2005 Buick TERRAZA: complaints, problems and recalls

ALL BUICK TERRAZAS (ALSO PONTIAC SV6) VIOLATE 49CFR571.101 IN THAT THE NEEDLES FOR THE INSTRUMENT GAUGES ARE NOT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE IGNITION IS ON. THEY ARE ILLUMINATED ONLY IF THE IGNITION IS OFF. I CALLED THIS IN ON 1/19/2005, HOWEVER, I'M USING THIS FORM TO MAIL IN MY COMPLAINT MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY. *NM LATER A DEFECTIVE LIGHT SENSOR WAS FOUND. REFER TO ODI# 10108684. CANCEL THIS COMPLAINT PER CONSUMER. *SC

Owner-reported narrative. 280 miles reported. Look up ODI 10107535 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATED,WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE NEEDLE OR THE DIAL ON ANY OF THE GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT WAS THE NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THAT VEHICLE AND NOTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE. THE CONSUMER HAS A CONCERN THAT HE IS UNABLE TO SEE THE PROPER SPEED WHILE DRIVING OR TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANK. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 280 miles reported. Look up ODI 10108684 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2005 BUICK TERRAZA. THE ONLY THE WAY THE HORN WILL WORK IS BY TAKING BOTH OF HER THUMBS AND PRESSING AS HARD AS SHE CAN TO GET THE HORN TO BLOW IN THE LEFT HAND CORNER THAT IS THE ONLY SPOT THAT IT WILL WORK. THE HORN HAS NOT WORKED SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. SHE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10126408 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR SHUT DOWN. NO LIGHTS CAME ON TO WARN HER. THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE TACHOMETER WENT TO 0 AND THE CAR WENT DEAD. SHE HAD THE CAR LESS THAN 7 DAYS AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. THEY WERE PUTTING A NEW ENGINE IN THE CAR DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 292 miles reported. Look up ODI 10127178 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES: THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE CAR WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE CONSUMER COULD FEEL THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE. THE SEVERITY OF THE VIBRATING DEPENDED ON THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD. ON 5-26-05 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHEN IT HAD ABOUT 500 MILES ON IT TO HAVE THE TIRES BALANCED. THAT DID NOT FIX THE VIBRATING. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE TO THE CAR UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAD 5,000 MILES ON IT. HE TALKED TO GM ON APPROX. 6-30-05 AND THEY TOLD HIM THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAD …

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128404 at NHTSA ↗

THE HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BLOW. IN THE UPPER RIGHT SIDE, YOU CAN HARDLY PUSH ON THE HORN TO BLOW, ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT AND THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HORN IT IS A LITTLE EASIER TO BLOW. IF YOU CAN NOT BLOW THE HORN, THE CAR IS NOT SAFE

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128503 at NHTSA ↗

DT: CALLER SAYS THE HORN DID NOT WORK. THEY CHECKED THE PROBLEM ON OTHER VEHICLES AND WERE WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE MANUFACTURER ON HOW TO FIX IT. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WILL START A FILE ON THE PROBLEM. CALLER SAID THAT HE HAS TO APPLY A GREAT AMOUNT OF FORCE TO GET THE HORN TO WORK AND HE MUST PUSH THE MIDDLE OF THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK THE DEALER CHECKED OTHER TERRAZA'S AND FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128733 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A HORN PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TO PUSH DIFFERENT SPOTS IN ORDER TO GET HORN TO BLOW. IT DID NOT BLOW WHERE THE SYMBOLS WERE LOCATED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THIS A FEW WEEKS AGO ON MAY 28, 2005. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO SAID THAT THEY USE THE BRAKES AND NOT THE HORN. *AK THERE WERE CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE HORN. *SC

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10130544 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-06-20 (June 20, 2005)

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, 'PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.' TO MEET THE STANDARD, THE VEHICLE MUST NOT MOVE FOR FIVE MINUTES WHEN STOPPED ON A STEEP HILL WITH THE PARKING BRAKE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL (N). SOME OF THESE VEHICLES FAILED THIS TEST.

Consequence: WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED, THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE UNINTENDED BRAKING WHEN ACCELERATING, DECELERATING, OR COASTING, AND A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT COULD OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PARKING BRAKE LEVER SLIPPAGE AT EACH REAR BRAKE CALIPER AND REPLACE THE CALIPER IF LEVER SLIPPAGE IS IDENTIFIED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, OR SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876.

Reported: 2010-03-19 (March 19, 2010)

THE BRAUN CORPORATION HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 GENERAL MOTORS MOBILITY CONVERSION, HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE LOW FLOOR MINIVANS. DURING CONVERSION, THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARM MODIFICATION MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY WELDED.

Consequence: A SQUEAKING OR CLUNKING NOISE MAY DEVELOP. THE TRAILING ARM BUSHINGS MAY PREMATURELY WEAR AND THE TRAILING ARM MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE, ALLOWING THE REAR AXLE TO BECOME PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE CHASSIS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND WILL HAVE A SUPPLY OF RETROFIT PARTS AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 4, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BRAUN AT 1-800-488-0359.