2002 Buick Rendezvous recalls and problems

The 2002 Buick Rendezvous has 2 recalls and 486 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is engine.

Pictured: a 2003 model; the 2002 may differ in details. Photo: 2003 Buick Rendezvous by 2000chevymontecarlo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the 2002 compares

Highest

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Highest complaint count among 7 Rendezvous model years — the most of any year.

2recalls

486complaints

18crashes

8fires

21injuries

70,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

2 recalls

Fuel System

Aug 8, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V349000 · 20,594 vehicles

Problem: 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).

Original NHTSA wording

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).

Risk: A fracture May allow fuel vapors to pass through and allow droplets of fuel to accumulate on the side of the fuel tank. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.

Original NHTSA wording

A FRACTURE MAY ALLOW FUEL VAPORS TO PASS THROUGH AND ALLOW DROPLETS OF FUEL TO ACCUMULATE ON THE SIDE OF THE FUEL TANK. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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. Owners May contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080; Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438; or Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668. The vehicle population includes Buick rendezvous and Pontiac aztek vehicle built in May 2003; Chevrolet venture and Pontiac Montana vehicles built from June through August 2002; and all vehicles registered in Nevada, Arizona, virgin islands, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii.

Gm recall no. 06230.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Air Bags

Aug 9, 2002 · NHTSA campaign 02V222000 · 133,221 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Risk: Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the air bag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capability of the bag to protect the driver.

Original NHTSA wording

PIECES OF THE INFLATOR COULD STRIKE AND INJURE VEHICLE OCCUPANTS AND THE AIR BAG CUSHION WOULD NOT INFLATE FULLY, REDUCING THE CAPABILITY OF THE BAG TO PROTECT THE DRIVER.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect, and replace, if necessary, the air bag module assembly on the driver's side. Owner notification began August 15, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Buick at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet at 1-800-222-1020, GMC at 1-800-462-8782, Oldsmobile at 1-800-442-6537, or Pontiac at 1-800-762-2737.

Gm recall no. 02032. Also, customers can contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Engine129

Fuel System103

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

FUEL TANK LEAKAGE

EA07006 · opened Apr 18, 2007 · closed Sep 13, 2007 · led to recall 07V349000

Summary

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 AND CERTAIN SAME MODEL VEHICLES REGISTERED IN NEVADA, ARIZONA, VIRGIN ISLANDS, PUERTO RICO AND HAWAII THAT WERE BUILT THROUGH NOV/DEC 2003 (DEPENDING ON MODEL).THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VEHICLES RECALLED IS 20,594 (INCLUDES 15,196 SUBJECT AZTEK AND RENDEZVOUS VEHICLES). IN ADDITION TO THE RECALL, GM WILL EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON MY 2002-2004 RENDEZVOUS AND REGULAR WHEEL BASE VENTURE VANS AND MY 2001-2004 AZTEK AND REGULAR WHEELBASE MONTANA VANS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL TO PROVIDE WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST.GM WILL BEGIN NOTIFYING OWNERS IN DECEMBER 2007.GM REPORTS THAT THE FUEL INLET PIPE CONTAINING THE INLET CHECK VALVE (ICV) MAY FRACTURE AND ALLOW FUEL VAPORS OR FUEL TO LEAK OUT.GM DATA REVEALED THAT ELEVATED AMBIENT TEMPERATURES, HIGHER CARBON CONTENT IN THE ICV AND VARIATION IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WERE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS FOR POTENTIAL CRACKS IN THE ICV.BEGINNING DECEMBER 2003, GM BUILT VEHICLES WITH A REDESIGNED FUEL TANK/ICV.SUBJECT VEHICLES NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL OR EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT SHO…

FUEL TANK LEAKAGE

RQ06009 · opened Dec 14, 2006 · closed Apr 18, 2007

Summary

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 TO FUEL TANK JOINTS WITH POOR MELT FLOW LINES.ODI'S ANALYSIS OF GM'S WARRANTY CLAIM DATA FINDS MORE FREQUENT FUEL TANK REPLACEMENTS IN THE HOTTER CLIMATE STATES.THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-006) TO FURTHER ASSESS THIS MATTER.

2002 vs. other Buick Rendezvous years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2002. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2002 Buick Rendezvous have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2002 Buick Rendezvous, the latest from Aug 8, 2007 (fuel system). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Buick Rendezvous?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention engine (129), electrical system (103), fuel system (103). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.