2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS Engine And Engine Cooling Problems

ENGINE COMPLETELY DIES MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER. IT WILLL TURN ON RIGHT AWAY, GO A FEW MILES AND THEN DIES AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED, THE TROTTLE HAS BEEN CLEAN, FUEL FILTER REPLACED, SPARK PLUG WIRES AND SPARK PLUGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TO NO AVAIL. WE'VE EVEN CHANGED TRAMISSION FLUID AND FILTERED. *TR

CRANK SEALS, OIL PAN SEAL, HEAD GASKET CORROSION AND POTENTIAL FAILURE. MECHANIC FOUND THESE LEAKS WHICH WILL LEAD TO ENGINE FAILURE. REPORTED TO BUICK, EXAMINED BY DEALERSHIP. BUICK SAID ESSENTIALLY, "TOO BAD, YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN." THE CAR IS WELL-MAINTAINED, LOW MILES, MALE SENIOR DRIVER. THIS SHOULD NOT OCCUR ON A VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION. GM SHOULD TAKE CARE OF SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS SUCH AS THESE. *TR

THE CAR OVER HEATED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO BE SEEN BY A MECHANIC AND HE SAID MY ANTIFREEZE MIXED WITH ENGINE OIL. MY HEAD GASKET BLEW, THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ANTIFREEZE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED A SECOND TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD THREE OF THE FOUR CYLINDER'S REPLACED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CARMAX DEALERSHIP WERE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED HONORED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE FIRST TWO CYLINDERS, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BUICK DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE CYLINDER FAILURE WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND THAT THE CONTACT WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE AND ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN GOING ON/OFF SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70311 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105000.

LOSING OIL AND WATER EVERYDAY TEMP. GAUGE SHOWING HOT. NOW TRAC AND ANTI BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON. BRAKE PEDAL IS GOT A JUMPING MOVEMENT. WE GOT OUR 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS A COUPLE YEARS AGO. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, CAR BUCKS, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON....EITHER FLASHING OR SOLID. 1) CYLINDER BOLT ON ROCKER #3 PULLED OUT 01/29/2009; 2) LIFTERS FOR CYLINDER #1 COLLAPSED 02/25/2009. TODAY (04/28/2010) CAR IS BACK IN SHOP. DRIVING ON HIGHWAY LAST NIGHT, SAME SYMPTOM. DEALER OFFERED TENTATIVE DIAGNOSIS OF PULLED ROCKER ARM IN REAR OF ENGINE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE HEATER WAS ACTIVATED WITH A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO A MELTED CABLE CONNECTED TO THE HEATER AND THE AIR CONDITIONER. THE TECHNICIAN REPLACED THE HEATER MODULE AND CABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 65,500. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,373.

1ST TIME: DRIVING INTO PORTLAND, OR. WHEN ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A AWFUL NOISE BY THE TIME I FOUND A DEALER THE SOUND WAS AWFUL. THE DEALER SAID THAT I HAD 1 PUSH ROD JAMMED AND LOCKED UP. IT WAS REPLACED. 2ND.TIME 1 YEAR TO THE MONTH IT HAPPENED AGAIN. TOOK TO DEALER AND #4 LOCKED UP AND BENT. THE DEALER SAID THIS IS BECOMING A COMMON ITEM WITH THIS CAR. IT SEEMS THAT BECAUSE OF THE ALUMINUM BLOCK EXPANDS AND RETRACKS WHEN IT IS HOT THAT THE BOLT USED TO PUSH THE ROD COMES LOOSE AND CAUSES THE ROD THE FINELLY BEND. I CHECK WITH ANOTHER REPAIR SHOP AND THEY HAD, HAD 2 IN THE LAST YEAR. I WAS TOLD THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNTIL I REPLACE ALL RODS. AT WHICH TIME THEY WILL PUT IN NEW BOLTS WITH LOCK TIGHT SO THEY WILL NOT COME LOOSE.SO FAR...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LEAK ANTIFREEZE, WHICH CAUSED IT NOT TO PRODUCE A LOT OF HEAT. THE VEHICLE HAD TO HAVE ANTIFREEZE ADDED EVERY MONTH, BUT THE CONTACT NEVER ACTUALLY SAW IT LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THEY STATED THAT ANTIFREEZE AND OIL WERE LEAKING INTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $700. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO CURRENT RECALL; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR ANY EXPENSES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

COOLING SYSTEM CONTINUES TO GET VERY HOT AFTER THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED. IF AC IS ON TEMPERATURE GAUGE STAYS 3/4 QUARTERS OF THE WAY. GM TESTED COOLING FAN OPERATION AND BOTH FANS ARE RUNNING. PRESSURE TESTED SYSTEM FOR LEAK. FOUND REAR HEAD GASKET LEAKING FLUID. PER GM HEAD GASKETS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. HEADS WOULD NEED TO BE SENT OUT AND MILLED. PARTS AND LABOR WOULD BE AROUND $1849.22. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 40-45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT TO A NEARBY MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE RADIATOR FLUID WAS MIXING WITH MOTOR OIL BECAUSE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FRACTURED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 58,000. UPDATED 05/06/08. *LJ UPDATED 05/06/08. *JB

OWNER PURCHASED 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS IN JULY, 2007. AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST, 2007, WITH APPROXIMATELY 80K MILES ON IT, THE VEHICLE'S ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE GAS GAUGE BEGAN FLUCTUATING ERRATICALLY. UPON INSPECTION AT THE LOCAL GM SERVICE CENTER, THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PROBLEM HAD BEEN CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURER DESIGN FLAW RELATED TO THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM IN WHICH THE CONDENSATION DRAIN WAS MADE FORWARD FACING, WHICH WHILE DRIVING AT MODERATE TO HIGH SPEEDS, WOULD PREVENT THE CONDENSATION TO DRAIN PROPERLY WHILE RUNNING THE AIR CONDITIONING DUE TO WIND RESISTANCE. THIS CAUSED THE CONDENSATION (WATER) TO POOL INSIDE THE VEHICLE, CAUSING MULTIPLE VALVES TO RUST, VARIOUS ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS TO MALFUNCTION, AND RESULTED IN A MUSTY MILDEW SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE CARPET WAS BECOMING SATURATED. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE AND INFORMED...

THE FIRST INDICATION OF THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE WHEN THE HEATER WAS TURNED ON, IT WOULD NOT GET WARM OR HOT. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY STATED THAT IT WAS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET, WHICH IS A $900 REPAIR. WHAT THEY DID NOT TELL ME WAS THAT, WHEN THIS GASKET LEAKS COOLANT, IT WILL MIX WITH THE ENGINE OIL AND CAUSE THE ENGINE TO BLOW OR SEIZE. IN RESEARCHING ON-LINE, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN PROBLEM THAT BOTH GENERAL MOTORS AND BUICK ARE WELL AWARE OF. IN FACT, GM SENT OUT AN INTERNAL SERVICE BULLETIN IN JULY 2001 STATING THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT WHEN BROUGHT IN TO THE SERVICE DEPT., IT SHOULD BE FIXED. ONLY THEY WILL NOT RECALL THE DEFECTIVE PART OR PAY FOR OR REIMBURSE CONSUMERS FOR THE REPAIR. THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS! THERE ARE THOUSANDS UPON...

HAD TO REPLACE LEAKING INTAKE GASKET @ 56,000 MILES ON 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS. BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICES SAID THIS FAILURE WAS TO BE EXPECTED ON A VEHICLE WITH 50,000 MILES. TRADED RDV ONE YEAR LATER WHEN HEAD GASKET FAILED. *JB

2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS @ 59000 MILES NEEDS REAR HEAD GASKET REPLACED. FIRST NOTICED AN OVERHEATED CONDITION. TOOK IT TO A MONROE SHOP AND WAS TOLD RADIATOR CAP WAS BAD. THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND TOOK IT TO GM DEALERSHIP 2-02-07. TOLD THAT IT HELD PRESSURE AND NO LEAKS. FOUND ORANGE SNOW UNDER CAR 2-14-07. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER AND TOLD IT IS LEAKING AT REAR HEAD GASKET. COST FOR REPLACEMENT IS $1500. CALLED BUICK CUSTOMER SERVICE. THEY ARE HELPING. FOUND THAT CANADIANS ARE SUING GM FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE GASKET MATERIAL BREAKS DOWN WHEN DEX-COOL IS USED. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES COOLANT LEAK. ENGINE SEIZURE, GELLED OIL AND POSSIBLE REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE CAN BE POSSIBLE RESULTS. I WOULD HATE TO BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE ENGINE SEIZED UP. COULD BE AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. GM CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WILL COVER SOME OF THE COST OF THE...

IN 11/05, AT APPROXIMATELY 43K MILES, MY 2003 BUICK RENDEZVOUS CXL REQUIRED A NEW INTAKE GASKET & THERMOSTAT AFTER THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY LOST ALL OF ITS ENGINE COOLANT AND I WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY STOP. THIS WAS A CERTIFIED USED GM VEHICLE, BUT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 39K MILES SO I INCURRED AT $700+ REPAIR BILL. NOW, AT 59K MILES, I AM HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM; THE ENGINE COOLANT OVERHEATED, ALSO LEADING TO AN EMERGENCY STOP AND TOWING, AND THE REPAIR SHOP SAYS THAT THE SAME INTAKE GASKET HAS FAILED AGAIN. *JB

INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS CORRODED BY GM COOLANT AFTER A COUPLE YEARS. SPECIFIC TO COMBINATION OF FACTORY COOLANT AND FACTORY GASKET. MECHANIC REPLACED GASKET WITH ONE THAT DOESN'T CORRODE WHEN IN CONTACT WITH THE FACTORY COOLANT. THIS REQUIRED 6.5 HOURS OF LABOR PLUS PARTS TOTALING $600. *JB

BUICK RENDEVOUS. 1ST WAS A 2002 CXL - PROBLEMS: REAR DIFFERENTIAL SLIPPED, PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR BROKE, AC CONDENSER BROKEN, REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF, BACK UP SENSORS SHUT DOWN VEHICLE - BECAUSE OF THIS FRIED ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED AT 30K. 2ND IS A 2003 CXL - PROBLEMS - REAR DIFFERENTIAL SLIPPING, PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW REGULATOR BROKEN, DRIVER 1 & 2 MEMORY BROKEN, ENGINE RUNNING HOT BECAUSE OF LEAK IN RADIATOR - AGAIN 30K *JB

WATER PUMP FAILURE AT 40,000 MILES. HEAD GASKET COOLANT LEAK AT 45,000 MILES. REPLACED THE WATER PUMP. REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET. *JB

TRANSMISSION FAILURE- REPLACED 12/04, WHEEL HUB BEARING FAILURE-REPLACED 06/05, HEATING/AC PROBLEMS SINCE NEW 09/03, BRAKE PROBLEMS SINCE NEW, WINDOW REGULATORS REPLACED 2X'S, HATCH LATCH FAILURE-MULTIPLE, PARKING BRAKE FAILURE 07/04-PRESENT, OVERHEATING 07/04-PRESENT

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE POWER FAILED. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE. DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

ENGINE NOISE AND OVER HEATING, TRANSMISSION HARD SHIFTS BETWEEN 1-2. *JB