The 2004 Buick Rainier is a SUV that came with a choice of 4.2L 6-cyl and 5.3L 8-cyl engines. At 22 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 4.2L 6-cyl, 5.3L 8-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 4-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 13–14 city / 17–19 highway / 15–16 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $4,200–$4,450 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 555–592 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 4 configurations: Rainier 2WD, Rainier AWD |
| Age | 22 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls covering the 2004 Buick Rainier. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
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.
Risk: 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.
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.
Risk: 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
Owners have filed 158 complaints about the 2004 Buick Rainier with NHTSA. 9 reports involved a crash and 4 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 10 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2004 Buick Rainier, by version tested.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-Dr | Not rated | — | — | ★★★★☆ | 19.1% |
| 4-Dr W/Sab | Not rated | — | — | ★★★★☆ | 19.1% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 653 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2004 Buick Rainier. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have an unusual noise and is difficult to identify, isolate or pinpo
This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or updating operating software for the Tire Pressure Monitor, Active Fuel Injector tes
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that the Heater-Vent-Air Conditioning blows warm air. Before calling Gene
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 3 defect investigations covering the 2004 Buick Rainier.
Loss of Headlights
The subject vehicles are model year (MY) 2002-2009 Chevrolet Trailblazer, GMC Envoy, 2004-2007 Buick Rainier, 2003-2008 Isuzu Ascender, 2005-2009 Saab 9-7X, 2002-2004 Oldsmobile Bravada, 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR, 2005-2009 Buick Lacrosse, and 2006-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix. This scope includes the Trailblazer/Envoy varian
Fuel pump module leaks gasoline
During the course of this ea investigation, odi observed that the majority of the complaints (88%) and warranty claims (94%) were reported for vehicles that are registered for use in the salt belt region of the us.this area includes 20 states in the northeast, mid atlantic and the midwest regions and the district of co
Brake lamp failure
Gm states that some brake/tail lamp bulbs can prematurely become inoperative due to malfunctioning brake/tail lamp sockets.on march 2, 2004, gm initiated a 6-year/72,000 mile special policy for 989,487 subject vehicles to inspect and replace the rear brake/tail lamp bulb socket assemblies.on april 4, 2004, the office o
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2004 Rainiers that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2004 Buick Rainier; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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