2004 SATURN VUE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HORN ENGAGED WITHOUT DRIVER INTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE HORN MODULE HAD FAILED AND BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE SAFETY AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 48,000. UPDATED 06/25/10. *LJ UPDATED 09/07/10*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE "PUSHED BACK" AND SLOWED DOWN WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE. SHE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. SHE DROVE ON TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HER HOME. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED OF A CURRENT LAWSUIT REGARDING THE VTI TRANSMISSION AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED WHEN THE COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,623. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,615.

I OWN A 2004 SATURN VUE WITH A VARIABLE TRANSMISSION. IT HAS 83,000 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE LOOKED AT BECAUSE OF HEARING ALL THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS THESE CARS HAVE HAD. SOMEHOW WHILE THEY WERE LOOKING AT IT THE TRANSMISSION WENT AND I COULDN'T DRIVE MY CAR OVER 20 MPH. I WAS STUCK THERE AT THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD I HAD TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION. SATURN WILL ONLY PAY FOR HALF SO NOW AFTER PAYING OVER $20,000 FOR THIS CAR I HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER $3,000 TO GET A NEW TRANSMISSION. I WAS TOLD THEN THAT THE NEW TRANSMISSION MIGHT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS THIS ONE HAS HAD. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THEY DON'T STAND BY THEIR PRODUCTS AND WILL NOT COVER THE WHOLE REPLACEMENT OF SOMETHING THEY KNOW TO BE FAULTY. *TR

FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE POWER LOCKS IN MY 2004 SATURN VIEW WHERE THE UNLOCK BUTTON DID NOT WORK ON RANDOM OCCASIONS. IT THEN SEEMED THAT IF IT HAD RAINED THIS IS WHEN THE PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR. IT HAS SINCE BECOME A CHRONIC ISSUE MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO USE MY DOOR LOCKS FOR UNLOCKING WHETHER WITH THE REMOTE OR THE BUTTON. THIS MORNING THE LOCKS UNLOCKED THEMSELVSE AND CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT UNLOCKING FOR THE ENTIRE HOUR LONG DRIVE AT RANDOM INTERVALS. I HAVE HAD OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES AS WELL WITH THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE GOTTEN NO WHERE WITH INQUIRES TO SATURN AS TO THE ISSUE. SINCE PURCHASE THE REAR WIPER WORKS WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT AND A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO MY HORN BEGAN TO BLARE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ALL BY ITSELF. THE REMEDY FOR THE HORN WAS TO REMOVE THE RELAY AS THE MECHANIC I DEAL WITH DID NOT HAVE THE CODE TO DETERMINE THE ACTUAL ISSUE. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE COST I WILL INCUR TO RECTIFY THESE ISSUES, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE FACT THAT SATURN NO LONGER OFFICIALLY EXISTS.

I OWN A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE VTI TRANSMISSION THAT WAS ORIGINALLY PUT IN IT FAILED AT A LITTLE OVER 57,000 MILES AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY IN AUGUST 2008 WITH ANOTHER VTI TRANSMISSION. THIS MONTH, MARCH 2010, THE 2ND VTI TRANSMISSION ALSO FAILED (80,650 MILES/ABOUT 23,000 MILES AFTER THE REPAIR) AND IS NOW NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. GM WILL ONLY COVER 50%, ALTHOUGH A PREVIOUS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT REQUIRES THEY PAY MORE. IT WILL NOW COST ME $1638 PLUS TAXES TO REPAIR IT AND PUT IN THE THIRD TRANSMISSION THAT WILL ONLY HOLD A 12,000 MILE WARRANTY. THE ORIGINAL VTI TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH ANOTHER FAULTY ENGINE. IF IT HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH WHAT THEY CLAIM TO BE A BETTER TRANSMISSION THAT THEY ARE CURRENTLY REPLACING THEM WITH, THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY AND THE CURRENT COST NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN PLACED ON ME. GM KNOWS THE VTI TRANSMISSION IS BAD AND ISN'T USING IT ANYMORE, YET IS FAILING TO CORRECT THE ISSUE APPROPRIATELY FOR CURRENT OWNERS SUCH AS MYSELF. WITH THE AMOUNT OF PROBLEMS THAT THIS TRANSMISSION HAS PROVEN TO HAVE FOR ITS OWNERS, GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO RECALL THIS TRANSMISSION AS IT IS A DEFECT WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND SINCE IT WILL GO OUT WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING (PASSING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION, TURNING, ETC) IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO INDIVIDUALS WHEN DRIVING IT.

ON MANY OCCASIONS MY 2004 SATURN VUE V6 AWD APPEARS TO SHUDDER WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTING FROM A LOWER GEAR AT SPEEDS USUALLY LESS THAN 40MPH. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT IS UNNERVING TO SAY THE LEAST. I HAVE READ ACCOUNTS OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS FROM OTHER SATURN OWNERS AND HAVE FOUND THAT A SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED 2/09/06. CONCERNING TORQUE CONVERTER SHUDDER. I BELIEVE THAT A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED AS MY VEHICLE HAD ONLY A BIT OVER 50000 MILES WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED. I SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL SATURN DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM ALTHOUGH THEY HAD ACCESS TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN INFORMATION. SHORTLY THEREAFTER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY RAN OUT AND ALTHOUGH THEY ADVISED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK SHOULD THE PROBLEM REOCCUR IT IS NOT AT ALL CLEAR WHETHER THE REPAIR WILL BE MADE AT NO COST TO ME. I BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL VEHICLES ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS WHETHER UNDER WARRANTY OR NOT, ESPECIALLY FOR VEHICLES UNDER 100K MILES. ANY SUGGESTIONS OR ASSISTANCE WOULD BE MOST HELPFUL. ( THE SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER IS 3713). *TR

2004 SATURN VUE REAR SUSPENSION CAUSES WHEEL TO COLLAPSE DUE TO SHEARING OF BOLT UNDER CONSTANT LOAD. THIS PROBLEM SPURRED A VOLUNTARY GM RECALL IN 2004. MY VEHICLE HAD THE RECALL WORK COMPLETED. IN AUGUST, 2009, THE WHEEL COLLAPSED AGAIN WHILE MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE IN THE CAR. I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY DROVE IT HOME WITH THAT CONDITION WITHOUT A ROLLOVER OR ACCIDENT. I HAD THE REPAIR MADE FREE OF CHARGE AFTER MUCH ARGUMENT BUT AM CONCERNED THAT IN 4-5 YEARS, BOLT FATIGUE WILL CAUSE THE SITUATION TO REPEAT ONCE AGAIN. I HAVE THE SHEARED BOLT HEAD IN MY POSSESSION . I AM WRITING DUE TO CONCERN THAT MANY MANY OTHERS WILL AGAIN, SOON, THIS YEAR, EXPERIENCE THE SAME WHEEL COLLAPSE AFTER HAVING THEIR VOLUNTARY RECALL REPAIRS MADE IN 2004. IT SEEMS LIKE A MANDATORY RECALL OF THE GM VOLUNTARY RECALL IS IN ORDER. EXCERPT FROM CONSUMER AFFAIRS ARTICLE, AUGUST 5, 2004: GENERAL MOTORS IS VOLUNTARILY RECALLING THE SATURN VUE TO FIX A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION. IN DOING SO, IT MAY BE HOPING TO AVOID LITIGATION THAT COULD RESULT FROM ACCIDENTS OCCURRING WHILE GOVERNMENT SAFETY AGENCIES CONDUCT THEIR OWN INVESTIGATIONS. THE RECALL AFFECTS 246,433 VUES IN THE 2002-2004 MODEL YEARS, INCLUDING 231,123 IN THE UNITED STATES AND 15,310 IN CANADA. IT ALL STARTED WHEN A SATURN VUE OWNER WROTE TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) TO COMPLAIN THAT THE REAR WHEELS OF HIS CAR COLLAPSED ON A TIGHT TURN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER. THE AGENCY DECIDED TO CONDUCT A TEST OF ITS OWN, TAKING TIGHT TURNS AT 45 MPH, AND SURE ENOUGH, THE REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSED AND THE CAR ROLLED OVER. THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHEN A TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MODEL OF THE VUE WAS PUT THROUGH THE SAME TEST. READ MORE: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/RECALLS04/VUE_RECALL.HTML#IXZZ0H1HXNUN0. *TR

2004 SATURN VUE REAR SUSPENSION CAUSES WHEEL TO COLLAPSE DUE TO SHEARING OF BOLT UNDER CONSTANT LOAD. THIS PROBLEM SPURRED A VOLUNTARY GM RECALL IN 2004. MY VEHICLE HAD THE RECALL WORK COMPLETED. IN AUGUST, 2009, THE WHEEL COLLAPSED AGAIN WHILE MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE IN THE CAR. I'M NOT SURE HOW THEY DROVE IT HOME WITH THAT CONDITION WITHOUT A ROLLOVER OR ACCIDENT. I HAD THE REPAIR MADE FREE OF CHARGE AT THE DEALER AFTER MUCH ARGUING BUT AM CONCERNED THAT IN 4-5 YEARS, BOLT FATIGUE WILL CAUSE THE SITUATION TO REPEAT ONCE AGAIN. I HAVE THE SHEARED BOLT HEAD IN MY POSSESSION. I AM WRITING DUE TO CONCERN THAT MANY MANY OTHERS WILL AGAIN SOON, THIS YEAR, EXPERIENCE THE SAME WHEEL COLLAPSE AFTER HAVING THEIR VOLUNTARY RECALL REPAIRS MADE IN 2004. IT SEEM LIKE A MANDATORY RECALL OF THE 2004 GM VOLUNTARY RECALL IS IN ORDER. EXCERPT FROM CAUG 5, 2004 ONSUMER AFFAIRS ARTICLE: GENERAL MOTORS IS VOLUNTARILY RECALLING THE SATURN VUE TO FIX A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION. IN DOING SO, IT MAY BE HOPING TO AVOID LITIGATION THAT COULD RESULT FROM ACCIDENTS OCCURRING WHILE GOVERNMENT SAFETY AGENCIES CONDUCT THEIR OWN INVESTIGATIONS. THE RECALL AFFECTS 246,433 VUES IN THE 2002-2004 MODEL YEARS, INCLUDING 231,123 IN THE UNITED STATES AND 15,310 IN CANADA. IT ALL STARTED WHEN A SATURN VUE OWNER WROTE TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) TO COMPLAIN THAT THE REAR WHEELS OF HIS CAR COLLAPSED ON A TIGHT TURN, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER. THE AGENCY DECIDED TO CONDUCT A TEST OF ITS OWN, TAKING TIGHT TURNS AT 45 MPH, AND SURE ENOUGH, THE REAR SUSPENSION COLLAPSED AND THE CAR ROLLED OVER. THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHEN A TWO-WHEEL DRIVE MODEL OF THE VUE WAS PUT THROUGH THE SAME TEST. READ MORE: HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/RECALLS04/VUE_RECALL.HTML#IXZZ0H1HXNUN0. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 SATURN VUE. THE DRIVER STATED THAT SHE RECEIVED A LETTER DATED NOVEMBER 2009 REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION BEING REPAIRED WITHIN 5 YEARS, AT NO COST. THE DRIVER STATED THAT HER 5 YEARS HAS EXPIRED. THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AND THE DEALER IS WILLING TO PAY 50% OF THE REPAIR COST. THE CONTACT DOESN'T AGREE WITH THE COST. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 04/09/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT 100%. UPDATED 05/06/10.*JB UPDATED 06/14/10.*JB

I BOUGHT A 2004 SATURN VUE 4 MONTHS AGO. I ALSO BOUGHT A EXTENDED WARRANTY THRO WYNS. MY TRANSMISSION HAS NOW GONE OUT. I HAVE 100,260 MILES ON IT. THE WARRANTY WAS FOR 100,000. SATURN SAYS I AM OUT OF THE WARRANTY COVERAGE BUT WYNS WILL COVER THE COST OF THE TRANSMISSION MINUS MY $100 CO PAY. THEY HOWEVER WILL NOT COVER IT UNTIL SATURN FAXES THEM THE BULLETIN ON THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. SATURN CALLED ME BACK AND SAID THAT THEY WILL NOT FAX THIS INFORMATION TO WYNS AND WILL NOT MAIL ME THE WARRANTY INFORMATION TO ME. SATURN STATED TO ME IF I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER REPAIR FACILITY THAT THEY WOULD LOOSE OUT ON THE MONEY OF REPAIRING MY TRANSMISSION. SO NOW I CANT GET MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COMPANY TO FIX IT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PROOF THAT THE WARRANTY IS NO GOOD AT MY MILEAGE. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AT WEST 40 AUTO SALES WHO DID NOT TELL ME ABOUT ANY PROBLEMS OR BULLETINS ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR