2002 Buick Rendezvous CX V6

Summary:

A lemon

Faults:

My head gasket and transmission had to be replaced at 51,900. There's nothing more irritating to pay a huge repair bill for a vehicle that you're still making regular car payments on. There has been a grinding noise when I turn the wheel for some time now. I'm not even going to try to figure out what that could be. I'm getting rid of this vehicle as soon as I can. Worse car I've ever owned. I've owned quite a few cars over the past 30 years and I'd never purchase from this manufacturer again.

The rear wipers have never worked properly. I take it in to dealership regularly to have them fix it. They work for a couple days, then fall apart again. They actually move, but don't touch the back window.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 28th May, 2004

10th Jun 2004, 12:25

About your wiper not touching the windshield, try bending the metal piece, that holds the wiper, toward the window. Not too much, just a few centimeters (1/4"). I had an older Civic hatchback with the same problem, and that cured it.

12th Jul 2004, 12:21

I wish I could rendezvous my Rendezvous back to Buick!

I, too, have a 2002. Here's some of the stuff I've replaced:

Front wheel bearings @ 50K

Air conditioner condenser @ 25K

Air conditioner condenser @ 65K

Rear wiper assembly @ 50K

Fan blower @ 50K

Intake manifold gaskets @ 85K

Rear wheel bearings @ 105K

Faulty dash sensors @ 15K

Faulty sending unit in gas tank @ 60k.

The car jumps repeatedly from driver 1 to driver 2 settings and back. I have not fixed it.

Luckily I bought the 100K zero deductible warranty when new, however, the rear bearings were not covered. Also, I had to constantly rent cars, miss time from work and feel l have been taken for a ride.

I will never buy another Buick, let alone another Rendezvous!

29th Oct 2005, 09:45

If your Rendezvous has AWD then the grinding noise when turning could be the viscous rear differential. Had to have mine replaced at 48,000 miles at a cost of $3,800! Now head gasket blown at 51,000 miles... more money into the money pit! Ready to trade.

30th Jan 2007, 13:21

The grinding noise during a turn could be the wheel sensor or wheel harness wiring which when they malfunction, trigger the antilock brakes. Mine made this sound during left turns with the brake applied. The wheel sensor was replaced only to find out that it was really the harness wiring that was faulty.

2002 Buick Rendezvous CX 3.4

Summary:

Reliability wasn't there

Faults:

New car died while on vacation - found metal filings in the transmission case.

Car made terrible grinding noise when turned steering wheel - turned out to be problem with wheel bearings.

Both problems occurred under warranty and we didn't pay anything out of pocket.

We took it in for one recall; have yet to take it in for #2.

All problems occurred while under warranty. We only had to pay the hotel bill and lost workday when the car died on our vacation. (Which is bad enough with a new car!) As soon as the warranty expires, we're selling this lemon!

General Comments:

All problems were fixed under warranty, but we're dumping the vehicle before its warranty expires.

There aren't many options for 7-passenger vehicles, but reliability is important. We're hoping next car would be more reliable; I was checking this site to see if other Rendezvous owners had similar problems or if we were a fluke.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 6th April, 2004

19th Jan 2005, 12:59

Our 2002 Buick Rendezvous has had problems with the remotes on steering wheel operating radio. Traction control button also indicated that for no reason it went out of traction control. Dealership put a BCM in vehicle in September 2004 and problems seemed to be gone. Now, it's January and remotes on steering are again not working radio. This problem disappears after car is stopped and restarted. It does not happen all the time.

Also, last week the odometer read "error." Technician claims two problems are not related. Are BCM, instrument cluster, and electrical harness all connected? Delafield, Wisconsin.

View 56 more comments