- The 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).
- The 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.
- The fix
- 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.
Vehicle safety record
2004 Buick Rendezvous Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 200 complaints about the 2004 Buick Rendezvous with NHTSA, most often about the electrical system (76) and the fuel system (49). Those complaints describe 14 crashes, 2 fires, 16 injuries and 2 deaths. It is covered by 5 recalls, the latest in August 2007 for the storage. For comparison, the 2003 has 284 and the 2005 has 138.
NHTSA data checked
DMore problems than a typical Rendezvous year, for its age
#70 most complained-about 2004 vehicle
- Complaints
- 200
- Recalls
- 5
- Crashes
- 14
- Fires
- 2
- Injuries
- 16
- Deaths
- 2
Most common 2004 Buick Rendezvous problems
Share of all 200 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2004 Buick Rendezvous recalls 5
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Certain delphi fuel pressure regulators, p/nos. Fp10020-11b1, fp10026-11b1, and fp10027-11b1, sold after january 9, 2007, as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles listed above. The universal pressure regulators (upr) were produced without an o'ring and retainer.
- The risk
- FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
- The fix
- Delphi will notify owners and replace the upr free of charge. The recall began on april 23, 2007. Owners can contact delphi at 877-411-8770.
- The problem
- On certain sport utility vehicles, contamination on ignition relay contacts can cause high resistance. This can affect signals to the powertrain control module and, could cause intermittent vehicle stalls at any time.
- The risk
- The vehicle cannot be restarted immediately. If this were to occur, it could result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the ignition relay free of charge. The recall began on may 4, 2005. Owners may contact pontiac at 1-800-620-7668 and buick at 1-866-608-8080.
- The problem
- On certain sport utility vehicles, a structural support at the latch attachment in the rear liftgate may be inadequate to retain the latch to the liftgate in certain severe vehicle crash events.
- The risk
- If the liftgate were to open in a vehicle crash, an occupant could be ejected from the vehicle resulting in increased risk of personal injury.
- The fix
- Dealers will add structural reinforcements to the liftgate in the area adjoining the latch assembly. Owner notification schedule began on june 21, 2004. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080. This is an expansion to a previous recall (03v211).
- The problem
- On certain passenger vehicles, a weld between the fuel tank inlet check valve and the fuel tank can fail.
- The risk
- If these parts separate, the driver may notice an odor of fuel, the service engine soon or check engine light may illuminate, and/or fuel may leak onto the ground. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the serial number of the fuel tank to see if it is on the list of affected tanks. If the serial number matches, the fuel tank will be replaced. Owner notification began november 4, 2003. Owners should contact buick at 1-866-608-8080 or pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
What owners say
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200 complaints about the 2004 Buick Rendezvous
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 8.
It is an unfortunate fact that since moving to area Federal Hill this vehicle and driver has been illegally surveillanced the car has been broken into with no signs of forced entry. As usual the billboard is visible for locals to observe. My only issue is waiting to act. The vehicle is legal with no visible or internal issues. I drive the vehicle at a safe speed to avoid traffic accidents. There was a state inspection failure with no real reason, another issue. Cars have specifically attempted to run me off the road. From BWI to Downtown Baltimore.
Upon arriving at my destination and after i put my in park i was UNABLE to turn my engine off because the ignition was stuck in that position. I ultimately had no choice but to unhook the battery cables along with disconnecting the alternator to get my engine to turn off. Prior to this incident occasionally upon starting my car the ignition would not disengage immediately upon the engine turning over which ultimately resulted in having to replace the starter on this vehicle. I am a single parent and only have one...
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vehicle so this is a major issue for my family. Furthermore the fan speed control knob doesnt work properly because when it is put in position 3 it shuts the fan motor off completely. So there CLEAR to me that there seems to be a MAJOR electrical issue. The suspension on this vehicle is horrendous. I cannot go above 45mph without by car wanting to go into on-coming traffic or off of the road or trying to flip over on its side because the shocks/struts on the passenger side are not working properly. I have not used this vehicle for any other purpose then to transport myself and children to and from work/school/appointments. Everyone i spoke to about this particular vehicle has said that these vehicles were manufactured poorly and repairs come at a high cost.
Electrical problems,manifold gone, ants under my battery the whole vehicle was infected with them, battery wouldn't unbolt tailgate wouldn't open, it overheated
There has been a leak from the fuel tank since 2006 without any accident to the vehicle and am having difficulty finding one to replace it. One car parts attendant informed me of the recall on this problem.
My grandson and I were shopping, then I filled my gas tank. We then went into the grocery store came out, smelled gas and looked under car. It is leaking gas, we hurried home--went from full tank to 1/4 full tank in 58 miles. It is sitting and not driven. And I have a 2003 rendezvous that has a gas smell that is very strong but hasn't leaded out gas yet.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick rendezvous. The contact stated that while refueling, gasoline leaked from the vehicle. The contact became aware that the gas tank was fractured while refueling the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was inspected and diagnosed and determined that the fuel tank was fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 07v349000 (fuel system, gasoline) as a possible solution to the failure however, the vin was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the warranty was expired. The failure mileage was approximately 109,694.
Whenever I put gas into my car there is a strong unbearable gas odor in the car.
I was driving my vehicle on the freeway going 70 miles per hour and all the sudden my vehicle had pretty much came to a complete stop and if I hadn't had my seatbelt on, I probably would have went through the windshield. *Tr
My vehicle has been picking up speed for no reason. The vehicle was not taken to nor taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. Also, the fuel pump is not working. I can fill it up with gas and the light will still turn on. Maybe after driving for a couple miles or making a turn the light will turn off. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick rendezvous. While driving at approximately 45 mph, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle has not yet been diagnose. There were consequences but the contact was concerned for his safety. When the check engine warning light illuminated, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The contact also stated that the vehicle had been experiencing the failure for approximately every day for the past two weeks. The...
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vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the nature of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not taken to not taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing or repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 110,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick rendezvous. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign number: 04v150000 (latches/locks/linkages). The vehicle was taken to ourisman chevrolet of marlow heights (4400 branch ave, marlow heights, md 20748, (240) 455-3386) for the recall repair. Afterwards, the contact noticed that the dealer did not process any paperwork and just gave her the keys to leave. The contact noticed that the locks failed and suspected that the vehicle had not been repaired. The failure mileage was 159,000.
I can be on the street driving and my vehicle just stalls out and I have to get it restarted and pulling the side of the road to restart it that's the first issue the second one is my check engine light keeps coming on and off and my traction system light stays on had it looked at it was fine system light remains on.
No acceleration,when I go up a hill no acceleration, or when I go to get on the highway no acceleration, and very dangerous. I went to dealership for a diagnostic test and I replaced fuel tank pressure sensor and vent solenoid, no acceleration. I went to another dealership for diagnostic. They recommended that I replace 3 electrical harnesses and connectors $1350 dollars parts and labor too much for me and that may not solve my problem. I told them the problem was corrosion in the connectors to the fuel pump $160 dollars later they agreed with me. Still dangerous.
Takata recall closed passenger door on a hill, which caused it to slam shut, passenger side airbag went off, car was parked and not on.
The abs wheel speed sensor wire harness has a failure issue. This leads to the abs system activating without a warning light turning on and can increase the stopping distance when not necessary. The transmission may seem to clunk when accelerating from a stop as the computer doesn't read the correct speed sent from the hub assembly to the computer. Previously, I had a hub assembly replaced and the problems still existed. After replacing the wires the problems have not resurfaced.
I purchased a 2004 buick rendezvous from a car dealership, 2 car guys llc, in york, pa on 7/10. At the time I was very pleased with the purchase with the low sticker price of 4k, low mileage of 68k, and the 5/18 inspection. The car, after checking the engine and frame, itself seemed to be in decent condition and I brought it home that day. I was very pleased with the car for two weeks and even made a long trip to altoona, pa with my family. Then earlier this week I noticed some issues with the front...
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driver's side brake. I took it in to mr. Tire on 7/26 for a brake examination. The technicians at mr. Tire could not find anything wrong with the brakes and even mentioned that they were new. I wanted them to test drive it double check and then after they returned they thought maybe a caliber was locking up on it. So they lifted the car again and realized that the frame itself was expanding. So they stuck it on a larger lift to ensure that that frame would be shredded. The lead technician brought me out to look at the frame itself. Both sides of the frame had been filled with foam insulation and then spray painted with black paint to match the frame. Someone had went to a lot of effort mask the eroded frame. The guys from mr. Tire mentioned that no way that could pass a state inspection looking like that. I looked underneath the car at the time of purchase and was unable to see the camouflaged rust. Three technicians were under that car the first time the buick was lifted off the ground and did not notice the "slide of hand". I would have never even test driven the car with my son knowing that it was unsafe for the road.
While driving the anti-lock and awd lite on and smell of gas from inside of cabin and sometimes from under the hood . Also when trying to accelerate the car bogs and the rpm fo high but the carvseama to lose power . Ob2 code is p0445
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick rendezvous. While the vehicle was parked, there was a strong fuel odor and a fuel leak was noticed from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to reliable buick gmc (400 automall dr, roseville, ca 95661, (916) 783-5233) where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank check valve was cracked and leaking. The contact was informed that the fuel tank needed replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number: 07v349000 (fuel system, gasoline). The manufacturer offered no further assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 175,000. *Tt *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick rendezvous. The contact stated that there was a premature failure with the rack and pinion, and there was a loud noise concerning the steering column. An independent repair shop replaced the part and, less than five days later, the steering wheel was tight and difficult to turn properly. The independent repair shop determined that the part was faulty. The dealer (schumacher buick gmc of west palm beach, 541 n lake blvd, west palm beach, fl 33408, (561)-842-1595) replaced the rack and pinion. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
Dash gauges, warning lights, & alarms, bells flash on & off and vehicle suddenly runs rough. Dash codes of all sorts blink on & off. New battery and new altenator installed, problem still exists. This happened first when driving on hiway. After vehicle pulled off road and engine turned off. The dash code then read battery issue. We tried to drive again but now vehicle operated roughly and there was no more daylight. We had vehicle towed 100 miles. Then paid for new battery problem did not change so we had a new...
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altenator installed after having a diagnostic test advising the need for a new altenator. I am quite upset becaus ei feel that there is fraud on part of sears autorepair. Diagnostic said altenator was the problem. I paid over $450 for that service and another $150 for the battery.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick rendezvous. The contact observed an abnormal fuel odor within the vehicle without warning. In addition, a slow drip from the fuel tank was observed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed that there was a leak from the fuel tank. The contact then called the local dealer (buick gmc of kirkland, 12335 120th ave ne, kirkland, wa, 98034) where an appointment was scheduled. The dealer diagnosed that there was a fracture within the fuel tank inlet check valve. The...
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vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 03v454000 (fuel system) or 07v349000 (fuel system). The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was contacted and provided case number: 8-34895551467. The case was escalated, but the manufacturer denied the claim and stated that they would not cover it nor was the vehicle included in the prior recalls. The failure mileage was approximately 50,100.
Harness in front too short causing problems with abs /traction system to not work correctly
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick rendezvous. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced a complete loss of power while traveling various speeds. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently restarted after a manual restart attempt was made. The failure occurred without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but it could not be replicated. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 14v171000 (air bags, electrical system) as a possible solution; however, the vin was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 buick rendezvous. The contact stated that the vehicle fuel tank was fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the fuel tank needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact was informed that the vehicle was not included in the nhtsa campaign number: 07v349000 (fuel system, gasoline). The failure mileage was at 115,000. Updated 01/26/2017*ct *cn
*Vt* - on two different occasions my 2004 buick rendezvous has caused the inside of the car to fill up with strong gasoline smell. When checking the ground I discovered it was leaking gasoline. I was told that there was no more recall on my vin# - however, I'm discovering that other 2004 buick rendezvouses are reporting the same of similar problem under campaign #07v349000. I was never notified of a recall for this issue, which could be a very serious safety issue, as I haul around by very young grandchildren. What? Does someone have to die before this issue is addressed properly?
Buick Rendezvous: every year compared
All Rendezvous years2004 Buick Rendezvous vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Buick Rendezvous | 200 | 5 | D | |
| 2004 Buick Lesabre | 162 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Buick Rainier | 158 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2004 Buick Regal | 66 | 4 | D | Compare |
| 2004 Buick Century | 39 | 2 | D | Compare |
| 2004 Buick Park Avenue | 12 | 0 | B | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2004 Buick Rendezvous
Does the 2004 Buick Rendezvous have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 5 recalls for the 2004 Buick Rendezvous: storage (August 2007); pressure relief devices (March 2007); ignition (April 2005); lock (March 2004) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Buick Rendezvous?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the electrical system (76), fuel system (49), engine & cooling (31).
How many complaints has the 2004 Buick Rendezvous had?
200 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on January 16, 2004 and the latest on June 30, 2025. Of these, 14 describe a crash and 2 a fire, and together they report 16 injuries and 2 deaths.
Is the 2004 Buick Rendezvous a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 33 out of 100 (grade D: more problems than a typical Buick Rendezvous year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Buick Rendezvous years have the most complaints?
2002 (498), 2003 (284), 2004 (200). See every Buick Rendezvous year compared.
What should I do if my 2004 Buick Rendezvous has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data