Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Buick Rendezvous owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Bought a used 2002 Rendezvous in December of last year. First month of ownership, oil light on. Took to pennzoil. Oil changed. Two weeks later, low oil light on. Took back. Low on oil. Took to garage, says it's leaking from around the trasnsfer case (they think) and can't fix it. Now big problem: traveling to an appointment. Had just filled gas tank about 30 miles before, low fuel light came on. Fuel gauge went to empty. Started surging and idling so fast it could drive itself. Just quit at 60 miles an hour in the middle of the road. Caused a slight fender bender, but no one was hurt. Everyone agreed it was OK not to call the police for a report. (mistake) called OnStar. They said something about a relay getting too hot, probably causing part of the problem, but not all of it. Had it checked out by a mechanic friend. Related he had no idea what is causing the problem. …
I have had nothing but trouble with this vehicle. I took it into the dealer the other day to have the front wheel bearing replace (paid for by GM) and in the process, the mechanic found another serious problem. I had been hearing a banging noise coming from the rear end for a few months now. I jacked the rear end of the car up and couldn't find the source of the noise. I was told by the mechanic that it is the right rear knuckle that was making the noise. When they got it on the rack, they found that the tire is moving front to back about 2 inches. I was told that this is a serious safety issue and that I will need to get it fixed asap at a cost of about $750. I took my vehicle to another mechanic to get a second opinion. I got the same diagnosis from the second mechanic with the addition of "we've never seen one of these go bad. …
I purchased my 2002 Buick Rendezvous cxl in early 2003. By 2004 I had to have the A/C condenser replaced, the shocks & struts replaced and numerous problems with the A/C. Then in summer of 2006 the car engine started misfiring and the car stalled out with smoke coming out of the hood, etc. Had it towed to Buick, they said the engine had a leak somewhere and water leaked into the oil...huh? Anyway, of course even though I had the extended warranty, I was just out of warranty and they refused to fix it. The option was to replace the engine for $6,000. This vehicle was already paid off and worth about $14K prior to the engine blowing up. I ended up selling it for $3K. Is this normal? I think not. I submitted my case to several "lawyer" claiming to specialize in this type of rip off activity by car manufacturers but they said it wasn't worth it to them to pursue it. …
Tl contact owns a 2002 Buick Rendezvous. The contact stated that the vehicle overheated when he used the air conditioner. He took vehicle to dealer but because of the costs, he decided to have a friend repair it. However, the issue still occurred. The other issue with the vehicle was that it did not get the fuel mileage that it was supposed. He also noticed that the rear end of the vehicle was making noise, a grumbling noise to be exact. He changed rear end fluid but could still hear noise. The noise would be heard when he turned right or left. He received recall notices for his vehicle (02V222000, 07V349000, 07e021000) but when he consulted the dealer and manufacturer, he was told very conflicting stories about whether the recalls on his vehicle existed and if they had been previously performed. …
Brought a new 2002 Buick Rendezvous cx from a dealer. At about 10,000 miles the car started having numerous problems that were beyond normal wear and tear. Starting with the engine light and other problems. They were repaired under the warranty. But about 24,000 and without warranty, the car got overheated for a 15 minutes traffic jam. Turned out the front wheel bearing needed to be replaced, and the ac sensor wasn't working. Replaced the front wheel bearing sensor. About 6 months later, the other wheel bearing needed to be replaced. Just about 1 month ago and 35,000 miles later, the overheated problem happened again, compounded with the A/C linkage, and the ABS sensor wasn't working. I paid $1,200 for fixing the overheat problem and replacing the ABS sensor. I didn't fix the ac linkage because it would cost me another $900!! …
When driving 55 MPH rear right tire blewout. This caused the consumer to pull of the road and change the tire. Consumer stated that the tire looked like it just melted ,and there were no objects and the road. This was a Firestone tire. The consumer noticed that the passenger side front floor mat was wet. The technician determined that the A/C evaporator drain was clogged due to leaves coming from the windshield cowling. The dealer cleaned the drain and removed the leaves. The left front hub and bearing had excessive play and were noisy. The check engine light illuminated. The trouble codes indicated that the gas cap May have been loose. The vehicle body control module (BCM) failed and had to be replaced. It caused the security lights to remain on, the A/C not to work and at night the horn would sound when the vehicle was off. …
Three safety related issues with my 2002 Buick Rendezvous cxl. The ABS sensors failed which was a difficult problem to diagnose as the problem was actually caused by water in the insulation to the sensor wiring harnesses. I'm now being notified of a front wheel bearing problem that has not yet reached a formal recall. Second issue involves the AWD rear axle assembly (differential). Moaning noises start in the rear end, in low speed turns such as parking lot maneuvers. Occurrence increases in severity and frequency fairly quickly. The rear axle is to be replaced by the dealer under my extended warranty. But I notice that this is not a random or unusual problem with this year/model Buick. I would think that both of these issues due to their rate of occurrence would trigger a formal recall. Why does the rear drive axle continue to fail? …
2002 Buick Rendezvous otherwise known as the money pit. Seems that as usual our latest expense (101,000) is not covered under the recalls, due to the manufacturing date of the vehicle. Smelled gas for a week, then noticed gas gauge fluctuating, never showing empty even though trip odometer showed it had almost an empty tank. Mechanic stated crack in the fuel tank, but car was manufactured before the recall date, so Buick did not cover the cost of repairs. Have recently also experienced loss of all power to cigarette lighters, drivers side window fell down and entire regulator unit was replaced. Back hatch handle fell off, again. Rearview mirror also fell off. Ac fan will no longer blow at highest setting. These are all minor compared to the faulty ABS sensor, loss of traction control, ac condenser, tie rods, 2 replaced batteries, front wheel bearings, rotors. …
The consumer stated the horn would blow and the radio would come on for no reason. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealership for inspection; however the mechanic could not duplicate the problem. The consumer had taken the vehicle to another dealer and they fixed the module the same day. There has been no other problem. Currently the vehicle is in security mode. The consumer was unable to open the windows and the rear doors. The consumer noticed the floor mats were discolored , it was determined that the air condition system had malfunctioned. There was a screeching noise in the steering column, but no problem was found. The left front hub and bearing was replaced the brakes were replaced.
I took my car to the dealer complaining of a rubbing/clunking noise while driving. The diagnosis was the exhaust was bent and was rubbing on the driveshaft. Dealer replaced complete exhaust system and driveshaft. I was told this could only have happened due to rear end impact. No impact occurred that I am aware of and no visible damage to vehicle. I contacted my insurance company and they inspected the vehicle and did not find any evidence of rear end damage. They suspect design/safety defect and asked the dealer to provide them with the drive shaft. Dealer said they have seen this happen one other time. I am concerned about the safety of this vehicle
Suspension complaints in other Rendezvous years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 2002 Buick Rendezvous?
NHTSA has 45 complaints about the suspension of the 2002 Buick Rendezvous, 9% of the model year's 486 complaints. The component named most often is front › wheel bearing (23 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Buick Rendezvous suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 2002 Buick Rendezvous, though it has 2 recalls 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 2002 Buick Rendezvous suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury to suspension 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.