2006 Buick RAINIER problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
91 owner complaints analyzed
7 distinct recall campaigns
74,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2006 model year. Data snapshot: . 72 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 25 of 91 complaints (27.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 12 | 13.2% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 7.7% |
| Engine operation | 4 | 4.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 3.3% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 2.2% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 1.1% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 25 |
| Electrical System | 15 |
| Exterior Lighting | 11 |
| Visibility/Wiper | 6 |
| Suspension | 5 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 4 |
| Fuel System, Other | 4 |
| Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System | 4 |
Fuel System, Gasoline: 25; Electrical System: 15; Exterior Lighting: 11; Visibility/Wiper: 6; Suspension: 5; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 4; Fuel System, Other: 4; Fuel System, Other:Storage:Fuel Gauge System: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 4 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 24 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 10 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 23 |
| 150,000 and above | 3 |
Under 25,000: 4; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 24; 75,000 to 99,999: 10; 100,000 to 149,999: 23; 150,000 and above: 3
50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (24). 19 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2006 | 3 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 27 |
| 2012 | 7 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 6 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
2006: 3; 2007: 2; 2010: 5; 2011: 27; 2012: 7; 2013: 7; 2014: 6; 2015: 13; 2016: 4; 2017: 5; 2018: 3; 2019: 1; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2022: 3; 2023: 1; 2025: 1
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 12 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 4 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 10355782 · 2010-09-15 (September 15, 2010)
ON FEW OCCASIONS I RUN OUT OF FUEL BECAUSE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL SENSOR UNIT IN THE FUEL TANK. ONE TIME IT HAPPENED ON THE BUSY HIGHWAY. THIS DEFECT CAN LEAD TO VERY DANGERS SITUATION. THE FUEL INDICATOR BECOMES ERRATIC AND UNRELIABLE WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT FUEL SENSOR IN GM SUV'S. SAME PART IS USED IN ALL GM MODELS (2005-2007). *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 78,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10355782 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10398702 · 2011-05-02 (May 2, 2011)
APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO AFTER GETTING GAS AT A GAS STATION, I NOTED MY GAS GAUGE IN MY 2006 BUICK RAINIER TO READ "EMPTY" DESPITE HAVING JUST FILLED IT WITH GASOLINE. FOR A SHORT TIME AFTERWARDS, MY GAS GAUGE FLUCTUATED DESPITE MY GAS LEVELS. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON EVERY TIME I FILLED UP MY TANK. STILL TO THIS DAY, MY GAS GAUGE CONTINUES TO READ "EMPTY" ALL THE TIME DESPITE FILLING IT UP WITH GAS. THEREFORE, I NEVER KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH GAS I TRULY HAVE IN MY GAS TANK AT A TIME AND WORRY ABOUT RUNNING OUT OF GAS FREQUENTLY. *TR…
Owner-reported narrative. 56,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10398702 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10413651 · 2011-07-19 (July 19, 2011)
WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL PROBLEMS. THE FAN MOTOR CONTROL MODULE WHEN OUT,THEN THE MODULE THAT CONTROLS THE FUEL INDICATOR AND DISPLAY WENT BAD. NOW LESS THAN 6 MONTHS LATER THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE BAD. IT IS ONLY WORKING IN 2 & 3. NO OVERDRIVE OR FIRST. THIS LAST PROBLEM SUDDENLY STARTED ON 7/17/11. OUR MECHANIC CAME AND CHECKED IT OUT (HE DID NOT WANT US TO DRIVE IT) AND SAID THE TRANSMISSION WAS ONLY WORKING IN SECOND AND THIRD AND WE SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED OR REPAIRED. WE ARE STILL PAYING FOR THI…
Owner-reported narrative. 73,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10413651 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10458243 · 2012-05-13 (May 13, 2012)
VEHICLE IDLING IN DRIVEWAY WHILE I WENT INSIDE TO RETRIEVE CELL PHONE. CAME OUT AND SMOKE IN VEHICLE AND ELECTRICAL FIRE SMELL. PULL EXTERIOR OF POWER WINDOW PANEL UP AND SAW SWITCH BURNED AND MELTED ON ONE CORNER. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 149,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10458243 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10167215 · 2006-09-01 (September 1, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED SINCE JULY 13, 2006, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AT SPEEDS BELOW 20 MPH. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED EACH TIME AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE A PROBLEM, BUT REPLACED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND COOLANT TEMPERATURE SENSOR IN A REPAIR ATTEMPT. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,556 miles reported. Look up ODI 10167215 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10452539 · 2012-03-21 (March 21, 2012)
FUEL GAUGE SHOWED MORE FUEL THAN WHAT WAS ACTUALLY IN FUEL TANK CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. FUEL GAUGE NOW READS EMPTY AT ALL TIMES EVEN WHEN TANK IS FULL. *JS
Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10452539 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10307572 · 2010-02-08 (February 8, 2010)
CAR FELT LIKE SOMEONE BUMPED THE BACK END OF IT WHILE AT A STOPPED POSITION OR THAT IT IS SHIFTING DOWN WHILE YOU ARE AT A STOPPED POSITION..YOU CAN ALSO FEEL IT ON THE FLOOR AT TIMES AS IT HAPPENS WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT..DEALER DID A CHECK WITH THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND NOTHING WAS IN THE COMPUTER...THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME I TOOK CAR INTO DEALER...FIRST TIME THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY THE COMPESSOR KICKING ON....THIS TIME THEY SAID THAT THIS CAR HAS A TRANSMISSION THAT DOWNSHIFS LIKE THAT AND MAKES IT FEEL LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT UNLESS IT…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10307572 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10641283 · 2014-10-03 (October 3, 2014)
I HAD INVOLVED CAR ACCIDENT WHICH FROM THEY CALLED THROTTLEBODY DUE TO (TPS...SHIFT BY WIRE) YOU CAN FIND IN ASK.COM ENCYCLOPEDIA *(SEE BOTTOM) THAT I EXPERIENCED WHICH I HAD. IT WAS RUNNING IN REVERSE AND HIT STEEL POST THAT PROTECT GAS METER WHILE I TRIED BRAKE BUT ENGINE AND TRANNY WAS IN FULL IDLE AND I TRIED CHANGE TO INTO DRIVE WHILE IT STILL IN FULL IDLE AND MY BRAKE CANT STOP UNTIL I HIT EMERGENCY BRAKE AND TURN ENGINE OFF BY KEY SWITCH. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND I'M NOT ALONE AND MY INSURANCE (NATIONAL GENERAL WHICH USED BE GMAC…
Owner-reported narrative. 122,499 miles reported. Look up ODI 10641283 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11704072 · 2025-12-09 (December 9, 2025)
The contact owns a 2006 Buick Rainer. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel jerked independently without warning, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the brake pedal while depressing the brake pedal. The contact had taken the vehicle to two independent mechanics, where the wheel bearings and ball joints were replaced; however, the failure persisted. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of th…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11704072 at NHTSA ↗