Used Vehicle Review: Buick Rendezvous, 2002-2006

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Perhaps “Rendezvous” was an apt name for Buick’s new-for-2002 crossover SUV. After all, it looked like the result of a “rendezvous” between a minivan and an SUV that had done a little, uh, “platform sharing.”

Of course, that was the point. A mechanical twin to the much-maligned Pontiac Aztek, the Rendezvous shared the Pontiac’s odd looks – though tempered by a less-garish exterior treatment – and flexible interior arrangement. Both the Aztek and Rendezvous shared much of their mechanical and structural DNA with GM’s Chevrolet Venture and Pontiac Montana minivans.

While the standard seating arrangement provided chairs for five, tiny third row seats (optional on lower-end models and standard in high-end versions) expanded passenger-carrying capacity to seven. There was also a six-seat option with two captain’s chairs in the second row, in place of the three-place bench. Opt for the five-seat version, and you get a large cargo area. This is the set-up we’d recommend, unless you can see yourself needing two cramped seats more than decent cargo space.

Initially, the Rendezvous was powered by the same 3.4-litre V6 (185 horsepower) found in the Aztek, paired with a four-speed automatic transmission. In 2004, a 3.6-litre V6 (245 hp) borrowed from Cadillac’s parts bin was first installed in top-end Ultra versions. All-wheel drive was an option on all Rendezvous’, but standard only with the Ultra trim. In 2006, General Motors replaced the 3.4-litre V6 with a newer 3.5-litre engine with 201 horsepower.

2006 Buick Rendezvous. Click image to enlarge

Engine choices seem to have less to do with the Rendezvous’ fuel consumption than with whether it’s equipped with all-wheel drive. Fuel economy ranges from 12.3 to 13.7 L/100 km (city) and 7.8 to 9.3 L/100 km (highway), depending on model year, engine and drivetrain. Generally, though, all-wheel drive models are the thirstiest.

Safety-wise, side airbags were standard across the line in 2002, but were made optional on lower-end trims in 2003. With those installed, the Rendezvous scored decently in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) crash tests, earning three stars each for driver and front passenger protection in earlier model years (2002-2003). In 2005, the front passenger protection rating improved to four stars. In all years, the Rendezvous scored five stars for front and rear seat occupant protection in side impacts. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tests, the Rendezvous scored an overall rating of “acceptable” in the organization’s frontal offset test. The IIHS didn’t conduct side impact tests on the Rendezvous.

2005 Buick Rendezvous. Click image to enlarge

Problems are, unfortunately, not few. Despite General Motors’ decent reputation for building automatic transmissions, the 4T65E transaxle used in the Rendezvous suffers from more than its share of troubles. Bad air conditioning condensors are common too. When these go bad, the refrigerant leaks out, rendering the A/C inoperable. Other problems involve bad ABS sensors, which also affect the operation of the on-demand all-wheel drive system: the system uses the ABS sensors to detect wheelspin and route power to the rear wheels.

The other major issue to look out for is the well-known leaking intake manifold gaskets that cause problems on many General Motors V6 engines, of which the Rendezvous’ 3.4-litre engine is one. The most obvious indicator of a problem is a loss of engine coolant with no visible leaks. This points to coolant leaking past the gasket and into the crankcase, where it contaminates the engine oil and could lead to serious engine failures if not caught early enough. Another clue is foamy or milky engine oil.

2003 Buick Rendezvous. Click image to enlarge

Rendezvous drivers posting to www.buickforums.com and other online portals feel it’s best to avoid 2002 models, as they seem to be more trouble-prone than newer versions.

According to the Canadian Red Book, used Rendezvous values range from $14,875 for a basic 2002 CX model, to $36,125 for a fully-loaded 2006 CXL Plus AWD. With about $20,000 to spend, we’d look for a 2004 CX or CXL model, with or without all-wheel drive. Also, we’d avoid higher-end models, simply because they have more expensive electronic doo-dads just asking to be replaced. Real-world asking prices for used Rendezvous seem to reflect Red Book values pretty closely. The Rendezvous was covered by a three-year, 60,000-kilometre warranty; try to find one with some of that coverage still intact.

2005 Buick Rendezvous. Click image to enlarge

The Rendezvous’ reliability issues are a shame, as it’s a useful vehicle with a spacious interior and unique looks. If you don’t need this much interior space but are stuck on getting a Buick, we’d recommend just about any of their more recent sedans, which seem to hold up much better in the long term. If cargo capacity is key, though, we might look to a used import minivan or SUV. A Toyota Sienna will return reasonable fuel economy and should provide years of trouble-free motoring. A Nissan Pathfinder, while not the most efficient vehicle on the road, has proven to be quite reliable, particularly older versions with the less-powerful 3.3-litre V6 engine.

2002-2004: On certain 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. 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. Correction: Dealer will add structural reinforcements to the liftgate in the area adjoining the latch assembly.

Transport Canada Recall Number: 2002151; Units affected: 14,654

2002-2003: Certain vehicles may have a driver’s side airbag inflator that could fracture at a weld during a deployment. Pieces of the inflator could strike and injure vehicle occupants and the airbag cushion would not inflate fully, reducing the capacity of the bag to protect the driver. Correction: Dealers are to inspect and if necessary replace the driver side airbag module assembly.

Transport Canada Recall Number: 2001272; Units affected: 11,337

2002: Certain vehicles have an improperly programmed vehicle theft deterrent system. Correction: dealers will reprogram the system.

Transport Canada Recall Number: 2003172; Units affected: 54,634

2003: Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 225 and 210.2. The Owner’s Manual does not include the location symbols for the Lower Universal Anchorage System for Restraint Systems and Booster Cushions and an explanation of the meaning of the symbols. Correction: Owner’s will receive an Owner’s Manual supplement.

Transport Canada Recall Number: 2003037; Units affected: 28

2003: On certain vehicles, the driver’s side air bag may not deploy as designed, resulting in reduced capability of the air bag to protect the driver. In addition, the air bag inflator may fracture. If this were to occur, pieces of the inflator could strike and injure the vehicle occupants. Correction: Dealer will inspect, and if necessary, install a new driver’s air bag.

Transport Canada Recall Number: 2003036; Units affected: 728

2003: On certain vehicles, the steering column intermediate shaft is undersized, which could allow the intermediate shaft to spin inside the steering column coupling resulting in loss of directional control of the vehicle. If this were to happen while the vehicle is moving, a crash could result without prior warning. Correction: Dealer will inspect, and replace if necessary, the steering column intermediate shaft.

Transport Canada Recall Number: 2005113; Units affected: 3,760

2004: On certain vehicles, contamination on ignition relay contacts can cause high resistance. This can affect signals to the powertrain control module, which could result in intermittent engine stalling. In some cases, the vehicle cannot be restarted immediately. If this were to occur, it could result in a vehicle crash. Correction: Dealers will replace the ignition relay.

Transport Canada Recall Number: 2003266; Units affected: 9

2004: On certain vehicles, a weld between the fuel tank inlet valve and the fuel tank was not made to specification and can fail. If these parts separate, the driver may notice an odour of fuel, the Service Engine Soon or Check Engine light may illuminate, and/or fuel may leak onto the ground. If a sufficient amount of fuel leaked and if an ignition source were present, a vehicle fire could occur. Correction: Dealer will inspect the fuel tank and replace it if necessary.

Used vehicle prices vary depending on factors such as general condition, odometer reading, usage history and options fitted. Always have a used vehicle checked by an experienced auto technician before you buy.

For information on recalls, see Transport Canada’s web-site, www.tc.gc.ca, or the U.S. National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA)web-site, www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

For information on vehicle service bulletins issued by the manufacturer, visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

For information on consumer complaints about specific models, see www.lemonaidcars.com.