2003 SATURN VUE Complaints

MY WIFE WAS TRAVELLING NORTH ON INTERSTATE RT 83 TOWARDS YORK, PA IN OUR 2003 SATURN VUE. THE WEATHER WAS LIGHT RAIN WITH THE TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW TO MID 30'S. THE TIME OF DAY WAS AROUND NOON. WITHOUT WARNING, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IT ROLLED OVER, RESTING ON THE PASSENGER-SIDE FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I VIEWED THE VEHICLE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER-SIDE REAR WHEEL WAS CROOKED, AS IF THE REAR AXLE WERE BENT. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER-SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY UNUSUAL TO HAVE A BENT REAR WHEEL WITH NO DAMAGE ON THAT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. NOW I'M WONDERING IF THE WHEEL COLLAPSE DEFECT IS WHAT CAUSED OUR SATURN VUE TO ROLL OVER. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE , AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED , AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

ON JULY 28, 2004, DRIVING EAST ON HWY 221 TOWARD MARATHON, NY WHEN I PASSED OVER A FLOODED SECTION OF ROAD IN A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE VEHICLE SPUN AND ROLLED OVER TWICE. I HAVE SINCE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM SATURN SECONDARY TO POSSIBLE SUSPENSION FAILURE AND ROLLOVER RISK. THE CAR IS BEING HELD BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY, USAA AUTO, AT CO-PART, 46 ZUK PIERCE ROAD, CENTRAL SQUARE, NY 13036. THE STOCK NUMBER IS 681194. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER SUSPENSION FAILURE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ROLLOVER ACCIDENT.*AK

BARK ON 5/15/2004 I NOTICED THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE ON OUR 2003 SATURN VUE WITH UNEVEN WEAR. THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ALSO BUT NOT AS BAD. TOOK CAR INTO SATURN THEY SAID WE MUST HAVE HIT SOMETHING AND BENT SOME PART OF THE REAR SUSPENSION CAUSING THE TIRE TO GO OUT OF ALINEMENT. MY WIFE DRIVES THIS CAR AND DOESN'T REMEMBER HITTING THING LET ALONE SOMETHING THAT COULD BEND METAL. THEY CHARGE US $324.63 TO REPAIR AND REPLACE ONE TIRE. THEY SAID THAT WARRENTEE DID NOT COVER THIS. NOW I SEE THAT A TEST CAUSED THE REAR SUSPENTION TO BEND AND THEY HAVE A RECALL. THEY WON'T TELL ME WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO, AND I NOT REALLY SURE JUST WHAT THEY REPLACED LAST TIME, THIS MIGHT BE RELATED? I STILL NEED TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SIDE TIRE, AS SOON AS I CAN AFFORD A NEW ONE, BUT I THINK THIS MIGHT BE RELATED TO THE RECALL. IF SO IS SATURN LIABLE FOR THE PAST REPAIRS? HOW CAN I FIND OUT WHAT THEY INTEND TO REPLACE IN THE RECALL? THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

WE HAVE HAD THE TORSION BAR SUPPORT REPLACED 3 TIMES IN OUR 2003 SATURN VUE. *JB

SECOND COMPLAINT: ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE WORK, AT BUSY INTERSECTION ATTEMPTED TO PULL INTO INTERSECTION. VUE HESITATED, DROPPED ALL POWER, RPM'S STUCK AT ABOUT 4000 AGAIN, HAD ACCELERATOR PUSHED TO THE FLOOR AND IT ACTED LIKE IT WAS STALLING AND WOULD BARELY MOVE. DID THIS FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 SECONDS BEFORE IT FINALLY STARTED ACCELERATING AGAIN. LUCKILY OTHER DRIVERS CAME TO A STOP AND AVOIDED HITTING ME. THE SATURN VUE WITH VTI IS A DANGER ! THE ONLY FIX SATURN HAS FOR IT IS TO FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION, RECALIBRATE AND ADD TRANSMISSION ADDITIVE. THIS ONLY HELPS FOR ABOUT A WEEK OR SO AND IT STARTS AGAIN. I CAN NOT PARK IN GRAVEL, DIRT OR GRASS BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHUT DOWN AND IT WILL NOT GO IN DRIVE. I CAN NOT PARK ON ANYTHING MORE THAN A 4% INCLINE OR THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHUT DOWN AND IT WILL NOT MOVE IN DRIVE. THESE VEHICLES NEED RECALLED AS THEY POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD ON THE HIGHWAY. MY DAUGHTER AND I HAVE NARROWLY ESCAPED ACCIDENTS 3 TIMES IN THIS VEHICLE !*AK

'03 SATURN VUE 4 VTI PURCHASED 6/03. SOON AFTER, FAILED TO GO IN DRIVE AT WORK. WOULD GO IN REVERSE BUT NOT MOVE IN DRIVE. SATURN GARAGE (LESS THAN A MILE FROM MY EMPLOYER) & SERVICE MANAGER & A TECH. CAME & DROVE IN REVERSE UNTIL FINALLY WENT IN DRIVE. TOOK TO GARAGE. THEY FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION & TOP OFF FLUIDS. TOOK VEHICLE HOME & LATER LEAVING WORK, CAR WAS STUCK & WOULD NOT GO IN DRIVE. IT DID NOT MOVE & FRONT WHEELS DID NOT TURN. COWORKERS PUSHED ME UNTIL IT STARTED TO MOVE SLUGGISH IN DRIVE. IT SPUTTERED DOWN THE ROAD TO THE GARAGE. EACH TIME I TRIED TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP THE CAR WOULD HESITATE, ALMOST STALL FOR SEVERAL SECONDS & RMP'S STUCK AT 4000. THEY FLUSHED THE TRANSMISSION, RECALIBRATED & ADDED TRANSMISSION ADDITIVE. I TOOK THE CAR HOME & WHILE I WAS PULLING INTO THE BUSIEST INTERSECTION IN NORTH CENTRAL WV IT FAILED TO ACCELERATE, RPM'S STUCK AT 4000 & SPUTTERED THRU THE INTERSECTION AT 10 MPH, OTHER VEHICLES HAD TO BRAKE HARD TO AVOID A REAR END COLLISION. I WAS SCARED & DAUGHTER WAS CRYING IN THE BACK AS OTHER DRIVERS BLEW HORNS & GAVE OBSCENE GESTURES. BACK TO GARAGE THE NEXT MORNING. TRANSMISSION FLUSHED, RECALIBRATED, ADDITIVE ADDED. 7/18/04 ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN PA (INTERSTATE 279) DURING HEAVY TRAFFIC,TRIED TO ACCELERATE, RPM'S STUCK AT 4000, SLOWED TO 50MPH & OTHER VEHICLES SLAMMED ON BRAKES BEHIND ME. HAD ACCELERATER TO FLOOR & IT SPUTTERED FOR 1MILE AT 50MPH. PUMPED ACCELERATOR SEVERAL TIMES, FINALLY CAME OUT OF 4000RPM & STARTED TO REGAIN SPEED. I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD TO REGAIN COMPOSURE BEFORE CONTINUING ON. 8/10/04, I HAVE ANOTHER APPT. TO HAVE TRANSMISSION LOOKED AT. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. CONTACTED SATURN & GEORGIA MCCONVILLE OF CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER CONTACTED THE LOCAL SERVICE DEPT. SHE ADVISED IN HER REPLY "WE NEED TO GIVE RON (SERVICE MANAGER) THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS ANY ISSUES YOU ARE CURRENTLY HAVING. CERTAINLY IF THIS VISIT DOES NOT ADDRESS THE CONCERN PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT US." *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON A RAINY DAY CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN THE SPEED, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED. VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN TWICE, AND LANDED UPSIDE DOWN ON AN EMBANKMENT. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.*AK

HAD VERY SIGNIFICANT SWAYING BACK & FORTH WHILE TRAVELING ON I-95 AT 70 MPH ON 4 OR 5 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DIDN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT DID HAPPEN GOING DOWN TO FL AND ALSO RETURNING BACK FROM FL. ONLY NOTICEABLE AT HIGH SPEEDS.*AK

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION ON 2003 SATURN VUE. *MR THE CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY ONTO HE MAIN ROAD AND THE VEHICLE DIED IN THE STREET. TWO DAYS LATER THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A TRANSMISSION. SIX WEEKS LATER THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DIED. *SC *JB