NHTSA Complaint #10533113 — 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS

NOTICED A STRANGE SMELL AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY CERTIFIED MECHANIC (NON DEALER) AND WAS INFORMED THE FUEL TANK INLET CHECK VALVE WAS THE REASON FOR BOTH, AND THAT IT HAD BEEN THE CAUSE OF A RECALL. MECHANIC PRINTED OUT THE RECALL INFO AND SENT ME TO THE BUICK DEALER, WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW IN 2003. I HAD NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. DEALER CLAIMS EVEN THOUGH MY VIN FALLS WITHIN THE RECALL VEHICLES INVOLVED, MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE ISN'T INVOLVED, AND THE RECALL EXPIRED EARLIER THIS YEAR. I WAS THEN QUOTED REPAIR COSTS OF OVER $3000, OR 80% OF THE BLUE BOOK VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE AND NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. I'M ON A FIXED INCOME AND CANNOT AFFORD THIS REPAIR. MY GUT TELLS ME THE BUICK DEALERSHIP ISN'T BEING COMPLETELY TRUTHFUL. THE SYMPTOMS MY RENDEZVOUS IS DISPLAYING ARE AN EXACT MATCH TO WHAT I'VE READ ABOUT THE RECALL, AND MY VIN IS DEFINITELY WITHIN THE RANGE OF NUMBERS LISTED AS INVOLVED. *TR