U.S. public vehicle records

2003 Buick RENDEZVOUS problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

281 owner complaints analyzed

6 distinct recall campaigns

70,025 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 214 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Fuel/Propulsion System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 43 of 281 complaints (15.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Fuel system concerns	65	23.1%
Braking behavior	55	19.6%
Electrical and battery issues	27	9.6%
Steering behavior	20	7.1%
Engine operation	15	5.3%
Transmission and shifting	10	3.6%

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.

Fuel/Propulsion System

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Fuel System, Gasoline

Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System

Service Brakes

Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Fuel/Propulsion System	43
Electrical System	31
Engine And Engine Cooling	23
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	16
Fuel System, Gasoline	14
Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System	13
Service Brakes	13
Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing	12

Fuel/Propulsion System: 43; Electrical System: 31; Engine And Engine Cooling: 23; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 16; Fuel System, Gasoline: 14; Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System: 13; Service Brakes: 13; Suspension:Front:Wheel Bearing: 12

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: 23; 25,000 to 49,999: 41; 50,000 to 74,999: 48; 75,000 to 99,999: 36; 100,000 to 149,999: 43; 150,000 and above: 23

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (48). 67 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.

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2003: 16; 2004: 16; 2005: 33; 2006: 26; 2007: 34; 2008: 20; 2009: 14; 2010: 12; 2011: 14; 2012: 12; 2013: 10; 2014: 23; 2015: 24; 2016: 10; 2017: 3; 2018: 5; 2019: 1; 2020: 4; 2021: 2; 2022: 2

Pattern summary

Fuel/Propulsion System leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 65 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 55 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 27 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 10028690 · 2003-07-21 (July 21, 2003)

THE GAS TANK FILL HOSE ENTERS TANK IN A POORLY SITUATED LOCATION. THE HOSE ENTERS THE TANK ON THE SIDE, BOTTOM THROUGH A FLEXIBLE BOOT. THE BOOT/HOSE IN THIS LOCATION IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE FROM ROAD DEBRIS. THE BOOT WAS TORN OPEN BY A STONE THE SIZE OF A GOLF BALL HITTING THE VEHICLE WHILE MOVING AT 60MPH. THE TEAR WAS SIGNIFICANT (3/4" TEAR IN BOOT WHERE CONNECTED TO TANK). THE FILLER HOSE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOCATED EITHER HIGHER ON SIDE OR ON TOP OF TANK. POTENTIAL OF FIRE OR EXPLOSION SEVERE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 6,400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028690 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10121994 · 2005-05-24 (May 24, 2005)

DT: ABOUT A WEEK AGO SMELLED GAS. HOWEVER, VEHICLE ALWAYS RECEIVED POOR GAS MILEAGE. THE GAS SMELL WAS VERY STRONG. DRIVER HARDLY EVER FILLED GAS TANK UP BUT DID SO YESTERDAY, AND DISCOVERED GAS WAS POURING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING THE GAS CONTINUES TO POUR OUT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO NOTED THE SEAL AROUND THE GAS TANK BROKE OR WAS POORLY SEALED. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE YET. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121994 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10116477 · 2005-04-06 (April 6, 2005)

WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON SNOW-COVERED ROADS, THE ABS AND AWD SYSTEMS ABRUPTLY STOPPED WORKING WITH THE WARNING LIGHTS COMING ON. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY BEFORE ARRIVING HOME, CAUSING THE CAR TO SLIDE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT ONE POINT. DEALER FOUND A CORRODED WIRING HARNESS DUE TO WATER. THE LOCATION OF THIS HARNESS IS EXPOSED ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE CAR AND IS STILL EXPOSED TO NORMAL WET WEATHER DRIVING. THE FAILURE OF THIS HARNESS CAUSED THE ABS AND AWD SENSOR TO OVERHEAT AND DISABLE THE SYSTEMS. IN THE PROCESS, THE W…

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116477 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10124727 · 2005-06-03 (June 3, 2005)

2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE BATTERY, STEERING AND THE AUTOMATIC BRAKE SYSTEM.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER FELT VIBRATIONS IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND VEHICLE WHICH LASTED ANYWHERE FROM 10-30 SECONDS. THE NOISE OF VIBRATION HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED BUT WAS UNABLE TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR ONCE. THE BATTERY WENT DEAD. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS MAY BE THE RESULT OF OTHER PROBLEMS. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10124727 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10027298 · 2003-07-15 (July 15, 2003)

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10027298 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10066670 · 2004-06-22 (June 22, 2004)

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10066670 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10117376 · 2005-05-06 (May 6, 2005)

THE DASHBOARD FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY FOR THE DRIVER TO SEE PROPERLY. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE DASHBOARD PANEL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK DURING THE DAY THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT LIGHT UP AND AS A RESULT IT IS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE THE SPEEDOMETER, RPM'S, ETC. THE HORN CAN NOT BE SOUNDED BY EXTENDING THUMB FROM STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER HAS TO REMOVE ONE HAND FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND PRESS IT FIRMLY IN THE CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO ACTIV…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10117376 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10012306 · 2003-03-24 (March 24, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY AND WITHOUT. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012306 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10017063 · 2003-05-05 (May 5, 2003)

ENGINE NOISE AND OVER HEATING, TRANSMISSION HARD SHIFTS BETWEEN 1-2. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,914 miles reported. Look up ODI 10017063 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10087059 · 2004-08-17 (August 17, 2004)

BLOWN TRANSMISSION. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 39,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10087059 at NHTSA ↗