Most common 2004 Buick Rainier problems
Share of the 158 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Buick Rainier complaints by model year
Best Rainier years: 2007. Years to avoid: 2004. Compare all years →
2004 Buick Rainier recalls (2)
Exterior lighting › Turn signal
On certain trucks and sport utility vehicles, the driver wishing to signal a turn by moving the directional signal lever, (up or down) May cause the front marker/turn lights and rear turn lights to flash in a manner similar to hazard warning, rather than flashing on the desired side only.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the suspect flasher modules with a new flasher module designed with sealed relays and more durable contact material inside of the relays free of charge. The recall began on August 4, 2005.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights
On certain sport utility vehicles, vibration and heat May cause the tail lamp/stop lamp bulb to loosen in its socket. If this occurs, the bulb May flicker and eventually become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the tail lamp/stop lamp assemblies, and if necessary, replace them. The recall began on November 22, 2004.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2004 Buick Rainier:
Loss of Headlights
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV.
Fuel pump module leaks gasoline
During the course of this ea investigation, odi observed that the majority of the complaints (88%) and warranty claims (94%) were reported for vehicles that are registered for use in the salt belt region of the us.this area includes 20 states in the northeast, mid atlantic and the midwest regions and the district of columbia.consumers in the salt belt region reported to odi that they could smell fuel vapors in their…
Brake lamp failure
GM states that some brake/tail lamp bulbs can prematurely become inoperative due to malfunctioning brake/tail lamp sockets.on March 2, 2004, GM initiated a 6-year/72,000 mile special policy for 989,487 subject vehicles to inspect and replace the rear brake/tail lamp bulb socket assemblies.on April 4, 2004, the office of defects investigation (odi) opened a preliminary evaluation (pe04-032) based on consumer…
What 2004 Buick Rainier owners say
Electrical system all 83 →
Have noticed after a heavy and driving rain that the electrical systems acts up. We call it crazy car! All the dash lights blink & flash, bells ding and gauges fluctuate while the vehicle is at rest and on the move. We shut the engine off, sit for a minute and restart only to get the same thing. That May happen for the entire ride duration or we May get no dash lights at all. It appears to me that there is a short or a moisture that creates this happening because after a few days of good sunny weather where the water has evaporated from the roadways, our beloved rainer comes back to normal. We still experience the dimming of the headlights as we are driving at night when we are cruising with no gas pedal application at around the 32 MPH marking which is rather annoying as other drivers feel as if we are flashing them. …
After parking my vehicle and shutting the engine off the daytime running lights did not turn off automatically. There is no switch in the cabin to turn them off and they did not turn off on their own. I had to disconnect the battery to shut the lights off and prevent the battery from draining completely. I looked at the fuses and relays next to the battery and noticed that the solid state relay number 46 controlling hdm was bulged out on one side and smelled like burnt electronics. I swapped relay 45 into the 46 position and reconnected the battery and the daytime running lamps did not illuminate with the different relay in place. I noticed the NHTSA campaign id number:14V755000, in my case it would not shut off after the relay failed. I have never reported any vehicle problems like this before but wonder if a wider recall May need to be considered.
Lights all 22 →
Have noticed after a heavy and driving rain that the electrical systems acts up. We call it crazy car! All the dash lights blink & flash, bells ding and gauges fluctuate while the vehicle is at rest and on the move. We shut the engine off, sit for a minute and restart only to get the same thing. That May happen for the entire ride duration or we May get no dash lights at all. It appears to me that there is a short or a moisture that creates this happening because after a few days of good sunny weather where the water has evaporated from the roadways, our beloved rainer comes back to normal. We still experience the dimming of the headlights as we are driving at night when we are cruising with no gas pedal application at around the 32 MPH marking which is rather annoying as other drivers feel as if we are flashing them. …
Headlights fail intermittently while driving. While driving last night the low beam headlights went out. The high beams still worked. This is about the sixth time this has happened. I changed out the headlight relay just before this occurred as I had seen a recall on 2006 and 2007 rainiers showing this as the problem. After a short time the high beams also went out. I parked and turned the engine off for a while and when I restarted the high beams were working again but not the low beams. I was doing a combination of street and highway driving and it appears to be unrelated to any road conditions as this has happened on both highways and city streets.
Fuel & propulsion system
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Buick Rainier. After parking the vehicle, a fuel odor was noticed outside the vehicle. Once the contact entered the vehicle, the odor was stronger. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where they diagnosed that the fuel lines were rotted and the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact about the extended warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 109,722.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Buick Rainier. While driving 25 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the engine stalled as the check engine warning indicator illuminated. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank was leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.
2004 Buick Rainier engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 14 / 18 / 16 |
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 19 / 16 |
| 5.3L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 13 / 17 / 15 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Buick Rainier a good car?
Based on 158 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Rainier rates use caution: 1.7× as many complaints as a typical year of the Rainier at the same age. It is one of the Rainier years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Buick Rainier?
The electrical system — 83 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year, most often about instrument cluster/panel. Next are the lights (22) and fuel & propulsion system (18).
How many recalls does the 2004 Buick Rainier have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2004 Buick Rainier, the most recent from May 5, 2005 (turn signal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Buick Rainier?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2004. See the full Buick Rainier years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Buick Rainier problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 64,000 miles; 39% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.