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2005 Buick Rainier

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Buick Rainier do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 91.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

82 reports with mileage · 21 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 38 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

38 reports
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60,000 miles · Dec 29, 2010
Electrical System

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOING CRAZY. SPEEDOMETER READING 80 WHEN GOING 45 (I'M ESTIMATING OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA EXACTLY HOW FAST), FUEL GAUGE WORKING WHEN IT WANTS TO. FEEL UNSAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR FAULTY CLUSTER. ESTIMATED $600. WHEN I RESEARCH MANY GM VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS (STEPP…

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INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOING CRAZY. SPEEDOMETER READING 80 WHEN GOING 45 (I'M ESTIMATING OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE I HAVE NO IDEA EXACTLY HOW FAST), FUEL GAUGE WORKING WHEN IT WANTS TO. FEEL UNSAFE IN THIS VEHICLE. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR FAULTY CLUSTER. ESTIMATED $600. WHEN I RESEARCH MANY GM VEHICLES HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS (STEPPER MOTORS) BUT NOT MY VEHICLE. FUNNY, WHEN THEY SOLD IT TO ME THEY TOLD ME IT WAS EXACTLY LIKE THE TAHOE. TAHOE HAS RECALL, WHY NOT MY BUICK RAINIER? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10373389

70,000 miles · May 17, 2010
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT DISPLAY THE PROPER SPEED THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 81,000.

NHTSA ODI #10330757

101,000 miles · Apr 26, 2010
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. PRIOR TO BECOMING PINNED AT 120 PLUS MPH, WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. TICKING NOISE UPON STOPPING. MECHANIC STATED HE WAS AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES AND THOUGHT IT WAS A RECALL. DEFECTIVE PART IS SPEEDOMETER "CLUSTER" MADE BY SPEEDO. THIS IS UNSAFE ON THE ROAD AS I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE…

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SPEEDOMETER FAILURE. PRIOR TO BECOMING PINNED AT 120 PLUS MPH, WORKED INTERMITTENTLY. TICKING NOISE UPON STOPPING. MECHANIC STATED HE WAS AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH GM VEHICLES AND THOUGHT IT WAS A RECALL. DEFECTIVE PART IS SPEEDOMETER "CLUSTER" MADE BY SPEEDO. THIS IS UNSAFE ON THE ROAD AS I AM UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE SPEED AT WHICH I AM TRAVELING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10327618

63,000 miles · Feb 22, 2010
Electrical System

2005 BUICK RAINIER WITH 63,000 MILES. THE SPEEDOMETER WILL REGISTER 120 WHEN GOING 60 AND 60 WHEN COMPLETELY STOPPED. GM REFUSES TO SEE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE AND REPLACE IT FREE OF CHARGE WHEN OTHER GM VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM ARE COVERED UP TO 70,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10312717

39,000 miles · Mar 18, 2009
Electrical SystemEquipment

THE SPEEDOMETER HAS COMPLETELY AND INSTANTLY STOPPED WORKING. TO THE BEST MY KNOWLEDGE THE ODOMETER APPEARS TO BE WORKING BUT CANNOT VALIDATE. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 40K MILES ON IT. I NOTICED SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING SPEEDOMETER ISSUES AND DON'T FEEL I THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXPENSE OF THIS C…

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THE SPEEDOMETER HAS COMPLETELY AND INSTANTLY STOPPED WORKING. TO THE BEST MY KNOWLEDGE THE ODOMETER APPEARS TO BE WORKING BUT CANNOT VALIDATE. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 40K MILES ON IT. I NOTICED SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS REGARDING SPEEDOMETER ISSUES AND DON'T FEEL I THE CONSUMER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXPENSE OF THIS COSTLY REPAIR. GM HAS NOT RECALLED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. IT'S UNFORTUNATE THE WARRANTY PERIOD IS EXPIRED, BUT THIS VEHICLE HAS VERY LOW USAGE AND LOW MILEAGE, WHERE I DON'T FEEL THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM SHOULD BE OCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR RESPONSE. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10262250

55,000 miles · Mar 9, 2009
Electrical System

MY 2005 BUICK RAINIER HAD 55,000 MILES ON IT WHEN MY SPEEDOMETER WENT ON THE BLITZ. THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK AT 60 MPH AND WOULD CONTINUE TO RISE UNTIL IT WAS PEGGED PAST 120 MPH WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS. NOW MY SPEEDOMETER MAY STOP WORKING COMPLETELY WHILE TRAV…

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MY 2005 BUICK RAINIER HAD 55,000 MILES ON IT WHEN MY SPEEDOMETER WENT ON THE BLITZ. THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK AT 60 MPH AND WOULD CONTINUE TO RISE UNTIL IT WAS PEGGED PAST 120 MPH WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS. NOW MY SPEEDOMETER MAY STOP WORKING COMPLETELY WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD. MY MOTHER HAS A 2004 RAINIER AND SHE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH MULTIPLE GAUGES INCLUDING THE SPEEDOMETER. AC DELCO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM TO BE A DEFECTIVE STEPPER MOTOR IN THE GAUGE CLUSTER BUT GM HAS NOT RECALLED THE VEHICLES AND IT IS A COSTLY REPAIR THAT I BELIEVE THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS TROUBLE IN MORE DETAIL AS I'VE SEARCHED YOUR SITE AND SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME SYMPTOMS IN NOT ONLY BUICK BUT THE CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER AS WELL. THANKS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10261378

68,000 miles · Dec 9, 2008
Electrical System

THE LOWER INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY, THAT SHOWS THE ODOMETER, FUEL MILEAGE ETC, DOES NOT ALWAYS COME ON. I HAVE HAD THE DISPLAY SHOW UP PRIOR TO STARTING, WHILE IN "RUN" BUT NOT STARTED AND THEN NOT COME ON AFTER STARTING. MOST OF THE TIME IT WILL COME ON THE NEXT TIME I START THE VEHICLE AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR A MINUTE OR …

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THE LOWER INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAY, THAT SHOWS THE ODOMETER, FUEL MILEAGE ETC, DOES NOT ALWAYS COME ON. I HAVE HAD THE DISPLAY SHOW UP PRIOR TO STARTING, WHILE IN "RUN" BUT NOT STARTED AND THEN NOT COME ON AFTER STARTING. MOST OF THE TIME IT WILL COME ON THE NEXT TIME I START THE VEHICLE AFTER LETTING IT SIT FOR A MINUTE OR TWO.. EVEN MORE RECENTLY THE FUEL GAUGE DID NOT GO UP TO FULL AFTER ADDING FUEL, THE NEEDLE BOUNCED ON FULL AND THEN WHEN I PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE IT WENT BACK TO EMPTY, THEN THIRTY SECONDS LATER IT WENT BACK TO FULL. FORTUNATELY AT THAT POINT THE DISPLAY WAS WORKING AND THE RANGE IMMEDIATELY WENT TO ZERO, LEAVING ME WITH NO INFORMATION ON THE FUEL. THE FUEL GAUGE HAS ALSO DROPPED TO EMPTY UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING. THE PROBLEMS ARE IRRITATING AND INTERMITTENT AT THIS POINT, AND CHASING IT DOWN IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT WHEN THE FUEL GAUGE DID ITS DANCE FROM E TO F TO E TO F THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. UNFORTUNATELY I AM NOT ABLE TO GET MY OBDII SCANNER TO WORK ON THE CAR YET, TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, THAT MAY HAVE TO DO WITH I HAVE OLDER SOFTWARE. THE ENGINE LIGHT IS NOW OFF SO I MAY NEVER FIGURE OUT WHAT WENT WRONG. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10251169

Mileage unknown · Mar 11, 2008
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER STARTED STICKING, AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. I AM HAVING A HARD TIME, BUT FROM WHAT I CAN TELL SO FAR IT IS EXPENSIVE TO FIX OR EVEN FIND A USED ONE. WHAT AN AGGRAVATING THING TO GO WRONG ON A NEWER VEHICLE THAT CLEARLY HAS TO BE AT THE FAULT OF MANUFACTURER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10220809

Official recalls

1

05V035000 · Visibility:windshield

Feb 3, 2005

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 212, 'WINDSHIELD MOUNTING.' THE WINDSHIELD URETHANE BEAD MAY NOT HAVE ADHERED TO THE BODY IN CERTAIN AREAS DURING THE CURE PROCESS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF A CRASH OCCURS, THE WINDSHIELD MAY NOT BE RETAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURY TO A VEHICLE OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 10, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

3

RQ17002 · Loss Of Headlights

Opened Apr 24, 2017 · Closed Mar 29, 2021

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:headlights

The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy variants: 2002-2006 Envoy XL/Trailblazer EXT and 2004-2005 Envoy XUV. The original scope of this investigation was expanded to include all vehicles equipped with the subject Headlight Driver Module (HDM). The focus of the investigation was to determine whether actions performed by General Motors adequately addressed any unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety in the subject vehicles concerning the headlights and the HDM that controls them.Under normal electrical load and environmental conditions, the HDM can overheat inside the Underhood Electrical Center (UEC). This can cause the module to fail and result in a simultaneous loss of both low beam headlights and both daytime running lights (DRLs), often with no warning or prior detectability to the driver. This failure can be intermittent or permanent. No other exterior lights are affected. High beams, turn signals, brake lights, and reverse lights are still operational.General Motors addressed this issue with 2 recalls (14V755 & 15V519) and a special coverage program (N172091910). In view of the recalls and special coverage program implemented by GM and the vehicle high beams continuing to operate, ODI has tentatively concluded that the actions taken by GM mitigate any unreasonable risk to safety posed by HDM failure in the subject vehicles.Accordingly, the 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 reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances.The ODI reports cited above are available for review online at NHTSA.gov under the identification numbers in the attached document.

PE11014 · Fuel Level Gauge System Failure

Opened Apr 25, 2011 · Closed Sep 23, 2011

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Other; Fuel System, Other:storage:fuel Gauge System

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 after filling the tank.Less than 10 percent of theODI complaints involved an engine stall incident.During this investigation, GM developed a remedy procedure and issued special coverage bulletin instructing dealers to install a new design fuel level sensor.The bulletin was sent to dealers on August 10, 2011 and the owner letter mailing began on August 15, 2011.See the investigative file for copies of GM's bulletin and owner letter.This preliminary evaluation is closed.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Fuel System, Other

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 after filling the tank.Less than 10 percent of theODI complaints involved an engine stall incident.During this investigation, GM developed a remedy procedure and issued special coverage bulletin instructing dealers to install a new design fuel level sensor.The bulletin was sent to dealers on August 10, 2011 and the owner letter mailing began on August 15, 2011.See the investigative file for copies of GM's bulletin and owner letter.This preliminary evaluation is closed.

Fuel System, Other:storage:fuel Gauge System

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 after filling the tank.Less than 10 percent of theODI complaints involved an engine stall incident.During this investigation, GM developed a remedy procedure and issued special coverage bulletin instructing dealers to install a new design fuel level sensor.The bulletin was sent to dealers on August 10, 2011 and the owner letter mailing began on August 15, 2011.See the investigative file for copies of GM's bulletin and owner letter.This preliminary evaluation is closed.

DP10001 · Fuel Level Gauge System Failure

Opened Jan 7, 2010 · Closed May 23, 2011

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Fuel System, Other; Fuel System, Other:storage:fuel Gauge System

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 what is actually in the fuel tank. One complaint alleged a vehicle crash after the vehicle stalled while exiting the interstate, became disabled, and was struck from behind.Summarily, the complaints show an apparent increasing trend, with most complaints received within the past year.A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Fuel System, Other

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 what is actually in the fuel tank. One complaint alleged a vehicle crash after the vehicle stalled while exiting the interstate, became disabled, and was struck from behind.Summarily, the complaints show an apparent increasing trend, with most complaints received within the past year.A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.

Fuel System, Other:storage:fuel Gauge System

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 what is actually in the fuel tank. One complaint alleged a vehicle crash after the vehicle stalled while exiting the interstate, became disabled, and was struck from behind.Summarily, the complaints show an apparent increasing trend, with most complaints received within the past year.A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and potential safety consequences associated with the alleged defect.