2003 SATURN VUE Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VIEW. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 29 TO 30 MPH THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER WITHOUT WARNING AND SHE NOTICED THAT THE RPMS INCREASED TO 4000. SHE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE THREE TIMES AND THE THIRD TIME, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. SHE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE, AND THEY WILL GIVE HER 50% TOWARD THE REPLACEMENT OR THEY COULD GIVE HER $ 5,000 TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 87,900.

IN 2007 I WAS DRIVING MY SATURN VUE AWD 4CL EQUIPPED WITH A VTI TRANSMISSION DOWN THE HWY 401 IN ONTARIO. I WAS GOING A SPEED OF 100KM/HR. WITHOUT WARNING MY SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT AND REDUCED POWER LIGHT WENT ON AND CAUSE MY POWER TO DROP FROM A SPEED ON 100KM/HR TO 0 IN ABOUT 3 SECONDS. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OF THE HIGHWAY AS MY SPEED WAS DECREASING BUT HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID TRAFFIC AND GET MYSELF TO SAFETY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHO HAD IT TAKEN TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP WHO INFORMED ME DUE TO THIS SPECIFIC TRANSMISSION (VTI) THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. I HAD IT FIXED AT COST OF $4500. I RECEIVE A LETTER IN THE MAIL IN NOVEMBER OF 2009, FROM GM CANADA ADMITTING THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THEY WERE OFFERING VARIOUS INCENTIVES. (EX A $5000 VOUCHER TOWARDS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE OR 50% REIMBURSEMENT TOWARDS A PREVIOUS REPAIR OR 50% TOWARDS A REPAIR AT PRESENT. WHEN I CALLED THEY TOLD ME BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS OVER 160, 000 KM I WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR ANY OF THESE INCENTIVES EVEN THOUGH AT THE TIME THE TRANSMISSION WENT THE CAR WAS AT 104,000. THEY OFFERED ME A $700 REIMBURSEMENT. AS THIS WAS GOING THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION WENT AGAIN,FORTUNATELY NOT OF THE HIGHWAY. IT AGAIN NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED FOR $5000, BUT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE AND I AM UNSURE IF I WANT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. I WAS EVEN TOLD WHEN BY AN AGENT AT GM NAMED ALEXIS WHEN I SAID THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED OR THE TRANSMISSION FIXED PROPERLY SHE STATED"REGARDLESS OF IF THE VEHICLE IS SAFE OR NOT THIS IS OUR POLICY" . THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE VTI TRANSMISSION AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE BELT. THE ONLY RECTIFYING GM DOES IS TO PUT IN ANOTHER TRANSMISSION EXACTLY THE SAME. THIS CAR IS A HUGE SAFETY LIABILITY ESPC WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS ON A HIGHWAY, NOT TO MENTION THE FINANCIAL LIABILITY. GM'S SOLUTION FOR THE $5000 VOUCHER FOR A NEW VEHICLE WAS A COBALT (HOW IRONIC AS THEY ARE NOW BEING RECALLED). THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE!!! *TR

O3 SATURN VUE PURCHASED WITH 48,555 MILES. 3/20/07 TOOK TO INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION MECHANIC DUE TO TRANSMISSION GOING OUT. I WAS TOLD HE COULD NOT DO A THING TO IT BECAUSE OF A RECALL. TOOK TO SATURN OF MESQUITE TX, 3/21 ASSUMING THAT THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF PROBLEM. CUSTOMER STATES VEH WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY FOUND CODE PO606 IN TCM FOLLOWED DOC# 1200876 TO CHECK FLUID AFTER FLUID CHECK FOUND TRANS A LITTLE LOW ON FLUID FLUSHED TRANS AND PUT IN ADDITIVE. 3/26 TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP. CUST STATES HEARING A NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FOUND VEHICLE TO BE EXTREMELY NOISY WITH INTERMITTENT NO GEAR OPERATION. FOLLOWED BULLETIN # 04-07-30-24E TO REPLACE CASE COVER, FILTER AND TORQUE CONVERTER. AFTER COMPLETING BULLETIN, TEST DROVE VEHICLE. PULLED HARD TO THE LEFT, ALIGNED VEHICLE, ALL IS FINE. THE COVER ASSEMBLY, VARIABLE DRIVE AND DRIVEN PULLEY A REPAIRED. AT THIS TIME I ASSUMED THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REPLACED. 6.4.08 CAR BACK TO SATURN CUSTOMER STATES VEHICLE SLIPPING, LIGHT IS ON. TECH SAYS NO LIGHT IS ON AND FOUND VEH DRIVING AND SHIFTING PER DESIGN. WENT BACK IN SUMMER 09, SLIPPING ONCE AGAIN, AFTER 5 DAYS THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM BUT CAR WAS FINE. 2.19.10 CAR TOWED TO SATURN, TOLD TRANSMISSION HAS TO BE REPLACED THIS TIME I THOUGHT THAT WAS WHAT THEY DID IN 07. CONTACTED SUPPORT TO BE TURNED OVER TO GM EMPLOYEE . HE CONTACTED ME ON 2.22.10 TO ADVISE HE WAS WORKING ON PROB.. SATURN INFORMED ME 2.25.10 AFTERWARD THAT 2500.IS WHAT I COULD PAY FOR NEW TRANSMISSION. I ALREADY HAD A LETTER DATED 11.09 STATING THE SAME THING AFTER CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. TANNER CALLED 2.25 TO UPDATE I COULD PAY 2500.00. IF I HAD USED MY EXT WARRANTY CONTRACT IN 07 I WOULD NOT BE OUT MONEY AND HAD A NEW TRANSMISSION. SAID HE GM COULD NOT HELP ME AND IF I WAS NOT SATISFIED I COULD TAKE IT UP WITH DEALERSHIP. THEY PUT A BANDAID ON A RECALL AND NOW I AM TO PA. *TR

VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE OCTOBER OF 2009 DUE TO TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SATURN KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT BECAUSE OF MILEAGE ARE NOT WILLING TO ASSIST ME IN REPAIRS. I DID NOT GET NOTIFICATION OF THIS PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE PROBLEM WITH THIS IS I CANNOT FIND A TRANSMISSION TO REPLACE IT WITH! I AM MAKING PAYMENTS ON SOMETHING JUST SITTING AT THE GARAGE AND FEEL HELPLESS AT TO WHAT TO DO AT THIS POINT! IT HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING AND AGITATING. I AM NOT IN A POSITION WHERE I HAVE 2 OR 3 VEHICLES JUST SITTING AROUND WAITING FOR ME TO DRIVE. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MY SISTERS TRUCK FOR 4 MONTHS . THANK GOD FOR HER. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2003 SATURN VUE WITH A DEFECTIVE VTI TRANSMISSION, DEC. 09. THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN RALEIGH, NC, DID NOT INFORM ME OF THE DEFECT, UPON THE SALES TRANSACTION. A SERVICE BULLETIN CAME OUT 12/09, FROM GM TO APPEASE CONSUMERS, BY OFFERING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO HELP WITH THE COST TO REPLACE THIS DEFECTIVE PART, HOWEVER, GM NEEDED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE VTI TRANSMISSION WITH A PART THAT IS NOT DEFECTIVE. INSTEAD, THEY LEAVE CONSUMERS WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BREAK DOWN CAUSING SAFETY CONCERNS AND HUGE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. THE CAR HAS LOST VALUE BECAUSE OF THE DEFECTIVE PART AND WORST OF ALL I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT FOR FEAR OF BREAKDOWN, PARTICULARLY AT FREEWAY DRIVING, WHICH HAS BEEN NOTED BY OTHER CONSUMERS. GM LOSES 100M LAWSUIT BECAUSE OF EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURES IN MORE THAN 90,000 SATURNS CARRYING THE VTI TRANSMISSIONS AND STILL THEIR HAS BEEN NO RECALL. THIS INVESTIGATION AND RECALL IS LONG OVERDUE AND AFFECTING USED VEHICLES THAT ARE STILL BEING SOLD TODAY, WITH THE 2002-2005 SATURN VUE AND IONS BETWEEN 2003-2004 AND 2000-2003 SATURN L-SERIES, CONTAINING THE VTI TRANSMISSIONS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE PURCHASED USED IN DECEMBER 2009. SHE FOUND THAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE VTI TRANSMISSION COULD FAIL. THE CONTACT FELT UNSAFE IN DRIVING HER VEHICLE DUE TO THE FACT THAT UPON CONTACTING GENERAL MOTORS, THEY CONFIRMED WITH HER THAT THERE WAS A DEFECT IN THE VTI TRANSMISSIONS BUT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURES TO DATE, SHE HAD NOT EXPERIENCED ANY FAILURES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

MY CAR 2003 SATURN VUE (VTI TRANSMISSION) JUST STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT WARNING HAS 113,000 MILES ON IT, 2 MONTHS BEFORE THAT I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SATURN STATING THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I STILL HAVE THAT LETTER. I PAID $10,000.00 FOR THE CAR, AND STILL OWE $7,000.00 AND THE CAR IS USELESS TO ME NOW, I STILL OWE ON THE LOAN, CANNOT GET ANOTHER ONE, LIVE PAY CHECK TO PAYCHECK..NEED THE CAR FOR MY JOB, ON AND ON......... IT IS SITTING AT A GM BERGSTROM LOT RIGHT NOW, AND THEY ARE GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND. 1ST HE SAID HE'D DO EVERYTHING HE COULD TO HELP ME, AND THE NEXT DAY HE SAID I HAVE VERY BAD NEWS, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING!! THE DIRECTOR CALLED WITH THE SAME ANSWER.. MY CAR HAS BEEN SITTING AT NORDSTROMS IN OSHKOSH, WI. FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS NOW, I FOUND THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS OF YOURS, ON AN E-MAIL OF ANOTHER UNHAPPY CUSTOMER OF 2003 SATURN VUE TRANSMISSION. IT BROKE DOWN I SAID I GUESS IT IS QUITE USELESS TALKING ANY MORE TO SATURN OR GM. *TR

2003 SATURN VUE VTI TRANSMISSION FAILURES. FIRST FAILURE IN 12/2006 W/84K MILES, SATURN PAID FOR HALF AND IT STILL COST ME $1700 TO FIX. NOW WE HAVE 132331 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AGAIN. SATURN WANTS $6000 TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. THE CAR IS WORTH $0 WITH OR WITHOUT REPLACEMENT. SATURN HAS KNOWN ABOUT PAST FAILURES AND DOES NOTHING TO HELP

2003 SATURN VUE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS BECOME INCREASINGLY INOPERABLE. ON 75,000 MILE VEHICLE ON FOURTH TRANSMISSION. VEHICLE MAKES LOUD NOISES AND THEN CANNOT PUT IN GEAR AT ALL. TRANSMISSIONS ARE REPLACED BY REBUILT DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. CYCLE REPEATS ITSELF! *CN

I PURCHASED A 2003 SATURN VUE FROM A PRIVATE SELLER ON FEB. 24, 2009. THE CAR HAD 94,900 MILES. IT RAN GREAT FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS. THEN I NOTICED THE VUE WOULD RANDOMLY SLIP INTO A "WEIRD GEAR" AND THE ENGINE WOULD RUN HARDER THAN NORMAL. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR THE 99,000 MILE SERVICE AND TOLD THE SATURN SERVICE ADVISOR THE CAR SOUNDED LIKE A "WASHING MACHINE" PLEASE BEAR IN MIND I AN NOT A CAR PERSON, I JUST DRIVE THEM. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP, I NOTICED THE MILEAGE WAS THE SAME AS WHEN I DROPPED IT OFF TO BE SERVICED. AS I WAS DRIVING HOME CAR STARTED DOING THE SAME THING. I THOUGHT MAYBE I WAS JUST OVER-REACTING TO SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT A REAL PROBLEM. ABOUT 3 OR 4 WEEKS LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GM STATING THAT THEIR COULD BE A POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH THE VTI TRANSMISSION INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY. IT ALL MADE SENSE TO ME AT THAT MOMENT. I GOT IN TOUCH WITH GM AND THEY ASSIGNED A REP. TO INVESTIGATE MY CASE AND DETERMINED THAT MY TRANSMISSION WAS BAD, HOWEVER, I WAS 700 MILES OVER THE 100,000 MILE LIMIT BY THIS TIME. I TRIED WITH NO SUCESS TO EXPLAIN TO THE GM REP. HOW I HAD ATTEMPTED TO COMMUNICATE THE PROBLEM TO THE SATURN SERVICE FOLKS TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM AT MY 99,000 MILE SERVICE. BUT HE REALLY DIDN'T CARE REALLY!!! I NEVER ASK FOR THEM TO REPLACE THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION FOR FREE, I WAS PERFECTLY WILLING TO GO 50/50 WITH THEM ON THE REPAIR DUE TO THE HIGHER MILEAGE OF THE CAR. SO NOW MY CAR IS SITTING ON A DEALERS LOT AND I AM WITHOUT A CAR. MY TAKEAWAY IS BUYER BEWARE!! GM THROWS OUT JUNK AND COULD CARE LESS ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS. VS WHAT I AM SEEING TOYOTA DO. TOYOTA HAS SHUT DOWN THEIR PLANTS AND ARE NOT GOING TO BUILD ANYMORE CARS UNTIL THEY CORRECT A PROBLEM. WHILE GM KEEPS ON THROWING OUT THE @#$% AND TO ADD FURTHER INSULT TO INJURY OUR TAX DOLLARS WENT TO RESCUE THIS BUNCH OF CROOKS. *TR