NHTSA Complaint #10025222 — 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS

BUICK RENDEVOUS - 2002REAR LIFTGATE CAN BE INADVERTENTLY OPENED BY DEPRESSING EITHER THE KEY FOB BUTTON OR THE DASH BOARD BUTTON WHILE THE CAR IS IN PARK.THE CAR CAN BE PLACED IN DRIVE AND DRIVEN, AND THE DASH BOARD WARNING INDICATOR DOES NOT ILLUMINATE, WARNING THE DRIVER THAT THE GATE IS AJAR. WHILE I HAVEN'T INVESTIGATED THIS, THE SENSOR IS PROBABLY A PLUNGER OR PRESSURE SENSOR. THE GATE IS HEAVY ENOUGH, EVEN WHEN UNLOCKED, THAT THE SENSOR DOES NOT ACTIVATE ON UNLOCKING. AS THE CAR IS DRIVEN, THE GATE MOVES AND THE SENSOR COMES ON. THERE IS A POSSIBLITY THAT A CAR'S LOAD OR PASSENGERS COULD BE EJECTED FROM THIS UNLOCKED LIFT GATE WHILE THE CAR IS IN OPERATION. WE HAVE INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED THE UNLOCKING MECHANISM THREE TIMES, HAVE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND SECURED THE GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE REMEDY WOULD INVOLVE HAVING THE SENSOR LINKED TO THE LOCKING MECHANISM SO THAT ANY TIME IT IS UNLOCKED, THE DRIVER IS AWARE OF THE ISSUE.*AK