2003 SATURN VUE Complaints

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE DURING A LIGHT SNOWSTORM, I PASSED UNDER A BRIDGE WHERE THERE WAS SOME ACCUMULATION OF WATER. I WAS TRAVELING (COASTING) AT APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 55 MILES PER HOUR (SPEED LIMIT 65) AND WHEN I BEGAN CROSSING THE WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE THE CAR'S ENGINE ACCELERATED FROM ABOUT 2500 RPM TO 5500 RPM. THE CAR BEGAN TO SLIDE, AND ONLY RECOVERED AFTER THE ENGINE STOPPED ITS ACCELERATION OF RPM. ONCE I WAS OUT FROM UNDER THE BRIDGE AND THE ROAD WAS NOT AS WET THE RPM RETURNED TO NORMAL AND THE CAR STRAIGTHENED OUT. AT THE POINT OF ACCELERATION, I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL ENTIRELY, AND ALTHOUGH THE "TRACTION CONTROL" BUTTON IS TURNED ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN YOU START THE CAR, THE WARNING LIGHT THAT NORMALLY COMES ON DURING TRACTION CONTROL DID NOT LIGHT, INDICATING THAT IT WAS NOT THE TRACTION CONTROL THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. SINCE THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND THE CONTROLS ARE ON THE STEERING WHEEL I DO NOT DRIVE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON (I RARELY IF EVER USE THE CRUISE CONTROL AS I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS SAFE). I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, THE TECHNICIAN CHECKED THE CAR AND SAID THAT NOTHING HAD BEEN RECORDED ON THE COMPUTER AND NOTHING WAS MALFUNCTIONING. HE BELIEVED I USED THE CRUISE CONTROL INADVERTENTLY, WHICH IS NOT POSSIBLE. I BELIEVE THE VEHICLE HAS AN UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION PROBLEM. *AK

FIRST MY ENGINE BLEW BECAUSE SATURN DID NOT PUT OIL BACK INTO MY VUE DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE NEXT MY CONTROL COMPUTER IN THE VUE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT DID NOT WORK. NOW MY TRANSMISSION COVER NEEDS REPLACED. I ALSO HEAR ABOUT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR END SUSPENSION NOW. I BOUGHT A NEW VUE FOR ITS RELIABILITY AND IT IS NOT RELIABLE ALL ON SATURNS FAULT.*AK

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY 2003 VUE. FIRST, THE VTI TRANSMISSION SEEMS TO HESITATE AND OR SLIP WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS, IT COMES AND GOES. IT ALSO SEEMS LOUDER THAT IT SHOULD BE WITH CLICKING NOISES, ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING WAS OK, I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. SECOND, THE HORN IS VERY HARD TO USE, MY WIFE DOES NOT LIKE TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE SHE DOES MOSTLY CITY DRIVING AND NEEDS A HORN. IT'S NOT BROKEN, JUST VERY DIFFICULT TO USE AND I THINK A POTENTIAL HAZARD. FINALLY THERE ARE MANY OTHER SQEAKS AND RATTLES THAT DRIVE ME CRAZY. THE HEADLINER AROUND THE SUNROOF ON THE DRIVERS SIDE RATTLES A LOT. ALSO THE REAR TRUNK/LIFTGATE SQUEEKS AND AFTER CLOSER EXAMINATION I SAW THAT THE INSIDE PLASTIC WAS COMING APART FROM THE REAR TRUNK/LIFTGATE. I PUSHED IT BACK TOGETHER, BUT I THINK IT LOOSENS EVERYTIME I CLOSE THE TRUNK/LIFTGATE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO THE VEHICLE CONCERNING THESE PROBLEMS. *AL

MY 2003 FWD SATURN VUE HAS HAD CONSTANT FRONT-END, STEERING, AND BRAKING ISSUES THAT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH. THE VUE HAS 34,000 MILES ON IT. SINCE 10,000 MILES, IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP NEARLY EVERY MONTH FOR LOOSE FRONT END SUSPENSION PARTS, LOOSE STEERING PARTS, LOOSE BRAKE PARTS, ETC. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEMS. ONCE THEY ARE DUPLICATED FOR THEM, THEY CLAIM TO REPLACE PARTS AND THAT THE ISSUES ARE RESOLVED, ALTHOUGH THERE IS LITTLE OR NO CHANGE IN SYMPTOMS. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT FEEL SAFE WHEN DRIVING IT, AND THE CURRENT PROBLEMS MAY RESULT IN A CRASH.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE COMMENCED TO LOSE POWER FROM 50 MPH TO LESS THEN 5 MPH. VEHICLE WAS TOW TO THE DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO TRANSMISSION SENSOR STICKING, WHICH OVERHEATED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. DEALER REPLACED THE VALVE BODY AND THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. *AK

2003 VUE AWD VTI 4-CYL  TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 10,229 MILES, DEALERSHIP REPAIRED. TRANSMISSION MAKES METALLIC RUBBING NOISE WHENEVER CAR IS DRIVEN FOR MORE THAN 10 MINUETS. ONLY HAPPENS ONCE CAR IS WARM. DEALERSHIP LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THEY ADDED SPECIAL FLUIDS WHICH TOOK CARE OF PROBLEM FOR 8,000 MILES. NOISE IS BACK. *AK

MY 2003 SATURN VUE LOSES POWER SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING. A "REDUCED POWER" WARNING LIGHT GOES ON AND "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" WARNING GOES ON AT THE SAME TIME. SUDDENLY YOU HAVE NO POWER. IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME ON THE FREEWAY AND IT IS REALLY FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS. I'M AFRAID IT'S GOING TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM AND IT'S STILL DOING THE SAME THING. ALSO, THE "TRACHION CONTROL" WILL GO ON WHEN IT SHOULDN'T AND YOU LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR. *AK

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND STALLS FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE POWER IS RESTORED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES. THIS FAILURE HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL REAR END COLLISIONS. THE DEALERSHIP TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM BUT PERFORMED THE REPAIRS IN THE TSB 03-07-300-051 TWICE. THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. NOW, THE DEALERSHIP IS INDICATING THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH TRANSMISSION SLIPPED WHILE SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR. ALSO, THERE WAS HESITATION, AND THE RPM'S WENT UP. DEALER REPLACED A SENSOR ON THE TRANSMISSION, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *NM

1) LEFT PASSENGER DOOR FLEW OPEN WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH DOWN A SURFACE STREET; 2) NO DOOR AJAR SYSTEM FOR PASSENGER DOORS (ONLY TRUNK AND IF A LOOSE GAS CAP); 3) CONTACTED SATURN, FEEL THERE 2003 SATURN VUE IS SAFE WITHOUT THIS FEATURE. THEY WILL ONLY TAKE IT UNDER ADVISEMENT. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THE DOORS ARE CLOSED. UNACCEPTABLE! EVEN MY 8 YEAR OLD FORD AEROSTAR VAN HAD THAT SYSTEM; AND, WITH KIDS IT IS NECESSARY! *AK