2004 Saturn Vue

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. SHE STATED THAT IN JUNE 2009, WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD AND BEGAN LOSING POWER AT A LOW SPEED. THE CONTACT WAS FORCED TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO RESET ITSELF. SHE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A FAULTY TRANSMISSION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RE-OCCURED FOUR TIMES WITHIN A YEAR AND THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

2004 SATURN VUE. TRANSMISSION GONE, OVER 5 GRAND TO FIX DUE TO THERE BEING PROBLEMS WITH THE VUES, JUNK YARDS DO NOT CARRY THEM. IT WAS APPARENTLY A KNOWN DEFECT YET THEY SOLD IT TO ME. I STILL OWE 110000 ON THE CAR AND I CANT DRIVE NOR DO I HAVE THE CASH TO FIX. WITH THE DEALERSHIPS GONE I CAN'T EVEN TAKE THE PIECE OF JUNK BACK TO THEM. I FOUND OUT THAT MOST SHOPS DO NOT WORK ON THESE (3 OF THE 4 I CALLED) DUE TO THE FACT THAT EVEN WITH A REBUILT ONE, YOU ARE STILL PUTTING IN A TRANSMISSION THAT IS FAULTY AND THEY CAN'T GUARANTEE THEM. SINCE I NOW NEED ANOTHER VEHICLE, THIS HEAP WILL CERTAINLY BE REPOSSESSED. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) IN NOVEMBER OF 2009 I HAD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SATURN IN WHICH IT STATES THAT MY CAR IS A RECALL, DUE TO A FAULTY TRANSMISSION AND PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS. (THREE MONTH PRIOR TO THE RECALL LETTER I HAD EXPERIENCED SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE CAR.) SATURN/GMC DO NOT WANT TO PAY THE REPAIR IN FULL,$5,927.03, THEY WANT ME TO PAY THE HALF OF IT. NEITHER DO THEY HELP ME TO GET A CAR OF THE SAME YEAR OR VALUE. I WROTE THEM A HAND WRITTEN LETTER AND NEVER RECEIVED AN ANSWER FROM THEM. AFTER THREE MONTHS I CONTACTED THEM BY PHONE, TO ASK WHAT THEY ARE DOING ABOUT THE CAR,I WAS TOLD THAT MY CASE IS DISMISSED?( I CALL THAT DISCRIMINATION) I WENT TO COURT AND FILED A SMALL CLAIMS COURT AGAINST SATURN. THREE WEEKS AFTER THEY WERE SERVED THE PAPERWORK I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THEM THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DISMISS THIS CLAIM SINCE THEY GO THROUGH BANKRUPTCY. I AM A DIVORCED MATURE FEMALE, AND HAVE A SMALL RESIDENTIAL,LIGHT COMMERCIAL AND JANITORIAL CLEANING BUSINESS. I NEED THE CAR ON A DAILY BASIS, AND HAVE TO DRIVE SOMETIMES FAR TO GET TO MY CLIENTS. AND SINCE THE ECONOMY HAS TURNED BAD FOR LOTS OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, LIKE ME, I BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION, NOR DO I HAVE THE OTHER HALF OF WHAT THE NEW TRANSMISSION WOULD COST. AND SINCE I DID NOT DESIGN THE CAR NEITHER MANUFACTURE THE CAR, I DON'T SEE WHY I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OFF FROM THE COMPANY WHO PUTS THEM ON THE MARKET. THE TIME FOR MY CAR IS RUNNING OUT, AND FOR ME AS WELL. IF I HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD DUE TO A TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND PERFORMANCE ISSUE, OR IF THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES FIRE THAT WOULD BE HORRIBLE. IF I LOOSE ALL MY CLIENTS IF THE CAR BREAKS DOWN I WON'T BE ABLE TO PAY MY RENT, AND END UP LIVING ON THE STREETS WITH MY ANIMALS. PLEASE CAN YOU HELP ME TO RESOLVE THIS BAD PROBLEM? I HAVE RUN OUT OF OPTIONS. [XXX] *TR

DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 30-45MPH THE RPM'S REV UP BUT THE CAR SLOWS DOWN! ON HILLS, IT WON'T ACCELERATE AT ALL! EVEN IN LOW GEAR IT WON'T MOVE. RPM'S JERK AT HIGH SPEEDS AS WELL. HAD DIAGNOSTIC DONE 5-7-10 THEY SAID THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS FAILING BETWEEN 2ND & 3RD GEAR, IT'S NOT READING ANY CODES AND THE FLUID IS DISCOLORED. ESTIMATING COST TO FIX IS $3,000. TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON IT!! PROBLEM OCCURS EVERYDAY -- TRANSMISSION HASN'T COMPLETELY FAILED YET, BUT I FEAR IS GOING TO HAPPEN SOON! I HAVE NO IDEA HOW I'M GOING TO PAY FOR THIS... I'VE ONLY HAD THIS CAR 2 YEARS. I THINK IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN WHEN YOU'RE ON THE HWY AND YOUR CAR WON'T ACCELERATE AND PEOPLE BEHIND YOU ARE SWERVING TO MISS YOU AND BLOWING AT YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HORN ENGAGED WITHOUT DRIVER INTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HORN MODULE HAD FAILED AND BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE SAFETY AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 48,000. UPDATED 06/25/10. *LJ UPDATED 09/07/10*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE "PUSHED BACK" AND SLOWED DOWN WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. SHE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. SHE DROVE ON TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HER HOME. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED OF A CURRENT LAWSUIT REGARDING THE VTI TRANSMISSION AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,623. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,615.

I OWN A 2004 SATURN VUE WITH A VARIABLE TRANSMISSION. IT HAS 83,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE LOOKED AT BECAUSE OF HEARING ALL THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THESE CARS HAVE HAD. SOMEHOW WHILE THEY WERE LOOKING AT IT THE TRANSMISSION WENT AND I COULDN'T DRIVE MY CAR OVER 20 MPH. I WAS STUCK THERE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD I HAD TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION. SATURN WILL ONLY PAY FOR HALF SO NOW AFTER PAYING OVER $20,000 FOR THIS CAR I HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER $3,000 TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THEN THAT THE NEW TRANSMISSION MIGHT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS THIS ONE HAS HAD. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THEY DON'T STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS AND WILL NOT COVER THE WHOLE REPLACEMENT OF SOMETHING THEY KNOW TO BE FAULTY. *TR

FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE POWER LOCKS IN MY 2004 SATURN VIEW WHERE THE UNLOCK BUTTON DID NOT WORK ON RANDOM OCCASIONS. IT THEN SEEMED THAT IF IT HAD RAINED THIS IS WHEN THE PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR. IT HAS SINCE BECOME A CHRONIC ISSUE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO USE MY DOOR LOCKS FOR UNLOCKING WHETHER WITH THE REMOTE OR THE BUTTON. THIS MORNING THE LOCKS UNLOCKED THEMSELVSE AND CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT UNLOCKING FOR THE ENTIRE HOUR LONG DRIVE AT RANDOM INTERVALS. I HAVE HAD OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES AS WELL WITH THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE GOTTEN NO WHERE WITH INQUIRES TO SATURN AS TO THE ISSUE. SINCE PURCHASE THE REAR WIPER WORKS WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO MY HORN BEGAN TO BLARE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ALL BY ITSELF. THE REMEDY FOR THE HORN WAS TO REMOVE THE RELAY AS THE MECHANIC I DEAL WITH DID NOT HAVE THE CODE TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL ISSUE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE COST I WILL INCUR TO RECTIFY THESE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT SATURN NO LONGER OFFICIALLY EXISTS.

I OWN A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE VTI TRANSMISSION THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN IT FAILED AT A LITTLE OVER 57,000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN AUGUST 2008 WITH ANOTHER VTI TRANSMISSION. THIS MONTH, MARCH 2010, THE 2ND VTI TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED (80,650 MILES/ABOUT 23,000 MILES AFTER THE REPAIR) AND IS NOW NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. GM WILL ONLY COVER 50%, ALTHOUGH A PREVIOUS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REQUIRES THEY PAY MORE. IT WILL NOW COST ME $1638 PLUS TAXES TO REPAIR IT AND PUT IN THE THIRD TRANSMISSION THAT WILL ONLY HOLD A 12,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE ORIGINAL VTI TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH ANOTHER FAULTY ENGINE. IF IT HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH WHAT THEY CLAIM TO BE A BETTER TRANSMISSION THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY REPLACING THEM WITH, THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY AND THE CURRENT COST NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED ON ME. GM KNOWS THE VTI TRANSMISSION IS BAD AND ISN'T USING IT ANYMORE, YET IS FAILING TO CORRECT THE ISSUE APPROPRIATELY FOR CURRENT OWNERS SUCH AS MYSELF. WITH THE AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS THAT THIS TRANSMISSION HAS PROVEN TO HAVE FOR ITS OWNERS, GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THIS TRANSMISSION AS IT IS A DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND SINCE IT WILL GO OUT WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING (PASSING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, TURNING, ETC) IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO INDIVIDUALS WHEN DRIVING IT.

ON MANY OCCASIONS MY 2004 SATURN VUE V6 AWD APPEARS TO SHUDDER WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING FROM A LOWER GEAR AT SPEEDS USUALLY LESS THAN 40MPH. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT IS UNNERVING TO SAY THE LEAST. I HAVE READ ACCOUNTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS FROM OTHER SATURN OWNERS AND HAVE FOUND THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED 2/09/06. CONCERNING TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER. I BELIEVE THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AS MY VEHICLE HAD ONLY A BIT OVER 50000 MILES WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED. I SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL SATURN DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM ALTHOUGH THEY HAD ACCESS TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN INFORMATION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY RAN OUT AND ALTHOUGH THEY ADVISED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK SHOULD THE PROBLEM REOCCUR IT IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR WHETHER THE REPAIR WILL BE MADE AT NO COST TO ME. I BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL VEHICLES ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS WHETHER UNDER WARRANTY OR NOT, ESPECIALLY FOR VEHICLES UNDER 100K MILES. ANY SUGGESTIONS OR ASSISTANCE WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL. ( THE SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER IS 3713). *TR