U.S. public vehicle records

2005 Buick RAINIER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

103 owner complaints analyzed

1 distinct recall campaigns

68,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 82 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 32 of 103 complaints (31.1%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	12	11.7%
Steering behavior	7	6.8%
Fuel system concerns	7	6.8%
Engine operation	6	5.8%
Electrical and battery issues	6	5.8%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Electrical System

Fuel System, Gasoline

Exterior Lighting

Suspension

Vehicle Speed Control

Air Bags

Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Electrical System	32
Fuel System, Gasoline	20
Exterior Lighting	12
Suspension	7
Vehicle Speed Control	7
Air Bags	6
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel	6
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)	5

Electrical System: 32; Fuel System, Gasoline: 20; Exterior Lighting: 12; Suspension: 7; Vehicle Speed Control: 7; Air Bags: 6; Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel: 6; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 15; 50,000 to 74,999: 21; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 19; 150,000 and above: 5

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (21). 21 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2020

2022

2023

2005: 5; 2006: 1; 2007: 2; 2008: 4; 2009: 8; 2010: 9; 2011: 19; 2012: 10; 2013: 5; 2014: 11; 2015: 13; 2016: 5; 2017: 5; 2018: 2; 2020: 2; 2022: 1; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10124111 · 2005-06-03 (June 3, 2005)

STEP ON BRAKE GRINDING NOISE WOULD NOT STOP THIS HAPPENED OVER 2 WK TIME CAR AT DEALER NOW POP NOISE INTERMINTENT IDLE PROBLEM 3 RD TIME BACK TO DEALER HAVE CONTACTED MANUFACTIOR HAVE 2 CASE REPORTS ON 1 CLOSED A NEW ONE OPENED

Owner-reported narrative. 11,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10124111 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10138673 · 2005-10-05 (October 5, 2005)

DT: THE CONSUMER BOUGHT A NEW BUICK RAINIER IN 2005 AND SHE WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE VEHICLE EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH WAS VERY SMALL. THE CONSUMER MISSED HITTING THE BRAKE PEDAL A FEW TIMES, AND THIS SCARED HER. THE CONSUMER TALKED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY KNEW OF A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD MAKE ADJUSTMENTS FOR HANDICAPPED PEOPLE. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT HANDICAPPED AND THOUGHT IT WAS UNFAIR THAT SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR AN ADJUSTMENT. *AK (11/17/05) *SC

Owner-reported narrative. 149 miles reported. Look up ODI 10138673 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10275950 · 2009-07-07 (July 7, 2009)

2005 BUICK RAINIER WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY VAN IN COMING TRAFFIC. MY WIFE DRIVING THE RAINIER HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND BENT IT. SHE RECEIVE A LARGE LACERATION REQUIRING ABOUT 30 STITCHES, CLAVICLE STRAIN, BROKEN COLLAR BONE AND MULTIPLE BRUISES. SHE WAS WEARING THE SEAT BELT. COLLISION WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO LIFT THE REAR OF THE CAR OFF THE GROUND AND TURN IT FACING THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE VAN SHE HIT. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10275950 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10440347 · 2011-12-18 (December 18, 2011)

ONE SUNDAY MORNING. TURNED CAR OFF AND HEARD A HUMMING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER SIDE. FRIEND AT CHURCH THOUGHT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ABS MODULE RUNNING. REMOVED THE FUSE, CUTTING OFF ABS MODULE. WAS ADVISED BY FRIEND TO REPLACE FUSE WHEN WE WENT TO LEAVE CHURCH BUT TO TAKE OUT WHEN WE GOT HOME OR THE BATTERY MIGHT GO DEAD. HE SAID GET IT TO A DEALERSHIP ASAP. I TOOK THE RAINIER TO JOHN NEWSOME SUPERSTORE IN HARTSVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA. I SPOKE TO SHOP FOREMAN AND HE AGREED IT WAS THE ABS MODULE. COST TO REPLACE WAS $1200 AN…

Owner-reported narrative. 109,082 miles reported. Look up ODI 10440347 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10257185 · 2009-02-02 (February 2, 2009)

I HAD FILLED UP THE GAS TANK , THEN IT SHOWED EMPTY, THE GAUGE HAS BEEN JUMPING BACK AND FORTH EVER SINCE. IT GOES EMPTY EVERY TIME IT IS FILLED UP NOW. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 32,052 miles reported. Look up ODI 10257185 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10261908 · 2009-03-15 (March 15, 2009)

FUEL GAUGE READING INCORRECT. DEALER REPLACED SENSOR AND HAD TO DRAIN/REMOVE GAS TANK TO REPLACE. WHILE THIS WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY (55,000 MILES, I WOULD HAVE HAD TO PAY APPROXIMATELY $550. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10261908 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10399035 · 2011-05-03 (May 3, 2011)

GAS GAUGE IS ERRATIC, GOES FROM EMPTY TO FULL AND FULL TO EMPTY LEAVING YOU WITH NO IDEA HOW MUCH FUEL YOU HAVE. WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR TURNING, VEHICLE LUNGES OR STALLS. ALSO, LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WILL GO OFF WITH NO WARNING AND TAKES TIME TO RE-LIGHT. LOW BEAMS ALSO TEND TO FLICKER TO DIM.

Owner-reported narrative. 28,426 miles reported. Look up ODI 10399035 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10450301 · 2012-03-05 (March 5, 2012)

ON 2/29/12 I CAME BACK FROM THE GROCERY STORE AND PARKED MY VEHICLE AND UNLOADED MY GROCERIES AND RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE WHICH WAS LEFT RUNNING. I PUT MY VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND PROCEEDED TO DO A UTURN AND HAD PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE TO PREVENT COLLISION WITH OTHER VEHICLES PARKED ON THE ODD SIDE OF THE STREET. WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE THE CAR JUST STALLED, IT DID NOT MOVE AT ALL. I LOOKED AT THE DASHBOARD AND IT KEEP INFORMING ME THAT THE FUEL WAS LOW. THIS WAS IMPOSSIBLE DUE TO THE FACT I KNEW I HAD OVER A HALF TANK OF GAS IN MY …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10450301 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10449705 · 2012-02-29 (February 29, 2012)

THE SPEEDOMETER BEGAN STICKING APPX 70,000MI. IN SUMMER 2011. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALER AN THEY STATED THE PANEL NEEDS REPLACED @ A COST $450.00 AND ONLY 5 TO 10MPH OFF AT THE TIME. I LET IT GO AT THAT TIME. SINCE THEN THE ALT. GAUGE STARTED JUMPING(CHANGED BATTERY) STILL JUMPING. NOW THE OIL PRESSURE GAGE BOTTOMED OUT AND I WAS OUT OF TOWN. HAD THIS CHECKED OUT AND THE PANEL NEEDS REPLACED NOW. SINCE THE OIL PRESSURE WENT OUT THIS IS NOW A SAFETY ISSUE! DO I TRUST THE ELEC. PANEL? (NO!). SINCE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS, IT'S TIME FOR THE MANUFACTU…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10449705 at NHTSA ↗