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2005 Saturn Vue

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2005 Saturn Vue do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 276.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

137 reports with mileage · 33 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 72 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 30 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

15 crash reports3 fire reports9 injury reports

Power Train complaints

30 reports
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255,000 miles · Apr 29, 2020
Power Train

WHEN TRAVELING AT 65 MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHETHER IT'S IN TRAFFIC OR GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKS VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH AND CLUNKING SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS SLIPPING THE CAR WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN JUST DIED AND STOP RUNNING.BY PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEU…

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WHEN TRAVELING AT 65 MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHETHER IT'S IN TRAFFIC OR GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKS VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH AND CLUNKING SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS SLIPPING THE CAR WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN JUST DIED AND STOP RUNNING.BY PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL THE CAR WILL COME TO A STOP THE JERKING OF THE TRANSMISSION RELEASING THE GEARS

NHTSA ODI #11322715

Mileage unknown · Jan 20, 2017
Electrical SystemPower TrainService Brakes

MY CAR HAS THE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT ON, AND THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM! I HAVE ALMOST GONE OFF THE ROAD TONS OF TIMES WHEN THE ROADS HAVE BARELY ANY SNOW OR ICE ON THEM, AND THIS IS SERIOUSLY A COMMON PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE A RECALL! THE ABS SYSTEM ON THE SATURN VUES SEEMS TO GO OUT ALL THE TIME, WHICH CAUSES OTHER…

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MY CAR HAS THE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT ON, AND THERE ARE TONS OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM! I HAVE ALMOST GONE OFF THE ROAD TONS OF TIMES WHEN THE ROADS HAVE BARELY ANY SNOW OR ICE ON THEM, AND THIS IS SERIOUSLY A COMMON PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE A RECALL! THE ABS SYSTEM ON THE SATURN VUES SEEMS TO GO OUT ALL THE TIME, WHICH CAUSES OTHER PROBLEMS, MALFUNCTIONING BREAKS, BEARING DEGENERATION TOO! I NEED TO CONSTANTLY CHANGE THE BREAKS AND NOW I NEED NEW BEARINGS. MY CAR ONLY HAS 84K MILES ON IT!!! AND WITH MY CAR, MY TRANSMISSION IS ALSO GOING OUT AND THAT STARTED AT 60,000, MILES AND NOW ITS GIVING ME REAL PROBLEMS TOO! SO THE SATURN VUE 2005 AWD V6 CAR I HAVE... HAS A COMMON PROBLEM OF CHEAP ABS SYSTEM PARTS GOING BAD, AND BAD TRANSMISSIONS! BOTH NEED TO BE RECALLED, AND ADDRESSED BY GM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10946575

Mileage unknown · Apr 18, 2016
Power TrainService BrakesWheels

STARTED SMOKING THE 1ST TIME. REPLACED BRAKES,ROTORS AND BREAK CALIPER ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. RAN AND DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK AND DID IT AGAIN. ALL BRAKES AND ALL THAT WAS REPLCED WERE SMOKING HOT AND BROWN IN COLOR LETTING ME KNOW THAT ALL PARTS OVER HEATED. MY CAR HAS BEEN PARKED SINCE 2014 AND NOT USED UNTIL I HEAR A RECAL…

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STARTED SMOKING THE 1ST TIME. REPLACED BRAKES,ROTORS AND BREAK CALIPER ON PASSENGER'S SIDE. RAN AND DROVE FINE FOR ABOUT 1 WEEK AND DID IT AGAIN. ALL BRAKES AND ALL THAT WAS REPLCED WERE SMOKING HOT AND BROWN IN COLOR LETTING ME KNOW THAT ALL PARTS OVER HEATED. MY CAR HAS BEEN PARKED SINCE 2014 AND NOT USED UNTIL I HEAR A RECALL. I ALREADY KNOW THIS PROBLEM WILL ARISE CONTINUALLY BY ALL THE INFORMATION I HAVE FOUND. DEALERSHIPS CAN'T EVEN FIND THE PROBLEM. WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU.

NHTSA ODI #10860180

130,000 miles · Apr 21, 2015
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

CAR STALLED AND WOULDN'T RESTART. TOWED TO GARAGE WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10711931

Mileage unknown · Mar 6, 2015
Power Train

I JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE 2005 SATURN VUE WITH 61K MILEAGE 2 WEEKS AGO TO A DEALERSHIP AND I AM FRUSTRATED WITH THE KEY TO IGNITION WHEN YOU PULL IT OUT. IT GET STUCK ALL THE TIME AND IT MAKES ME CRAZY EVERYDAY.THOUGHT ITS JUST THE KEY PROBLEM. SO I WENT TO DEALERSHIP TO MAKE A BRAND NEW ONE AND PAID $108.00 FOR THE KEY, KEY CU…

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I JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE 2005 SATURN VUE WITH 61K MILEAGE 2 WEEKS AGO TO A DEALERSHIP AND I AM FRUSTRATED WITH THE KEY TO IGNITION WHEN YOU PULL IT OUT. IT GET STUCK ALL THE TIME AND IT MAKES ME CRAZY EVERYDAY.THOUGHT ITS JUST THE KEY PROBLEM. SO I WENT TO DEALERSHIP TO MAKE A BRAND NEW ONE AND PAID $108.00 FOR THE KEY, KEY CUT AND KEY CODE. BUT THE ISSUE IS STILL THE SAME. CALL A CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS MODEL TYPE. WHAT DO I DO NOW? AND ONE THING MORE THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SMOOTH IN THE 1ST GEAR AND 2ND GEAR. IS THIS NORMAL FOR THE 2005 SATURN VUE V6 TRANSMISSION? *TR

NHTSA ODI #10692533

76,348 miles · Mar 2, 2015
Electrical SystemPower Train

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A VIBRATION IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALLEGEDLY REPAIRED BY A GM DEALER AT NO CHARGE. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. AT LEAST 4 OTHER ATTEMPTS TO HAVE GM REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE REFUSED BY GM DEALERS EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR BULLETIN WAS EXTENDED INTO 2015…

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WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES A VIBRATION IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS ALLEGEDLY REPAIRED BY A GM DEALER AT NO CHARGE. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. AT LEAST 4 OTHER ATTEMPTS TO HAVE GM REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE REFUSED BY GM DEALERS EVEN AFTER THE REPAIR BULLETIN WAS EXTENDED INTO 2015. NOT SATISFIED I CONTACTED SOMEONE AT GM AND ASKED FOR A REFERRAL TO ANOTHER DEALER IN MY LOCAL AREA. I RECEIVED IT AND TOOK IT THE REFERRED DEALER AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE VIBRATION ISSUE BUT SAID THAT BEFORE ANYTHING COULD BE DONE THE ENGINE BLOCK MOUNTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROX. $1000. I THANKED THEM AND TOOK THE CAR TO MY TRUSTED REGULAR MECHANIC. I ASKED HIM TO CHECK THE ENGINE MOUNTS (WITHOUT TELLING HIM WHAT HAPPENED AT THE GM DEALER) AND GIVE ME A REPORT. UPON INSPECTING, HE STATED THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE MOUNTS. AT THIS POINT, FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY WITH GM, I BASICALLY GAVE UP. FURTHERMORE, THIS OCCURRED AT THE TIME OF THE GM IGNITION SWITCH RECALL DEBACLE.OUR SATURN VUE ALSO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION.ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WE WERE NOT ABLE TO REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WITHOUT PLIERS AND A LOT OF TIME. IT TOOK OVER AN HOUR ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO REMOVE THE KEY. WE FOUND INFORMATION ONLINE WHERE GM ACKNOWLEDGED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE VUE IGNITION SWITCHES, BUT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THE SWITCH REPLACED RESULTED IN REFUSALS BY GM DEALERS. I THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD GIVEN THE HUGE RECALL OF IGNITION SWITCHES BY GM AT THE TIME. WE BASICALLY RECEIVED THE SAME TREATMENT CONCERNING THE REAR END POWERTRAIN VIBRATION AFTER THE INITIAL REPAIR EVEN THOUGH THE MAINTENANCE BULLETIN EXTENDED THE REPAIR PERIOD. THERE WAS AN ALTERNATE REPAIR IF THE FIRST REPAIR FAILED, BUT THE DEALER WOULDN'T HONOR IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10691694

35,000 miles · Jan 7, 2015
Power Train

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING A GRINDING SOUND. I PULLED OVER AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN DURHAM NC. THEY FIXED THE TRANSMISSION AT NO COST EXCEPT I WAS OUT THE MONEY FOR TOWING. AT THIS TIME THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AND THAT THE …

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED MAKING A GRINDING SOUND. I PULLED OVER AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN DURHAM NC. THEY FIXED THE TRANSMISSION AT NO COST EXCEPT I WAS OUT THE MONEY FOR TOWING. AT THIS TIME THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD BE REPLACED AT NO COST. FOR ME AND IF I SOLD IT. THE NEXT PERSON TO OWN THE VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY A MONTH LATER THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN ON THE CAR. I ONCE AGAIN HAD IT TOWED TO THE DURHAM SATURN AND THEY FIXED IT AT NOT PRICE. IT HAS JUST GONE OUT AGAIN 1-6-2015 AND WHEN I CALLED THE GM DEALERSHIP, I CALLED TWO OF THEM THOMPSONS GM IN RALEIGH AND HENDRICKS IN RALEIGH THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WON'T FIX IT ANYMORE THAT THEY ONLY HAD TO FIX IT FOR 5 YEARS OR 75,000 MILES OR IT WAS THEN INCREASED TO 8 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES. SO I AM OUTSIDE OF EITHER OF THESE PARAMETERS SO THEY SAID IT WAS GOING TO COST 5000.00 DOLLARS TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION. 4000.00 FOR PARTS AND APPROX.1000.00 FOR THE WORK OR THEY WILL GIVE ME 5000 DOLLAR CREDIT FOR THE CAR AS A TRADE IN ON A BRAND NEW GM VEHICLE THAT I WILL HAVE TO BUY TO GET ANY TRADE IN VALUE FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL IN PERFECT CONDITION BECAUSE I HAVE TAKEN REALLY GOOD CARE OF IT. IT IS THE FIRST VEHICLE THAT I HAVE DRIVEN OFF THE SHOWROOM FLOOR AND I LOVE IT, BUT THEY NEED TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. THE SHOULD AT LEAST OF LET ME KNOW THAT THEY WEREN'T GOING TO HONOR THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ANYMORE SO THAT I HAD A CHANCE TO GET RID OF IT BEFORE IT CAME TO THIS. THEY SAID THAT THEY SENT OUT PAPERWORK TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY ON THE CAR, BUT I WASN'T GOING TO SPEND THOUSANDS OF EXTRA DOLLARS PAYING FOR A WARRANTY THAT WOULD HAVE OBVIOUSLY NOT BEEN WORTH IT SINCE NOTHING ELSE HAS GONE WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE ONE ISSUE I WAS WORRIED ABOUT I THOUGHT WAS COVERED IN THE SUIT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10670686

67,000 miles · Sep 29, 2014
Power Train

BACK IN 2009 I RECEIVED A NOTICED ON A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND WAS REFUSED FOR ANY HELP WITH IT. I CONTACTED GM AND THEY REFUSED TO HELP ME. FOR MANY YEARS I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH NOISE, SHIFTING AND OTHER PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES IF I HAD IT IN REVERSE IT WOULD GO FORWARD AND IF I HAD IT IN DRIVE IT W…

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BACK IN 2009 I RECEIVED A NOTICED ON A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION. I TOOK IT TO MY DEALER AND WAS REFUSED FOR ANY HELP WITH IT. I CONTACTED GM AND THEY REFUSED TO HELP ME. FOR MANY YEARS I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH NOISE, SHIFTING AND OTHER PROBLEMS. SOMETIMES IF I HAD IT IN REVERSE IT WOULD GO FORWARD AND IF I HAD IT IN DRIVE IT WOULD GO INTO REVERSE. THE GEARS WOULD STICK AND MY CAR WOULD JOLT REPEATEDLY. . ON THE 27TH OF SEPTEMBER I WAS ON MY WAY TO A FRIENDS HOUSE TO REPAIR MY U JOINT . I HAD MY 2 MONTH OLD SON IN THE CAR WITH ME, WE WERE ON A BUSY RD DOING 55MPH WHEN MY CAR MADE A VERY LOUD NOISE AND JUST STOPPED. IT WAS RUNNING BUT WOULDN'T GO IN ANY GEAR. IT WAS VERY SCARY AND FEARED FOR MY SONS SAFETY. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY FRIENDS HOUSE TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT AND PIECES OF MY TRANSMISSION FELL EVERYWHERE ON THE GROUND. IT COMPLETELY BLEW. I WAS GRATEFUL WE BOTH WERE NOT INJURED. I TRIED CONTACTING GM AGAIN AND THEY DENIED ANY SUCH RECALL AND REFUSED AGAIN TO HELP ME. I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH NO JOB AND NOW NO VEHICLE. I NEED ANY HELP I CAN POSSIBLY GET. THIS HAS BEEN VERY UPSETTING AND STRESSFUL ON ME AND UNSURE WHAT TO DO. PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10639754

152,000 miles · Jul 5, 2014
Power Train

DRIVING 65MPH ON THE FREEWAY MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT DOWN SHIFT (AUTOMATIC) AND STARTED MAKING A TERRIBLE LOUD VIBRATING NOISE. LETTING OFF THE GAS HOPING AND THINKING IT WOULD DOWN SHIFT, THE CAR STARTED TO TOTALLY SLOW DOWN. SCARED BEING ON A FREEWAY WE PULLED TO THE SIDE, PUT ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS - WE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND …

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DRIVING 65MPH ON THE FREEWAY MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT DOWN SHIFT (AUTOMATIC) AND STARTED MAKING A TERRIBLE LOUD VIBRATING NOISE. LETTING OFF THE GAS HOPING AND THINKING IT WOULD DOWN SHIFT, THE CAR STARTED TO TOTALLY SLOW DOWN. SCARED BEING ON A FREEWAY WE PULLED TO THE SIDE, PUT ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS - WE PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND TRIED STARTING AGAIN BUT THE CAR WOULD NEVER GET ABOVE 40MPH. WE CRAWLED ALONG AT ABOUT 30MPH TO FIND AN EXIT RAMP, CALLED A TOW TRUCK ($300 FOR BEING OUT OF TOWN) TO BE TOWED BACK TO OUR MECHANIC SHOP. FOUND THE TORQUE CONVERTER WENT BAD WHICH "TOASTED" THE TRANSMISSION. WE ENDED UP REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION WITH A SAME YEAR AND MODEL AS THE OLD ONE. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICES THAT THERE HAD BEEN PRIOR ISSUES AND I AM NOW TERRIFIED THAT THIS ONE WILL GO BAD AS I HAVE RECENTLY READ THAT THESE HAVE HAD PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10608376

30,000 miles · Jul 1, 2014
Electrical SystemPower Train

SINCE I HAVE HAD MY 2005 SATURN VUE I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS. MY SHIFTING LINKAGE HAS GONE OUR SEVERAL TIMES. LEAVING ME IN WHATEVER GEAR I'M IN. THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AT 65MPH THREE (3) TIMES! COMING DOWN A HILL AT 50MPH MY TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM 5TH TO 2ND! THAT BLEW MY CLUTCH! ($2000) MY LINKAGE WAS FIXED (THEORETI…

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SINCE I HAVE HAD MY 2005 SATURN VUE I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS. MY SHIFTING LINKAGE HAS GONE OUR SEVERAL TIMES. LEAVING ME IN WHATEVER GEAR I'M IN. THIS HAD HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY AT 65MPH THREE (3) TIMES! COMING DOWN A HILL AT 50MPH MY TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM 5TH TO 2ND! THAT BLEW MY CLUTCH! ($2000) MY LINKAGE WAS FIXED (THEORETICALLY) BY THREE DEALERSHIPS WHICH DID NOT LAST. ONE ONLY SIX (6) MONTHS! MY 5TH GEAR AND REVERSE DISAPPEARED IN MARCH OF 2014 ($1600) THEN AGAIN MY LINKAGE CABLES WOULDN'T WORK ($448) AND I HAD THEM REPLACED.FINALLY MY SHIFTING FORK FOR THREE (3) GEARS HAD TO BE REPLACED, THAT WAS ANOTHER $336! ON TOP OF ALL THIS MY IGNITION, AFTER A YEAR OF OWNING THIS CAR, I BOUGHT IT NEW, MY KEY WOULD FALL OUT IF MY KNEE HIT IT. WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING! IF I TURNED THE KEY TO THE LOCKED POSITION IT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL JIGGLES TO GET IT TO TURN TO THE RIGHT! WHEN I TOOK IT THE LAST TWO (2) FOR TRANSMISSION FIXES THE SHOP COULD NOT START THE CAR! I HAD TO BICYCLE 3 MILES TO THE SHOP TO GET IT STARTED! THE SHIFTING LINKAGE, TRANSMISSION AND KEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM! I AM THINKING OF SUING GM! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10607482

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.