2005 Buick Rainier Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Rainier years
- More complaints than other years 2nd of 5 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 103 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Buick Rainier. That ranks 2nd out of 5 Rainier model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (38 complaints, 37%), typically at around 75,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 3 fires, 4 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 103owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 Buick Rainier problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 38 | 37% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 20 | 19% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 15 | 15% | 56,900 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 7 | 7% | 85,060 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 7% | 24,619 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 7% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 | 7% | 92,600 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 6 | 6% | 62,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 5% | 106,250 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 5% | 78,840 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 5% | 42,400 | — | — |
| Steering | 5 | 5% | 119,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 5 | 5% | 39,850 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 5% | 165 | — | — |
| Power Train | 3 | 3% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 2% | 96,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 2% | 107,060 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 2% | 3,109 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 2% | 68,500 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | 53,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 76,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Buick Rainier recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Visibility:windshield
Problem: 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.
Risk: If a crash occurs, the windshield may not be retained, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Loss of Headlights (RQ17002) — opened Apr 24, 2017, closed Mar 29, 2021.
- Fuel level gauge system failure (PE11014) — opened Apr 25, 2011, closed Sep 23, 2011.
- Fuel Level Gauge System Failure (DP10001) — opened Jan 7, 2010, closed May 23, 2011.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My 16 year old son was making a left hand turn out of a school onto a road with no curve, no hole, no accident but the 4 side air bags deployed for no reason. He was OK and pulled over for safety and got a ride home. We had it towed home and contacted gmac buick and they had it towed to a…
The contact owns a 2005 Buick Rainier. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the front windshield wipers and wiper fluid spray activated independently and failed to turn off. The contact also stated that occasionally the headlights would inadvertently turn off; requiring the…
Power steering leaks, the gas gauge and other gauges don't work, most the electrical don't work inside the car, makes a weird noise when it backs up and the engine revs when it's starts and sometimes when it drives and goes faster even when you are not hitting the gas
Power steering leaks, the gas gauge and other gauges don't work, most the electrical don't work inside the car, makes a weird noise when it backs up and the engine revs when it's starts and sometimes when it drives and goes faster even when you are not hitting the gas, the gas tank blows out gas…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S DOOR COULD NOT BE LOCKED AND UNLOCKED. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE DRIVER'S DOOR MODULE HIMSELF AND WAS ABLE TO LOCK AND UNLOCK THE DRIVER'S DOOR WITH THE KEY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS…
Other Buick Rainier years
← 2004 Rainier · 2006 Rainier →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 Rainier | 38 | 5 |
| 2006 Rainier | 91 | 7 |
| 2005 | 103 | 1 |
| 2004 Rainier | 158 | 2 |
| 2003 Rainier | 1 | 0 |
See all Buick Rainier problems by year, every Buick model, or the Buick VIN decoder.
Similar Buick models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Buick Rainier?
Owners most often report electrical system, fuel system, gasoline, exterior lighting problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 38 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Buick Rainier?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 Buick Rainier a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Rainier model years, the 2005 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.