NHTSA Complaint #10250481 — 2004 BUICK RAINIER

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY I NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER READING WAS TOO HIGH AS I WAS CHANGING LANES TO EXIT DURING EVENING RUSH HOUR. AFTER EXITING AND STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, MY SPEEDOMETER WAS SHOWING 55MPH. AS I CONTINUED ON THE SERVICE DRIVE I OBSERVED 75 AND 85MPH IN A 35MPH ZONE! VERY DISTRACTING WHEN DRIVING NEXT TO A 70MPH FREEWAY. I NOT GOING THAT FAST I'M CRAWLING. WHEN I TURNED ON TO MY STREET I WAS STILL OBSERVING THE SPEED AT 65MPH AND NEARLY RAN OVER MY NEIGHBOR WHO WAS PUTTING HIS TRASH OUT AT THE CURB. ALMOST PASSED MY DRIVEWAY AND DROVE OVER A BIT OF THE OTHER NEIGHBORS GRASS. I COULD NOT BELIEVE A 4-YR OLD VEHICLE WITH 64000 MILES HAD A BAD SPEEDOMETER. SO I CHANGED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FUSE AND THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED TO WORK AGAIN AND SEEMED TO BE ACCURATE. ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK IT AGAIN SHOT UP TO 120+MPH AND THAT IS WHERE IT STAYED. CHANGED THE FUSE AGAIN SEEMED TO WORK FOR A DAY AND SHOT UP AGAIN TO 120+ MPH. DROVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE TO REPAIRED AND THEY SAY IT IS THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER THAT IS BAD AND IT WILL COST $450.00. NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND I CANNOT REPAIR AT THIS TIME. DEALERSHIP SERVICE SAYS THEY HAVE NOT HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING AT ALL. FOR MY MONEY THEY WILL ONLY WARRANTY IT FOR 1YR/12000 MILES. I HAVE ALWAYS BELIEVED BUY AMERICAN BUT RIGHT NOW I AM TRULY DISAPPOINTED. *TR