2003 SATURN VUE Complaints

I HAVE A 2003 SATURN VUE. SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE, I HAVE NOW HAD 5 WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED, ONE PER WHEEL AND 2 ON PASSENGER FRONT SIDE. THE FIRST 4 WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE LAST ONE COST $410 TO HAVE REPLACED. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THE COST AND SINCE I HAD EACH WHEEL BEARING REPLACED AT THE DEALERSHIP, THEY ONLY CHARGED ME 25% OF THE COST. FIVE WHEEL BEARINGS IN 3 YEARS IN NOT A VERY GOOD RECORD. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS ISSUE RESEARCHED BECAUSE, TO ME, IT SEEMS THAT IT IS EITHER A LEMON OR A RECALL ITEM. *NM

2003 SATURN VUE SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING AT AN INTERSECTION. THOUGHT THAT IT WAS THE FUEL FILTER, WHICH IS ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE DEALERSHIP(IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE WHEN THEY ARE OPEN). NOW THE CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND THE AND THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ARE BOTH READING BAD, AND MY VEHICLE WILL QUIT RUNNING AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING. *NM

COMPUTER FAILED ON 2003 SATURN VUE (4-CYL VTI VERSION) CAUSING GAUGES AND SYSTEM LIGHTS TO BLINK AND FLUCTUATE UNCONTROLLABLY. ADDITIONALLY, DOOR LOCKS WERE TURNED ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY. I HAD DIFFICULTY EXITING THE VEHICLE ONCE AT THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE LOCKS. INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING IN ON HIGHWAY AT 58 MPH. MILEAGE OF VEHICLE IS 52,600. DEALERSHIP REPLACED COMPUTER -- PROBLEM WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A CLUNKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE FRONT CONTROL ARM LINKAGE AND BUSHINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT PERFORMED THE REPAIR AS INSTRUCTED BY THE DEALER. THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE REAR SUSPENSION LATERAL LINK ASSEMBLIES. UPDATED 04/06/06. *JB

1) NO PRIOR WARNING LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE 2) I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME, BUT THE GAS GAUGE WAS BROKEN CAUSING ME TO RUN OUT OF GAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. I HAD TO COAST OVER 2 LANES THANKFULLY NOT GETTING HIT OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HEART BEATING "-THANK GOD I"M ALIVE", II CALL SATURN DESCRIBING THAT MY CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. THEY LOOK UP MY CAR, TELL ME IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT I WILL BE CHARGED FOR THE TOW AND REPAIRS. 3)I HAD IT TOWED TO MY REPAIR SHOP, PAID FOR TOW, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FUEL SENSOR AND LABOR TOTALING $750.00. *NM

DRIVING CAR STARTED TO BLOW OIL FROM THE CAM COVER GASKET CAUSED BY MOISTURE/WATER ENTERING ENGINE BECAUSE OF MOISTURE BUILD UP IN PVC HOSE. WATER IN ENGINE FROZE CAUSING GASKET TO BLOW. TOTAL LOSS OF OIL IN ENGINE. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO DEALER. THEY REROUTED PVC HOSE TO PREVENT MOISTURE BUILD UP AGAIN. GASKET WAS REPLACED. *JB

HAVE TAKEN CAR TO DEALER MORE THAN ONCE FOR FOLLOWING ITEMS: (1) IGNITION DOES NOT RELEASE WHEN KEY REMOVED. THE FIRST TIME ALL THEY DID WAS MAKE A NEW KEY, TODAY (FEB 16, 2006) THEY CHANGED A SPRING ON THE 1ST "LEVEL". PROBLEM STILL EXISTS INTERMITTENT, AFTER I LEFT DEALER. FIRST REPORTED APX SEPT 2005. (2) MAJOR SKIDDING ON SLIGHT GRADES WHEN SUDDEN BRAKING. DEALERS MAINT FLUFFED IT OFF EACH TIME SAYING NOTHING WRONG. PROBLEM SINCE 2004. (3) WHEN SHIFTING DOWN FROM DRIVE TO PARK INTERMITTENT STICKING AT REVERSE POSITION, VERY SUBTLE BUT DEFINITELY NOT NORMAL. PROBLEM JUST STARTED (JAN 2006). DATE LISTED UNDER "INCIDENT DATE" WAS JUST TO BE ABLE TO INPUT INTO COMPUTER. THERE ARE 3 DIFFERENT ISSUES FROM DIFFERENT DATES AND YRS. ALL ARE APX. *JB

FIRST TIME DRIVING SATURN VUE ON FREE WAY, MOTOR STARTED RACING AND VUE HAD NO GEARS, LOST SPEED , HAD TO GET OFF ROAD AND HAVE VUE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, THEY INSTALLED NEW TRANSMISSION CALIBRATION AND NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID AND ADDITIVE AND INFORMED ME FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT MY VUE HAD A VTI TRANSMISSION AND THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION MAY EXPERIENCE CERTAIN TRANSMISSION CONCERNS THAT MIGHT AFFECT CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND MAY REQUIRE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. 2ND TIME I WAS DRIVING ON ROAD AND AGAIN MOTOR STARTED TO RACE AND GEARS WOULD NOT WORK, AGAIN I HAD TO GET OFF ROAD AND HAVE VUE TOWED TO DEALER, THEY REPLACED TRANSMISSION SPEED SENSOR INSIDE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY COVER. 2ND TIME DRIVING ON ROAD. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEEDS, THE ENGINE REVS HIGH AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPS. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR AND THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE SAME TRANSMISSION WOULD BE USED. ALTHOUGH, THE DEALER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

2003 SATURN VUE HOOD RELEASE CABLE AND WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. *TS THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS REPLACED (WARRANTY). WHILE REPAIRING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE PROMPT SHAFT CENTER BEARING WAS BROKEN (WARRANTY). THERE WAS NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSAXLE. THE TECHNICIAN UPDATED THE TCM AND ADDED CVT ADDITIVE (WARRANTY). THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE OXYGEN SENSOR WAS FAULTY (WARRANTY). THE AIR BAG AND HORN WERE ALSO REPLACED. *NM