Power Train. Review the 316 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 124 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

29 crash reports9 fire reports20 injury reports

Power Train complaints

316 reports

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47,500 miles · Aug 3, 2006

Power Train

SATURN HAS ONGOING PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSIONS THAT THEY ARE REFUSING TO RECOGNIZE. MY WIFE'S VUE SUDDENLY LOST POWER TODAY IN TRAFFIC WHEN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND ALMOST GOT IN TO A WRECK. I AM TIRED OF THEM FAILING TO TAKE NOTICE OF THIS; THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ARE ALL OVER THE INTERNET. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10164278

3 miles · Jul 5, 2006

Power TrainSuspension

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE HAS BEEN ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. THE SUSPENSION WAS UNSTABLE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWAY AND TRANSMISSION CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO ONE SIDE. THE SALES DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES AND DETERMINED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. T…

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NHTSA ODI #10161421

38,500 miles · Jun 23, 2006

Power Train

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THE VTI TRANSMISSION IN MY 2003 SATURN VUE HAS FAILED REPEATEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, USUALLY ON HIGHWAYS AT HIGH SPEEDS. SUDDENLY, THE TRANSMISSION WILL DISENGAGE AND THE CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN. SATURN HAS NOW FIXED THE PROBLEM FIVE TIMES IN 38,000 MILES AND MOST RECENTLY ADMITTED THAT IT DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AND DID NOT KNOW IF THE REPAIRS IT MADE WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THE INCIDENT DATE NOTED BELOW IS THE MOST RECENT DATE THIS OCCURRED. WHEN THESE INCIDENTS OCCUR, SOMETIMES THE TRANSMISSION WILL RESET AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING IT. BUT OTHER TIMES, THE VEHICLE HAS REQUIRED TOWING TO THE DEALERSHIP. WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ONGOING SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF THIS CAR, AS THE CONSEQUENCES OF ONE OF THESE UNANNOUNCED FAILURES COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. SO FAR, WE HAVE BEEN LUCKY THAT NO INJURY OR ACCIDENT HAS OCCURRED. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10160598

4,700 miles · Jun 14, 2006

Power TrainService Brakes, HydraulicVisibility

WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE REPLACED THE ROTORS AND THE REAR WIPER MOTOR. THE LATEST FAILURE LEFT ME STRANDED AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE SLAVE CYLINDER FOR THE HYDRAULIC CLUTCH FLUID WENT WITH A TOTAL COST OF 1100.00 OUT OF FACTORY AND EXTENDED WARRANTY OF COURSE. COMPANY CLAIMS THIS IS A W…

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NHTSA ODI #10159803

Mileage unknown · Feb 17, 2006

Electrical SystemPower TrainUnknown Or Other

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HAVE TAKEN CAR TO DEALER MORE THAN ONCE FOR FOLLOWING ITEMS: (1) IGNITION DOES NOT RELEASE WHEN KEY REMOVED. THE FIRST TIME ALL THEY DID WAS MAKE A NEW KEY, TODAY (FEB 16, 2006) THEY CHANGED A SPRING ON THE 1ST "LEVEL". PROBLEM STILL EXISTS INTERMITTENT, AFTER I LEFT DEALER. FIRST REPORTED APX SEPT 2005. (2) MAJOR SKIDDING ON SLIGHT GRADES WHEN SUDDEN BRAKING. DEALERS MAINT FLUFFED IT OFF EACH TIME SAYING NOTHING WRONG. PROBLEM SINCE 2004. (3) WHEN SHIFTING DOWN FROM DRIVE TO PARK INTERMITTENT STICKING AT REVERSE POSITION, VERY SUBTLE BUT DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL. PROBLEM JUST STARTED (JAN 2006). DATE LISTED UNDER "INCIDENT DATE" WAS JUST TO BE ABLE TO INPUT INTO COMPUTER. THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT ISSUES FROM DIFFERENT DATES AND YRS. ALL ARE APX. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10150489

35,062 miles · Feb 14, 2006

Power Train

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FIRST TIME DRIVING SATURN VUE ON FREE WAY, MOTOR STARTED RACING AND VUE HAD NO GEARS, LOST SPEED , HAD TO GET OFF ROAD AND HAVE VUE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, THEY INSTALLED NEW TRANSMISSION CALIBRATION AND NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ADDITIVE AND INFORMED ME FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT MY VUE HAD A VTI TRANSMISSION AND THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION MAY EXPERIENCE CERTAIN TRANSMISSION CONCERNS THAT MIGHT AFFECT CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND MAY REQUIRE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. 2ND TIME I WAS DRIVING ON ROAD AND AGAIN MOTOR STARTED TO RACE AND GEARS WOULD NOT WORK, AGAIN I HAD TO GET OFF ROAD AND HAVE VUE TOWED TO DEALER, THEY REPLACED TRANSMISSION SPEED SENSOR INSIDE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY COVER. 2ND TIME DRIVING ON ROAD. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10150276

35,000 miles · Feb 13, 2006

Power Train

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE REVS HIGH AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPS. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE SAME TRANSMI…

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NHTSA ODI #10150156

Mileage unknown · Feb 7, 2006

Air BagsElectrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

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2003 SATURN VUE HOOD RELEASE CABLE AND WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. *TS THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED (WARRANTY). WHILE REPAIRING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE PROMPT SHAFT CENTER BEARING WAS BROKEN (WARRANTY). THERE WAS NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSAXLE. THE TECHNICIAN UPDATED THE TCM AND ADDED CVT ADDITIVE (WARRANTY). THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS FAULTY (WARRANTY). THE AIR BAG AND HORN WERE ALSO REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10149784

41,000 miles · Dec 30, 2005

Engine And Engine CoolingEquipmentPower Train

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PURCHASED MY SATURN VUE USED IN MARCH 2005...AT THAT TIME I HAD 6K MILES LEFT ON THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY...IN JUNE 2005 TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP TO TAKE CARE OF ALL NORMAL ISSUES & GET A MAINT CHECKUP...AT THAT TIME THEY REPLACED THE RESISTOR- ENGINE COOLING FAN (DUE TO BLOWING HOT AIR WHEN AIR CONDITIONER WAS ON), HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY COMPOSITE ON FRONT LEFT (CRACKED WHERE BOLTED TO FRAME), OBD SYSTEM UPGRADE (RECALL), REPLACEMENT OF REAR LATERAL LINK ASSEMBLY (RECALL), AND LAST THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE WAS REPLACED/ADJUSTED & LUBED DUE TO GOING BAD - AT THAT TIME THEY NEVER DISCLOSED TO ME THAT THE GEAR SHIFT CABLE HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED 3X'S SINCE JAN 2003. ON DEC 24TH @ 10:00AM...MY ENTIRE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY FAILED AND LEFT ME STRANDED...THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED IT FROM...DUE TO ME BEING 5,000 OVER MY WARRANTY...THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPLACE IT...APPROX COST OF $450. I WENT DIRECTLY OVER TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP....FORT WAYNE, IN SATURN...A SERVICE CONSULTANT PULLED UP THE HISTORY OF MY VUE AND DISPLAYED TO ME THAT THE GEAR SHIFT HAD BEEN WORKED ON 4 OTHER TIMES...HIS SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE WOULD NOT TAKE CARE OF IT DUE TO THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED & IT WAS NOT HIS FAULT...I CALLED SATURN'S CORPORATE OFFICE INFORMED THEM OF THE ISSUE...THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD GET IT TAKEN CARE OF WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED...WAITING TO SEE WHAT IS DONE...MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP....AS FOR THE SERVICE MANAGER @ FW, IN SATURN DEALERSHIP...I HAVE HEARD NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW HE TREATS CUSTOMERS FROM FRIENDS THAT ARE ALSO SATURN OWNERS... 8JB

NHTSA ODI #10146575

12,272 miles · Oct 3, 2005

Power Train

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THE PROBLEM I ENCOUNTER WITH MY CAR IS TRANSMISSION RELATED. LAST YEAR, I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I ACCELERATED AS USUAL, THE ENGINE??S SPEED INCREASED AND THE CAR DID NOT MOVE. SUDDENLY, WITH A LOUD NOISE THE CAR JERKED FORWARD. THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST CRASHED INTO MY CAR, AND THE DRIVER SCREAMED AT ME AND WAIVING HIS HANDS. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE SATURN DEALER ON JULY 30, 2004. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A WEEK, AND REPAIRED OR REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. THE PROBLEM RECURRED, AND I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER AGAIN ON JUNE 30, 2005. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM THIS TIME. LAST JULY, THE 07, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND REPROGRAMMED THE TCM. SEPTEMBERS, 2005, I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN TO LEAVE THE COMPLEX WHERE I RESIDE, AND THE SAME PHENOMENON RECURRED: I ACCELERATED, BUT THE CAR DID NOT MOVE, THEN SUDDENLY JERKED FORWARD, AND AGAIN I ALMOST CRASHED IN THE CAR COMING FROM MY LEFT. I LOVE MY CAR, BUT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT NOW! THE FIRST TIME THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED, THE CAR WAS ABOUT 10,000 MILES. I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM LAST JUNE AT 21,831 MILES, AND AGAIN LAST JULY, AT 22,164 MILES. *NM

NHTSA ODI #10138367

Official recalls

14V490000 · Electrical System:ignition

Aug 8, 2014

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2002-2004 Saturn Vue vehicles manufactured September 11, 2001, to April 6, 2004. In the affected vehicles, it may be possible for the key to be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle to see if the key can be pulled out when the ignition is off. If it can, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and keys, free of charge. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14506. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

PE06006 · Timing Chain Failure

Opened Jan 24, 2006 · Closed Jun 6, 2006

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

ON DECEMBER 12, 2005, ODI RECEIVED A DEFECT PETITION (DP05-008) REQUESTING THE INVESTIGATION OF TIMING CHAIN FAILURES THAT COULD CAUSE STALLING IN SATURN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.2L (L61) ENGINE. ODI OPENED PE06-006 ON JANUARY 24, 2006, WITH 24 VEHICLE OWNER COMPLAINTS THAT ALLEGED A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP OPERATING.ON APRIL 12, 2006, ODI RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM GENERAL MOTORS (GM) CONCERNING TIMING CHAIN FAILURES IN APPROXIMATELY 412,000 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2000 THROUGH 2003 SATURN L-SERIES AND ION VEHICLES WITH 2.2L ENGINES. GM'S RESPONSE INCLUDED 1,020 OWNER COMPLAINTS AND FIELD REPORTS CONCERNING TIMING CHAIN FAILURE, INCLUDING 228 THAT ALLEGED THE FAILURE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING.GM ALSO PROVIDED WARRANTY CLAIM DATA THAT SHOWED 1,902 SUBJECT VEHICLES RECEIVING TIMING CHAIN REPAIRS, INCLUDING 261 WHICH INDICATED THAT A STALL WHILE DRIVING RESULTED FROM THE FAILURE.THE GM COMPLAINTS, FIELD REPORTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS THAT DID NOT CONTAIN SUFFICIENT INFORMATION TO DETERMINE THAT A STALL WHILE DRIVING OCCURRED WERE PROVIDED IN THE CATEGORY OTHER.GM STATED THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE INCIDENTS PROBABLY OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLES WERE PARKED SINCE THE TIMING CHAIN IS MORE LIKELY TO BREAK DURING HIGH CHAIN LOAD SITUATIONS, SUCH AS ENGINE STARTUP.GM'S DATA SHOWED ELEVATED FAILURE RATES IN APPROXIMATELY 20,500 MY 2001 L-SERIES VEHICLES PRODUCED DURING A FOUR MONTH PERIOD FROM NOVEMBER 2000 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2001.OVER ONE-THIRD OF GM'S TOTAL COMPLAINTS AND FIELD REPORTS (34.3%) AND WARRANTY CLAIMS (38.2%) INVOLVED L-SERIES VEHICLES BUILT DURING THE 4-MONTH PERIOD, WHICH ARE ONLY ABOUT 5% OF SUBJECT VEHICLE PRODUCTION.THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE RATE IN THE VEHICLES BUILT DURING THIS RANGE IS OVER 10 TIMES GREATER THAN THE REMAINING SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION. FOR THE MY 2001 L-SERIES VEHICLES BUILT DURING THE 4-MONTH PERIOD, THE 36-MONTH FAILURE RATE FOR REPAIRS INVOLVING STALL WHILE DRIVING IS SLIGHTLY UNDER ONE PERCENT.HOWEVER, IF THE INCIDENTS CODED AS OTHER ARE ADDED, THE 36-MONTH FAILURE RATE RISES TO NEARLY FIVE PERCENT FOR THOSE VEHICLES.ODI AND GM ARE CONTINUING TO ASSESS THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS CODED BY GM AS OTHER THAT INVOLVE INCIDENTS OF STALL WHILE DRIVING.GM'S STATISTICAL MODELING OF THE FAILURE DATA INITIALLY CONCLUDED THAT THE FAILURE RATES WERE DECLINING WITH AGE AND MILEAGE FOR ANY SET OF WARRANTY DATA ANALYZED (E.G., STALL WHILE DRIVING, OTHER OR COMBINED).HOWEVER, SUBSEQUENT ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE FAILURE RATES ARE INCREASING. BASED ON THE HIGH COMPLAINT AND WARRANTY RATES FOR TIMING CHAIN FAILURE IN THE 4-MONTH PRODUCTION PERIOD FOR THE MY 2001 L-SERIES VEHICLES, THIS INVESTIGATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TO FURTHER ASSESS THE FREQUENCY OF STALL INCIDENTS DUE TO TIMING CHAIN FAILURES IN THOSE VEHICLES (EA06-009).

PE04052 · Rear Suspension Toe Control Link

Opened Jul 22, 2004 · Closed Nov 1, 2004

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension; Suspension:rear

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES DURING CERTAIN SEVERE DRIVING MANEUVERS.THE INVESTIGATION WAS PROMPTED BY NHTSA-CONDUCTED NCAP DYNAMIC ROLLOVER TEST INCIDENTS INVOLVING MY 2004 SATURN VUE VEHICLES AND ONE CONSUMER COMPLAINT THAT ALLEGED WHEN RECOVERING FROM A ROAD EDGE DEPARTURE, THE LEFT-REAR WHEEL OF A MY 2003 SATURN VUE ?BENT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE,? RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER CRASH.ODI ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT REAR SUSPENSION FAILURE DURING THE NCAP TESTS WAS THE RESULT OF WHEEL RIM-PAVEMENT CONTACT TRANSMITTING SIGNIFICANT COMPRESSIVE FORCES TO THE TOE CONTROL LINK, THUS CAUSING IT TO BUCKLE.THIS FAILURE OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED DURING A SEVERE TEST USED TO ASSESS ROLL STABILITY.THE FORCES GENERATED DURING THIS TYPE OF WHEEL-RIM PAVEMENT CONTACT ARE MORE THAN SIX TIMES THE GREATEST FORCES MEASURED DURING GM?S MOST SEVERE VEHICLE DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION TESTING.ODI INSPECTION AND ANALYSIS OF CONSUMER COMPLAINT VEHICLES SHOWED THAT DAMAGE TO THE TOE CONTROL LINK APPEARED TO BE THE RESULT OF VEHICLE CRASHES AND DID NOT PRECIPITATE THE CRASHES.TO DATE, ODI IS AWARE OF NO VEHICLE CRASHES OR ROLLOVER INCIDENTS RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.ADDITIONALLY, THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT IS CONDUCTING A VOLUNTARY CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO STRENGTHEN THE REAR SUSPENSION OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED. ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST. THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT ATTACHED FOR FURTHER DETAIL.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Suspension

Suspension:rear