← New search

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.

About this comparison →

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

What owners actually said

170 reports
30,000 miles · Mar 16, 2009
Power Train

CAR LOSES POWER. HAPPENS FREQUENTLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND HAS NEARLY CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THREE YEARS, AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. SATURN SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, BUT IT WILL COST US $1200 + TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED AND POSSIBLY REPAIRED.*TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED FR…

Read full complaint

CAR LOSES POWER. HAPPENS FREQUENTLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND HAS NEARLY CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THREE YEARS, AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. SATURN SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, BUT IT WILL COST US $1200 + TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED AND POSSIBLY REPAIRED.*TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHILE IN TRAFFIC. UPDATED 09/23/09

NHTSA ODI #10262008

56,586 miles · Jan 9, 2009
SeatsFire

THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER MALFUNCTIONED BURNING A HOLE THROUGH THE UPHOLSTERY AND MY SWEATER AS I DROVE MY 2 MINUTES TO WORK. I TURNED THE HEAT SEAT ON THE LOWEST SETTING FOR WARMTH AND WITHIN THE COMMUTE FROM HOME TO WORK, IT MALFUNCTIONED. THERE IS A 2 CM HOLE IN MY CAR SEAT AND MY SWEATER HAS BURN MARKS ON IT. I TURNED OFF …

Read full complaint

THE DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER MALFUNCTIONED BURNING A HOLE THROUGH THE UPHOLSTERY AND MY SWEATER AS I DROVE MY 2 MINUTES TO WORK. I TURNED THE HEAT SEAT ON THE LOWEST SETTING FOR WARMTH AND WITHIN THE COMMUTE FROM HOME TO WORK, IT MALFUNCTIONED. THERE IS A 2 CM HOLE IN MY CAR SEAT AND MY SWEATER HAS BURN MARKS ON IT. I TURNED OFF THE HEATER AS SOON AS I FELT THE OVER HEATING ON MY REAREND, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10254377

Mileage unknown · Jan 7, 2009
Visibility

IN BELOW ZERO WEATHER WINDOW WASHER FLUID DOES NOT COME OUT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS TRUE WITH MOST GM VEHICLES AND THE AUTO COMPANIES KNOW IT BUT HAVE NOT PUT OUT A BULLETIN. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IF YOU TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT FOR CERTAIN YEARS THE MANUFACTURE MAKE THE TUBE FOR THE FLUID SMALLE…

Read full complaint

IN BELOW ZERO WEATHER WINDOW WASHER FLUID DOES NOT COME OUT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS TRUE WITH MOST GM VEHICLES AND THE AUTO COMPANIES KNOW IT BUT HAVE NOT PUT OUT A BULLETIN. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IF YOU TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER THEY WILL TELL YOU THAT FOR CERTAIN YEARS THE MANUFACTURE MAKE THE TUBE FOR THE FLUID SMALLER AND SO IT FREEZES. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE MANUFACTURERS FIXED THIS ON LATER MODELS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE DEALER WILL OFFER SOME SORT OF CONCENTRATED WIPER SOLUTION THAT WON'T FREEZE. I FIND IT RIDICULOUS THAT I CAN'T FIND ANYTHING ABOUT THIS ON YOUR SITE AS I KNOW AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE WITH GM CARS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10254091

104,000 miles · Dec 1, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

IGNITION CONTROL MODULE FAILED ON MY 2005 SATURN VUE, EQUIPPED WITH 2.2L L4 ENGINE. CYLINDERS 2 & 3 MISFIRED, CAUSING SECONDARY FAILURE OF THE OXYGEN SENSORS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER AFTER DRIVING IT ONLY 10 MILES TO DEALERSHIP AFTER PRIMARY FAILURE OCCURRED. THIS IS IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEM THAT IS THE SUBJECT FOR RECALL OF SE…

Read full complaint

IGNITION CONTROL MODULE FAILED ON MY 2005 SATURN VUE, EQUIPPED WITH 2.2L L4 ENGINE. CYLINDERS 2 & 3 MISFIRED, CAUSING SECONDARY FAILURE OF THE OXYGEN SENSORS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER AFTER DRIVING IT ONLY 10 MILES TO DEALERSHIP AFTER PRIMARY FAILURE OCCURRED. THIS IS IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEM THAT IS THE SUBJECT FOR RECALL OF SEVERAL OTHER SATURN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE SAME ENGINE. THE REPAIR COST ME APPROXIMATELY $250 FOR THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, $150 FOR OXYGEN SENSORS AND AN AS YET UNDETERMINED AMOUNT FOR THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10250422

67,000 miles · Nov 10, 2008
Engine And Engine Cooling

TIMING CHAIN BROKEN ON A 2005 SATURN VUE AT 67,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10248358

50,000 miles · Oct 23, 2008
Power TrainSuspension

MANUAL TRANSMISSION ON 2005 SATURN VUE 4 CYL FAILED AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES. LOST THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND COULD NOT SHIFT THE CAR AT ALL. OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY. GOT IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. SLAVE UNIT FAILED, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE CLUTCH TO BE REPLACED. PAID ABOUT $18…

Read full complaint

MANUAL TRANSMISSION ON 2005 SATURN VUE 4 CYL FAILED AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES. LOST THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND COULD NOT SHIFT THE CAR AT ALL. OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY. GOT IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. SLAVE UNIT FAILED, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE CLUTCH TO BE REPLACED. PAID ABOUT $1800.00 FOR THE REPAID AND SATURN WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CARS. DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES AND SUSPENSION FAILURES ON THE CARS. I AM NOT EXPERIENCING MORE TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS. I FEEL THAT SATURN/GM IS AWARE OF DEFECTIVE PARTS IN THEIR CARS AND REFUSE TO MAKE THE PROPER REPAIRS NEEDED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10246496

Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2008
Power Train

2005 SATURN VUE V6 TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 86,000 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10235597

54,000 miles · Jul 15, 2008
Power Train

I OWN A 2005 SATURN VUE WITH 54,000 MILES AND HAVE, FOR THE PAST YEAR, EXPERIENCED A SHUDDER IN THE TRANSMISSION BETWEEN 25 AND 40 MPH. THE SHUDDER OCCURS REGULARLY DURING SLOW ACCELERATION. THE DEALERSHIP HASN'T, UNTIL RECENTLY, BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOW TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW TORQUE CONVER…

Read full complaint

I OWN A 2005 SATURN VUE WITH 54,000 MILES AND HAVE, FOR THE PAST YEAR, EXPERIENCED A SHUDDER IN THE TRANSMISSION BETWEEN 25 AND 40 MPH. THE SHUDDER OCCURS REGULARLY DURING SLOW ACCELERATION. THE DEALERSHIP HASN'T, UNTIL RECENTLY, BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOW TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER, WHICH WILL BE INSTALLED TOMORROW. IN ADDITION, I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCE SQUEAKING IN MY SUSPENSION EVERYTIME I TURN OR GO OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. MY CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND SHOULDN'T BE EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS. I WILL NOW BE TAKING MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE SUSPENSION LOOKED AT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10234369

Mileage unknown · Jun 3, 2008
Electrical SystemSteering

SATURN VUE WITH SPORADIC ELECTRONIC FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FAILURE CONSISTS OF THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND GAUGES GOING TO ZERO. ALSO WHEN THE LIGHTS MALFUNCTION THE POWER STEERING IS DECREASED OR STOPS COMPLETELY. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10230609

47,985 miles · Nov 5, 2007
Fuel System, Other

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN VUE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE TURBULENT INJECTOR SYSTEM WAS SEPARATING, WHICH CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE FUEL LINES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAI…

Read full complaint

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN VUE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE TURBULENT INJECTOR SYSTEM WAS SEPARATING, WHICH CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE FUEL LINES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 47,985.

NHTSA ODI #10207996

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.