2003 Saturn Vue Complaint Log

I HAD A THREE-CAR ACCIDENT ON HIGHWAY 258 SOUTH IN TARBORO, NORTH CAROLINA ON JUNE 1, 2003. MY CAR IS A SATURN SL1 2003. THE LADY IN FRONT OF ME CAME TO COMPLETE STOP MAKING A LEFT TURN. I THEN QUICKLY STOPPED BUT THE COUPLE BEHIND ME WERE NOT ABLE TO STOP. A MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR TOOK PLACE ON THE BACKEND. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT MADE MY CAR HIT THE LADY IN FRONT OF ME. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS AS IS THE CAR BEHIND ME. MY COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE DRIVERS BUCKET SEAT. AT IMPACT, THE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. I SEE MANY YOUNG CHILDREN THAT SIT DIRECTLY BEHIND THE DRIVER AND THINK THIS IS A VERY BIG RISK. IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN IN THE BACKSEAT OF MY CAR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED. *AK

DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING WITH MY V6 AWD VUE I WAS AT 72 MPH ON CRUISE CONTROL AND STARTED A LONG INCLINE. INITIALLY RPM'S WERE ABOUT 2500, CAR DOWNSHIFTED TO 3500 RPM THEN AGAIN TO 4500 RPM. AFTER INCLINE THE TERRAIN BECAME FLAT AND THE RPM STAYED AT 4500 AND WOULD NOT UPSHIFT AUTOMATICALLY AS I WOULD EXPECT. I WAITED FOR ABOUT 2 MILES AND THEN TOOK ONE MPH OFF OF THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THEN CAR UPSHIFTED TO 2500 RPM. TOOK CAR INTO DEALER NEXT WORKING DAY AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I'VE BEEN DRIVING FOR 25 YEARS AND NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS BEFORE. I HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THE DRIVETRAIN.

THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT DIDN'T FIT THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE COMPLETELY. AS A RESULT, THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE VIBRATED. THE TRANSMISSION HAD MADE A KNOCKING SOUND WHICH HAD COME FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER HEAT SHIELD. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN DOWN AN INCLINE, IT WOULD MAKE A NOISE. (MICHAEL LIVINGSTON IS THE SECOND CONSUMER IN REFERENCE TO THIS COMPLAINT) TS SCC

WE HAVE CONTINUALLY HAD OUR STRUTS ADJUSTED/AND OR REPLACED. WE HAVE BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR REPAIR MORE THAN 15 TIMES IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS. WE HAVE HAD THE STRUTS REPLACED AT LEAST 4 TIMES AND HAD TO HAVE TIRES REPLACED DUE TO ALIGNMENT ISSUES CAUSED BY THE STRUT PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS FIRST BROUGHT IN ABOUT 11 DAYS AFTER PURCHASE AND ALMOST EVERY MONTH - MONTH AND A HALF SINCE THEN.*AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS BROKEN DOWN 3X IN THE LAST 5 DAYS. DEALER HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE "BCM", THE MAIN BRAIN/COMPUTER OF THE VEHICLE IS FAILING. TS

WINDSHIELD WASHER SPRAYER SPRAYED TOO LOW ONTO THE WINDSHIELD. DEALER STATES IT WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE SPRAY TOUCHED ONLY THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD.*AK

THE PADDING ON THE HORN WAS SO THICK THAT IT WAS HARD TO BLOW, AND WHEN FINDING IT UNDER THE COVERING, THE CONSUMER HAD TO STRIKE IT WITH FORCE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE DESIGN. *AK *TC BLOWING THE HORN REQUIRED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED AT A PRECISE LOCATION. *SC *JB

THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE DESIGN OF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE LOWER CONDENSER ARE EXPOSED TO DAMAGE BY ROCK AND GRAVEL STRIKING FROM THE ROAD, THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ARE NOTIFIED. MR THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT A SHEILD OR DEVICE SHOULD INSTALLED TO PROTECT THE UNIT. THE CONSUMER WILL ALSO EXPECT SATURN TO REPLACE THE UNIT REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE SHOULD THE UINT FAIL BECAUSE OF DAMAGE. *SCC

VIBRATION IN POWERTRAIN AFTER FIRMWARE UPGRADE....

HORN DOESN'T HONK OR ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO HONK UNTIL TOO LATE

2003 VUE AWD VTI 4-CYL  TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 10,229 MILES, DEALERSHIP REPAIRED. TRANSMISSION MAKES METALLIC RUBBING NOISE WHENEVER CAR IS DRIVEN FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUETS. ONLY HAPPENS ONCE CAR IS WARM. DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THEY ADDED SPECIAL FLUIDS WHICH TOOK CARE OF PROBLEM FOR 8,000 MILES. NOISE IS BACK. *AK

WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL LOST COMPLETE CONTROL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO KEEP IN THE SAME DIRECTION. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS. *AK

HORN IS TO DIFFICULT TO PUSH IN ORDER FOR THE HORN TO BLOW. *PH THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE HORN BUTTON REQUIRES TOO MUCH PRESSURE TO ACTIVATE. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE AND HIS WIFE (78 AND 80 YEARS OLD) DON NOT POSSES THE STRENGTH REQUIRED TO BLOW THE HORNS. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF ANYTHING COULD BE DONE . THE DEALER CHECKED THE VEHICLE AND INDICATED THAT THE WAS NO REMEDY. *NM

REAR SUSPENSION UNSAFE. *BF THROUGH THE MEDIA THE CONSUMER BECAME AWARE OF HER VEHICLE'S REAR SUSPENSION PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE NHTSA TEST WAS NOT RELIABLE AN D THAT THE REPAIRS COULD NOT BE DONE UNTIL OCTOBER 2004. *NM

2003 SATURN VUE VTI WITH A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. CUSTOMER STATES THAT IT HAS BEEN MANY REPOSTS OF BAD TRANSMISSIONS**CC *TR

2003 VUE CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD A RECALL AND AFTER HAVING IT FIX IT BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER THEN THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED**CC THE DRIVERS DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE, THE BRAKES SQUEALED WHENEVER THE CONSUMER BACKED-UP AND THE REAR WIPER WAS REPLACED. *JB

2003 SATURN VUE WITH ACCELERATION PROBLEMS. CUSTOMER STATES THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES WILL NOT ACCELERATE. MECHANIC TOLD HER THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE FIXED OR REPLACED. AFTER THE REPAIR WAS MADE, THE CAR IS SOMETIMES HARD TO ACCELERATE OR IT OVER ACCELERATES. *KB THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND IT SMELLED LIKE BURNT RUBBER. THE CONSUMER RETURNED THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER, HOWEVER WHEN SHE PICKED IT UP AND BEGAN TO DRIVE, SEVERAL THINGS STARTED TO HAPPEN:THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE, AS SHE PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE WOULD BOLT AND SPEED UP, AND JUST BEFORE ARRIVING HOME, IT SLOWED DOWN AGAIN AND THE CONSUMER WAS BARELY ABLE TO PARK THE VEHICLE. *JB

DUE TO THE HORN DESIGN, ON THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG, AT NIGHT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO ACTIVATE THE HORN.

CONSUMER STATES THAT HEADLIGHTS ARE OUT OF ALIGNMENT, REDUCING VISIBILITY DURING NIGHT DRIVING. DEALER HAS ADJUSTED TWICE, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE HAS ALMOST ROLLED OVER ON SEVERAL INSTANCES DUE TO THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE FUNCTION NOT ENGAGING WHEN ROAD CONDITIONS NECESSITATE.*AK

THE CONSUMER STATED WATER LEAKED INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED AN UNSAFE DISTRACTION WHEN DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER.*AK CONSUMER ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND HER MAIN CONCERN WAS THE ALL WHEEL DRIVE. THE CONSUMER WAS SCARED OF THE VEHICLE AND HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE DEALER. SHE WOULD LIKE SATURN TO BUY THE VEHICLE BACK. *PH *JB

WHEN USING THE RESUME BUTTON ON CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM THE BUTTON STICKS AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. DEALER REPLACED THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM. *AK

CONSUMER STATED AFTER SHIFTING GEAR INTO DRIVE WHILE GOING DOWN HILL TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT ENGAGE. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, THE NEXT DAY THE CONSUMER NOTICED A FUEL PUDDLE UNDER THE VEHICLE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC NOTICED THE FUEL LINES HAD A HOLE IN THEM AND HAD TO REPLACED THEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK, THE DRIVER PULLED THE DOOR HANDLE TO EXIT. THE LOCKING MECHANISM FAILED TO RELEASE OR DISENGAGE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS ON AN INCLINE, THE TRANSMISSION SHUT DOWN. THE VEHICLE HAS FRONT WHEEL DRIVE WHICH WAS EFFECTED BY THIS METHOD. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS................................................................*JB

HORN FAILED TO ENGAGE WHEN THE BOTTON WAS DEPRESSED. DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A FRONT END BRAKE PROBLEM. DEALER STATED BRAKES WERE REPAIRED, AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. LATER THAT DAY, WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE FRONT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MIDAS SHOP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS WERE CORRODED , AND IT WAS CAUSING THE ROTORS AND PADS TO WEAR UNEVENLY AND PREMATURELY. *AK

WHEN DRIVING ENGINE MADE A RINGING NOISE. IT ELEVATED AND DECREASED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO CLAIMED IT WAS JUST A MINOR DEFECT. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED IT WAS OKAY. *AK