Fuel System complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Fuel gauge will drop to empty and the low fuel light will come on, the driver information center will sound an audible alert and will show low fuel indicator. When you have a full tank of gas it will show a full tank and stay there until you use about 1/8th of a tank and then the fuel gauge start malfunctioning. Some times the fuel gauge will show full and some times it will show empty and all the bells and whistles will activate. I took it to the dealer where I bought the vehicle and they told me GM was aware of the problem and that GM would pay 1/2 of the repair costs which are about $145.00 and the vehicle owner would pay the other 1/2 of the costs. It would take about 2 hours to repair. This is a known problem by GM.
Tl* the contact owns a 2007 Buick Rainier. The contact stated that the fuel gauge was providing inaccurate fuel level readings and would read that the tank was empty when it was actually full to capacity. When the tank was empty, the fuel gauge would read that the tank was full. The dealer informed the contact that her warranty would not cover the cost to repair this particular failure. The manufacturer advised the contact that they would only be willing to cover fifty percent of the repair costs. The contact was awaiting repairs. The current mileage was 64,000 and the approximate failure mileage was 63,000. The VIN was unavailable.
In driving cross country, filled up the fuel tank and resumed travel when the fuel gauge immediately went to empty (I didn't even have time to drive up the highway ramp back onto the highway). The alerts started ringing and blinking and dash board told me there was no fuel. I went to a gravel area and inspected the engine compartment, under the car and the interior to be sure I was not missing anything, then restarted the SUV. Could not find any issues anywhere, including leaking fuel. I took off the fuel cap and reattached it to be sure there was no problem there. I had no choice but to get on the highway and continue my journey. The problem continued for the following 1000 ish miles. When I got home I contacted my dealer and set up an appointment to look at vehicle. They found the vehicle needing a sensor kit which was a recall back a few years ago. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Buick Rainier. While driving 40 MPH, the vehicle jerked violently without warning. In addition, the power windows were jammed and would not wind up or down. The contact stated that the vehicle also leaked fuel onto the ground. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was invalid. The failure mileage was 105,000.
Fuel gauge started displaying erratic gas level displays. Soon, when tank was filled, it would show empty. On one occasion it left us stranded on the interstate. I had no warning, the engine died, and I had to safely navigate from the fast lane on the far left to the shoulder on the right. Luckily, I avoided other traffic contact while doing this. I asked my mechanic and he thought it was the sensor in the tank. He said the Chevy trail blazers were notorious for this. I checked carcomplaints.com and saw where my vehicle, a 2005 Buick Rainier, was also in this grouping. My mechanic thought the manufacturer had offered some financial assistance in making the repairs. I am about to find out. They should! I see there has been a petition for the NHTSA to investigate and consider a recall. I think they should. …
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. …
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.
NHTSA investigations
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…
Fuel level gauge system failure
The office of defects investigations (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by General Motors (GM) as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers.In total, there were 5,089 unique reports indicating an inaccurate fuel level reading while driving.General Motors stated that this condition occurs when the contacts of the fuel sensor wear prematurely.Most of the complaints indicated an empty fuel gauge reading…
Fuel Level Gauge System Failure
The Office of Defects Investigation has received 668 complaints alleging inaccurate fuel gauge reading while driving in model year 2005-07 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, and Saab 9-7x vehicles.Of the 668 complaints, 58 incidents were alleged to result in a vehicle stall.Of the 58 stalling incidents, 43 complaints reported stalling because the fuel level reading indicated more fuel availability than…
Frequently asked questions
Which Buick Rainier years have fuel system problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (35), 2005 (27), 2004 (18) and 2007 (10) model years. Fuel System complaints make up 38% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Buick Rainier fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for any Buick Rainier model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Buick Rainier fuel system problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles; 13% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the storage › fuel gauge system (10 mentions), followed by the storage › tank assembly › filler pipe and cap (1).
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.