Most common 2003 Buick Rendezvous problems
Share of the 281 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Buick Rendezvous complaints by model year
Best Rendezvous years: 2007, 2006, 2005. Years to avoid: 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
2003 Buick Rendezvous recalls (6)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
On certain vehicles, variations in the manufacturing process or exposure to high ambient temperatures May lead to fracture of the fuel tank inlet check valve (icv).
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank. The recall will be mailed in two phases with the first phase beginning on December 4, 2007. The second phase will be mailed on December 13, 2007.
Latches/locks/linkages › Hatchback/liftgate › Lock
On certain sport utility vehicles, a structural support at the latch attachment in the rear liftgate May be inadequate to retain the latch to the liftgate in certain severe vehicle crash events.
Remedy: Dealers will add structural reinforcements to the liftgate in the area adjoining the latch assembly. Owner notification schedule began on June 21, 2004. Owners should contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080.
Equipment › Other › Owners/service/other manual
Certain minivans, passenger and sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 225, "child restraint anchorage system." the owner's manual does not explain the meaning of the location symbols for the child restraint lower universal anchorage system.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with a supplement for their owner's manual. This supplement describes and shows the location symbols for the child restraint anchors that are located in the vehicle and on the child restraint or…
Steering
In some of these sport utility vehicles, the diameter of the steering column intermediate shaft is too small.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace if necessary, the steering column intermediate shaft. Owners were notified by telephone on February 7, 2003, with a follow-up letter on February 11, 2003.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
On certain Mini vans, passenger and sport utility vehicles, some of these vehicles have a driver's side air bag that May not deploy as designed. In addition, the air bag inflator could rupture.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and if necessary, install a new driver's air bag. Owner notification began on March 11, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
Air bags › Frontal
Certain passenger, Mini vans, and sport utility vehicles have an air bag inflator on the driver's side that could fracture at a weld during a deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began August 15, 2002.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2003 Buick Rendezvous:
Fuel tank leakage
Certain subject vehicles May exhibit leakage of odor and/or fuelfrom the lower portion of the fuel tank inlet filler pipe (inlet check valve).the inlet check valve (icv) and the fuel tank are joined together using a hot plate welding process for plastic parts.GM reports that its analysis of field returned parts show evidence of process variations for different manufacturing periods.these variations produced some icv…
Fuel tank leakage
GM is recalling (NHTSA recall no. 07v-349) certain model year (my) 2002-2004 Buick rendezvous, Chevrolet venture (regular wheelbase) and 2001-2004 Pontiac aztek and montana (regular wheelbase) vehicles to replace fuel tanks and correct a defect that May allow fuel leakage.the vehicle recall population is rendezvous and aztek vehicles built in May 2003, venture and montana vehicle built in June through August 2002…
What 2003 Buick Rendezvous owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 84 →
After filling the fuel tank there is a strong gas odor that is present until the tank is almost empty. When walking around the vehicle or loading/unloading the vehicle, the strong gas odor is always present. This vehicle was at a dealership and they took it to the local personal auction company where i bid on it and bought it along with household items.
I purchased this vehicle in 2013, and a few years later, I began smelling gas. After doing my due diligence, I found out that there is a recall for this issue, because the check inlet valve at the top of the tank where the filler neck connects to the tank is cracked. Great, NO, only CERTAIN Rendezvous were covered, and even though mine has the exact same issue, they refuse to cover it and replace the tank. Well, apparently, there were SO MANY complaints by other Rendezvous owners that were also not "included" in the recall, the recall was expanded to ALL Rendezvous', BUT with the stipulation that it had to have less than 150,000 miles on it, which by THAT TIME, my car WAS over that mileage. …
Engine & cooling all 62 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Buick Rendezvous. While driving 65 MPH, the vehicle shook and stalled and the battery light illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle to the side of the road, restarted the vehicle, and resumed driving. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed, but the technician could not find a failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken a fourth time to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the battery, alternator, and serpentine belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 215,000.
Tl contact owns a 2003 Buick Rendezvous. The contact stated that her vehicle stalls and shuts off at all times. The vehicle also smokes a lot and the gasket overheated. In addition, the driver's side window dropped down into the door. The Buick dealer has had the vehicle for over a week making repairs. The dealer stated that different failures keep arising, such as the air mast flow sensor had to be changed twice, along with the water pump, timing belt, and new thermostats were installed. The repair could possibly cost more than $2,000. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 140,000.
Electrical system all 45 →
When driving on the highway, white/terrible smelling smoke came rolling out of the vents inside my vehicle. It was so bad that I had to pull over, as it was burning my throat/nose/eyes and made me dizzy- this was in a matter of just a few short minutes. No dashboard lights or other signs of vehicle malfunction occurred at that time; however, this was a very alarming safety situation for my children, who were also in the vehicle...! The fire department was called, along with the police and a tow truck; as I obviously was not willing to drive the vehicle any further! …
I have had ongoing electrical problems with my vehicle for about a year now. It keeps blowing the number 40 fuse which causes the vehicle to lose its turn signals, break lights, and emergency flashers. The dealer has attempted to fix the problem 3 times since June of 2005. The fourth time this happened a wiring harness under the dashboard caught fire while my wife and a friend of hers were traveling 350 miles from home. It was at night, in the rain, and on I-77 in the mountains of west virginia. A local GM dealer looked at the vehicle. They stated a serious fire could have resulted from this, particularly since a 30 amp fuse was place in the #40 position which is made to take a 15 amp fuse. I have also replaced both front wheel bearings on this vehicle one with under 36,000 miles and the other with less than 50,000 miles. The vehicle has been very hard on front tires. …
2003 Buick Rendezvous engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 20 |
| 3.4L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 16 / 22 / 18 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2003 Buick Rendezvous a good car?
Based on 281 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2003 Rendezvous rates use caution: 1.9× as many complaints as a typical year of the Rendezvous at the same age. It is one of the Rendezvous 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 2003 Buick Rendezvous?
The fuel & propulsion system — 84 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage. Next are the engine & cooling (62) and electrical system (45).
How many recalls does the 2003 Buick Rendezvous have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2003 Buick Rendezvous, the most recent from August 8, 2007 (storage). 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 Rendezvous?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007, 2006 and 2005. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2002 and 2003. See the full Buick Rendezvous years comparison.
At what mileage do 2003 Buick Rendezvous problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 30% 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.