NHTSA vehicle safety data

2004 Buick Rainier Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2004 Buick Rainier has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns and 158 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Buick dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2004 Buick Rainier, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2004 Buick Rainier owner complaints

Owners have filed 158 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Buick Rainier, describing incidents dated December 6, 2003 to September 18, 2018.

Most-cited components

  • Electrical System 83 complaints
  • Exterior Lighting 21 complaints
  • Fuel/Propulsion System 18 complaints
  • Power Train 15 complaints
  • Vehicle Speed Control 12 complaints
  • Air Bags 10 complaints

Of the 158 complaints on file, 9 report a crash and 4 a fire; across all 158 complaints, owners report 10 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11196567 · Filed

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 BUICK RAINIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX MINUTES. WHEN THE LIGHTS TURNED BACK ON, THE LIGHTING WAS DIM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO J.D. BYRIDER…

  • ODI #11099015 · Filed

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 BUICK RAINIER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A WALL. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL VIA AMBULANCE. THE CONTACT'S HEAD…

  • ODI #11096442 · Filed

    I NOTICED IN NOVEMBER OF 2016 MY BUICK RAINNER WAS SMELLING LIKE GASOLINE AFTER I GOT OUT AND LEFT IT RUNNING WHILE I WAS DROPPING STUFF AT HOME FROM WORK. WHEN I GOT BACK IN MY VEHICLE I DIDN'T SMELL ANYTHING, BUT COULD SMELL OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. I WENT ABOUT ANOTHER 10 MILES LATER TO MY…

Read all 158 complaints

Owner-reported

2004 Buick Rainier mileage at failure

132 of the 158 complaints on file for the 2004 Buick Rainier give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Electrical SystemMedian 60,000 milesMiddle half 40,000–90,000 milesBased on 70 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2004 Buick Rainier in 3 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

TURN SIGNAL FAILURE

NHTSA #05V198000 · Exterior Lighting — Turn Signal · NHTSA notice

Reported May 5, 2005 · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Potentially affected: 286,478 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign 05044 · Owners notified August 4, 2005 · Vehicles built April 1, 2003 – November 30, 2003 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, THE DRIVER WISHING TO SIGNAL A TURN BY MOVING THE DIRECTIONAL SIGNAL LEVER, (UP OR DOWN) MAY CAUSE THE FRONT MARKER/TURN LIGHTS AND REAR TURN LIGHTS TO FLASH IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO HAZARD WARNING, RATHER THAN FLASHING ON THE DESIRED SIDE ONLY.

Safety consequence

THE DRIVER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CLEARLY SIGNAL THEIR INTENTIONS TO TURN, CHANGE TRAVEL LANES, OR POTENTIALLY WARN OTHERS OF AN IMPAIRED VEHICLE OPERATING CONDITION INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SUSPECT FLASHER MODULES WITH A NEW FLASHER MODULE DESIGNED WITH SEALED RELAYS AND MORE DURABLE CONTACT MATERIAL INSIDE OF THE RELAYS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2005. ISUZU BEGAN MAILING OWNER LETTERS ON AUGUST 4, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, ISUZU AT 1-800-255-6727, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, AND OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537.

Notes

GM RECALL NO. 05044.CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

GM/BRAKE LAMP FAILURE

NHTSA #04V527000 · Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights · NHTSA notice

Reported November 1, 2004 · GENERAL MOTORS CORP.

Potentially affected: 871,473 vehicles

Manufacturer campaign 04087 · Owners notified November 22, 2004 · Vehicles built April 1, 2003 – August 31, 2003 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, VIBRATION AND HEAT MAY CAUSE THE TAIL LAMP/STOP LAMP BULB TO LOOSEN IN ITS SOCKET. IF THIS OCCURS, THE BULB MAY FLICKER AND EVENTUALLY BECOME INOPERATIVE.

Safety consequence

AN INOPERATIVE BRAKE LAMP WILL NOT CONVEY THE DRIVER'S INTENTION OF STOPPING TO DRIVERS IN FOLLOWING VEHICLES, AND AN INOPERATIVE REAR TURN SIGNAL LAMP WILL NOT CONVEY THE DRIVER'S INTENTION TO TURN TO DRIVERS IN FOLLOWING VEHICLES. BOTH OF THESE FAILURES CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Manufacturer remedy

DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TAIL LAMP/STOP LAMP ASSEMBLIES, AND IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THEM. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 22, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-630-6537, BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, OR GMC AT 1-866-996-9463.

Notes

GM RECALL NO. 04087. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

Other Buick Rainier model years

Check your 2004 Buick Rainier VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Buick Rainier at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Buick VIN