUND THESE LEAKS WHICH WILL LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE. REPORTED TO BUICK, EXAMINED BY DEALERSHIP. BUICK SAID ESSENTIALLY, "TOO BAD, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN." THE CAR IS WELL-MAINTAINED, LOW MILES, MALE SENIOR DRIVER. THIS SHOULD NOT OCCUR ON A VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION. GM SHOULD TAKE CARE OF SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS SUCH AS THESE. *TR

MECHANIC STATED THAT INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET HAD FAILED. THIS CAUSED ENGINE OIL TO FLOOD COOLANT SYSTEM AND COOLANT TO FLOOD ENGINE. ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, COSTING ~$3600. MECHANIC STATED THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN-PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR. AFTER RESEARCHING AND SEEING NO REMEDIATION BY GM, THIS COMPLAINT WAS FILED BASED ON THE VOLUME OF COMPLAINTS REPORTED FOR THE SAME ISSUE. *TR

I JUST FOUND THIS LINK TODAY. I HAVE BEEN HAVING SEVERAL PROBLEMS OUT OF MY 03 RENDEZVOUS. I HAD MY BRAKES CHANGED, AND EVERYTHING HAS WENT TO HELL. THE BRAKES RATTLE, MY AWD DISABLED, AND MY ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM LIGHT IS ON. I HAD THIS PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY LOOKED AT IN AUGUST 2010. ONCE THE ROTORS WERE TURNED IT SEEMED TO HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEMS. SINCE THE WARM WEATHER HAS RETURNED, THE PROBLEMS HAS STARTED BACK. IN ADDITION TO THE BRAKE SYSTEM PROBLEMS, I AM LOOKING INTO POSSIBLE INTAKE MANIFOLD BEING REPLACED OR REPAIRED DUE TO ANTIFREEZE LEAKAGE. ANY HELP WILL BE USEFUL. THANKS! *TR

OCTOBER 21, 2010, WILLIAMSTOWN, NJ- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM AT 51,000 MILES HAD TO CONSTANTLY ADD COOLANT EVERY WEEK; NEVER SAW ANY LEAKS IN THE COOLING SYSTEM. SUV NOW HAS 87,000 MILES, COOLING SYSTEM CONTINUES TO GET VERY HOT, HAD THE THERMOSTAT REPLACED OCT. 8, 2010, ENGINES CONTINUES TO GET VERY HOT IN JUST A 8 MILE DRIVE. ALSO, MOTOR OIL CONTINUES TO SHOW UP IN THE OVERFLOW/COOLANT ADDING CONTAINER. CHECKED COOLING FAN OPERATION AND BOTH FANS ARE WORKING. *TR

FOR THE SECOND TIME, THE BOLT THAT HOLDS DOWN THE DOHC ROD BACKED OUT, AND RESULTED IN SEVERE ENGINE FAILURE. APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT RESULTS FROM HEAT OVER TIME. BUICK HAS FAILED TO EVER ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS VERY EXPENSIVE PREVENTIVE REPAIR ISSUE. HOW CAN A MANUFACTURER NOT ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. ?? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED WITH A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A MELTED CABLE CONNECTED TO THE HEATER AND THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE HEATER MODULE AND CABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,373.

1ST TIME: DRIVING INTO PORTLAND, OR. WHEN ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A AWFUL NOISE BY THE TIME I FOUND A DEALER THE SOUND WAS AWFUL. THE DEALER SAID THAT I HAD 1 PUSH ROD JAMMED AND LOCKED UP. IT WAS REPLACED. 2ND.TIME 1 YEAR TO THE MONTH IT HAPPENED AGAIN. TOOK TO DEALER AND #4 LOCKED UP AND BENT. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS BECOMING A COMMON ITEM WITH THIS CAR. IT SEEMS THAT BECAUSE OF THE ALUMINUM BLOCK EXPANDS AND RETRACKS WHEN IT IS HOT THAT THE BOLT USED TO PUSH THE ROD COMES LOOSE AND CAUSES THE ROD THE FINELLY BEND. I CHECK WITH ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAD, HAD 2 IN THE LAST YEAR. I WAS TOLD THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNTIL I REPLACE ALL RODS. AT WHICH TIME THEY WILL PUT IN NEW BOLTS WITH LOCK TIGHT SO THEY WILL NOT COME LOOSE.SO FAR I HAVE BEEN LUCKY THAT ONLY ONE AT A TIME HAS GOOD. IF TWO HAD GONE OUT THEY SAID I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. AS IT WOULD LOCK UP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THE CAR OVER HEATED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO BE SEEN BY A MECHANIC AND HE SAID MY ANTIFREEZE MIXED WITH ENGINE OIL. MY HEAD GASKET BLEW, THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, CAR BUCKS, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON....EITHER FLASHING OR SOLID. 1) CYLINDER BOLT ON ROCKER #3 PULLED OUT 01/29/2009; 2) LIFTERS FOR CYLINDER #1 COLLAPSED 02/25/2009. TODAY (04/28/2010) CAR IS BACK IN SHOP. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY LAST NIGHT, SAME SYMPTOM. DEALER OFFERED TENTATIVE DIAGNOSIS OF PULLED ROCKER ARM IN REAR OF ENGINE. *TR

WE HAVE A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS WITH 60,000 MILES. THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL. WE HAVE TWICE EXPERIENCED LOWER INTAKE GASKET FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN TWO EXPENSIVE REPAIR BILLS. LUCKILY THE LEAKS WERE NOTICED BEFORE THEY COULD CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. DURING THE LAST FAILURE, WE HAD LOST MOST OF THE COOLANT, WHICH WAS NOT INDICATED BY THE "LOW COOLANT" ALARM. LUCKILY WE HAD THE VEHICLE IN FOR WINDOW SERVICE AT A GM DEALER AND THEY NOTICED THE PROBLEM DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION. WE WERE TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE PREVIOUS REPAIR, WHICH WAS DONE AT ANOTHER DEALER, DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY HAD FAILED TO NOTICE THE HEAD GASKET SEALS WHICH WERE LEAKING AND LED TO THE INTAKE GASKET FAILURE. THEY DID REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS AND SEALS AT "GM GOODWILL" WITH NO COSTS FOR THE PARTS. WE HAVE NOW SPENT OVER $3000 IN REPAIRS TO THIS ENGINE ON SOMETHING THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I HAVE SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ALONG THIS LINE ON OTHER FORUMS AND I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED . *TR

OUR VEHICLE BROKE DOWN IN NORTH CAROLINA FRIDAY NOVEMBER 21ST WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND WE ARE SHUT DOWN. AFTER TOWING TO A LOCAL GARAGE WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE VEHICLE AT ALL. WE KNEW THAT THE OIL CHANGE HAD BEEN DONE VERY RECENTLY AND WAS COMING DUE AT 3000 MILES BUT THE OIL LIFE WAS STILL 38% MEANING WE STILL HAD OIL AND IT WAS IN GOOD CONDITION UNTIL THE LIFE WAS 0%. SO THE OIL LEAK WAS A MYSTERY. THEY RECOMMENDED WE LEAVE THE VEHICLE AND REPLACE THE ENGINE. WE CHOSE TO DRIVE ON TO VIRGINIA SINCE WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT STARTED AND NEW OIL PUT IN. CHECKED ALL THE WAY-NO OVERHEATING ETC. CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY TOLD US TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR ASSESSMENT. THEY FINALLY GAVE US THE BAD NEWS ON TUESDAY. ENGINE NEEDS REPLACEMENT. WE WERE STRANDED IN DC FOR 6 DAYS WAITING ON GM TO TELL US IF THEY WOULD ASSIST WITH ENGINE REPLACEMENT AND THEY WILL NOT. HAD TO LEAVE OUR VEHICLE THERE AND COME HOME. NOW THEY WANT US TO PAY $6000 FOR A NEW ENGINE ON A VEHICLE WORTH $8000, BUICK RENDEZVOUS 2003 WITH 55K MILES. WE HAVE COMPLETE MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWING WE TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF THE VEHICLE. WE FOUND OUT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT THAT INVOLVES OUR VEHICLE AND RELATES TO ENGINE FAILURE. ACTION ENDED OCT 2008 SO WE HAVE NO CHANCE OF PARTICIPATING-PLUS THERE IS A CANADIAN CLASS ACTION FOR THE SAME ISSUES-WE KNEW NOTHING FROM GM ABOUT DEFECTS THAT WOULD CAUSE OUR ENGINE TO FAIL. NOW I AM STRANDED AT HOME (LUCKILY I WORK FROM HOME BUT MANY OTHERS WOULD BE UNABLE TO WORK WITH OUT A RENTAL). CAN SOMEONE HELP WITH EXPOSING THIS ISSUE BEFORE MANY OTHERS SUFFER FROM THIS TERRIBLE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE AND FAILURE BY GM TO FACE THE PROBLEM? ACCORDING TO ALL RESEARCH THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE AT LEAST 2004 AND THERE HAVE BEEN TBS ISSUED TO DEALERSHIPS. *TR

INTAKE GASKETS ON 2001-2003 (MAYBE MORE) LEAKS PREMATURE. BUICK HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. CLASS ACTION SUIT IN CANADA ABOUT THIS NOW. THIS PROBLEM GASKET WILL LEAK WITHOUT ANY INDICATION AND CAUSE ENGINE TO OVER HEAT. HAVE TO PUT THE RENDEZVOUS IN THE SHOP TO HAVE FIXED( APPROX. $600.00) BUICK WILL NOT HELP IN THE COST. RENDEZVOUS HAS APPROX. 52,000 MILES. *TR

COOLING SYSTEM CONTINUES TO GET VERY HOT AFTER THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED. IF AC IS ON TEMPERATURE GAUGE STAYS 3/4 QUARTERS OF THE WAY. GM TESTED COOLING FAN OPERATION AND BOTH FANS ARE RUNNING. PRESSURE TESTED SYSTEM FOR LEAK. FOUND REAR HEAD GASKET LEAKING FLUID. PER GM HEAD GASKETS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. HEADS WOULD NEED TO BE SENT OUT AND MILLED. PARTS AND LABOR WOULD BE AROUND $1849.22. *TR