2004 Saturn Vue Complaint Log

NEW VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 2,500 MILES-2004 VUE. THEY WANT TO "FIX" REPLACE/REPAIR ENGINE FAILURE. WE KNOW THAT OTHER SYSTEMS CAN/WILL BE AFFECTED BY TOTAL BREAKDOWN ON INTERSTATE-IMMEDIATE ENGINE BLOW-NO POWER ETC. WE ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE "OFFER" OF REPAIR AND MINIMUM "WARRANTY" COVERAGE AS "ADDITIONALLY COURTESY OFFER". *JB

ELECTRICAL INTERMITTENT FAILURES. UNABLE TO LOCK OR UNLOCK USING REMOTE CONTROL, HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHT, DASH LIGHTS, RADIO (ALL ELECTRICAL EXCEPT ENGINE ACCESSORIES) FAIL RANDOMLY. ON ONE OCCASSION ALL INTERIOR & EXTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT ON A DARK HIGHWAY. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY BUT HAD NO HAZARD LIGHTS (AND PRESUMABLY NO BRAKE LIGHTS) TO WARN OTHER TRAFFIC. WIGGLING THE INTERIOR FUSE PANEL RESTORED POWER. LATER CHECKS OF ALL RELAYS AND FUSES REVEALED NO CONTACT OR COMPONENT FAILURES IN EITHER IN INTERIOR OR UNDER-HOOD ELECTRICAL PANELS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION FOUND NO NOTICEABLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR PROBLEMS.*AK

2004 SATURN VUE PURCHASED IN JULY. CLOSED REAR HATCH AFTER UNLOADING GROCERIES AND ENTIRE BACK WINDOW SHATTERED INTO THE CAR ON ME. NO EVIDENCE PRIOR TO THE SHATTERING OF A CRACK OR ANY OBJECT HITTING THE BACK WINDOW. IT WAS FINE WHEN I LOADED THE GROCERIES AND SHATTERED AFTER I GOT BACK HOME.*AK

04 SATURN VUE,(ONLY)11,000 MILES. PROBLEMS STARTING AND NOT CRANKING PROPERLY.PROBLEM PROGRESSIVLY GOT WORSE.DEALER IS NOW REPLACING THE ENTIRE WIREING HARNESS IN THE DASH.CUST.SERV.WRITER SAID "YOU HAVE SOME BAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS , SOME PINS WHERE NOT CONNECTING PROPERLY TO START YOUR VEHICLE." THIS MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFURTABLE WITH MY NEW SATURN VUE.MY DEALER NAME IS [XXX] OF JACKSON MS.THEY HAVE HAD MY TRUCK SINCE JAN 4TH AND IT WILL HOPEFULLY BE READY BY THE 10. THEY HAD TO CALL IN A SPECIAL TECHNITION. THANKS , [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

INCORRECT GAS GAUGE READING. 11 GAL. TANK IS CLOSE TO EMPTY AT THE 1/2 MARK. HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE THE DAY PURCHASED, BUT UNTIL I SAW THE NEWS ABOUT OTHER GM VEHICLES LAST EVENING, I WASN'T AWARE WHO TO PLACE A COMPLAINT WITH. AT THE 1/2 MARK, TAKES 7-8 GAL. OF GAS TO TOP OFF. SHOCKED AT FIRST GAS PURCHASE AFTER BUYING CAR SINCE GAUGE WAS READING 1/2 FULL; ADJUSTED MY GAS PURCHASES ACCORDINGLY OVER THE YEARS, ALWAYS KEEPING WATCHFUL EYE ON GAUGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WOULD EASILY MOVE FROM OFF TO ON, SKIPPING THE ACCESSORY POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING AS THE DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000. PM UPDATED 8/11/14*CN UPDATED 08/21/2014 *JS

I PURCHASED A 2004 SATURN VIEW, NEW, AUGUST 21, 2004. ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2004 I DROVE THROUGH WATER ON THE ROAD, ANKLE DEEP. THE ENGINE STOPPED, AND IT HAD TO BE TOWED. THE CAR HAD 2,000 MILES ON IT. THE MECHANIC WHO WAS SENT BY SATURN'S 800 ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE NUMBER LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID I PROBABLY BURNED OUT THE ALTERNATOR BECAUSE IT'S ON THE BOTTOM. HE SAID THE PROBLEM WAS TO BE RECTIFIED ON THE 2005 MODEL. WHEN I CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 9/20 THE SERVICE PERSON (EITHER JACOB OR BRIAN) I SPOKE TO SAID THAT THE AIR INTAKE, NEAR THE BOTTOM HAD SUCKED ROAD WATER INTO THE ENGINE AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE. IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE WHEN I DROVE THROUGH THE WATER IT CREATED A WAVE AND THE WAVE WATER WAS SUCKED INTO THE AIR INTAKE. THEY WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TAKEN APART. HE ALSO SAID IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE WARRANTY BECAUSE IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT (ALTHOUGH I WOULD BEG TO DIFFER SINCE WHAT MANUFACTURER PUTS AN AIR INTAKE WHERE ROAD WATER CAN BE SUCKED INTO THE ENGINE) AND HE ALSO SAID THE L300 MODEL ALSO HAVE THEIR AIR INTAKE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE. I CONTACTED SATURN IN TENNESSEE (CLAIM 1-13554677) AND AN AREA SERVICE MANAGER NAMED MARCIA TOLD ME THAT AFTER THEY REVIEWED MY SITUATION THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME. WHAT I HAVE IS AN SUV WITH AN AIR INTAKE THAT IS IN A POSITION WHERE EVERY TIME THERE'S WATER, I RISK DAMAGING MY ENGINE , AND THE LAST 3 YEARS WE'VE AVERAGED 103 INCHES OF SNOW EACH WINTER). I DID ASK SATURN TO GET ME OUT OF THIS VEHICLE AS IT IS NOT FIT FOR PERFORMANCE AS WARRANTED FOR AN SUV, BUT THEY SAID NO. THIS VEHICLE, BY EXPLANATION FROM THE MECHANIC AND SERVICE PERSON, WAS DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED WHICH CAUSED THE AIR INTAKE TO SUCK WATER INTO THE ENGINE DAMAGING IT. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR LOOKING INTO THIS AND HOPEFULLY BEING ABLE TO OFFER ME A SOLUTION TO MY HAVING TO RETAIN A DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED, UNRELIABLE VEHICLE. *AK

I AM OFTEN FINDING MY SATURN SUV HYDROPLANING IN THE RAIN....NOT ONLY MY VUE BUT MY STEP BROTHER'S VUE WAS TOTALLED WHEN HE HYDROPLANED INTO A SEMI ON THE HIGHWAY. AN ASSOCIATE OF HIS ALSO TOTALLED HIS VUE BY HYDROPLANING....I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE I HAVE TOO HAVE HAD INSTANCES OF HYDROPLANING. MY VUE IS THE MAIN TRANSPORATION OF MY CHILDREN AND I DO NOT FEAL SECURE OR SAFE DRIVING THEM WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET OR IT IS RAINING.*AK

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE WINDOW VIBRATES AND MAKES A NOISE. OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *NM

DT: THE CALLER SAID THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO TURN. SHE SAYS IT MAKES A SQUEALING NOISE. ONCE THE STEERING LOCKED. SHE HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. SHE SAID IT HAPPENED WHEN SHE WAS TURNING INTO PARKING SPOTS, DRIVEWAYS, AND WHILE TURNING CORNERS. IT STARTED HAPPENING WITHOUT WARNING, AND IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DEALER DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. THEY REPLACED SOMETHING CALLED STEERING SHAFT INTERMEDIATE. ALSO, THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER HOUSING TO FIX THE LOCKING. THEY REPLACED IT THREE TIMES. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WILL CONTINUE TO HELP THE CALLER WITH THE REPAIRS. BUT SHE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE. *AK *JB

VEHICLE WAS RECALLED, AND IT WILL BE 45-60 DAYS BEFORE THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE, THEY WILL SEND HER A LETTER. MANUFACTURER STATED TO CONSUMER THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE TO DO RECALL REPAIRS ON THE . SUSPENSION SEAL. THEY WERE NOT FORCED TO DO THIS, AND WOULD NOT DO IT ON THEIR OWN.*AK

VEHICLE WAS RECALLED, AND THERE WILL BE 45-60 DAYS BEFORE THE PART WILL BE AVAILABLE, THEY WILL SEND CONSUMER A LETTER. MANUFACTURER STATED TO CONSUMER THEY DID NOT HAVE TO DO RECALL REPAIRS ON THE . REAR SUSPENSION SEAL. THEY WERE NOT FORCED TO DO THIS, AND THEY WOULD NOT DO IT ON THEIR OWN.*AK

MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2004 SATURN VUE ON MONDAY, JULY 26, HE APPARENTLY HIT A PATCH OF GRAVEL WHICH CAUSED HIM TO LOSE CONTROL. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IT WENT INTO THE DITCH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL COLLAPSED AND THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED. THERE IS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE ON THE FRONT END AND PASSENGER SIDE, AS WELL AS TO THE SHIFT CASING INSIDE THE VUE FROM WHEN MY SON'S KNEE SLAMMED INTO IT. THE VEHICLE IS STILL BEING ESTIMATED FOR INSURANCE PURPOSES (EITHER TO TOTAL IT OR REPAIR IT).*AK

NEW 2004 SATURN VUE(2WD) WITH 3.5 LITER V6, PURCHASED IN JULY 2004 1ST SYMPTOM: POOR FUEL EFFICIENCY 16MPG CITY INSTEAD OF 20MPG; WORSE DURING RAIN 22-24MPG HWY INSTEAD OF 28MPG; 19MPG OVERALL AVERAGE -DEALER RESPONSE NORMAL FOR FIRST 5K MILES, I'M NOW OVER 8K 2ND SYMPTOM: ENGINE BACKFIRES AFTER COLD START; WORSE DURING RAIN -DEALER RESPONSE NO TROUBLE FOUND, CHANGED OIL 3RD SYMPTOM: SLOW TO START WHEN PARKED ON SLIGHT UPWARD INCLINE -HAVEN'T NOTIFIED DEALER YET 4TH SYMPTOM: LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON BUT COOLANT LEVEL WAS OK -WILL BE TAKING IT IN TO DEALER I'M CONCERNED ABOUT TAKING IT IN FOR SERVICE AFTER READING SIMILAR REPORTS ON THIS VEHICLE AND NUMEROUS TALES OF POOR RESOLUTION. PLEASE NOTIFY OR POST ABOUT ANY NEW BULLETINS OR RESOLUTIONS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL.*AK

I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON JULY 14, 2004 WHILE IN MY 2004 SATURN VUE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. I WAS HIT ON THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE AREA AND THE BACK TIRE BENT UNDER THE CAR AND MY SATURN WAS TIPPED OVER AND SPUN AROUND WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE DOWN ON THE PAVEMENT. THIS WAS NOT A HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT. I WAS PROBABLY ABOUT 20MILES PER HOUR AND THE PERSON THAT HIT WAS PROBABLY BETWEEN 25-35MPH. MY SATURN VUE SUSTAINED ABOUT $10,500 DAMAGE SOME OF WHICH WAS THE REAR SUSPENSION. I DO NOT YET KNOW OF THE FINAL OUTCOME WITH THE INSURANCE WHETHER IT WILL BE REPAIRED OR TOTALLED. I JUST HAPPENED TO READ THE KANSAS CITY STAR TODAY 7-27-04 ABIYT TGE GOVERNMENT SAFETY AGENCY INVESTIGATING THE SATURN VUE AND THIS FIT THE DESCRIPTION COMPLETELY.*AK

WHILE TURNING CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO THE REAR AXLE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. " MY CAR IS ONCE AGAIN IN THE SHOP FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR WHEEL DIFFERENTIAL. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE PROBLEM HAS ARISEN IN A SPAM OF 3 MONTHS. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE FIRST ONE, AND IS WORKING TO REPLACE IT A SECOND TIME. REAR DIFFERENTIAL MODULE REPLACED AT 8,102 MILES, THEN AGAIN AT 12.136 MILES.*JB

WHEN DRIVING AT 35 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE DID NOT STOP AT A STOP SIGN. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO T-BONE THE OTHER VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY DIRECTLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEAT, BUT AIR BAG DEPLOYED TOWARDS THE LEFT OF THE SEAT. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER. *AK

ON MAY 8, 2004, MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2002 SATURN VUE. HE WAS ON A ROAD THAT SURROUNDS A MALL. SPEED LIMIT IS 20 MPH. HE WAS TURNING LEFT WHEN HE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY ANOTHER SUV. THE CAR ROLLED OVER, HE HAD TO GO OUT THE BACK DOOR IN ORDER TO GET OUT. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE "OTHER CAR" WAS GOING A REASONABLE SPEED. OUR SATURN COULD NOT HAVE BEEN GOING MORE THAN 10 MPH, YET, WITH THE ROLL OVER, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED AND THE INSURANCE TOTALLED IT. DAMAGES TO THE OTHER CAR WERE NOT BAD. BOTH CARS WERE DRIVING SLOW, SO THE DAMAGE TO THE SATURN SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVE. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A MINOR FENDER BENDER. AMAZINGLY ENOUGH, MY SON ONLY SUFFERED SOME CUTS ON HIS ARM AND HEAD. I READ AN ARTICLE THAT THE SUSPENSION FAILED ON TWO SATURN VUES THAT THAT THE NHTSA HAD RECEIVED A CONSUMER COMPLAINT ABOUT A SMILILAR INCIDENT THAT LED TO A ROLLOVER. I'M WONDERING NOW IF THIS HAPPENED IN THIS SITUATION.*AK

DT: WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND HESITATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE DEALER LOOKED AT IT, THEY HAVE SPEEDED UP THE COMPUTER, BUT COULD NOT PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. IT HAPPENED EVERY WEEK OR TWO. *AK THE GAS PEDAL WOULD STICK TWICE A WEEK. *SC

ENGINE STALLED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WHICH WAS DANGEROUS WHILE ON THE ROAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR A CHECK UP, BUT THE CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK VEHICLE ACCELERATED TOO FAST WHEN PRESSING GAS PEDAL TO START AUTO AFTER STALLING. *BF *NM

DT: WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL. IT HAPPENED WITHOUT WARNING. IT SEEMED IT ONLY DOES IT WHEN THE MOTOR IS COLD, LIKE IN THE FIRST HALF A MILE DRIVEN. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL DEALER COULD GIVE THEM A COMPUTER CODE.*AK *JB UPDATED 024/24/06.*JB

ROOF RACK SCREW HOLES HAVE NO WAY TO DRAIN WATER. RESIDUAL WATER SITS IN THE SCREW HOLES OF THE RACK AND HAS STARTED TO RUST THE SCREWS. RACK SCREWS HAVE NEVER BEEN TOUCHED SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, BUT ARE RUSTING. BAD DESIGN AND SHOULD BE FIXED.*AK

RANDOM OBD CODE P0571 CRUISE/BRAKE SWITCH MALFUNCTION SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE ON 6 DEC 03. THE SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN CHECKED SWITCH ALIGNMENT, CONNECTORS. NUMEROUS FAILURES CURRENTLY WAITING SINCE 29 JAN ON ENGINEER TO LOOK AT FREEZE FRAME DATA FROM THE COMPUTER. *JB

WATER THAT COLLECTS IN BOLT HOLE WELLS IN ROOF RACK RAILS CAN PROMOTE CORROSION. EVAPORATION IS THE ONLY WAY FOR THE WATER TO ESCAPE. MANUFACTURER SHOULD PROVIDE A SET OF SEALING PLUGS AND CORROSION INHIBITING GREASE/GEL TO SEAL OF THESE HOLES.*AK

DT: IN APRIL 2005 THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THERE WERE SQUEAKING NOISES COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN. SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG, AND THEY TOLD HER THE BUSHINGS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ON 8-10-05 THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THE TIRE AREA. THE CONSUMER THOUGHT THAT IT WAS WITH THE TIRES BECAUSE THEY HAD BEEN ROTATED RECENTLY. THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT THE ROCKER ARM/LEFT FRONT WHEEL WAS BROKEN. THE CONSUMER HAD IT REPLACED. ALSO, TOLD HER THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REBUILT. THE DEALER TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION ON THE 4 CYLINDER SATURN . AFTER THE CONSUMER HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE SATURN HAD SENT HER A LETTER ABOUT A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH TBI/VMI TRANSMISSION, AND THEY WOULD COVER THIS FOR UP TO 75,000 MILES. IT WAS NOT A RECALL. THE SHIFTER WAS VERY STIFF. THE TRANSMISSION WAS LOUD WHEN PRESS ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS AT LEAST 6 TIMES. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT EVERY TIME SHE TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS THERE WERE MORE PROBLEMS. *AK