2005 Buick Terraza complaints

HORN DOES NOT SOUND WHEN PRESSED. DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED ONE AIR BAG SPRING WITH AN UPDATED SPRING, AND SAID THAT ALOT OF THEIR CUSTOMERS ARE EXPERIENCING THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE HORN IS STILL DEFECTIVE. *AK

YESTERDAY JANUARY 8, 2005 WE TOOK A TRIP TO A RELATIVES HOUSE IN PENNSYLVANIA. ON OUR WAY HOME AND LUCKILY FOR US IN THE TOWN WE LIVE IN, OUR TERRAZZA STARTED MAKE A SCREECHING NOISE AND THE BRAKES LOCKED BRINGING THE CAR TO A GRINDING STOP. IT WAS THE SCARIEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO US. THE CAR COULD NOT BE DRIVEN EVEN A FEW FEET,THE DISPLAY PANEL SAID "STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVE". WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE CAR BEHIND US WAS ABLE TO SWERVE OUT OF OUR WAY OR THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED 30 MINUTES BEFORE AND WE WERE ON THE HIGHWAY TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I KNOW SINCE I WAS IN THE CAR, I BELIEVE WE WOULD NOT BE ALIVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS INCIDENT. WE CALLED ON-STAR BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE ANYTHING AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER, FREEHOLD PONTIAC/BUICK/GMC. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT IT WAS A SHORT IN A WIRE UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND THE CAR WAS REPAIRED AND READY FOR PICK-UP. I REFUSED TO PICK THE CAR UP BECAUSE I AM AFRAID THAT IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN I MIGHT NOT SURVIVE NOR WILL MY FAMILY. THE DEALER AGREED TO KEEP THE CAR ANOTHER DAY AND TO PROVIDE US WITH FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE WIRES TOMORROW. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND MANY GM MODELS EITHER HAVE OR WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM SOON. THERE IS NO WAY TO DISENGAGE THIS SYSTEM. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING ALL OF THE LIGHTS DIMMED. THE FAN MOTOR LOST POWER. THIS HAPPENED EIGHT TIMES ON A TEN MILE DRIVE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP , AND THEY REPLACED MULTIPLE COMPONENTS, BUT THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE. THE ENGINEERS FOR THE MANUFACTURER SENT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT 40 TESTS TO RUN ON THE VEHICLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND. THE ZONE MANAGER FOR THE MANUFACTURER STATED THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT DEEM IT A SAFETY HAZARD. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP TEST DROVE ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE LOT AND FOUND IT HAD THE SAME DEFECT. IN ADDITION, UPON PURCHASE, THE REAR DOOR HAD TO BE ADJUSTED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHUT THE DOOR, IT WAS TOO LOOSE. ALSO, THE VEHICLE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE LEVELING SYSTEM, TWICE WHEN TRYING TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. THEY COULD NOT UNLOCK THE VEHICLE, AND HAD TO GET IT TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP STATED A SWITCH THAT WAS NOT DEACTIVATING, CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DIE. THIS DEFECT WAS REPAIRED. *AK

AFTER MAKING SEVERAL TURNS TO EXIT A PARKING LOT I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN AT AN EXIT, PROCEEDED TO CROSS WESTBOUND TRAFFIC AND AS I NEARED THE MEDIAN TO TURN ONTO THE EAST BOUND LANES MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOCKED WITH THE CAR IN MOTION. I HEADED STRAIGHT THROUGH THE MEDIAN ACROSS ONE LANE OF EAST BOUND TRAFFIC AND PARTIALLY THROUGH THE SECOND EAST BOUND LANE. HEADING STRAIGHT TOWARD A CONSTRUCTION SITE I GAVE THE WHEEL A TURN TO THE LEFT AS HARD AS I COULD. KEY RING FLEW INTO THE WINDOW, REGAINED CONTROL OF VEHICLE. ENGINE CUT OUT. COASTED TO A SAFE PLACE AND PULLED ASIDE. DISCOVERED THE KEY WAS BROKEN IN IGNITION AND ANOTHER CAR KEY WAS BENT APPROXIMATELY 40 DEGREES. NOTICED THE PLASTIC ON THE STEERING COLUMN AROUND MY CRUISE LEVER WAS DAMAGED. REALIZED ANOTHER KEY BECAME LODGED INTO STEERING COLUMN BEHIND THE CRUISE LEVER LOCKING THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN I JERKED THE WHEEL, SECOND KEY BENT FREED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE IGNITION KEY BROKE IN THE IGNITION. STARTED THE ENGINE WITH THE BROKEN KEY LODGED IN THE IGNITION. I DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE KEY WAS REMOVED. I WAS CHARGED $51.50 FOR NEW KEY. I HAVE ALL KEYS AND KEY RING. *JB

2005 BUICK TERRAZA WITHOUT WARNING BEGAN TO WOBBLE MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND RAPIDLY SLOWED DOWN TO A STOP. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE DEALER REPLACED NUMEROUS PARTS ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. *JB

BUICK TERRAZA HORN ONLY WORKS WHEN EXCESSIVE FORCE IS APPLIED FROM THE HEAL OF THE HAND AND IN THE EXACT CENTER OF THE STEERING WHEEL. *TS ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED*** THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE HORN COULD NOT BE CORRECTED. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE LOCATION OF THE TEMPERATURE AND COMPASS GAUGES MAKES THEM IMPOSSIBLE TO READ DURING TOO LITTLE OR TOO MUCH SUNLIGHT. *NM

I OWN A 2005 BUICK TERRAZA. BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN JULY OF 2005 AT AROUND 8000 MILES NOTICED A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL ,TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE RE-BALANCED. AFTER I LEFT DEALERSHIP STILL NOTICED THE VEHICLE SHAKING. WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FRONT TIRES ARE NOW GOING BALD AND THEY STATE IT WAS MY FAULT FOR NOT ROTATING AT 5,000 MILES. SO THEY DO IT FOR ME REBALANCE TIRES AND SAY IT IS OKAY. AFTER 4 TIMES OF GOING BACK TO DEALERSHIP FOR THE VIBRATION THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. SO I AM SUPPOSED TO LIVE WITH THIS VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 65-70. THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THIS WILL JUST LEAD TO MORE PROBLEMS DOWN THE ROAD. THE DEALER POINTS THE FINGER TO BUICK , BUICK POINTS THE FINGER BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND NOBODY WANTS TO TACK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT TRIED TO USING THE HORN BUT MOST OF THE TIME COULD NOT GET IT TO BLOW. EVEN WHEN PRESSING HARD ON THE HORN IT WOULD NOT WORK. ONE MUST HIT IT CORRECTLY IN ORDER TO GET IT TO WORK PROPERLY. HE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO AGREED IT TOOK A LOT OF FORCE FOR THE HORN TO WORK. THE DEALER HAD A REPRESENTATIVE LOOK AT THE HORN. THE REPRESENTATIVE WAS DOUBTFUL THAT GMC WOULD FIX THE HORN. HE STATED IT WAS A SENSOR THAT FAILED, IT SEND A MESSAGE TO THE STEERING WHEEL, AND IT WAS SENDING WRONG INFORMATION. WHEN PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR THE BRAKES WOULD CLAMP DOWN AND SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THIS WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO STOP WHILE IN MOTION TO CONTINUE ON. THE CONTACT STATED THE HEADLIGHTS BRIGHTEN AND DIM ON THEIR OWN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR IN ORDER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

STEERING LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON A VERY BUSY FOUR LANE HIGHWAY WHILE I WAS IN THE FAST LANE, HEADING WESTBOUND. VAN DECELERATED TO ABOUT 30 MPH INSTANTLY, BEGAN SWERVING FROM RIGHT TO LEFT WITHOUT ABILITY TO CONTROL MOVEMENT OF VEHICLE. THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON AND THE SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. COULD NOT TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL. HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE STEERING, BRAKES OR GAS. A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VAN, SOUNDING AND FEELING LIKE EVERY WHEEL WAS BEING TURNED IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VAN A VERY HARD LEFT TO STEER IT INTO AN OPEN LOT, ALTHOUGH I DID HAVE TO PULL IN FRONT OF ONCOMING CARS, BUT I HAD NO OTHER OPTION AS THERE WERE CARS ON THE SIDE OF ME AND QUICKLY COMING UP BEHIND ME. VAN WAS SERVICED AT THE DEALER WHO SAID THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SENSOR WAS FAULTY; CASE FILE STARTED WITH BUICK, BUT AFTER SERVICING, THEY CLOSED THE CASE, SAYING THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. I WILL NEVER DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AGAIN AND I FEEL THERE IS STILL A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE HERE. OTHER SENSORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ONLY TO HAVE THOSE PROBLEMS OCCUR AGAIN. THIS VAN HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE REPAIRS FOR 11 DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE SEVEN MONTHS THAT I HAVE OWNED IT, AND IT NOW ONLY HAS 6036 MILES ON IT. I FEEL THAT THIS VAN IN PARTICULAR IS VERY UNSAFE AND POSSIBLY OTHER TERRAZA'S ALSO HAVE THESE SAME SAFETY PROBLEMS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD OWN UP TO AND DO THE RIGHT THING AND REP

DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A HORN PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER TO PUSH DIFFERENT SPOTS IN ORDER TO GET HORN TO BLOW. IT DID NOT BLOW WHERE THE SYMBOLS WERE LOCATED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THIS A FEW WEEKS AGO ON MAY 28, 2005. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO SAID THAT THEY USE THE BRAKES AND NOT THE HORN. *AK THERE WERE CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE HORN. *SC

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 BUICK TERRAZA. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE WHILE COMING TO A STOP SIGN. SHE PRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE LIGHT AND THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE VEHICLE WAS BEEPING . THEN IT BEGAN TO JUMP FROM SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM TO SERVICE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM. THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND IT STILL WOULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS ALREADY OUT IN THE INTERSECTION. SHE CONTACTED ONSTAR ,THEY DONE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, AND T SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE, BUT TOLD HER TO PULL THE CAR OVER. THIS VEHICLE WAS ONLY FOUR DAYS OLD AND ALREADY EXPERIENCING BRAKE FAILURE WHICH OCCURRED UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS. THE SPEED AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT WAS AROUND 20-30 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS BRAKE FAILURE. THE MAIN COMPONENT FOR THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED AND THEY DID NOT KNOW WHY. THE REPAIR INVOICE WILL BE AVAILABLE. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED HAD A TECHNICIAN FROM GM LOOK AT HIS CAR BECAUSE HE WAS HAVING MANY PROBLEMS WITH HIS HORN. E NOTICED PROBLEMS WITH THE HORN ON OR AROUND 5-20-05. IT WAS VERY HARD TO PUSH. THE HORN. YOU ALMOST HAVE TO TAKE A HAMMER TO GET IT TO BLOW. THE DASH LIGHTS ARE ALSO VERY DIM. HE HAS FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE ABOUT THE HORN NOT BLOWING. TRANSMISSION KICKS INTO PASSING GEAR TOO MUCH GOING UP SLIGHT GRADES ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65-70 MPH. THE CONTACT HAS DRIVEN OTHER CARS ON THE SAME INTERSTAS WITH THE SAME AVERAGE LOADS AND WITH LESS HORSEPOWER AND THEY DIDN'T KICK INTO THE PASSING GEAR AS MUCH. THE TECH THAT GM SENT OUT, SAID EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. *AK

DT: CALLER SAYS THE HORN DID NOT WORK. THEY CHECKED THE PROBLEM ON OTHER VEHICLES AND WERE WAITING TO HEAR FROM THE MANUFACTURER ON HOW TO FIX IT. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WILL START A FILE ON THE PROBLEM. CALLER SAID THAT HE HAS TO APPLY A GREAT AMOUNT OF FORCE TO GET THE HORN TO WORK AND HE MUST PUSH THE MIDDLE OF THE STEERING WHEEL.*AK THE DEALER CHECKED OTHER TERRAZA'S AND FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY SWITCHING LANES ON DRY PAVEMENT, CLEAR DAY, AND THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM OR THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM ENGAGED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RAPIDLY DECELERATE AND SWERVE TO THE LEFT. IT HAPPENED TO MY WIFE AND SHE CALLED ME CRYING SAYING SHE DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE THE CAR. I DID NOT TAKE HER SERIOUSLY, UNTIL SHE WENT OUT OF TOWN AND THE VEHICLE DID THE SAME TO ME ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS TRACTION CONTROL OR STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM HAS A PROBLEM AND IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. I TRIED TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM BEFORE DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE HORN IS HARD TO PUSH AND CAUSE THE HORN TO MAKE A SOUND. WITHOUT A HORN, THE CAR IS NOT SAFE. *NM

CONSUMER STATES: THERE WAS A VIBRATION IN THE CAR WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH. THE CONSUMER COULD FEEL THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE. THE SEVERITY OF THE VIBRATING DEPENDED ON THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD. ON 5-26-05 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHEN IT HAD ABOUT 500 MILES ON IT TO HAVE THE TIRES BALANCED. THAT DID NOT FIX THE VIBRATING. THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ELSE TO THE CAR UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAD 5,000 MILES ON IT. HE TALKED TO GM ON APPROX. 6-30-05 AND THEY TOLD HIM THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE VEHICLE HAD 7,500 MILES. THE CONSUMER IS AFRAID THE CAR MAY HAVE A BAD TIRE OR A BAD BEARING. THE CONSUMER THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GOODYEAR, BUT THEY WANTED TOO MUCH MONEY TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. *NM

THE HORN IS VERY DIFFICULT TO BLOW. IN THE UPPER RIGHT SIDE, YOU CAN HARDLY PUSH ON THE HORN TO BLOW, ON THE BOTTOM RIGHT AND THE TOP AND BOTTOM OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HORN IT IS A LITTLE EASIER TO BLOW. IF YOU CAN NOT BLOW THE HORN, THE CAR IS NOT SAFE

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR SHUT DOWN. NO LIGHTS CAME ON TO WARN HER. THE SPEEDOMETER AND THE TACHOMETER WENT TO 0 AND THE CAR WENT DEAD. SHE HAD THE CAR LESS THAN 7 DAYS AND THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED. THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG. THEY WERE PUTTING A NEW ENGINE IN THE CAR DUE TO AN OIL LEAK. THEY COULD NOT RECREATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 2005 BUICK TERRAZA. THE ONLY THE WAY THE HORN WILL WORK IS BY TAKING BOTH OF HER THUMBS AND PRESSING AS HARD AS SHE CAN TO GET THE HORN TO BLOW IN THE LEFT HAND CORNER THAT IS THE ONLY SPOT THAT IT WILL WORK. THE HORN HAS NOT WORKED SINCE SHE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. SHE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH GM. *JB

ALL BUICK TERRAZAS (ALSO PONTIAC SV6) VIOLATE 49CFR571.101 IN THAT THE NEEDLES FOR THE INSTRUMENT GAUGES ARE NOT ILLUMINATED WHEN THE IGNITION IS ON. THEY ARE ILLUMINATED ONLY IF THE IGNITION IS OFF. I CALLED THIS IN ON 1/19/2005, HOWEVER, I'M USING THIS FORM TO MAIL IN MY COMPLAINT MORE EXPEDITIOUSLY. *NM LATER A DEFECTIVE LIGHT SENSOR WAS FOUND. REFER TO ODI# 10108684. CANCEL THIS COMPLAINT PER CONSUMER. *SC

CONSUMER STATED,WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE NEEDLE OR THE DIAL ON ANY OF THE GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT WAS THE NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THAT VEHICLE AND NOTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE. THE CONSUMER HAS A CONCERN THAT HE IS UNABLE TO SEE THE PROPER SPEED WHILE DRIVING OR TO DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE FUEL TANK. *JB