Buick Rendezvous Maintenance and Repair

lswaidz

I've got an older Cobra 9000 series I got from Best Buy on sale... nothing too special but it works fine... It picked up the cops laser from about 900 feet with no problem, unfortunetly I was going 82 but oh well - at least it works!

~Lance

jk27

Just out of curiousity, does anybody know what the windshield "coating" is OR why it's on there? Thanks.

P.S. I must admit I have a bit of a lead foot around town and I use a radar detector to help me avoid accumulating any more speeding tickets (and to avoid those speed traps

lswaidz

If I remember correctly PPG coats the windows w/ a special film that not only blocks out UV rays from entering the car but makes the HUD more visible...

~Lance

melsny

The HUD windshield is different from the windshields on RDVs without HUD. I have the HUD windshield. It's a metallic film which is between the layers of glass. PPG calls it SunGard, so I assume that Iswaidz (Msg #254) is correct concerning its functions. It blocked my EZPass automatic toll transmitter and I got violation notices. I found that the film stops about 4 inches from the top on the driver's side. I moved the EZPass transmitter to that location and it works every time. -- Mel

jk27

You guys are absolutely right. I found out some more details. The windshield is from PPG and it's called Sungate HUD. Apparently, the metal/metal oxide coating is able to reject 60% of the sun's energy. Here's a link: http://www.ppg.com/_private/FrameResult.asp?f=/gls_autoglass/sungate.asp

netnerd

...is it a good idea to put a "sun screen" (or whatever you call those big folding things you can put in your front window) in to block the sun.

I know on lots of older cars the dash would crack and warp from the sun's rays/heat. Do today's cars still have that problem? A co-worker told me not. Still, I put a sun screen in whenever I leave the car in direct sun.

nextmoon

Do you find the screen helps in any way to keep the interior cooler in the sun? I'm a little concerned that the leather in mines may dry and crack or discolor. Usually I keep mines covered with a car cover that reflects sunlight and I can feel it reflecting as I go near to remove it.

netnerd

I definitely think the screen keeps it cooler. I got one of the metallic reflective types (looks sort of like that bubble wrap stuff that you used to pop as a kid).

I can't help but think it's a good thing to keep the direct sun (and heat) off of the dash.

nextmoon

netnerd - how do you keep it standing up against the windshield? Is there something holding it up or does it stick somewhere to the windshield?

netnerd

First of all, I made sure to buy the "extra large" size, or whatever they called it. But to keep it up against the windows, I fold down the sun visors to sort of keep it in place. The area that is behind the rearview mirror is cut out to accomodate the mirror, but it still sort of catches on there, too. I got one that had both silvery metallic on one side and red metallic on the other, but the nice part is that the red looks orange and looks cool matched with the orange of the turn signals on the front/front top.

nextmoon

Thanks for the info!

dorene1

Hi all - I had several early posts about concerns with my MPG - I just past 10,000 miles within the month, and like a charm, my RDV's engine turned a new leaf! As it opened up, I've gone from 16.5 to 17.8, and it seems to be continuing to expand. Yippee!

In less promising news, I've had several quirks with the 'bells and whistles'. My compass is usually wrong, the steering wheel am/fm doesn't work, and the connection to onstar is continually going out. I'm hoping the GM warranty will cover anything the factory doesn't. Has anyone else had these problems come up?

Happy driving.

nextmoon

The compass can be recalibrated yourself following some steps in the manual (with or without the DIC). The only unsual part is you'll need some space to drive the RDV in a complete circle a few times

dorene1

I recently went to the RDV new vehicles page here at Edmunds. Interestingly, it referred to the Rainier in the heading description. I called Buick customer service to see if there were any plans to stop production of RDV's when Rainier (former Olds Bravada) comes out in '04, but this was not known. The representative I talked with said RDVs are selling well. Does anyone know more about this? Thanks!

kathy912

I have put about 1500 miles on my RDV in the three weeks I have owned it and I really love it. One of the only problems I can see right now is blowing the horn. It seems hard to hit the right spot. Is anyone else having this problem and have any solutions.l thanks

nosuvyet

Oh, yeah. Horn sucks. By the time I find it to get someone's attention, they're two blocks behind me. I'm guessing it's "hard-to-find-ness" has something to do with the air bag.

So far, that's the biggest complaint I have. If that's the worst problem, that's not too bad. The risk of a first year vehicle I guess.

kathy912

thanks for your quick reply. What I am really worried about is if I am heading toward an accident, it is bad enough I can't get the attention of my friends, but in situation where you need a QUICK sound of the horn I feel we are in trouble. I keep practicing to try to get used to the right spot.

desrtdogg

After owning my Rendezvous for 7 months the AIR CONDITIONER CONCKED OUT! The Dealer Service Center that I went to told me that the module that controls the compressor and HVAC is not available anywhere in the Continental US, (Not Even DETROIT) The Vehicle has been at the dealership for 9 business days with no repair day in sight due to non-availability of the module!!

Does or has anyone had a problem similar to this that can help me out!

BOILING MADD
Sunny 100+
Phoenix, AZ

lswaidz

I find it hard to believe that GM wouldn't have a part for a car that just came out less than a year ago... especially one built on the same playform as a car that's been out for 2 years. Take the car to another dealership and ask them and if they give you the same reason, get a lawyer and get your money back for the car claiming they voided your warranty which is supposed to cover EVERYTHING on the car that is defective.

~Lance

jk27

First, I don't think it's necessary to "get a lawyer and get your money back ...." As a lawyer who has litigated Lemon Law cases, I can tell you that it's not as easy as you might think. Lemon Laws in states vary significantly. For example, in Wisconsin, your car has to be out of service 30 days within the first year of ownership to qualify as a "lemon" (or 4 repairs for the same defect within the first year which substantially affects the value of your car). Your warranty should obviously cover this repair, but just because they don't have the part immediately will not get you an instant refund. Instead, I recommend you go above the dealer level and talk with somebody at Buick National Customer Relations ASAP. Is the dealer comping you with a loaner/rental vehicle -- I would hope so! Let us know how it turns out ... and try to stay cool. Keep your receipts and all paperwork!

lswaidz

jk:

I went through lemon law litigation for about 6 months a year ago on my 99 Trans Am and trust me, it pays off. My T/A was in server a handful of times (probably 6) to try and fix the T-Tops and yes, you're right - it was more than 30 *working* days. GM bought the car back last July and I bought my RDV for about $2000 from the Buick dealer who actually handled the buy-back. The fact of the matter is I tried to contact the "Regional Service Manager" and that resulted in numerous calls and no results... it wasn't until I enlisted the services of a lawyer that I actually began to see results and once GM recieved my certified letter I got a called from the brand manager of Pontiac personally appologizing and asking what he could do to remedy the situation. He was even willing to do an even trade on a 2001 Trans Am with no questions asked, however I told him I was in the market for a SUV and he offered to drop an Aztek off for the weekend so I could see how it "improved" my lifestyle and I told him "thanks, but alternative lifestyle marriages are frowned upon in Illinois." Of course I was joking, but you'd have to be odd to want an Aztek... So Woody Buick in Bensenville ended up handling the whole buy-back and last I heard the car went to auction last September or so, who knows where it is now. I've had my RDV for just about a year and I'm pretty happy with it, but now that I've got about 13,500 miles on it, some problems are starting to pop up - I just hope I don't have to call that lawyer back again. Oh the gret thing about lemon law lawyers is they usually don't charge you anything until you settle your case and most of the time they only act as a segway between you and a dealer who ends up settling everyhting anyway... but good luck and hoepfully you get everything cleared up before you have to call a lawyer.

~Lance

jk27

Iswaidz:

I know that the Lemon Law pays off (both from a personal and a professional perspective). A major manufacturer recently repurchased my 2001 leased vehicle due to steering problems and I used the cash back for downpayment on my RDV. What most people don't realize is how long the process can take. I formally filed in January 2002; the arbitration was held in April 2002 and I finally turned in the vehicle in early June 2002. Six months in all, but it was worth it. Hopefully, bringing this matter to the attention of Buick National will elevate this matter and bring it to resolution *without* having to hire an attorney.

P.S. In Wisconsin, you can represent yourself (no attorney needed) in Lemon Law cases. Save the attorney fees.

fedlawman

What problems are starting to 'pop up' with your RDV?

lswaidz

Fed:

Well a few things... I'll make a list of what I can think of...

1.) The hatch doesn't pop anymore... I think the struts are loosing their gas... the weight of the hatch itself tends to push the mechanism back into place when I use the release on the center console... when I use the key pad and then immediatly pull it up there's not problem which would lead me to believe it's the struts.

2.) I'm pretty sure one of the bearings in my right-rear wheel has either slipped or blown completely... I've got that horrible "sqeeuk" that gets faster in relation to the rotational speed of the wheel.

3.) HARD SHIFTS. My gosh, they're horrible! I drive this car VERY easily and at lower RPM's the 1-2 and especially 2-3 shift is VERY harsh and sometimes even causes the car to bounce. I'm not sure if it's a bad tranny or what but it needs to get looked it.

4.) I'm not sure if it's my RDV or all of them, but when I have the interior lights on the pulse... especially if I have just one on. If they're all on I feel like I'm in a dance club with strobe lights all over... it's getting to the point now where so I just set my interior lights to off and save myself the headache.

5.) This is a weird one but my speedometer is about 3 MPH off. I was driving through my neighborhood on 3 seperate occasions when they had the little radar station thing setup and it registered 28 when my HUD claimed 25, same w/ the speedometer. I'm wondering if my computer has become mis-calibrated.

6.) Finally (for now) my brake rotors get scoring very badly. There are deep gashs in the front and rear drivers side brake rotors, almost as if something is loose on my caliper and gouging into the rotor itself... I'm not sure how serious it is or if that is even the cause but nonetheless they are there...

That's it for now, if I think of more I'll post them, but when my RDV goes in for it's next oil change, which will be soon since it should have been at 13,000 and I'm at 13,500 right now (oops!) I'll make sure the dealer addresses all of my concerns... I'm going to go check the NHTSA's TSB database and see if any of this is listed in there...

~Lance

melsny

I've been reading the comments about arbitration with interest. I've been a Lemon Law arbitrator for 5 years (GM, Toyota, DaimlerChrysler, and many other smaller manufacturers) and see no necessity to have an attorney at the hearing. The only conceivable advantage to engaging an attorney may be that the manufacturer might possibly be more inclined to settle prior to the hearing. The Magnuson-Moss act which is the federal law which mandated that the States establish a lemon law process requires that the decision be rendered within 40 days of initial filing (unless there are extenuating circumstances).

jk27

I agree ... you don't need a lawyer for a lemon law arbitration. You also don't need one for small claims court ... or collections -- but that doesn't stop people from hiring attorneys. In many cases, a succinctly stated case is all the consumer needs. In Wisconsin, the lemon law requires that the manufacturer "replace or refund, or repair, as applicable, within a timely manner....", otherwise the manufacturer breaches the lemon law. In my own personal case, I filed in January, leased vehicle was repurchased in June. I also had to work with the Better Business Bureau Autoline (which was good, but slow).

jk27

Kathy said, "One of the only problems I can see right now is blowing the horn. It seems hard to hit the right spot. Is anyone else having this problem and have any solutions."

This may sound ridiculously simple, but try pushing your thumb (or palm of your hand) directly on the words "HORN" or "AIR BAG" on the steering wheel. The horn also sounds if you press on the Buick logo in the middle of the steering wheel, but not as easily as when you press on the words "HORN" or "AIR BAG".

netnerd

Has anyone else noticed that when they lean the driver's seat back using the release lever on the side, that the whole chair seems tilted toward the center of the car? The further I lean back, the more extreme the tilt seems. I asked Buick when I had my last oil change and they claimed that it was that way on a couple other Rondy's they checked. I'm not sure I buy that.

I've also noticed that the right side of the driver's seat cushion seems to rub a fair amount on the center console. The passenger side does not. Anybody else notice this?

dws41

#279 of 279 Tilting driver's seat by netnerd Jul 23, 2002 (12:27 pm)

I've also noticed that the right side of the driver's seat cushion seems to rub a fair amount on the center console. The passenger side does not. Anybody else notice this?
Hi "netnerd",
Re: "driver's seat...rub...on center console".
Mine does the same thing. I weigh 225 lb. and feel that my weight "flattens" the seat out to the point that it "rubs" on the console. My wife weighs 135 lb and she doesn't have this problem.
"Sveikas",
DWS 41

netnerd

I weigh 215 pounds. Perhaps that's it. I'll try sitting on the passenger side and see if it gets "flattened," too.

busey1

My RDV is a year old and we have been in to get the AWD drive system fixed three times. Each time they find a new problem. Also I am having the rear right wheel hub and bearings replaced. I am wondering if anyone else is having these problems also.

Thanks

lswaidz

How did you know there was something wrong with your AWD system? What exactly what replaced?

~Lance

busey1

THE AWD light is located in the spot where low fuel and other system lights appear. About six months ago the light would come on. I took it into the dealer and they could find nothing wrong and reset the system. The light then would come back on again about a month. Again the dealer looked at it and found a valve and sensor needed to be replaced. The parts were ordered and finally it was supposedly fixed last week. Well the light has reappeared now with the anti-lock brake signal at the same time. They say the vechile is okay to drive though..

lswaidz

Yeah I wouldn't believe them... you need to have the whole system overhauled I'd assume... if they say it's "ok to drive" usually that means they're too lazy to do all the work involved with replaced the AWD and ABS systems... just think that it could end up costing you much more than time if your ABS fails or AWD doesn't kick in when your tires are spinning... I'd have another dealer take a look - it could be something serious.

~Lance

clevercleaver

I have a 2002 CXL AWD. Last week I was driving around town for about 45 minutes, stopped at a store, came out and my Rondy turned over but would not start. After many tries, I called Road Side Assistance, was told due to rush hour traffic I would have to wait 2 hours. I had my wife pick me up. When the tow truck arrived, I met him where the car died, opened the door and of course, it started right up. I drove it home and the next day drove it to the dealer. They had it for 3days, found nothing wrong, but after speaking with the techs at Buick, deciding to replace the cam sensors. The techs promised, after having done this on a few others cars, there has been no returning problem. I drove the car for 3 days, then after driving again for about 30 minutes, turning it off and 10 minutes later, tried to start it, it would not start, just turned over. 2 hours later it started up, brought it back to the dealer and there it sits, with not fix in sight. Help, has anyone had this problem?
Steve

jk27

Sounds like a defective starter to me ...

jbuchmam

Anyone have troubles with some gas pumps being able to fill the tank? It seems that the angle of the gas tank on the RDV doesn't quite work right with some of the newer pumps out there. If you try to pull the handle all the way, it will act as if the tank is full. I've noticed this at a couple different stations, but they were the same type of pump at each. Anyone else noticed this problem?

lswaidz

It's not the filler on the car, it's actually the "vapor lock" feature on the pump itself. But you're right it's the newer pumps. The automatic shut off feature is there for a reason... when you "top off" your tank it essentially keeps triggering the auto shut off feature because the vapors from your tanks are backing up into the nozzle itself. So when the guy before you tops his tank off, the vapor lock will still be active when you begin filling your tank up because the vapors are built up inside the nozzle. Again it's not a problem with the car, but just keep that in mind when you top your tank off your probably going to aggrivate whoever comes after you to fill their tank up.

~Lance

boondocks

Regarding the gas nozzle shut-off - I get this sometimes, too. I back the nozzle out just a bit, maybe 1/2 an inch, and it works fine then.

I have had a new problem that I haven't seen mentioned here. A few weeks ago something went weird with my brake light. Although neither the brakes or the parking brake were on, the really, REALLY annoying brake light and alarm would suddenly go on for no reason (there was nothing wrong with the brakes). It did it twice in one day. The only way to get it to turn off was to stop, set the parking brake, and then release the parking brake. I took it in, they replaced the BCM, and everything's fine. Well, this morning, it did it again, and nothing would get it to turn off! I noticed that both times, this happened on a rainy day. I wonder if there is a leak somewhere and the BCM is getting wet. I'll find out tomorrow morning when I take it in. Another way to look at the problem is that maybe the brake light had nothing to do with the BCM, but everything to do with something (a wire maybe) getting wet. It seems pretty odd that my BCM would go nuts in the exact same way both times. Doesn't the BCM control almost everything? There should be other problems if a defective BCM was the case.

tc15

Earlier messages discussed the issues of the Rendevous rolling backwards while in drive. I have this same problem and was wondering if anyone has gotten this fixed. Even on the smallest inclines, when I take my foot off the brake while in drive, the vehicle rolls backwards. I've taken it to the shop once, with no success. Has anyone gotten this corrected or do I get to continually use my skills that I learned while driving a standard transmission.

netnerd

How far does the car roll back? My car will roll back a few inches, which probably isn't significant or abnormal. I commented on it before just to be reassured that it's normal (which I believe it is), but if you're rolling a few feet, that can't be right.

joeluke

Our 2002 RDV had just over 6600 miles on it when it chose to go beserk. It was a hot day in south Sacramento when we parked at the golf course. When we restarted the car 4 1/2 hours later, first the battery light came on, then Security, then Service Engine soon. At the same time, the windows were inoperable in the closed position, the a/c fan was on top speed, blowing hot, hot air. And, every 10 / 15 seconds all of the instrument needles would hit the pegs.We called OnStar, who graciously connected us to the Woodland Dealer's service manager. He said to drive the car to their facility.
What a ride thru Sacramento. I-5 was loaded and slow, and the hot air was getting hotter. Finally my wife pulled over in the shade of an overpass. The fresh air was a life saver. And for a moment the windows operated. I took over the driving, when all of a sudden the horn started to randomly blow. A real attention getter in gridlock traffic.
Tomorrow makes two weeks that the car has been in the dealer's hands. Supposedly the "part" was shipped on Wednesday, Aug 21. We were told it would take 4 (yes four) days to arrive. Obviously not coming via FedEx. On the 27th we were told the part's arrival was imminent and that we would be the first to be informed. So far, no call. And our suggestion that the part be removed from one of the RDVs on the dealer's back lot was not enthusiastically received. I must say Buick service leaves a lot to be desired.
JoeLuke

jk27

Did you get a loaner car from the dealer? Just curious ...

netnerd

Do you know what part "the part" is?

What do you want to bet it's the BCM?

I guess since it's the computer that controls everything it's got a lot to do and therefore more chances to go wrong, but it sure seems like a lot of people here have had problems with it.

Of course, if it's not the BCM, disregard my previous statement.

fedlawman

BCMs are causing problems for a lot of new car owners...and not just Buick's.

The high end Japanese and German car owners are experiencing the same problems.

ecopley

My wife and I have experienced a number of problems with the BCM in the past year. In fact we are waiting on the third BCM along with a Fuse Block. We started having problems in Sep 2001 and they have continued to the present. We really do not know what to expect from our RDV because we have never had it working in a "normal" manner.
1. The car has experienced acceleration problems on tight corners.
2. The individual programming for the keys does not always work.
3. I experienced a complete failure of the BCM in which all the displays went zero and the alarm system came on. This condition would disappear when the key was turned off and reappear when the engine was started. OnStar could not diagnose the problem because their software could not get into the BCM.

GM replaced the BCM two weeks ago and it was apparently bad or the fuze block was bad because they had to order both to solve the problem. We still do not have the new BCM or fuze block and are "awaiting parts" due to a shortage of "BCMs".

Currently the Intrusion Alarm, Backup Warning, some cluster warnings, and the Key 1 programming are not working along with a few more things. By the way the AC is working correctly for the first time since we purchased the car. Something we complained about a year ago.

We do not have a lot of faith in the dealer or GM with regards to solving the problems with our RDV.

Earl

jk27

I hate to say this, but you may want to consider looking into the Lemon Law for your state. It's not that difficult and I truly believe that some cars are just ... lemons. (Blame it on mass production!)

mesacakes

Hi all.
I just experienced by first problem with the RDV stallling. Drove about 1/2 mile through 2 stops in neighborhood with no problem. Went to pull out on main road (4-lane) and the RDV would hardly go! I got into my lane, stopped, put the car in Neutral then back in Drive (thinking it slipped into Neutral) and stepped on it. The RPMs showed over 3 and I could hear the engine roar but the car was moving about 1-2 mph. Since cars were coming behind me I managed to pull off onto a side street. Put the car into Neutral again then back to drive - no good. Then put all the way into Park then back to Drive - after a 1/2 second delay the car "jumped" into action and was fine for the rest of the drive. Since I am afraid this may happen when pulling out into heavy traffic or on the highway (like ewalters? post) I am taking it in this week to get checked. I have no desire to be in a major accident.
Other "problems" I have noticed in my 6000+ miles are:
1. Doors don't unlock when the key is removed from ignition
2. Temp gauge is usually wrong (high)
3. Compass is wrong - thanks to nextman I now know I can reset it
4. Engine seems to occasionally turn over a time or two too many when starting car - for a new car
5. Break dust - I didn't know what it was until I read posts here!
6. Trunk hard to close - yes, I am 112lbs and I about kill myself closing the rear hatch. They need the pop-open window like my Explorer had for us little ladies!
* My mileage is about 20 around town. A Nebraska guy with an identical RDV CXL said he was getting 25mpg. The power on the smaller engine seems fine to me and I can be a lead foot. I need to check out the passenger mirror tilt as I have not noticed any movement.
My only other complaint is the backup warning chimes go off when backing off a curb, I assume from the ground setting it off, or if I am next to a pillar that is clearly next to the car, not in a potential crash zone.

ecopley

My wife's RDV will receive its new BCM tomorrow. Do I think this will solve the problems. NO! I do live in Colorado where they have a lemon law and hope I do not have to use that route.

I have a story about my dealer. Received and letter in the mail date Aug 29th stating the part were in, but the dealer did not call until after 10AM on Sep 3rd to tell us the parts were ready for install. Real Buick Customer Service. J. D. Powers where are you.

jk27

Ecopley:

If you are experiencing problems with your dealer, I *strongly* suggest you contact Buick national and share your concerns. Buick does not want their dealers to treat their customers like this and they need to know. They may also be willing to have a chat with the dealer to make sure this does not happen again. In my lemon law case (not against Buick -- against a large Japanese company which starts with Isuz...), the manufacturer stressed over and over that they wished they had been involved EARLY when I was having troubles with my dealer -- and that some of the problems could have been avoided.