Saturn Vue Complaints (2002)

167 consumer complaints on file.

#10277221July 17, 2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2002 SATURN VUE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON HIGHWAY. THE CAR MADE A LOUD SOUND AND THE SPEED DROPPED DOWN QUICKLY TO 5 MILES/HR. OVER THE PAST 4 WEEKS I HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AND PULLEY BELTS BECAUSE THEY STOPPED WORKING AS WELL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10264176April 5, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TIMING CHAIN BROKE ON MY 2002 SATURN VUE LEAVING MY DAUGHTER & ME STRANDED. IT ONLY HAD 68K MILES. SATURN DEALERSHIPS ONLY SUGGESTION: NEW ENGINE @ $3400 INSTALLATION @ $1600. I CHOSE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO WAS UNAWARE OF THE ZERO TOLERANCE ENGINE. WHAT IS THAT?! I AM HEARING ABOUT CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS, THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN REPAIRS NATIONWIDE DUE TO THIS SAME MALFUNCTION. THEY HAVE KNOWN OF THIS DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION FOR YEARS & FAIL TO DO A RECALL. ISN'T IT TIME THEY BE MADE ACCOUNTABLE. THERE ARE MANY MANY SIMILAR STORIES TO MINE. PLEASE RESEARCH!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10262487March 19, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAD JUST LEFT A STOP LIGHT ON A BUSY STREET IN CHICAGO DRIVING ABOUT 15 MILES AN HOUR AND THE ENGINE JUST DIED. I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO HAVE IT TAKEN BACK TO MY REPAIR SHOP. THE NEXT DAY I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND CRUSHED THE CASING AND VALVES AND THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE AT A COST OF $3,200.00. I SPOKE WITH THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN TINLEY PARK, IL AND THEY AGREED TO PUT A NEW ENGINE IN FOR $2,200.00. I SPOKE WITH THE SATURN MAIN OFFICE OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND THEY STATED THAT NO RECALLS WERE MADE ON THE 2002 SATURN VUE'S AND WOULD NOT HELP WITH THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258122February 9, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY VEHICLE LOST POWER AND WOULD NOT EXCEED 10 MILES AN HOUR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257417February 4, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
APPROXIMATELY 6-9 MONTHS AGO MY 2002 SATURN VUE, 4 CYL, WITH APPROX 55,000 MILES STOPPED WORKING. SATURN OF BOWIE, NOW CLOSED, TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND ENGINE WAS NOW NO GOOD. THEY SAID THE ONLY WAY TO FIX VEHICLE WAS TO REPLACE ENGINE AT MY EXPENSE. APPROXIMATELY $6,500. I COMPLAINED AND AFTER MY DISCUSSIONS WITH A SATURN HQ PERSON, THEY REPLACED THE ENGINE AND CHARGED ME APPROXIMATELY $5,500. I HAVE EXACT FIGURES IN MY FILES. I ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY HISTORY OF THIS PROBLEM AND SATURN RESPONDED THAT IT WASN'T KNOWN PROBLEM. THIS MORNING AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, ON THE INTERNET, RELATING TO ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH MY SATURN VUE REGARDING THE FUEL GAUGE, I LEARNED THAT SATURN WAS AWARE OF THE TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM AND SHOULD HAVE SENT ME A RECALL NOTICE. THEY CHARGED ME ALOT OF MONEY TO FIX SOMETHING THAT WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE OF POOR ENGINEERING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10250847December 5, 2008
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2002 SATURN VUE - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON DUE TO A FAILED THROTTLE BODY AND THE PARTS. IT WOULD ALSO CAUSE THE CAR TO GO INTO RESERVE POWER AND THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO 10 MILES AN HOUR. I WAS JUST INFORMED THAT THIS MUST BE A MAJOR PROBLEM BECAUSE MY MECHANIC JUST INFORMED ME THAT THE PART NEEDED TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM IS ON BACK ORDER TO APRIL OF 2009. SO IF THAT IS NOT ENOUGH OF A REASON THAT THIS IS A DEFECT I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS. BECAUSE OF THIS I WILL BE WITHOUT A WORKING CAR FOR 4 MONTHS BECAUSE GM/SATURN MAKES CARS THAT DO NOT FUNCTION. ALSO I HAVE READ THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN AROUND FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND YOU HAVE NOT FORCED THEM INTO A RECALL ON SOMETHING THAT COULD CAUSE A PROBLEM ON THE ROAD TO THE DRIVER AND OR OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10248886November 15, 2008
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I HAD MY 100,000 SERVICE PERFORMED ON MY CAR(2002 SATURN VUE) AND SIX MONTHS LATER (LESS THEN 5,000 MILES) MY TIMING BELT BROKE WHILE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 65MPH. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS DUE TO A "POSSIBLE OIL LEAK" OR BECAUSE I HADN'T HAD MY OIL CHANGED SINCE MY LAST SERVICE AND SLUDGE HAD POSSIBLE BUILT UP IN THE ENGINE. WHILE RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM, I NOTED THAT MANY OTHERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SATURN L SERIES AND A FEW VUES. I WAS TOLD TO REPAIR THE TIMING CHAIN, CYLINDER HEAD, AND GASKETS WOULD COST $2600 OR I COULD REPLACE THE ENGINE (NOT SURE OF THE COST OF A USED ENGINE AT THIS POINT). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242990September 20, 2008
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
SUDDEN, MASSIVE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK CAME INTO CONTACT WITH HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD. WHILE TRYING TO GET IT OFF OF THE ROAD AFTER A STOP, CLUTCH FAILED. MANAGED TO DRIVE TO A SAFER LOCATION ABOUT 1/4 MILE AWAY. SO MUCH SMOKE WAS POURING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD THAT I WAS AFRAID TO OPEN IT. RETREATED TO A SAFE DISTANCE AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242996September 20, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240338August 30, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 SATURN VUE (4 CYL, 2.2 L ENGINE, MANUAL TRANSMISSION) ON THE FREEWAY. THE ENGINE STALLED AND THEN LOST POWER. I FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO COAST DOWN THE FREEWAY EXIT, AND I (WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF A FEW KIND HEARTED MOTORISTS) HAD TO PUSH MY CAR OUT OF THE EXIT LANE AND ON COMING TRAFFIC. MY CAR WAS TOWED THROUGH AAA TO A SERVICE GARAGE. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE, AND IN TURN DAMAGED THE PISTONS, THUS REQUIRING ME TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IN MY VEHICLE. REPLACING THE ENGINE IS ESTIMATED TO COST BETWEEN $1,800 AND $2,800 DEPENDING UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF THE ENGINE IN MY AREA. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THROUGH READING TODAY THAT THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS VERY ISSUE WITH THE SATURN 2.2 L ENGINES, BUT I WAS NEVER CONTACTED BY GENERAL MOTORS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE WITH THE 2.2 L ENGINE. I AM FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE FREEWAY SAFELY, THAT OTHER MOTORISTS WERE ABLE TO HOLD OFF TRAFFIC AND ASSIST ME PUSHING THE CAR TO SAFETY, AND THAT MY CHILD, OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS, AND I WERE NOT IN AN ACCIDENT OR INJURED DUE TO THIS FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10238150August 14, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE A SATURN VUE 2002. I TOOK INTO A SATURN DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS IN JULY 17, 08. SATURN REPEATEDLY TOLD ME THE PART WAS COMING. ON AUG 3, 2008, THEY ASKED ME TO PICK UP MY VEHICLE, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND WOULD NOT BE IN UNTIL THE 18TH OF AUGUST. NOW SATURN IS STATING THE PART MAY NOT COME IN UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER. MY THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR WILL SIMPLE SHUT OFF WHILE I TRAVELING, I MAY BE GOING 65 MILES PER HOUR AND THE VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING. AT TIMES THE VEHICLE WILL SIMPLY NOT START. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10237554August 9, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2002 SATURN VUE; L61 2.2 LITER 4 CYL ENGINE; MILEAGE 59,323. AUGUST 3, 2008. PREPARING TO ENTER INTERSTATE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING. HAD IT TOWED TO OMAHA SATURN FOR REPAIR. SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN, AND FALLEN DOWN INTO OIL PAN. ALONG WITH THIS VALVES WERE DAMAGED (BENT) DUE TO MINIMUM CLEARANCES IN CYLINDER HEAD DESIGN. REPAIR INVOLVED NEW CYLINDER HEAD AND TIMING CHAIN ($2650.94) PLUS THE $100.00 TOWING CHARGE. CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN HARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10236801August 3, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
RE: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN; I AM WRITING THIS LETTER TO STATE HOW BAD A 2002 SATURN VUE IS ON SAFETY. I JUST CAME IN FROM TRYING TO TOW MY SCOOTER MOBILITY TRAILER UP THE HILL IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. THE 'SERVICE ENGINE SOON' LIGHT IS ON LIKE IT ALWAYS IS. I HAVE TRIED TO GET SOMETHING DONE ABOUT IT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO NO AVAIL. ONE THING IT SAYS IS THAT THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE THERMOSTAT IS STICKING. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME $400 TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A THERMOSTAT PROBLEM. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE ALWAYS STAYS ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD MARKS, WINTER OR SUMMER. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WINTER AND SUMMER IS THE LENGTH OF TIME IT TAKES TO GET FULLY WARMED UP. THERE IS A HILL BETWEEN MY COMMUNITY AND THE HIGHWAY. IT IS ABOUT MILE LONG. IN THE SUMMER, THE VEHICLE IS FULLY WARMED UP BY THE BOTTOM OF THAT HILL. IN THE WINTER, IT TAKES TO THE TOP OF THAT HILL BEFORE IT IS FULLY WARMED UP. I SPENT ABOUT #100 FOR A NEW THERMOSTAT AND ALL THE NECESSARY GASKETS TO REPLACE THAT THERMOSTAT AND I STILL HAVE THE LIGHT AND THE TEMPERATURE IS STILL 1.3 THE WAY BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD MARKS. THE MAIN REASON FOR MY COMPLAINT OF SAFETY IS THAT THE VEHICLE WILL GO INTO 'LIMP MODE' AT ANY TIME, EVEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY, AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, AND SUDDENLY I HAVE NO POWER TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. ANY VEHICLE WITH A 'CHECK ENGINE SOON' LIGHT SHOULD GO INTO LIMP MODE ON STARTUP, NOT RANDOMLY WHILE DRIVING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10234934July 19, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
NO KNOWN CRASHES OR INJURIES. HORN ON VEHICLE STUCK IN ON POSITION AND CAN ONLY BE SILENCED BY REMOVING FUSE. DEFECT IS A POORLY DESIGNED CONTACT STRIP THAT IS PART OF AIR BAG ASSEMBLY. COST OF REPAIRS BY SATURN IS BETWEEN $800 AND $1,200 THUS CAUSING MANY OWNERS TO DRIVE WITHOUT A HORN OR PROPERLY FUNCTIONING AIR BAG. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10234022July 11, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING 25-30 MPH, THE SERVICE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT INDEPENDENT MECHANICS AND EACH OF THEM STATED THAT A THROTTLE BODY CONNECTOR WAS NEEDED; HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC COULD BE PERFORMED FOR THE THIRD TIME AT THEIR FACILITY IN ORDER TO ASSIST WITH THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF UPDATED 08/07/08
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10231210June 16, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, WHEELS, STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
OVER THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT COMES ON AND THE CAR JUST SHUTS DOWN AND WON'T START UP. I HAVE ALSO HAD THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT COME ON AND WAS LEAKING ANTI-FREEZE, WHICH I KEPT ON FILLING UP. ONCE IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WHEN THEY WENT TO LOOK AT IT THE NEXT MORNING, IT STARTED RIGHT UP AND THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. ANOTHER TIME I LEFT IT AND WHEN I CAME BACK, IT STARTED RIGHT UP. IN BOTH OF THOSE INSTANCES, I WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 40 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. THE 3RD TIME THAT THE CAR DIED, I WAS TRAVELING 65 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY DIED, WITHOUT ANY WARNING. I HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND AVERT AN ACCIDENT. I BOUGHT A NEW CAR, BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS ONE AND IT HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR 8 WEEKS. I RECENTLY HAD THE VUE TOWED TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THAT I NEED A NEW TIMING BELT AND WATER PUMP. THEY ALSO SAY THAT I NEED TO HAVE AN I-BOLT PULLEY, BELT TENSIONER, ALTERNATOR, AND SERPENTINE BELT REPLACED. OTHER REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED ARE A FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS AND THE BEARING ON THE DRIVE SHAFT. THIS CAR HAS ONLY 92,000 MILES. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10230992June 13, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I OWN A 2002 SATURN VUE, 4CYLINDER, FWD WITH APPROXIMATELY 86,000 MILES. EARLY THIS YEAR THE BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) ON THIS VEHICLE BEGAN PREVENTING THE DOORS FROM UNLOCKING PROPERLY. I FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE WHEN MY KEY FOB FOR MY SECURITY SYSTEM BEGAN TO FAIL TO UNLOCK DOORS, CAUSING THE HORN TO CHIRP IRREGULARLY. I LATER NOTICED THAT IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS, UNLOCKING THE DOORS USING THE POWER LOCK BUTTON ON EACH OF THE FRONT DOORS WOULD NOT UNLOCK THE DOORS. WHEN I WENT TO MANUALLY PUSH THE LOCK, IT STICKS OR DOES NOT DISENGAGE THE LOCK, ESSENTIALLY LOCKING ALL PASSENGERS IN. AFTER CRAWLING TO THE BACK SEAT I AM ABLE TO PUSH THE LOCK BUTTON MANUALLY AND ESCAPE. MY FEAR IS THAT IN AN EMERGENCY, THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WILL SOMEHOW PREVENT ME FROM GETTING OUT OF MY CAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225152April 20, 2008
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
I HAVE A 2002 SATURN VUE AWD. AT A LITTLE OVER 100,000 MILES, NOISE STARTED FROM THE FRONT DRIVE TRAIN. THE NOISE WAS LIKE CONSTANT HOWL. THE NOISE WOULD START AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND INCREASE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO NOTICE THAT THE NOISE WOULD DISAPPEAR WHEN TAKING A FREEWAY RAMP TO THE LEFT. THE NOISE SLOWLY GREW LOUDER UNTIL AT 136,000 MILES THE NOISE HAD BECOME VERY LOUD. AFTER SOME INTERNET SEARCHING, THE NOISE WAS BELIEVED TO BE THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING. NORMALLY, FRONT WHEEL DRIVE WHEEL BEARINGS LAST LONGER SO IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE IT HAD GONE OUT. THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE PLAY IN THE BEARING EITHER ON OR OFF THE VEHICLE. REPLACING THE BEARINGS ELIMINATED THE NOISE. I HAVE THE FULL SET OF SATURN SHOP MANUALS AND THE DIAGNOSTICS DID NOT INDICATE THAT THE BEARINGS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. AT LEAST ON INTERNET POSTING SAID AFTER TAKING APART AN OLD BEARING THAT SATURN HAD ELIMINATED A BEARING RACE. IF THIS IS TRUE, IT PROBABLY SAVED A FEW CENTS FOR SATURN BUT COST ME HUNDREDS. AFTER REMOVAL, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING HAD NOTICEABLE NOISE JUST TURNING IT BY HAND. THE RIGHT BEARING WAS IN BETTER CONDITION BUT STILL PRODUCED NOISE ON THE VEHICLE. THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WILL PROBABLY NEED REPLACEMENT ALSO, SINCE NOW IT APPEARS THAT NOISE IS COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224764April 16, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
UPON FILLING MY GAS TANK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON AND STAYS ON--SOMETIMES TILL THE TANK IS HALF EMPTY--SOMETIMES COMING ON WHEN THE TANK REACHES HALF. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223553April 7, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I BEGAN TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ENGINE NOISE THAN NORMAL, LIKE A TAPPING NOISE. I HAD THE OIL CHANGED AS I DID REGULARLY AND WITHIN MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDATION. LOCAL MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN AND TO CONTINUE WITH FREQUENT OIL CHANGES. CAR DIED WHILE TRAVELING AT 40 MPH LOCALLY ON THE WEEKEND, BUT COULD HAVE HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING 65MPH ON MY WAY TO WORK IF IT WAS A WEEKDAY. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL IMMEDIATELY INTO A SIDE STREET AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL GOODYEAR SERVICE CENTER. I'VE SEEN INTERNET POSTINGS CITING THE SAME PROBLEMS ON SATURN MODELS WITH THE SAME ENGINE. THERE MAY EVEN BE A RECALL FOR THE L-CLASS SATURN CARS WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND NOT THE VUE? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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