2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS Suspensionfrontwheel Bearing Problems

2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MONEY PIT. SEEMS THAT AS USUAL OUR LATEST EXPENSE (101,000) IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALLS, DUE TO THE MANUFACTURING DATE OF THE VEHICLE. SMELLED GAS FOR A WEEK, THEN NOTICED GAS GAUGE FLUCTUATING, NEVER SHOWING EMPTY EVEN THOUGH TRIP ODOMETER SHOWED IT HAD ALMOST AN EMPTY TANK. MECHANIC STATED CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK, BUT CAR WAS MANUFACTURED BEFORE THE RECALL DATE, SO BUICK DID NOT COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS. HAVE RECENTLY ALSO EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ALL POWER TO CIGARETTE LIGHTERS, DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW FELL DOWN AND ENTIRE REGULATOR UNIT WAS REPLACED. BACK HATCH HANDLE FELL OFF, AGAIN. REARVIEW MIRROR ALSO FELL OFF. AC FAN WILL NO LONGER BLOW AT HIGHEST SETTING. THESE ARE ALL MINOR COMPARED TO THE FAULTY ABS SENSOR, LOSS OF TRACTION CONTROL, AC CONDENSER, TIE RODS, 2 REPLACED BATTERIES, FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS, ROTORS. AND THOSE REPAIRS ARE...

AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT AT 41,000 MILES---CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE FRONT WHEEL-BEARING WENT OUT AT 80,000---CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE INTAKE GASKET BLOWN AT 89,000---CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE. *TR

WHEEL BEARINGS NEED REPLACEMENT. FUEL PUMP WAS BAD. REPLACED TIRES AND BRAKES 3 TIMES SINCE I HAV E OWNED THE VEHICLE 2 YEARS. INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS LEAKING, CAUSING THE CAR TO BE SLUGGISH AND NOT START SOMETIMES. ABS LIGHTS CAME ON FREQUENTLY. THE CAR WAS A BIG NIGHTMARE. WISH I NEVER WOULD OF BOUGHT A BUICK RENDEZVOUS. *AK

THREE SAFETY RELATED ISSUES WITH MY 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS CXL. THE ABS SENSORS FAILED WHICH WAS A DIFFICULT PROBLEM TO DIAGNOSE AS THE PROBLEM WAS ACTUALLY CAUSED BY WATER IN THE INSULATION TO THE SENSOR WIRING HARNESSES. I'M NOW BEING NOTIFIED OF A FRONT WHEEL BEARING PROBLEM THAT HAS NOT YET REACHED A FORMAL RECALL. SECOND ISSUE INVOLVES THE AWD REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY (DIFFERENTIAL). MOANING NOISES START IN THE REAR END, IN LOW SPEED TURNS SUCH AS PARKING LOT MANEUVERS. OCCURRENCE INCREASES IN SEVERITY AND FREQUENCY FAIRLY QUICKLY. THE REAR AXLE IS TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. BUT I NOTICE THAT THIS IS NOT A RANDOM OR UNUSUAL PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR/MODEL BUICK. I WOULD THINK THAT BOTH OF THESE ISSUES DUE TO THEIR RATE OF OCCURRENCE WOULD TRIGGER A FORMAL RECALL. WHY DOES THE REAR DRIVE AXLE CONTINUE TO FAIL? IF IT SHOULD FAIL...

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE'S FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS WENT BAD. THE WHEEL BEARINGS MADE A LOUD SOUND AND WERE REPLACED. THE REPLACEMENT WHEEL BEARINGS WERE ALSO DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED.

I OWN A 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE FOR ME SINCE THE GET GO (2004). I HAVE NUMEROUS AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS THAT ARE GOING ON WITH MY VEHICLE AS OTHER OWNERS. ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS STARTED AT OR AROUND 70000 MILES. THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS GO OFF WITH OUT WARNING AND FOR NO REASON FOR SOMETIMES UP TO A MINUTE (AND THIS HAS HAPPENED AT NIGHTIME) "MAJOR SAFTEY ISSUE" NO ONE CAN TELL US WHY THE VEHICLE DOES THIS. THE NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVEN AT 45 MPH OR MORE IS OUTRAGIOUS...IT MAKES AN AWFUL HUMMING SOUND SO LOUD THAT THE RADIO CAN'T BE HEARD. THE VEHICLE ALSO WILL NOT START AT TIMES AS WELL...FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON AT ALL...NOTHING CAN BE FOUND WRONG WITH IT ALL!!! IT WILL STALL OR WILL NOT START AT ALL AFTER...

BROUGHT A NEW 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS CX FROM A DEALER. AT ABOUT 10,000 MILES THE CAR STARTED HAVING NUMEROUS PROBLEMS THAT WERE BEYOND NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. STARTING WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT AND OTHER PROBLEMS. THEY WERE REPAIRED UNDER THE WARRANTY. BUT ABOUT 24,000 AND WITHOUT WARRANTY, THE CAR GOT OVERHEATED FOR A 15 MINUTES TRAFFIC JAM. TURNED OUT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND THE AC SENSOR WASN'T WORKING. REPLACED THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING SENSOR. ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER, THE OTHER WHEEL BEARING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. JUST ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO AND 35,000 MILES LATER, THE OVERHEATED PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN, COMPOUNDED WITH THE A/C LINKAGE, AND THE ABS SENSOR WASN'T WORKING. I PAID $1,200 FOR FIXING THE OVERHEAT PROBLEM AND REPLACING THE ABS SENSOR. I DIDN'T FIX THE AC LINKAGE BECAUSE IT WOULD COST ME ANOTHER $900!! NOW I AM SO WORRY THAT ANOTHER MAJOR...

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A SLIGHT THUMPING NOISE IN THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE AREA AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED. THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL BEARING HAD SIGNIFICANT PLAY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE COMPLETELY WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - THE ROTORS WERE ALSO REPLACED. *NM

BOUGHT A USED 2002 RENDEZVOUS IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP, OIL LIGHT ON. TOOK TO PENNZOIL. OIL CHANGED. TWO WEEKS LATER, LOW OIL LIGHT ON. TOOK BACK. LOW ON OIL. TOOK TO GARAGE, SAYS IT'S LEAKING FROM AROUND THE TRASNSFER CASE (THEY THINK) AND CAN'T FIX IT. NOW BIG PROBLEM: TRAVELING TO AN APPOINTMENT. HAD JUST FILLED GAS TANK ABOUT 30 MILES BEFORE, LOW FUEL LIGHT CAME ON. FUEL GAUGE WENT TO EMPTY. STARTED SURGING AND IDLING SO FAST IT COULD DRIVE ITSELF. JUST QUIT AT 60 MILES AN HOUR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. CAUSED A SLIGHT FENDER BENDER, BUT NO ONE WAS HURT. EVERYONE AGREED IT WAS OK NOT TO CALL THE POLICE FOR A REPORT. (MISTAKE) CALLED ONSTAR. THEY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A RELAY GETTING TOO HOT, PROBABLY CAUSING PART OF THE PROBLEM, BUT NOT ALL OF IT. HAD IT CHECKED OUT...

LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILED....REPLACED. ODOMETER FAILED AT 5000 MILES...REPLACED. ODOMETER FAILED AT 52000 MILES... REPLACED. *JB

BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE FIRST (LEFT) WAS REPLACED AT APPROX 35,000 MILES. THE RIGHT BEARING WAS REPLACED AT 43,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAS NO HEAVY USE AND IS DRIVEN APPROX. 1,400 MILES PER MONTH.

LOW ROAR IN FRONT UNDERSIDE OF VEHICLE, 53,000 MILES. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. TOLD IT WAS A FRONT WHEEL BEARING AND WOULD COST $450+ AND $36 DIAGNOSTIC FEE. TOOK TO INDEPENDENT AND HAD SERVICE DONE FOR $330 INCLUSIVE. ON MARCH 10, SAME NOISE OCCURRING. OTHER FRONT WHEEL BEARING, 65,000 MILES. COMPLAINED TO GM. THEY ASSURED ME IF I TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR THAT GM WOULD REIMBURSE. DID SO AND THEN WAS DENIED. TOTAL COST WAS $494 FOR SECOND WHEEL BEARING. REASON FROM GM: WEAR & TEAR. I WAS ABLE TO PUT 65,000 MILES ON ORIGINAL TIRES. OBVIOUSLY NOT A 'WEAR AND TEAR' SITUATION. OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE EQUIPMENT. GM SHOULD BE LIABLE!

BOTH FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS NEED REPLACED AT 67,000 MILES. ALONG WITH RIGHT AXLE. BEARINGS SQUEAL. RIGHT AXLE HAS CRUNCHING NOISE ALONG WITH

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

INCREASED NOISE AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR AT 40,000 MILES. BAD WHEEL BEARING ON PASSENGER SIDE AND WAS REPLACED. TWO WEEKS LATER, INCREASED NOISE AGAIN. DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL BEARING IS ALSO BAD AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED. *JB

FRONT LEFT SIDE WHEEL BEARING FAILED AT 30,000 MILES OF WEAR. WITHIN TWO WEEK OR LESS THE RIGHT SIDE WHEEL BEARING FAILED. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND MADE THE REPAIRS.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED AT 43000 MILES. THE CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. *AK

I HAVE HAD ALL FOUR WHEEL BEARING ON MY 2002 BUICK RENDEZVOUS CLX WHICH WAS PURCHASED NEW IN MAY, 2002. I DRIVE ALOT OF MILES, PERFORM ALL REGULAR MAINTANENCE AND THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 120,000 MILE. THE FIRST WHEEL BEARING WENT BAD AT AROUND 92,000. *AK

FRONT RIGHT WHEEL BEARING HAS BEEN REPLACED TOW TIMES IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS. *JB

FRONT LEFT WHEEL BEARING FAILED WITH 64,000 ON THE VEHICLE. RIGHT REAR WHEEL BEARING WAS REPLACED AT THE SAME TIME. LEFT REAR BEARING HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED AS BAD AND MUST BE REPLACED. BOTH FRONT BEARING FAILED AT 30,000 MILES AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. RIGHT FRONT BEARING WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME AT 43,539 MILES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER, WAS NOT ABLE TO SHIFT ANY GEARS. MANAGED TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND THE MECHANIC SAID THAT PROBLEM WAS HAD TO WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *AK THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP AND MAKE NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND REPAIRED. ONE WEEK LATER THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY OVERHAULED THE TRANSMISSION. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT FAITH IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT BEARING SEPARATED OCCASIONALLY. *PH *NLM

WHILE DRIVING , THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO VIBRATE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY FRONT WHEEL BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILURE. THE PART WAS REPLACED. *AK THE DRIVER'S SIDE WAS THE PARTIAL FAILURE AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS NEAR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND MAY HAVE RESULTED IN THE WHEEL LOCKING UP AFTER CONTINUED USE. *PH *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS NOTED THAT THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED PREMATURELY. *NLM