10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 82,156 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
Brakes felt uneasy stopping did not respond right away sometime had to pull a side to prevent accident. Alternator don't start at all and ABS light stayed on most of time many repairs done same problem at dealer ship.
- Orlando, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Buick Terraza. While driving 5 mph and attempting to make a right turn, the steering wheel and brake pedal seized. Also, the ABS and traction control indicators illuminated. The contact lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a fire hydrant. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer (ron smith Buick GMC 1900 auto center drive, merced, ca 95340), but the cause of the failure could not be determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
- Atwater, CA, USA
At 90,900 mileage on my van, I started experiencing problems with my stability control, ABS, and my traction control system. When driving at numerous speeds, the stability control system would kick in, would grab at my drivers side front wheel and make the van swerve to the left. On the instrument panel, it would say to "service stability control". this has happened when I was traveling at 40 mph, at 20 mph, and just starting to drive after taking a turn. This has also happened to me today to where I was pressing the brake and the traction control kicked in on dry pavement while I was going less than 30 mph. I have had my 4 children in the vehicle when this has occurred and has scared them as well as myself and my husband. This vehicle is our main form of transportation.
- St Cloud, MN, USA
The 2005 Buick Terraza is equipped with a GM stabilitrack system, which combines anti-lock brake, traction and stability control systems. I was driving this vehicle at 60 mph on a straight road during a dry, sunny day and fully loaded with camping gear, children, their computer games and my wife. The vehicle was pulling a small trailer. In an instant, the van lurched as the brakes engaged on their own. We lost 20 miles per hour in a second. We pitched forward in our seat belts, and the van swerved to the left into the other lane of the interstate. I steered as best I could, but it felt like suggesting a direction more than driving. Everything was mushy and the trailer wanted to keep going. We pitched left and right twice. The panel said that the 'stability control system active.' I managed to steer to the right shoulder and stop. I breathed and pressed on the hazard lights. The kids asked what happened, and I managed to say that we only took a year off of my life, saved theirs, and ended the life of this van. A mile ahead, the interstate was restricted to one lane going each direction.
- Minneapolis, MN, USA
The contact owns a 2005 Buick Terraza. While driving at various speeds, the check engine, electronic stability control, and ABS warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. While attempting to brake the vehicle, the contact heard an abnormal noise and the stopping distance increased. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 20,000.
- Atwater, CA, USA
As we were driving home in may of 2014 the left front brake grabbed as if I had applied the brake, since then we have had both wheel bearings replaced lower ball joints and tie rod ends but nothing has changed. It has grabbed several times since then, this is a serious matter that should be dealt with, I refuse to let my wife drive the van especially when we have our five children with us because when this occurs it jerks the to the left towards oncoming traffic.
- Noblesville, IN, USA
I want to report a very unusual incident that my wife and I experienced January 7, 2014 involving our 2005 Buick Terraza automobile. It was a scary event of which I am still trying to find the exact cause. While descending from the cocoa bridge crown, at around forty five mph, I lightly applied the brakes to adjust to the traffic speed. When bam the left wheel lock up jerking us toward the cement rails on the left side of the bridge, then the car traction control' cut in and slowed the vehicle. Other car tires were squealing around us as they were trying to avoid hitting us. I would say the wheel lockup was one second or less and the whole incident lasted from three to five seconds. Then the car returned to normal operation with no further hint of this problem for the next forty miles. I've looked on the internet and found several reports of this same exact incident including many complaints on your system. I took the car to our local garage and they said the ABS computer system showed no faults and found no mechanical reason for this wheel to lock up. My next stop was the dealer where I bought the car twenty five miles away. Lane Buick GMC checked it out and reported the same thing except the mechanic wrote 'corrected by suspension repair' which suggests that he fixed something, what ever it was. Yet I understood from the service representative they couldn't find anything to cause this unheard event. I next called Buick in detroit, mi they were of little help saying if it didn't leave any code on the computer, it never happened. Then ask if I would consider buying a new car and trading this one in. Until I know what the mechanism is for this car behavior, I would never unload this problem on someone else. It is like the emperors new clothes story, no one at GMC has ever heard of the problem before.
- Rockledge, FL, USA
As we were driving on the highway we had to slammed the brakes and they got locked up. We tried to unlock them and at the time we did. About two days later they got locked up again this time smoked came out of the front wheels. We took it to a mechanic and he tried to unlock them which he did. Then again that same day that it was fixed it got locked up. This happened while on vacation. We brought the vehicle back as it was for about 2000 miles with little to no brakes at time. We know this not normal and we want to know what is causing this problem.
- Glencoe, MN, USA
I am sending you information on my 2005 Buick Terraza, I am also the original owner. This information is regarding my rear brake problem that I feel should be included on your defect list. This problem should be already covered under the NHTSA recall id 05V287000. However, General Motors Buick division feels differently and claims my vehicle id number was not a part of their recall. Consequently they have denied my requested reimbursement claim in the amount of $452.60 to correct my brake problem on the vehicle. Since this dispute has not been settled to my satisfaction; I am requesting that you put this information on file in the NHTSA database as "unintended braking when accelerating and the cause is lever slippage at each rear brake caliper".I have maintained a file folder on this Buick, Terraza braking defect and would be happy to share all my information with NHTSA. Buick, GM owes me $452.60. This is their safety issue that I had to have corrected.
- Fenton, MO, USA
There are several defects that I am experiencing with this van. These issues escalated this weekend, the traction control and system stability indicators came on again and caused the brakes to lock I changed the brakes because I thought that was the cause it was not. Also the rear sliding doors will open while driving on their own. This van has been in the shop at lou fusz saint louis, mo several times and it is still not operating. This is a safety issue I am lucky that I was not on the highway when the brakes locked up, unfortunately that is not the case with the doors. I cancelled a trip to the zoo with my kids because the doors opened on their own while on the interstate, they are now afraid to ride in the back seats.
- University City, MO, USA
- Mooresville, NC, USA