2005 SATURN RELAY Complaints

2005 SATURN RELAY HAS NUMEROUS DESIGN FLAWS, AND SATURN IS UNABLE TO FIX. ONSTAR DISABLES SPEEDOMETER WHEN USED, RADIO MUTES AND CAR MUST BE TURNED OFF AND BACK ON TO RESET, ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS REPEATEDLY EVEN AFTER REPLACING EBCM, ABS PUMP, BCM, LIGHTS FLICKER BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR, ALTERNATOR FOUND TO HAVE ERRATIC OUTPUT, NEW ALTERNATOR DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM. BRAKE ROTORS WARPED WITHIN 25K MILES. SATURN WILL ONLY KEEPING TRYING TO REPAIR, BUT IS UNABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. *NM

SATURN RELAY 2005: AFTER TURNING THE CAR ON, NO SOUND COMES FROM THE RADIO, OR CD. THE NO SOUND DISABLES THE ON-STAR FUNCTION AND REAR PARKING SENSOR. THUS I CAN NOT CALL ON STAR OR HEAR THE CHIMES FROM THE REAR PARKING SENSOR. THIS ISSUE IS NOT A REPEATABLE EVENT. I HAVE NOT FOUND A WAY TO DUPLICATE THE EVENT. I HAVE DETERMINED THAT IF I SHUT OFF THE CAR AND OPEN THE DOOR AND WAIT AT LEAST ONE MINUTE, THE SOUND WILL RESET AND WORK FINE. EVERY 3 MONTHS WHEN I TAKE THE CAR BACK FOR OIL CHANGE I IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM, BUT SINCE IT CAN NOT BE DUPLICATED THE DEALER WILL NOT INVESTIGATE OR ATTEMPT TO REPAIR. THE CONCERN IS THE NON-FUNCTIONING OF ON-STAR AND REAR PARKING SENSORS. THIS ARE SAFETY FEATURES THAT CAN NOT BE USED IF REQUIRED IN AN EMERGENCY AND THE SOUND IS NOT WORKING. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, A NOISE WAS HEARD FROM ONE OF THE TIRES. THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT AND THE TIRE FAILURE WAS ON THE OUTER WALL. THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED SEVERAL DAYS AFTER WITH THE LEFT FRONT TIRE. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. ALSO, THE BRAKES MADE A LOUD NOISE WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, AND THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALERSHIP CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BUT THE BRAKE NOISE CONTINUED AND ON ONE OCCASION THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. RECENTLY, ONE OF THE REAR TIRES BLEW OUT, BUT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT FIND ANY ABNORMALITY FOR THIS REPETITIVE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWELVE TIMES IN A ONE AND A HALF YEAR PERIOD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WAS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE ON TOP OF THE MECHANICAL DEFECTS, OTHER BODY DEFECTS LIKE DOORS OPENING BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING CONSTITUTED A SEVERE RISK TO SAFETY.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTS BECAME DIM AND BRIGHTENED WHILE DRIVING. THE PROBLEM WORSENED WHILE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON. THE DEALERSHIP WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT THERE WERE NO REPAIRS PERFORMED.

BRAKES GET SO HOT WHEN TRAVELING DOWN A MOUNTAIN THAT IT CAUSES THE ROTORS TO WARP. THE VAN SHAKES AND SHIMMIES AND MAKES A LOUD SOUND AS IF YOU WERE TRAVELING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS ON THE ROAD. THE VAN EXHIBITED THESE FAILURES AROUND 15,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS DESPITE THE DEALER RESURFACING THE ROTORS. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE DOWN HILL THE BRAKES GET HOT AGAIN AND CAUSE THE ROTORS TO BE WARPED AGAIN. *NM

CAR PURCHASED 8/24/05 1/9/06 = ABS/TRACTION CONTROL SERVICE LIGHTS ILLUMINATING; PART REPAIRED 3/31/06 = HIGH SPEED BRAKING VIBRATION/PULSATION; PART REPAIRED 7/24/06 = HIGH SPEED BRAKING VIBRATION/PULSATION; PART REPAIRED 8/2/06 = HIGH SPEED BRAKING VIBRATION/PULSATION; PART REPLACED 8/2/06 = ABS/TRACTION CONTROL SERVICE LIGHTS ILLUMINATING; PART REPAIRED/REPLACED. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH., THE RIGHT SLIDING DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. IN A TWO-WEEK PERIOD, THE SLIDING DOOR OPENED TWICE WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE DOOR WAS SERVICED AT THE DEALER, BUT STILL DOES NOT COMPLETELY LATCH. UPDATED 09/15/06. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE ROLLED SLIGHTLY BACKWARD ON AN INCLINE WHILE MOVING FOOT FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ONE DEALER DETERMINED THIS WAS NORMAL AND ANOTHER DETERMINED A RECENT DESIGN CHANGE WAS THE CAUSE. UPDATED 5/2/2006 - *NM

SATURN RELAY STARTED LEAKING WATER A MONTH AFTER PURCHASE. TOOK IN FOR REPAIR SEVERAL TIMES, FILED FOR LEMON LAW, SATURN HAD THEIR FINAL ATTEMPT TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND FAILED. I WAS TOLD BY THE CORP OFFICE TO TAKE CAR BACK IN SO THEY COULD VERIFY THAT IT WAS STILL LEAKING, DID THAT AND THEY DID IN FACT VERIFY IN WRITING THAT IT WAS LEAKING, SATURN REFUSES TO ABIDE BY THE LAW AND GIVE ME A REFUND OR NEW VEHICLE, IN FACT THEY WOULDN'T GIVE ME ANY OPTION OTHER THAN TAKE IT TO BE FIXED. AGAIN??? GOT MYSELF AN ATTORNEY!!! *JB

I PURCHASED A 2005 SATURN RELAY IN MAY 2005. THE CRUISE CONTROL IS LOCATED ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND NOT ON THE STEERING COLUMN. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN I WAS CONDUCTING A TURN MY BLOUSE OR SKIRT HAS GOT CAUGHT ON THE CRUISE CONTROL AND I COULD NOT COMPLETE THE TURN AND AT TIMES I WAS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING SNAGS ON THE CRUISE CONTROL STRETCHING THE CLOTHING AS FAR AS IT WILL GO AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED DOWN. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I HAVE NEARLY HAD A WRECK FROM IT SEVERAL TIMES. *JB