2005 Buick Terraza recalls and problems

The 2005 Buick Terraza has 2 recalls and 120 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is electrical system.

2005 Buick Terraza
Photo: 2005 Buick Terraza by MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
How the 2005 compares

Too few model years with complaints to compare.

2recalls
120complaints
5crashes
1fires
4injuries
43,000median 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

Suspension

Mar 19, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V110000 · 5,375 vehicles

Problem: The Braun corporation has notified NHTSA about a defect in certain model year 2005-2008 general motors mobility conversion, handicapped accessible low floor minivans. During conversion, the driver or passenger side trailing arm modification May not have been adequately welded.

Original NHTSA wording

THE BRAUN CORPORATION HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2005-2008 GENERAL MOTORS MOBILITY CONVERSION, HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBLE LOW FLOOR MINIVANS. DURING CONVERSION, THE DRIVER OR PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARM MODIFICATION MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ADEQUATELY WELDED.

Risk: A squeaking or clunking noise May develop. The trailing arm bushings May prematurely wear and the trailing arm May fracture or separate, allowing the rear axle to become partially separated from the chassis increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

A SQUEAKING OR CLUNKING NOISE MAY DEVELOP. THE TRAILING ARM BUSHINGS MAY PREMATURELY WEAR AND THE TRAILING ARM MAY FRACTURE OR SEPARATE, ALLOWING THE REAR AXLE TO BECOME PARTIALLY SEPARATED FROM THE CHASSIS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect and will have a supply of retrofit parts available to remedy the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began on June 4, 2010. Owners May contact Braun at 1-800-488-0359.

Owners 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 <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Parking Brake

Jun 20, 2005 · NHTSA campaign 05V287000 · 14,600 vehicles

Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, 'passenger car brake systems.' to meet the standard, the vehicle must not move for five minutes when stopped on a steep hill with the parking brake applied and the vehicle in neutral (n). Some of these vehicles failed this test.

Original NHTSA wording

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, 'PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.' TO MEET THE STANDARD, THE VEHICLE MUST NOT MOVE FOR FIVE MINUTES WHEN STOPPED ON A STEEP HILL WITH THE PARKING BRAKE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL (N). SOME OF THESE VEHICLES FAILED THIS TEST.

Risk: When the parking brake is released, the driver May notice unintended braking when accelerating, decelerating, or coasting, and a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. Unintended vehicle movement could occur increasing the risk of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED, THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE UNINTENDED BRAKING WHEN ACCELERATING, DECELERATING, OR COASTING, AND A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT COULD OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will inspect for parking brake lever slippage at each rear brake caliper and replace the caliper if lever slippage is identified. The recall began on November 14, 2005. Owners May contact Buick at 1-866-608-8080, Chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, Pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or Saturn at 1-800-972-8876.

Gm recall no. 05059. 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.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

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

Complaints by year filed

2005: 18 complaints2005182006: 17 complaints2007: 6 complaints20072008: 10 complaints2009: 7 complaints20092010: 12 complaints2011: 10 complaints20112012: 3 complaints2013: 6 complaints20132014: 12 complaints2015: 5 complaints20152016: 7 complaints2017: 1 complaints20172018: 3 complaints2019: 1 complaints20192021: 1 complaints2023: 1 complaints20231

NHTSA investigations

POWER SLIDING DOOR

EA07019 · opened Dec 11, 2007 · closed Feb 23, 2009
Summary

ODI EVALUATED GENERAL MOTORS' (GM) DATA, CONDUCTED CONSUMER INTERVIEWS, INSPECTED AND TESTED MY 2005-2007 GM MINIVANS WITH REGARD TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT OF A POWER SLIDING DOOR (PSD) OPENING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF PARK.ODI IDENTIFIED A HIGH WARRANTY CLAIM RATE.HOWEVER, THESE CLAIMS ARE RELATED TO VARIOUS PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DOORS NOT PROPERLY OPENING OR CLOSING AND NOT SPECIFICALLY TO DOORS OPENING WHILE DRIVING.THE CONDITION OF THE PSD REVERSING DIRECTION DURING THE CLOSING SEQUENCE IS CONSISTENT WITH AN OBSTRUCTION OF THE DOOR, OR WITH IMPROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE DOOR, AND THIS IS ADDRESSED IN GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 07-08-64-007 AND BULLETINS # 07-08-64-007A THROUGH D.ODI'S EVALUATION OF THE PSD SYSTEM NOTES NUMEROUS SAFEGUARDS TO PRECLUDE BOTH UNINTENTIONAL AND INTENTIONAL POWER OPENING OF THE PSD WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.A SAFETY-DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.[SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.]

POWER SLIDING DOOR OPENING

PE07044 · opened Aug 16, 2007 · closed Dec 11, 2007
Summary

ODI HAS RECEIVED REPORTS THAT THE POWER SLIDING DOORS OPENED WITHOUT COMMAND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON MODEL YEAR 2005 AND 2006 GENERAL MOTORS MINIVANS (CHEVROLET UPLANDER/VENTURE, PONTIAC MONTANA SV6/MONTANA, BUICK TERRAZA, AND SATURN RELAY).SOME REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE DOOR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CLOSED AND LATCHED BEFORE DRIVING AWAY CAUSING THE DOOR TO REVERSE (OPEN) AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS.HOWEVER, OTHER REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE DOOR WAS INITIALLY SHUT THEN OPENED AFTER DRIVING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND/OR MILES AT VEHICLE SPEEDS BETWEEN 20 AND 70 MPH.ODI HAS UPGRADED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-019) TO FURTHER ASSESS THIS ISSUE.

ELECTRICAL HARNESS DAMAGE

PE05063 · opened Nov 29, 2005 · closed Mar 6, 2006
Summary

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION ON NOVEMBER 29, 2005, BASED ON ONE CONSUMER REPORT TO ODI AND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY GENERAL MOTORS.THE BULLETIN, NO. 1613174, ISSUED ON FEBRUARY 21, 2005, STATES IN PART, SOME CUSTOMERS MAY REPORT A STALL AND/OR NO CRANK, NO START CONDITION AFTER THE WIPERS ARE USED.ANALYSIS OF THE AVAILABLE DATA INDICATES THAT THE PROBLEM EXPERIENCE OCCURS EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.APPROXIMATELY 80% OF ALL FAILURES OCCURRED WITHIN THE FIRST 3,000 MILES.ADDITIONALLY, 88% OF THE COMPLAINT VEHICLES WERE BUILT IN THE FIRST HALF OF PRODUCTION.CHANGES TO THE PRODUCTION PROCESS, THE ISSUANCE OF THE SERVICE BULLETIN, AND COMPONENT MODIFICATIONS, APPEAR TO HAVE RESOLVED THIS ISSUE. A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

2005 vs. other Buick Terraza years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2005. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2005 Buick Terraza have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2005 Buick Terraza, the latest from Mar 19, 2010 (suspension). 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 2005 Buick Terraza?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention electrical system (37), electronic stability control (29), service brakes (19). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.