Bulletins


BulletinBulletin dateReplacement BulletinItem no.SummaryAdded
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
05060400201/01/200510013475Whistle noise on light acceleration. *eh04/19/2005
03060101003/01/200310001282Engine oil or coolant leak. *tt04/25/2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
0214301/01/20043033A10008866Awd 2,100-2,400 engine rpm moan/body boom noise. service vme. *tt08/24/2004
0135301/01/200401353A10007937Engine misfire due to injector fretting corrosion. *tt07/16/2004
0209101/01/200410007753Intermittent no start or crank - do not replace bcm. *tt07/09/2004
0152701/01/200410005464A whistle type noise coming from the engine. sit bulletin 1406534. *tt02/27/2004
0155601/01/200401556A10005396Engine cranks but does not run. *tt02/24/2004
03-06-01-01004/01/2008030601010C10004768Engine oil or coolant leak. *tt gm reminder. *tt install new lower intake manifold gasket. updated 7/18/08 *pe01/06/2004
03060403003/01/2007030604030C10002166Multiple driveability symptoms of long or hard starts, chuggle, rough idle and light or intermittent misfire due to clogged fuel injectors. *tt08/14/2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
01084500509/01/2006010845005E627671Hard start, no start, stall, and/or fuel gauge inoperative or fluctuates. *yh updated *eh02/13/2002
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM
0179701/01/200410006369Missing pollen or cabin filter. *mr04/30/2004
03060500302/01/200310001132Rattle or buzz type noise from exhaust system. *tt04/15/2003

Consumer Complaints


Fail datemilesoccurencesPurchase date
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
05/01/201267500
 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.
07/20/2009150000
 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.
12/05/200770311
 Tl- the contact owns a 2003 buick rendezvous. the contact stated that they have had to have three of the four cylinder
05/01/201079000
 Losing oil and water everyday temp. gauge showing hot. now trak and anti brake light comes on. brake pedal is got a jumping movement. we got our 2003 buick rendevu a couple years ago.
01/29/200954355
 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.
03/01/201065373
 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.
02/04/20101
 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
07/06/200630000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2003 buick rendezvous. the contact stated that the vehicle began to leak antifreeze, which caused it not to produce a lot of heat. the vehicle had to have antifreeze added every month, but the contact never actually saw it leaking. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop and they stated that antifreeze and oil were leaking into the intake manifold. the repair would cost $700. the vehicle has not been repaired. the manufacturer stated that there was no current recall; therefore, they were not liable for any expenses. the failure mileage was 30,000 and current mileage was 105,000.
07/24/20081162481
 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
04/18/200858000105/08/2003
 Tl*the contact owns a 2003 buick rendezvous. while driving between 40-45 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive it to a nearby mechanic. the mechanic stated that the radiator fluid was mixing with motor oil because the intake manifold gasket fractured. the current and failure mileages were 58,000. updated 05/06/08. *lj updated 05/06/08. *jb
08/01/200783000107/01/2007
 Owner purchased 2003 buick rendezvous in july, 2007. at the beginning of august, 2007, with approximately 80k miles on it, the vehicle's abs, traction control, and check engine lights came on and the gas gauge began fluctuating erratically. upon inspection at the local gm service center, the service technician diagnosed that the problem had been caused by a manufacturer design flaw related to the air conditioning system in which the condensation drain was made forward facing, which while driving at moderate to high speeds, would prevent the condensation to drain properly while running the air conditioning due to wind resistance. this caused the condensation (water) to pool inside the vehicle, causing multiple valves to rust, various electrical functions to malfunction, and resulted in a musty mildew smell inside the vehicle because the carpet was becoming saturated. the service technician stated he had seen this problem several times before and informed the consumer that buick remedied the problem for the 2005 and newer models. therefore, the remedy provided was that the original a/c condensation drain was replaced to match that of the 2005 and newer rendezvous. this remedy alone would have been relatively inexpensive had buick issued a recall for this design flaw (which they clearly recognized as evidenced by the design modification on the 2005 and newer models), however since the problem was not observable until significant damage had been done (including multiple rusted valves that had to be replaced and several hours of labor), the repair ended up costing the consumer over $1,000. *tr
12/08/200610012/18/2005
 The first indication of the problem was that the when the heater was turned on, it would not get warm or hot. i took the car to the dealership, they stated that it was the intake manifold gasket, which is a $900 repair. what they did not tell me was that, when this gasket leaks coolant, it will mix with the engine oil and cause the engine to blow or seize. in researching on-line, i have discovered that this is a well-known problem that both general motors and buick are well aware of. in fact, gm sent out an internal service bulletin in july 2001 stating that the intake manifold gasket was defective and that when brought in to the service dept., it should be fixed. only they will not recall the defective part or pay for or reimburse consumers for the repair. this is outrageous! there are thousands upon thousands of people out there stating this same exact problem, yet gm refuses to recall it! there is a class-action lawsuit in canada for this exact problem and a petition for gm to recall this defective part in the u.s. gm should be forced to recall this defective part that they have been deceiving consumers about all along. there is no excuse for continuing to sell vehicles with this problem and not so much as do a recall. i want to gm to pay for the repair as well as recall the part. i have already spent over $700 in repairs to the car, including wheel bearing sensors, brakes, and a gas-line leak. these are also well-known issues with the buick rendezvous.
03/07/2006212/15/2003
 Had to replace leaking intake gasket @ 56,000 miles on 2003 buick rendezvous. buick customer services said this failure was to be expected on a vehicle with 50,000 miles. traded rdv one year later when head gasket failed. *jb
02/15/200758000307/30/2003
 2003 buick rendezvous @ 59000 miles needs rear head gasket replaced. first noticed an overheated condition. took it to a monroe shop and was told radiator cap was bad. then it happened again and took it to gm dealership 2-02-07. told that it held pressure and no leaks. found orange snow under car 2-14-07. took it back to dealer and told it is leaking at rear head gasket. cost for replacement is $1500. called buick customer service. they are helping. found that canadians are suing gm for this problem. the gasket material breaks down when dex-cool is used. this problem causes coolant leak. engine seizure, gelled oil and possible replacement of engine can be possible results. i would hate to be driving down the road when the engine seized up. could be an accident waiting to happen. gm called the dealership and will cover some of the cost of the repair and i will pay a deductible amount. i am taking it in to be fixed 2-16-07. *nm
01/07/200759000208/15/2004
 In 11/05, at approximately 43k miles, my 2003 buick rendezvous cxl required a new intake gasket & thermostat after the vehicle rapidly lost all of its engine coolant and i was forced to make an emergency stop. this was a certified used gm vehicle, but the warranty expired at 39k miles so i incurred at $700+ repair bill. now, at 59k miles, i am having a similar problem; the engine coolant overheated, also leading to an emergency stop and towing, and the repair shop says that the same intake gasket has failed again. *jb
12/25/20061
 Intake manifold gaskets corroded by gm coolant after a couple years. specific to combination of factory coolant and factory gasket. mechanic replaced gasket with one that doesn't corrode when in contact with the factory coolant. this required 6.5 hours of labor plus parts totaling $600. *jb
12/19/200630000107/19/2006
 Buick rendevous. 1st was a 2002 cxl - problems: rear differential slipped, passenger side window regulator broke, ac condenser broken, rear view mirror fell off, back up sensors shut down vehicle - because of this fried entire electrical system, brakes and rotors replaced at 30k. 2nd is a 2003 cxl - problems - rear differential slipping, passenger side window regulator broken, driver 1 & 2 memory broken, engine running hot because of leak in radiator - again 30k *jb
12/10/200540000203/11/2005
 Water pump failure at 40,000 miles. head gasket coolant leak at 45,000 miles. replaced the water pump. replacing the head gasket. *jb
09/01/2003100008/29/2003
 Transmission failure- replaced 12/04, wheel hub bearing failure-replaced 06/05, heating/ac problems since new 09/03, brake problems since new, window regulators replaced 2x's, hatch latch failure-multiple, parking brake failure 07/04-present, overheating 07/04-present
04/17/200466008
 When attempting to start the vehicle power failed. as a result, vehicle became inoperative. dealer could not duplicate the problem. *ak
03/06/20031914101/31/2003
 Engine noise and over heating, transmission hard shifts between 1-2. *jb
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM
01/11/2011100000
 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.
09/15/2010129000
 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 wll be useful. thanks!
05/13/201087000
 
06/25/2007380001
 At 38,000 miles , was told by my service man that i had small head gasket and intake manifold leaks resulting in coolant loss. was told repair would be about $700, and if the leaks got worse it could jump the bill up to 3,200 dollars. contacted the dealer about this problem, they kind of chuckled and were very aware of the problem but as of 4/19/09 there is no recall. from internet research this is a very common problem with this car. looking at all the complaints on this site, it shows it is a very common problem. gm is neglecting their responsibilities by not doing a recall. something needs to be done about this.*tr
01/06/2009683991
 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
11/21/2008550001
 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
11/18/2008520001
 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
07/24/20081162481
 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
03/01/200862000210/30/2002
 I have had to replace the front and back brakes and rotors in my 2003 buick rendezvous twice now - one at 36,000 miles and again just recently at 73,000 miles. i had to have $1200 worth of work on the transmission at 62,000 miles because a gasket was leaking and causing transmission fluid to leak into the anti-freeze. buick knew of this problem and had changed the design in 2003, but after i had purchased my vehicle. now, i have been told the transmission cooling lines are leaking. didn't they notice that when i had the transmission work done or did they cause it? mechanic says it has been leaking a long time. *tr
07/01/200763000101/30/2003
 03' buick rederzvous (with 65000 miles) being told leaking of lower intake manifold while being serviced at dealership for brakes. given estimates of $1200 for the repair job. to its credit buick is helping with the tab (ended up of paying 400 out of pocket). while dealer was doing the intake job, he came back to say the water pump is also leaking which costs about additional 350 for the fix. *jb
11/23/200640400107/31/2003
 I am writing to complain about the premature failure of the intake gaskets on the general motors 3.4 liter engine. the failure most common with 2002 and 2003 buick rendezvous. my rendezvous had 40,000 miles on it when the gaskets failed and was out of the 36,00 mile warranty. the first indication of the failure was that my heater was not blowing hot air. i took it into a local shop and the mechanic suspected gasket failure before even looking at the car stating that this is a common problem with this engine and we repair 2 or 3 a month in our shop. the problem is you think you are just loosing (dexcool) antifreeze from evaporation during the summer but in the winter when you try to use your heater it does not heat properly. the engine does not leak antifreeze on the ground, it goes into your engine oil and can cause catastrophic engine failure if not caught quickly enough. i called my local buick dealer to see if gm could help me out since my car was only 4.000 miles out of warranty. they said bring it in and they will look at it. they called me back and said it was the intake gaskets that failed and it would cost me $900 to repair. i called gm customer service and after a week of negotiations, i finally got my car repaired at a reduced price($360). now i am worried about the damage that has been done to my engine after having engine coolant contaminating my engine oil. i was told by the buick service tech. that no coolant got into the oil. it goes outside the engine. that is very strange, because part of the repair is to change the engine oil. i want to make it clear that at no time was there ever any indication of any type of fluid leaking from the engine. if you google gm engine coolant leak more than 100,000 items come up on this. *nm
09/11/200667000104/25/2003
 I have an 03 buick rendezvous and the intake manifold gasket ($875) was identify by the dealership as the source of the problem at the same time my front hub bearings were fixed at just over $400 by the buick dealership in new jersey. the dealership took my money gladly and later that day i find out in this forum my vehicle should have been repaired at no cost to me. i find it hard to believe the service manager/dealership were not aware of this problem and the notice posted by gm. i feel used and abuse at this point and my vehicle is still have problems with leaking coolant/overheating even after getting the problem fixed. all i want from gm is justice for all us who work hard each day and have continue to support their company and products. i would like to be added to class action lawsuit, can anyone give me information on getting on that train. i found other consumers across the country and in canada on this website with the same problems http://www.topix.net/forum/autos/buick-rendezvous/t1tik6gq01p6ghp7d/p3. *nm
03/31/200648000101/22/2003
 Dt*: the contact stated the engine intake gasket was consistently leaking. during the time of the leakage, the engine did not stall. when the engine coolant became low the engine would get hot. the vehicle was only at 50000 miles and the contact expressed that the vehicle should not be having these problems at this point. the vehicle was repaired at an independent repair shop. the manufacturer was alerted and determined there would be no reimbursements for the repairs because the repairs were performed by an independent repair shops; repairs would be eligible for reimbursement if performed by the manufacturer's dealer. updated 7/7//2006 - *nm
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE
02/01/200640000
 Tl* the contact owns a 2003 buick rendezvous. the contact stated that the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. the contact stated that the failure occurred several times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the rocker arm bolts fractured from the engine block which caused the head gasket to fail. the dealer stated that the engine would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage 110,000.
02/01/200640000
 Tl - the contact owns a 2003 buick rendezvous. the contact stated that the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle stalled. the contact stated that the failure occurred several times. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the rocker arm bolts came off of the engine block as a result the head gasket blew. the dealer advised that the engine needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted who did not offered any assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and current mileage 110,000. pm
03/19/2010135000
 For the second time, the bolt that holds down the dohc rod backed out, and resulted in severe engine failure. apparantly 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. ??
07/17/2003805651
 2003 buick rendezvous. i bought this car for $8200 one month ago. the car had only 78,000 but now has 81,000. in one month's time and 3000 miles we have had to replace the brakes, the muffler, the plugs and wires, as well as the coil pack. now we have a big problem! antifreeze smell, knocking in the engine... like all other complaints, it looks like this is going to be another 2003 rendezvous with a blown head gasket. i have been researching this online and have found over 300 different complaints for the exact gasket problem. what can we do? the failure info: the car is jumping at idle and at low speeds every time it's driven. it's now making a knocking noise that knocks quicker the more you speed up. the knock is so loud now that the only place it is being driven is to a repair shop for what we are sure is another head gaskets, like so many others have had replaced with this particular model. *tr
04/30/2007140000
 Tl*the contact owns a 2003 buick rendezvous. the contact stated that her vehicle stalls and shuts off at all times. the vehicle also smokes a lot and the gasket overheated. in addition, the driver's side window dropped down into the door. the buick dealer has had the vehicle for over a week making repairs. the dealer stated that different failures keep arising, such as the air mast flow sensor had to be changed twice, along with the water pump, timing belt, and new thermostats were installed. the repair could possibly cost more than $2,000. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 140,000.
04/01/2008550001
 Bought the car aprox. 3 years ago,a 2003 buick rendezvous with 30,000 miles on it,it now has aprox.60,000 miles on it. within the last year [ 2008 ] it has started loosing coolant,not externally,having to refill overflow tank every 1,500 to 2,000 miles,we have the vehicle serviced every 3,000 miles,using pure synthetic,with the amount of upper engine gasket failures ,apparently caused by antifreeze deterating head and intake manifold gaskets,ending in catastrophic gasket failure,and most of the coolant in oil,and the only repair is replacing defective gasket,where as the proper repair would be for the whole engine to be replaced,has there been a recall or class action taken here in the u.s. i know canada has, i am concerned because my engine now has a bottom end rattle,ie the crankshaft and or connecting rod bearings worn, i have done auto mechanic work for 30 years and i know this is a sign of premature ware,then engine failure,and i feel g.m. should be 100% responsible for engine replacement,please advise. *tr
12/10/2007106/15/2004
 2003 buick rendezvous - engine gaskets, wheel bearings, awd, rear differential, a/c condenser and on and on. car is a lemon. *tr
11/01/2006700001
 Leaks antifreeze and antifreeze getting into the oil. will replace the head gasket. *nm
10/15/200655000103/10/2003
 Within the last seven months we have had to replace the window motor on the drivers sie,blower motor, load leveler. now the power steering is going and the 02 sensor has to be replaced. *nm
06/01/2004301/15/2003
 While turning right or left at any speed the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection but the mechanic could not distinguish the problem. *mr the battery light has begun to illuminate intermittently. *nm
07/11/20031
 Consumer states that while driving at any speed engine light comes on and will stay on the remainder of the time the vehicle is being operated. dealer notified. *ak
03/08/20031
 While driving the vehicle stalled intermittently and without. the dealer has been unable to duplicate the problem. *nlm
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE
07/26/200787561105/06/2003
 2003 buick rendezvous with 87,000 miles. i started smelling a sweet burning smell through the vent. i am being told that my intake valve is leaking and the water pump needs replacing. this will apparently cost approximately $2,650.00. my father owns the exact same car and had this exact same problem arise in his 2001 buick rendezvous. it cost him significantly less. the dealers all know about this problem but is has not been issued as a recall therefore they can charge for it. my father's dealership in dayton, ohio knew about it and when i brought mine into the dealership in alexandria, va the servicemen laughed because they were aware of the problem. *tr
07/23/200675000103/21/2006
 2003 buick rendezvous cxl 75000 miles cooling temperature varied widely indicating a possible problem. took auto to authorized repair shop who replaced intake manifold gasket at 75000 miles. *jb
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
04/18/200858000105/08/2003
 Tl*the contact owns a 2003 buick rendezvous. while driving between 40-45 mph, the vehicle stalled. the contact was able to restart the vehicle and drive it to a nearby mechanic. the mechanic stated that the radiator fluid was mixing with motor oil because the intake manifold gasket fractured. the current and failure mileages were 58,000. updated 05/06/08. *lj updated 05/06/08. *jb
05/02/200743880102/17/2003
 Engine ran hot. service repaired the intake manifold gasket. all coolent was lost, but no leak was found under car. gasket was replaced. *ak
12/20/200668500101/24/2005
 Intake-manifold started leaking at 69,000 and will cost me $800.00. was told this is a common problem with 2002-2003 buick rendevouz's. *jb
11/13/2006430001
 Failure of manifold intake gaskets, and manifold cracked, both at 43,000 miles. *jb