2005 Buick Rainier problems
The 2005 Buick Rainier has 158 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (24%) concerns electrical system. Next are fuel system (18%) and lighting (11%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 158 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 24% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 14 and 9
- Injuries and deaths
- 6 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 69,000 miles 126 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 15 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 17 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 16 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 28 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 12 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 22 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 8 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 2 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 6 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 126 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 68,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 75,000 miles (29 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 14 complaints mention a crash; 9 complaints mention a fire; 6 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2005 ranks 2nd most-complained-about out of 4 model years of the Buick Rainier with enough data (60 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 1 safety recall campaign.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Driving on freeway, engaged in normal breaking and wheels locked up and brakes no longer worked. I did not have the ability to brake or steer the SUV. I ultimately hit the center divider nearly head on, mostly middle to passenger side front of car. The air bags did not deploy. Had GM mechanic look at the brakes after the accident to attempt to determine what went wrong with brakes.
2005 buick rainier was in a head on collision with a chrysler town & country van in coming traffic. My wife driving the rainier hit her head on the steering wheel and bent it. She receive a large laceration requiring about 30 stitches, clavicle strain, broken collar bone and multiple bruises. She was wearing the seat belt. Collision was strong enough to lift the rear of the car off the ground and turn it facing the same direction as the van she hit. The airbags did not deploy!
My 2005 buick rainer speed meter stop working also my fuel gage, oil gage, RPM gage and temp gages all have stop working correctly.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 buick rainier. While operating the vehicle, the power steering suddenly malfunctioned and made the steering wheel very difficult to turn in either direction. Also, a whining type noise was present when turning the steering wheel. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not notified. The failure mileage was 162,000.