CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2006 Buick Rainier has a lot going for it and just a few issues that keep it from making our "best vehicles" list.

The good news is the SUV has a quiet interior (thanks to triple door seals, acoustic laminate glass, and thicker sound-absorbing pads), a low number of overall complaints, and a RWD system which offers good balance and handling.

Unfortunately, it received poor safety ratings in crash tests, owners report that the gas gauge is unreliable, and there was a large recall for melting power window switches.

So close, Buick. So close.

2.6

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
57,667 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2006 Buick Rainier body / paint problems

body / paint problem

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2006 Buick Rainier Owner Comments

problem #3

May 012013

Rainier

  • 78,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2006 Buick Rainier. After parking the vehicle, the front driver side exterior door handle fractured. The contact had to enter the vehicle through the passenger door. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the handle was repaired, but the failure recurred five times. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 78,000.

- Melbourne, FL, USA

problem #2

Jun 042012

Rainier 8-cyl

  • 15,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Buick Rainier. The contact stated that the exterior driver latch became loose and the driver's side door latch would not open. The contact took her vehicle to the dealer for diagnostic testing and the stated the door latch would need to be replaced and repainted. The vehicle was repaired. The failure recurred two additional times. Whenever the failure occurred the dealer repaired the door latch however, the failure continued to occur. The identical failure occurred with the rear passenger side exterior latch. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 15,000. Updated 9// updated 09/10/2014

- Chandler, AZ, USA

problem #1

Apr 132011

Rainier

  • 80,000 miles
I bought my 2006 Buick Rainier in March of 2011 and about 3 months later the right rear passenger door handle broke because it is plastic and can't be opened from the outside. Then a week later the child lock decided to lock itself on the same door and now the door can't be opened from either the inside or outside. Then about 6 months later the front passenger door handle broke and now it won't open from the outside and I have to reach clear across the truck to open the door for any passengers to get in on that side. This last weekend the left back passenger door is now broke and can't be opened from the outside and is self locking the child safety lock now on this door as it did on the other back passenger door. Luckily I got the door opened just once to unlock the child safety lock on this door and so it is still able to open for now from the inside until it locks its self again. Once it locks it's self again I won't be able to get the door open again to unlock the child safety lock cause the door no longer opens from the outside. At this point I have one door left that functions properly and that is the drivers door if that handle breaks I won't be able to open any of my doors from the outside and will only be able to open the two front doors from the inside. Who makes plastic door handles anyway what a stupid design for a car part that is used many times throughout the course of one day let alone for the life of the vehicle. I don't know if it is a safety issue but my daughter can't get in or out of the back passenger doors and has to crawl up through to the front seats and get out through the drivers door. I can't believe I have a fairly new car and can't properly use 3 doors on it. I too have issues with my gas gauge and will be taking it in to have fixed very soon.

- Lincoln, NE, USA

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