Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Buick Rainier owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Passenger door panel caught on fire when the care wasn't used for over 15 hours. The window and door locks weren't working on that side and the window was up prior to the fire. The fire caused the window to drop down and a passing tow truck thankfully saw the flames.
On the evening of 9/5/2015 I was driving my 2005 Buick Rainier when the low beam headlights went out. I was able to drive to a safe location using my high beam headlights. When inspected by my local Buick dealer (ferman Buick) it was found that relay 46 (headlamp driver module) had burned up and damaged additional fuses and relays. The entire fuse box had to be replaced due to the damage. This case has been reported to GM (#8-1567980379). GM currently has multiple years of Buick Rainier under recall for this exact problem, so I'm hoping they expand the recall to cover 2005.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Buick Rainier. While at a traffic light, the door locks started to lock and unlock rapidly without warning. After the light changed, the vehicle failed to accelerate and then stalled. The vehicle restarted and resumed normal operation. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 103,000. The VIN was not available.ma 09/25 updated 11/27/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Buick rainer. The contact stated that the driver side window panel failed to operate. Also, the contact stated that there was a burning odor inside the vehicle. The failure recurred multiple times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Buick Rainier. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the speedometer failed and displayed 120 MPH without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic but was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000. The VIN was not available.
While driving the locks start unlocking and locking multiple times, while this is happening the gear shift indicator on the dash goes from drive to park. This also happened on May 30,2015 and June 1,2015. I noticed there has been a recall on the 2006-2007 model it would seem that a problem like this would be looked at in all models.
The drivers door master power switch shorts out - cannot roll down windows (of any kind), lights flicker and go out completely my headlights turn off completely while im driving!!!!! And has caused me to immediately pull over with no lights, no vision to turn them on manually!!! Unacceptable!!
The lower instrument panel display, that shows the odometer, fuel mileage etc, does not always come on. I have had the display show up prior to starting, while in "run" but not started and then not come on after starting. Most of the time it will come on the next time I start the vehicle after letting it sit for a minute or two.. Even more recently the fuel gauge did not go up to full after adding fuel, the needle bounced on full and then when I placed the vehicle into drive it went back to empty, then thirty seconds later it went back to full. Fortunately at that point the display was working and the range immediately went to zero, leaving me with no information on the fuel. The fuel gauge has also dropped to empty unexpectedly while driving. The problems are irritating and intermittent at this point, and chasing it down is next to impossible. …
The speedometer has begun registering significantly higher speeds than the vehicle is traveling. At one point, a GPS device in the vehicle indicated a speed of 55, and the speedometer for the vehicle registered more than 100 MPH. In other cases, when standing still, the speedometer showed a speed of 35 MPH. Subsequently, and intermittently, the speedometer works correctly, and then reverts to defective mode. GM advised that the vehicle was out of warranty and that the cost of repair would have to be borne by the vehicle owner, even if it was a safety issue. A GM dealer in vermont indicated that the entire "bundle" for the instrument panel would have to be replaced. When given the OK to proceed, the dealership said that new bundles were no longer available, and rebuilt bundles would have to be used - and none were currently available. …
I have various types of problems with my 2005 Buick Rainier. I have owned it for about 6 years now and it currently has a little over 93,000 miles on it. I am reported the problems to you so that you can document the problems to your list and I am also hoping that you can let me know if there is a recall for these issues? 1. AWD is not working. When there was snow on the ground. It caused me to ditch my car when I was turning a corner at a very low speed. There was a car coming towards me, but missed my car. Thank goodness it did not injure someone, myself or my car. The rear also slides when it is wet/raining outside. I'm scared to drive it when it is wet outside...especially when there is snow on the ground. 2. My drivers side door caught on fire. I just seen that my door could have been covered by a recall, but I didn't know that then. I paid for another door and installation. 3. …
Electrical complaints in other Rainier years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2005 Buick Rainier?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the electrical system of the 2005 Buick Rainier, 37% of the model year's 103 complaints. The component named most often is instrument cluster/panel (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Buick Rainier electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2005 Buick Rainier, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2005 Buick Rainier electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 75,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 injuries to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.