Automotive → I Regret Having Bought A Buick

Well I did a mistake a few weeks ago. I did not researched google on a car before buying it. I bought a 2003 Buick Rendezvou from a sales car lot and it had the "AWD Disabled" light on, as well as the "ABS" light. The salesman told me they were "simple engine lights that you can get someone with a code-reader to erase them for you". Anyways I just found out that these lights are "on" for a serious reason. My AWD capabilities are truly disabled, I just tested the vehicle in a mud quagmire near my house, only the front wheels spin.

I searched google with "AWD disabled, buick rendezvou" and found out that this is rampant in this model from Buick. The "abs" light is also "on" and it's inseparable from the "awd disabled" light according to other users in Google. They both commonly come "on" together.

These are the possible culprits according to dozens of other Buick Rendezvou owners;

1. The flow/fluid valve in the rear differential is toasted, it has a temperature sensor and both have to be changed. The flow valve costs $400 + $350 labor + $100 for a jug of oil.

2. Wheel harness connection problems. This is the cheapest of them all. The speed sensors of the front wheels sometimes get ripped by high ground or get wet/dirty and creates faulty connections causing both "abs" and "awd disabled" lights to lit up. It was suggested I check these connections under my car, they might be damaged or even disconnected. Buy new connectors for $7 each (2 of them) or buy the entire coiled harness for $80 a pop (2 of them) if they have been ripped by rocky terrain or high ground.

Why I regret having bought a Buick? Because of the stupid Versatrak AWD system. If I ever get a flat tire and have to buy another tire I have to buy ALL FOUR of them brand new because when the Versatrak AWD system detects a different tire it disables the AWD until you buy all 4 similar tires. A tire with lower air than the other 3 tires will also disable my AWD system. How retarded can this be? I had a Suzuki Samurai jeep that had none of this nonsense, it simply had a lever that you pulled back and it would transform from 2x2 to 4x4 regardless if you had a missing tire or all 4 tires flat.

What you guys think?

There is your mistake. You accepted that answer. Should have walked away. You didnt even ask them to whip out a code reader.

Gee a used car lot that doesn't have a code reader.
Your problem is where you bought it more than the vehicle. Plus you still bought it with warning lights on. Not very smart unless you are getting a very very good price and you are say a mechanic and know you can easily fix it yourself.

The car isn't the problem here...

It's the guy that bought a vehicle with warning lights on, and didn't insist on the dealership fixing it prior to the deal closing; and didn't take it to his own mechanic, also before the deal was finalized.

As for the AWD system - all electronic AWD work the same way, and wheel speed (which is impacted by tire size) is a big part of equation... There's nothing wrong with it. It's not a 4wd... Apple and Oranges comparison.

While the vehicle may have problems, I cannot fault it in this situation. You looked at a ten year old car with fault lights lit, didn't have it checked out, had the dealer tell you to just erase the codes, and bought it anyway. That salesman saw you coming a mile away.

You've been pwned by the stealership. Did you sign an "As-Is" document? If so, then you're screwed. If not, does the dealer provide any type of warranty?

Lately another thing ive seen, i drive beaters, is no lights on because the dealer just cleared them, The dealers squirm when i pull out my code reader and oops, none of the sensors are reading "ready" and they pull the old "battery must have died" When im looking at a GM product they really hate to see me pull out my Tech 2 i got.

But i have to say the biggest mistake was believing you could just "clear" the codes. those lights are on for a reason. clearing them only resets the computer and the computer has to re-learn over again.buyer beware.

I think I wish I'd have known you when I was unloading my last car

I think I'd like to see a 2x2 automobile...

lol

best. comment. ever.

I don't think it should be you regret buying a Buick, as Buick didn't sell you this car. You should regret that you didn't do your "due diligence" and bought the car with warning lights on. Buick had nothing to do with this.

10 years really seems to be the life span on cars these days. My 2004 Cavalier with only 30,000 miles on it is absolutely self-destructing. I don't think it's wise to buy a vehicle that old anymore, warning lights or not, unless you're a mechanic or it's something you're willing to put significant money into. IMO, many used car prices are way too high right now, probably based partially on tradition and how long cars used to last.

Say, any chance you're in the market for a used laptop?

I must be lucky- my 1998 Toyota RAV4 (about 106,000 miles) is still running very well.

I could be wrong, but I suspect that part of the reason for the high used car prices is that the "Cash for Clunkers" program removed a number of vehicles from the used-car market. Simple supply-and-demand: less vehicles means higher prices.

Okay guys I dont want funeral sermons and admonishments, tell me how to fix the problem, cheaply if possible.

Take it a garage. Pay what the bill says.

/thread

If you are mechanically inclined, buy the FACTORY service manual and start reading. Yes, they're expensive, but they're orders of magnitude more useful than a Chiltons or Haynes manual. The factory manual has lots of troubleshooting flow charts to help you track down problems.

If you're not a DIY mechanical type, then you're at the mercy of a local repair shop.

If it were me, I'd be raising hell with the dealer to fix it. That is, unless they convinced you to sign an "As-Is" document. If you signed that, you're out of luck.

That's a necessity with any AWD system. I have a Subaru and it doesn't have any way of disabling the AWD system. I had a flat which was unrepairable and I had to buy 4 new tires even though the rest had 50% of their tread life left. $500, and yes it sucked.

An AWD system doesn't have any buttons or levers to push. This is different from a 4WD system which does. They are not the same thing.

Maybe crappy cars, but many cars I have owned have lasted 10+ years with few issues. Current car is a 2001 I bought with 149k miles 3 years ago.

This is why pips are so important. Don't blame Buick for your shortsightedness.

As mentioned before -take it to a shop to a shop and work up the issues and costs.

Your wish is granted. »www.rokon.com/

That's your problem!

+1 and not cheap manuals is 100% correct.

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My friend is a mechanic but I don't know if to trust him with this car, I would have to ask him, he wired his code reader into this same car once but his code reader would not read/detect the "abs" and "AWD disabled" lights. I'm going tomorrow to a GM dealership for an appropriate code reader to know exactly why those lights are on, but no way in hell will I let them touch it, these guys are rip offs.

The car salesman sold it "as is", to mechanically certify it he wanted $595 extra and I don't think he would have fixed the AWD problem. I also still have to see why this clunker only gives me 240 miles on a full tank of gasoline.

240 miles on how many gallons of fuel?

Isn't that what you discussed here? »Only 240 Miles For A Full Tank On A V6 3.4 L Engine?

Dealerships are better equipped to handle the car than most independent shops and have the factory training. They can even be cheaper than some independent shops.

It's possible somebody already put money into it, then.

Most of it is also due to poor maintenance. Allot of people don't maintain their cars like they should, and drive them like crap.

The best vehicles I ever owned were Ford F150s. I had to trade down to lower insurance. I drive less than 3,000 miles per year. I traded my F150 with 35,000 miles for a 2000 model my cousin calls "a money pit for pretentious people." And now I read this comment about AWD and tires and realize I may be in deep doo-doo.

The serpentine belt was replaced before I left the dealership. My mechanic liked it. The fluids were clean, the tires near new, plugs were good.

I've had it 3 months. All tires lost 10-20 pounds air each, but no dash lights. I had all five tires broke down, remounted, changed oil, and rotated the tires before the front end was aligned. That cost $90. I need to have the U-joints checked. The rotors will be replaced in the spring when I change oil. And sometime in between I need to replace the struts on the hatch before I have a heart attack.

My grandson was getting groceries out of back when he says, "I have a situation. I can't get out of the car."

What??? The hatch had closed gently on his back. It was all I could do to keep from laughing; he wasn't gonna get away this time.

I never owned a vehicle quite like this. I don't know what to expect except surprises.