2002 SATURN VUE Complaints

2002 SATURN VUE (42000 MILES): NOTICED RUMBLING SOUND AND VIBRATION COMING FROM AREA OF RUBBER BOOT WHERE STEERING COLUMN ENTERS FLOOR BOARD. APPLIED LUBRICANT AND THIS TEMPORARILY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BUT IT SOON RETURNED. DEALER CLAIMS STEERING COLUMN IS BAD AND NEED REPLACEMENT - $1000+ FOR PARTS AND LABOR. *JB

HORN CONSTANTLY ON IN THE VERY EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING. WAS TOLD BY SATURN DEALER THAT THIS WOULD COST OVER $700 BECAUSE THE ENTIRE AIR BAG WOULD NEED REPLACING! I NEEDED TO REMOVE THE FUSE FOR THE HORN CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE FOR MYSELF AND FAMILY. THIS IS A VERY LARGE PROBLEM SATURN HAS WITH ALL OF THEIR VEHICLES AND THEY REFUSE TO RECOGNIZE IT. *JB

DRIVING AT @ 35 MILES PER HOUR IN OUR 2002 SATURN VUE WHEN IT STOPPED. JUST STOPPED. WAITED 2 HOURS IN FRIGID CONDITIONS FOR A TOW. FOUND OUT THE FOLLOWING DAY THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD SNAPPED. THIS IN TURN DAMAGED TWO OF THE ENGINE VALVES CAUSING 1400 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 65,000 MILES. *NM

ALL GAUGES ON THE DASH FAILED AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE SPEEDOMETER READ 0 MILES/HR, GAS GAGE READ 0, ETC. DEALER CLAIMS THAT THE BCM WAS NOT GROUNDED AND THE ELECTRICITY ARCHED AND SHORTED THE BCM. THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 50,000 MILES AND DEALER QUOTED ME $409 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *NM

THIS IS THE SECOND INSTANCE IN 54,438 MILES OF: TIMING CHAIN 'SLIPPED' DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. IN BOTH INSTANCES, THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING (AT LOW SPEED), THEN RESTARTED WITH REDUCED POWER/PERFORMANCE ALONG WITH THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THIS TIME, THE ENGINE WAS BADLY DAMAGED AND MUST BE REPLACED. SATURN BLAMES ME FOR NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE EVERY 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE REQUIREMENT. (AND IS SATISFIED TO LOOK NO FURTHER FOR ANY OTHER CAUSES.) I HAVE SEEN THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORT (PE06-006), ON THIS SITE, OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO FREQUENT TIMING CHAIN FAILURES IN L-SERIES MODELS (HAVING THE SAME ENGINE AS THIS VEHICLE). THE REPORT REFERENCES LACK OF OIL FLOW TO THE TIMING CHAIN WHEN OPERATING AT LOW RPM. (THIS IS THE TYPE OF DRIVING I DO.) THE REPORT ALSO REFERENCES GM TSB 03-06-01-017 STATING "ALL TIMING CHAIN SERVICE KITS NOW AVAILABLE WILL INCLUDE AN OILER NOZZLE, A NEW DESIGN THAT WILL INCREASE OIL FLOW TO THE TIMING CHAIN UNDER LOW RPM OPERATING CONDITIONS". THE DEALER DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE EXISTENCE OF THE IMPROVED DESIGN FOR THE VUE ENGINE. THE FIRST FAILURE INSTANCE WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AT 24,663 MILES. THE CURRENT INSTANCE OCCURRED AT 54,438 MI. , AND IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. SATURN IS OFFERING TO TAKE 50% COST OF AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. *JB

INCIDENT = SECOND INSTANCE IN 54,438 MILES OF: TIMING CHAIN 'SLIPPED' DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. THIS IS ON MY 2002 SATURN VUE, 4 CYL. ENGINE - FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. SATURN BLAMES ME FOR NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE EVERY 3000 MILE OIL CHANGE REQUIREMENT. (AND IS SATISFIED TO LOOK NO FURTHER FOR OTHER CAUSES.) I HAVE SEEN A REPORT, ON THIS SITE, OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO FREQUENT TIMING CHAIN FAILURES IN L-SERIES MODELS (HAVING THE SAME ENGINE). THE REPORT REFERENCES LACK OF OIL FLOW TO THE TIMING CHAIN WHEN OPERATING AT LOW RPM. (THIS IS THE TYPE OF DRIVING I DO.) THE REPORT ALSO REFERENCES "ALL TIMING CHAIN SERVICE KITS NOW AVAILABLE WILL INCLUDE AN OILER NOZZEL, A NEW DESIGN THAT WILL INCREASE OIL FLOW TO THE TIMING CHAIN UNDER LOW RPM OPERATING CONDITIONS". THE FIRST INSTANCE WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE AT 24,663 MILES. THE CURRENT INSTANCE OCCURRED AT 54,438 MI. , AND IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTEE. DAMAGE RESULTING = ENGINE DAMAGE FOR THE SECOND INSTANCE IS "BEYOND REPAIR", AND I AM TOLD THE ENGINE MUST BE REPLACED. EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARANTEE, SATURN OFFERS TO PAY 50% OF THE COST OF A REBUILT ENGINE REPLACEMENT. BUT, I CANNOT AFFORD EVEN 50% AT THIS TIME. I HAVE OPENNED A CASE WITH SATURN TO GET MORE SUPPORT. THE CASE IS CURRENTLY AWAITING ACTION BY THE DISTRICT MANAGER WHO IS ON VACATION UNTIL THE FIRTST OF THE YEAR. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY THE ALARM SOUNDED WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE LIGHT SWITCH AND INSTRUMENT PANEL BECAME HOT WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.

REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OPENING MECHANISM FAILED. OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR BACK SEAT WHERE CHILDREN SIT IN CAR. DEALER NOTED THAT MANUF HAD SINCE REDESIGNED THE MECHANISM HOWEVER MANUF WOULD NOT REIMBURSE FOR REPAIR COST OF $275 WHEN CONTACTED REPEATEDLY. *NM

2002 SATURN VUE (65,000 MILES) MAKING NOISE. WOULD NOT START, TOWED TO MECHANIC. TIMING CHAIN FAILURE CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE. ESTIMATED COST IS $3000; LOSS OF VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST A WEEK WHILE BEING REPAIRED. CURRENTLY AT THE MECHANICS AWAITING REPAIR. *JB

(1) WAS TURNING RIGHT FROM DRIVEWAY ONTO STREET FROM WORK (2) WAS A LOUD METAL SNAPPING SOUND, THEN A GRINDING TYPE SOUND WHILE DRIVING HOME. THUMPS WHEN MAKING TURNS WHEN CHECKED AT HOME, DISCOVERED THAT FRONT STABILIZER BAR'S RIGHT LINK HAD SNAPPED LOOSE AT JUNCTION OF ROD AND BALL JOINT ON THE SUSPENSION STRUT. GRINDING WAS DUE TO LOOSE END OF THE LINK RUBBING INSIDE THE WHEEL. (3) LINK HAD TO BE REPLACED, WAS DIFFERENT DESIGN FROM ORIGINAL. ORIGINAL WAS 3 PIECES SCREWED TOGETHER, REPLACEMENT WAS CASST SINGLE PIECE. ORIGINAL IS AVAILABLE. FAILURE COULD HAVE LED TO THE BROKEN PIECE DISABLING BRAKES IF IT RUPTURED THE BRAKE HOUSE, OR DISABLING ABS HAD IT BROKEN WIRE LEADS WHICH ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. PARTS REDESIGN POINTS TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE THAT OLD DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE. *JB