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2002-2010 · 9 model years

Saturn Vue Problems by year

Owners have filed 2,404 complaints about the Saturn Vue across 9 model years, and it has 7 recalls. The 2003 has the most complaints once its age is allowed for (632), while 2010 has far fewer than a typical year. The most reported problem area is the electrical system, followed by the transmission & drivetrain.

Most complaints for its age2003632 complaints · 1 recallSee the 2003
Complaints
2,404
Recalls
7
Crashes
135
Fires
49
Injuries
108
Deaths
1

Vue complaints by model year

Highlighted: the year with the most complaints for its age. Older vehicles have had more time to collect complaints - the Safety Index grade allows for that.

YearComplaintsRecallsCrashesFiresTop problemGrade
20106001Electrical systemA
2009125283Electrical systemB
200840631611Transmission & drivetrainD
20073120116Electrical systemC
20063000186Electrical systemC
20051700153Electrical systemB
20042762235Transmission & drivetrainC
20036321309Transmission & drivetrainF
20021772145Electrical systemB

Most common Vue problems

Saturn Vue recalls 7

Steering: arm

08V6160002,149 vehicles affected

Gm is recalling 2,149 my 2009 saturn vue vehicles. Some of these vehicles may have been built with an incorrect right and/or left front steering knuckle. As a result of the incorrect knuckle and resulting inadequate clearance, the tie rod ball stud could...

Equipment: labels

03V5190006,134 vehicles affected

Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with 3.5L v6 (l66) engines fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "Tire selection and rims for vehicles other than passenger cars." The front and rear wheel rim size...

Latest Vue complaints

2003 Saturn VueTransmission & drivetrainEngine & coolingFuel system

This is more information related to Complaint 11761129: After online researching of other '03 2.2L Saturn Vue-owners stalling experiences, it appears that this vehicle has a long history of others like me: an unsafe, unpredictable stalling problem which carries no warnings or logging of error codes to trace the TRUE ORIGIN of problem. (How much did others spend on repairs that appeared to fix the problem by elapsing time enough for the problem to return to normal without the "repair"?) I stress that when all is...

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working fine, the driver feels secure because there's no sign of a problem or trace left of the problem. The vehicle did run for years-at-a-time in a stable, reliable fashion. Once the stalling episodes pass, it felt OK to continue driving for years because everything is fine again. Looking back at the times when the stalling occurred, I was always lucky enough to recover and continue driving normally and trustfully for years before the next occurrence. Now I wonder what could have happened if the stall occurred while in more split-second decision, critical situations. I feel really stuck right now because I'm older with an undrivable vehicle. Please advise

Filed Incident Power train · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11761762
2003 Saturn VueTransmission & drivetrainEngine & coolingFuel system

Car stalled while driving in traffic [redacted]. Engine died. Warning lights ON. Restarted. Stalled 3 more times in traffic but luckily had space to pull off & engine restarted. Made it into my garage. Restarted, Check Engine Light was ON, but went OFF after time. Car would NOT move in gear. Retried several times. Presently ([redacted]) will crank but WON'T start. Battery good. Looking for anything else obvious. (Had similar problem after buying in 2006 on at least 4 different dates, but restarted after EITHER:...

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left overnight or after battery disconnect/reset: No Check Engine Light after relearning cycles. Successfully passed all emission tests since ownership.) I have about 34,000 miles on odometer. Have had NO other memorable problems except stalling problems. After first stalling years ago, a Saturn dealer on [[redacted]] replaced VTi transmission fluid & "reprogrammed" the ECM. I have no receipts or records now & that dealer is long gone. Please advise. Thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Incident Power train · Engine · Fuel / propulsion systemNHTSA 11761129
2005 Saturn VueElectrical system

The contact owns a 2005 Saturn VUE. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ignition key fell out of the ignition switch and the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the key failed to fit back in the ignition switch. The contact turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the parts were discontinued. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The...

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contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

Filed Incident Electrical systemNHTSA 11751633
2003 Saturn VueElectrical system

The contact owns a 2003 Saturn Vue. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V490000 (Electrical System). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed the recall repair; however, the new ignition keys provided under the remedy failed to start the vehicle. The contact had to use the old key to start the vehicle. Additionally, the battery was replaced twice because the vehicle failed to turn off, causing the battery to drain. The vehicle needed to be jump-started. The dealer was made aware...

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of the failure and informed the contact to have the vehicle towed to the dealer for assistance. The contact stated that she was disabled and had returned the license plates to the DMV. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

Filed Incident Electrical systemNHTSA 11750294
2008 Saturn VueSteeringElectrical systemEngine & coolingFire

I noticed a few days ago that the wheel was getting harder to turn so I made a maintenance appointment for Saturday I was driving to work in Texas in Fort Worth coming from Arlington today and smoke started coming from under the hood I pulled over and it was smoking I was on the highway so to get off the highway in a safe area I had to drive about 5 more miles up the road to the next exit so I started driving it didn't smoke right off so a couple of minutes into the drive it starts smoking so I finally get to the...

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exit smoke is now coming through the vents , I hurry and pull over and go to open the door it wouldn't open I then I climb over and get out the back door I go into the business parking lot at this point it's engulfed in black smoke and then it starts burning.

Filed Incident Steering · Electrical system · EngineNHTSA 11733687
2006 Saturn VueAirbagsCrash2 injuries

The contact owned a 2006 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that while driving at a slow speed under the 50 MPH speed limit, the vehicle slid on a patch of black ice; the contact was able to correct the vehicle. The contact stated that there was snow on the ground. Soon afterwards, the vehicle slid on another patch of black; the vehicle slid across the road and hit the embankment head-on. The vehicle went up the embankment and down to the ditch below, where the vehicle landed on the driver's side, where it came to a...

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stop. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that none of the air bags deployed. A police report was filed. Afterwards, the contact and the contact's daughter stopped by the clinic. The contact suffered minor injuries to the chest caused by the seat belt. The contact had bruises across the chest. The contact's daughter was in the front passenger seat, and her head hit the windshield. The daughter sustained a bump on the head, which turned out to be a mild concussion, and some bruises. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The insurance company was notified of the accident. The contact was unsure if the insurance company had declared the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Incident Air bagsNHTSA 11705678

Questions about the Saturn Vue

Which Saturn Vue years have the most problems?

By the number of complaints owners filed with NHTSA: 2003 (632), 2008 (406), 2007 (312). Allowing for how long each has been on the road, the 2003 stands out most. Complaint counts also rise with sales, so compare years of the same model rather than different models.

Which Saturn Vue years have the fewest complaints?

Among model years that have been on the road for at least three years, 2010, 2009, 2002 have the best Safety Index - the fewest complaints, crashes and recalls for their age compared with other Vue years. Always check the exact vehicle's recalls by VIN before you buy.

What are the most common Saturn Vue problems?

Across every model year, owners report problems with the electrical system (707), transmission & drivetrain (661), airbags (319) most often.

How many recalls does the Saturn Vue have?

NHTSA lists 7 recalls across all Saturn Vue model years. Each year's page lists the recalls for that year; check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether the repair has been done.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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