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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20 miles · Nov 22, 2004

Power Train

WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED GAS PEDAL, THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10101490

39,000 miles · Nov 21, 2004

Power TrainSuspension

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THE 2003 SATURN VUE ,,,HAS A FRON END SUSPENSION ...THAT HAD NOT BEEN RECALLD FOR THE FRONT END OF MY SATURN HAD INUMERUS PARTS REPLACED ...NOT ONLY ONE TIME BUT MORE THAN 5 TIMES, EACH PART WAS REPLACED ... SATURN DONT HELP ,,,NEITHER MY ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE . PLEASE LOOK ON CUSTOMER SURVEYS SITE AND YOU WILL SEE THA A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME POBLEM .....THAT ONE DAY WILL CAUSE A FATALITY...... ALSO MY AXLE JUST BROKEN ON THE HAYWAY ,,,MY CAR ONLY HAVE 38.000 MILES. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10100303

19,000 miles · Nov 15, 2004

Power Train

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FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WARRANTY TRANSMISSION HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE HORRIBLY LOUD AND ANNOYING GRINDING AND WHIRRING SOUNDS THAT CONTINUE TO GET WORSE AND WORSE. I HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION IN 8 TIMES AND THE PROBLEM REMAINS. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO EVOKE THE LEMON LAW, BOTH CORPORATE AND THE DEALER WERE EXTREMELY BELLIGERANT AND UNCOOPERATIVE--DENYING THAT ANY PROBLEM EXISTED. THIS IS DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS SO SEVERE THAT SATURN STOPPED PRODUCTION ON THE VUE WITH CTI TRANSMISSION AND HAS MADE THE DECISION NOT TO CONTINUE TO USE IT AFTER THIS YEAR'S MODEL END. IMMEDIATGELY UPON EVOKING THE LEMON LAW, NOT ONLY DID CORPORATE REFUSE TO HONOR IT, BUT ORPORATE TOLD THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP NOT TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH FIXING MY CAR WITHOUT THEIR APPROVAL.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10098851

Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2004

Power TrainStructure

WHILE DRIVING IN NEW FALLEN SNOW THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GO UP A SMALL GRADE. THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT TO ENGAGE IN REVERSE. THE CONSUMER WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE WHEN IT BEGAN TO SLIDE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE TRANSMISSIO…

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NHTSA ODI #10083834

28,580 miles · Aug 6, 2004

Power Train

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SECOND COMPLAINT: ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE WORK, AT BUSY INTERSECTION ATTEMPTED TO PULL INTO INTERSECTION. VUE HESITATED, DROPPED ALL POWER, RPM'S STUCK AT ABOUT 4000 AGAIN, HAD ACCELERATOR PUSHED TO THE FLOOR AND IT ACTED LIKE IT WAS STALLING AND WOULD BARELY MOVE. DID THIS FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 SECONDS BEFORE IT FINALLY STARTED ACCELERATING AGAIN. LUCKILY OTHER DRIVERS CAME TO A STOP AND AVOIDED HITTING ME. THE SATURN VUE WITH VTI IS A DANGER ! THE ONLY FIX SATURN HAS FOR IT IS TO FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION, RECALIBRATE AND ADD TRANSMISSION ADDITIVE. THIS ONLY HELPS FOR ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AND IT STARTS AGAIN. I CAN NOT PARK IN GRAVEL, DIRT OR GRASS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHUT DOWN AND IT WILL NOT GO IN DRIVE. I CAN NOT PARK ON ANYTHING MORE THAN A 4% INCLINE OR THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHUT DOWN AND IT WILL NOT MOVE IN DRIVE. THESE VEHICLES NEED RECALLED AS THEY POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD ON THE HIGHWAY. MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE NARROWLY ESCAPED ACCIDENTS 3 TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE !*AK

NHTSA ODI #10086295

5,000 miles · Aug 5, 2004

Power Train

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'03 SATURN VUE 4 VTI PURCHASED 6/03. SOON AFTER, FAILED TO GO IN DRIVE AT WORK. WOULD GO IN REVERSE BUT NOT MOVE IN DRIVE. SATURN GARAGE (LESS THAN A MILE FROM MY EMPLOYER) & SERVICE MANAGER & A TECH. CAME & DROVE IN REVERSE UNTIL FINALLY WENT IN DRIVE. TOOK TO GARAGE. THEY FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION & TOP OFF FLUIDS. TOOK VEHICLE HOME & LATER LEAVING WORK, CAR WAS STUCK & WOULD NOT GO IN DRIVE. IT DID NOT MOVE & FRONT WHEELS DID NOT TURN. COWORKERS PUSHED ME UNTIL IT STARTED TO MOVE SLUGGISH IN DRIVE. IT SPUTTERED DOWN THE ROAD TO THE GARAGE. EACH TIME I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP THE CAR WOULD HESITATE, ALMOST STALL FOR SEVERAL SECONDS & RMP'S STUCK AT 4000. THEY FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION, RECALIBRATED & ADDED TRANSMISSION ADDITIVE. I TOOK THE CAR HOME & WHILE I WAS PULLING INTO THE BUSIEST INTERSECTION IN NORTH CENTRAL WV IT FAILED TO ACCELERATE, RPM'S STUCK AT 4000 & SPUTTERED THRU THE INTERSECTION AT 10 MPH, OTHER VEHICLES HAD TO BRAKE HARD TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION. I WAS SCARED & DAUGHTER WAS CRYING IN THE BACK AS OTHER DRIVERS BLEW HORNS & GAVE OBSCENE GESTURES. BACK TO GARAGE THE NEXT MORNING. TRANSMISSION FLUSHED, RECALIBRATED, ADDITIVE ADDED. 7/18/04 ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN PA (INTERSTATE 279) DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC,TRIED TO ACCELERATE, RPM'S STUCK AT 4000, SLOWED TO 50MPH & OTHER VEHICLES SLAMMED ON BRAKES BEHIND ME. HAD ACCELERATER TO FLOOR & IT SPUTTERED FOR 1MILE AT 50MPH. PUMPED ACCELERATOR SEVERAL TIMES, FINALLY CAME OUT OF 4000RPM & STARTED TO REGAIN SPEED. I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO REGAIN COMPOSURE BEFORE CONTINUING ON. 8/10/04, I HAVE ANOTHER APPT. TO HAVE TRANSMISSION LOOKED AT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. CONTACTED SATURN & GEORGIA MCCONVILLE OF CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER CONTACTED THE LOCAL SERVICE DEPT. SHE ADVISED IN HER REPLY "WE NEED TO GIVE RON (SERVICE MANAGER) THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES YOU ARE CURRENTLY HAVING. CERTAINLY IF THIS VISIT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE CONCERN PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT US." *AK

NHTSA ODI #10086221

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2004

Power Train

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION ON 2003 SATURN VUE. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY ONTO HE MAIN ROAD AND THE VEHICLE DIED IN THE STREET. TWO DAYS LATER THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A TRANSMISSION. SIX WEEKS LATER THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THERE WERE NO WARNING L…

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NHTSA ODI #10087662

18,900 miles · Jul 28, 2004

Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower Train

FIRST MY ENGINE BLEW BECAUSE SATURN DID NOT PUT OIL BACK INTO MY VUE DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE NEXT MY CONTROL COMPUTER IN THE VUE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT DID NOT WORK. NOW MY TRANSMISSION COVER NEEDS REPLACED. I ALSO HEAR ABOUT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR END SUSPENSION NOW. I BOUGHT A NEW VUE FOR ITS RELIABI…

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NHTSA ODI #10082877

Mileage unknown · Jul 27, 2004

Electrical SystemPower TrainStructure

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I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 VUE. FIRST, THE VTI TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO HESITATE AND OR SLIP WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, IT COMES AND GOES. IT ALSO SEEMS LOUDER THAT IT SHOULD BE WITH CLICKING NOISES, ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS OK, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. SECOND, THE HORN IS VERY HARD TO USE, MY WIFE DOES NOT LIKE TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE SHE DOES MOSTLY CITY DRIVING AND NEEDS A HORN. IT'S NOT BROKEN, JUST VERY DIFFICULT TO USE AND I THINK A POTENTIAL HAZARD. FINALLY THERE ARE MANY OTHER SQEAKS AND RATTLES THAT DRIVE ME CRAZY. THE HEADLINER AROUND THE SUNROOF ON THE DRIVERS SIDE RATTLES A LOT. ALSO THE REAR TRUNK/LIFTGATE SQUEEKS AND AFTER CLOSER EXAMINATION I SAW THAT THE INSIDE PLASTIC WAS COMING APART FROM THE REAR TRUNK/LIFTGATE. I PUSHED IT BACK TOGETHER, BUT I THINK IT LOOSENS EVERYTIME I CLOSE THE TRUNK/LIFTGATE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO THE VEHICLE CONCERNING THESE PROBLEMS. *AL

NHTSA ODI #10082803

10,000 miles · Jul 8, 2004

Power Train

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE COMMENCED TO LOSE POWER FROM 50 MPH TO LESS THEN 5 MPH. VEHICLE WAS TOW TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO TRANSMISSION SENSOR STICKING, WHICH OVERHEATED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. DEALER REPLACED THE VALVE BODY AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10081548

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