2003 SATURN VUE Complaints

VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, FORCING CONSUMER TO PULL VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART VEHICLE, AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

NORMAL DRIVE ABOUT 45 MPH ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY. WITH NO NOTICE THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO DISENGAGE. WE HAD POWER AND STEPPING ON THE GAS MADE PLENTY OF REVE BUT WE WERE NOT GOING ANYWHERE. LUCKILY THE CAR HAD ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. NO ACCIDENTS TODAY, BUT IF I HAD BEEN ON MY WAY TO WORK USING THE WASHINGTON DC CAPITAL BELTWAY WE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SO LUCKY.*AK

WHEN DRIVING ENGINE MADE A RINGING NOISE. IT ELEVATED AND DECREASED. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, WHO CLAIMED IT WAS JUST A MINOR DEFECT. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED IT WAS OKAY. *AK

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2003 SATURN VUE. UNFORTUNATELY SHORTLY THERE AFTER I HEARD ABOUT PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CTV OR VTI AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THIS TRANSMISSION DEVELOPED BY HONDA USES A DRIVE BELT THROUGH PULLEYS FOR ITS OPERATION. IF THIS BELT FAILS THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT FUNCTION AT ALL, BECAUSE THE DRIVE SYSTEM STOPS.OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE IF THE BELT SNAPS YOUR CAR COMES TO A COMPLETE STOP.WHETHER CITY OR HIGHEWAY DRIVING ITS A DANGEROUS THING. ITS UNSETTLING AND AT THIS POINT I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING THE CAR. SATURN WAS CONCERNED ENOUGH TO HALT PRODUCTION OF THIS TRANSMISSION UNTIL IT WAS REMEDIED.SATURN HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS TRANSMISSION WHICH IS A NICE GESTURE BUT THE FACT IS I KNOW LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITH MY CHILDREN IN IT AND I THINK IF THEY HAVE FOUND AWAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND IT WAS SERIOUS ENOUGH FOR THEM TO STOP PRODUCTION TILL THEY FOUND IT, WELL THEN THIS SITUATION DEMANDS A RECALLL SO EVERYONE CAN BENEFIT ALL 82,000 OF US AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THERE VEHICLES COMING TO A DEAD STOP WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY.THIS PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN REPORTED IN THE NY TIMES AND NY NEWSDAY AS I WILL SHOW YOU THE NEWSDAY STORY. NY NEWSDAY APRIL 30, 2004 SATURN TRANSMISSION FIX GENERAL MOTORS SAYS IT HAS FIXED PROBLEMS WITH THE CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION IT USES IN THE SATURN ION AND VUE AND IS OFFERING AN EXTENDED WARRANTY TO EASE BUYERS' FEARS -- FROM THREE YEARS/36,000 MILES TO FIVE YEARS/75,000 MILES. GM YANKED THE FUEL-SAVING GEARBOX FROM PRODUCTION IN JANUARY BECAUSE OF DURABILITY PROBLEMS WITH THE STEEL BELT INSIDE THE GEARBOX THAT CONNECTS TO PULLEYS. INSTALLATION OF THE CVT RESUMED IN MARCH ON THE ION COUPE AND SHOULD RESUME IN MAY WITH THE VUE SUV. THE NEW WARRANTY COVERS ALL CVT-EQUIPPED SATURNS PRODUCED SINCE THE SUMMER OF 2002, A TOTAL OF ABOUT 82,000.*AK

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A FRONT END BRAKE PROBLEM. DEALER STATED BRAKES WERE REPAIRED, AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. LATER THAT DAY, WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A NOISE IN THE FRONT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MIDAS SHOP, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS WERE CORRODED , AND IT WAS CAUSING THE ROTORS AND PADS TO WEAR UNEVENLY AND PREMATURELY. *AK

I HAVE HAD MY 2003 VUE FOR ABOUT 1 1/2 YEARS. IN THAT TIME I HAVE HAD AN UNEXPLAINABLE RATTLE IN THE HEAD LINER, DESIGN FLAW IN THE SUNROOF/MOONROOF, GAS GUAGE SENSOR REPLACED, THERMOSTAT REPLACED, SLIPPING TRANSMISSION, "FLAME OUTS" WHEN TRYING TO START THE ENGINE RESULTING IN FLOODING, "JUMPING" TO THE RIGHT AT ACCELERATION FROM A STOP, HEAT BLOWING OUT OF THE VENTS DURING THE SUMMER WHEN THE FAN IS SHUT OFF AND TEMP IS ON COLD, AND THIS WEEK A DAZZLING DISPLAY OF INDICATOR LIGHTS AND GUAGES AND DASH LIGHTS RANDOMLY TURNING ON AND OFF WITH THE EVENTUAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING. AND I THOUGHT MY TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH MY TAHOE WERE BAD? WE PURCHASED THE VUE FOR OUR DAUGHTER TO DRIVE WHEN SHE TURNS 16. I FEEL THAT THIS CAR WILL NOT BE SAFE FOR HER TO DRIVE. I AM VERY CONCERNED WITH STORIES I AM HEARING ABOUT THE AIRBAGS FAILING, ABS FAILING, STEERING FAILING. THIS COULD BE FATAL FOR AN INEXPERIENCED DRIVER.*AK

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY VEHICLE DRIFTED ONTO THE GRASSY SHOULDER. WITHOUT HITTING MY BRAKES, I STEERED BACK ONTO THE ROAD. THE REAR END OF MY VEHICLE FISH-TAILED SLIGHTLY. AS THIS WAS HAPPENING, THE DRIVER'S BACK WHEEL BENT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE CAUSING IT TO ROLL OVER, PASSENGER SIDE FIRST, ONTO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. DURING THE ROLL-OVER, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, BOTH DRIVER- SIDE TIRES BLEW, BOTH AXLES BENT, THE TOPS OF THE PASSENGER-SIDE DOORS CRUMPLED, THE PASSENGER-SIDE WINDOWS SHATTERED, AND THE ROOF CRUMPLED LIKE A CRUSHED ALUMINUM CAN. I RECEIVED NUMEROUS INJURIES, INCLUDING NECK/BACK/SHOULDER STRAINS, BROKEN RIBS AND DAMAGE TO MY RIGHT KNEE AND ANKLE.

TWICE (JULY/2003 AND APRIL/2004) MY SATURN VUE VTI TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. IN APRIL, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED IN HIGHWAY DRIVING. WAS MOVING ALONG ABOUT 55 MPH IN MODERATE STATE HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND THE TRANSMISSION STARTED GRINDING AND VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. WAS NOT ABLE TO RECOVER ANY POWER. IN 2003, I WAS ABLE TO DROP THE SHIFTER INTO A LOWER GEAR (I) WHICH INCREASED POWER TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD CONTROL VEHICLE. SATURN'S SOLUTION IS TO EXTEND WARRANTY BUT I HAVE REAL CONCERNS.

THE WINDSHIELD WASHER NOZZLE DISC POPS OUT OF ITS NOZZLE ASSEBLY MAKING THE WINDSHIELD FLUID SPRAY PUR OUT RATHER THAN PROPERLY SPRAY THE WINDSHIELD INORDER TO PROPERLY CLEAR THE VIEWING AREA. EPECIALLY NEEDED DURING WINTER SEASON OF SALT/SLUSH SPRAY FROM FORWARD VEHICLE ON ROAD/HWY OPERATION. (BASICALLY THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOUR VEHICLES TIRES SPRAYS SALT/SLUSH SPRAY UP ON YOUR WINDSHIEL, AND WITHOUT THE WINDSHIELD SPRAYER WORKING CORRECTLY YOU CAN'T SEE THE ROAD.*AK

CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH VTI TRANSMISSION. EXPERIENCE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT PROBLEMS, THE MOST NOTEWORTHY IS AN INTERMITTENT HESITATION, USUALLY WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC. HAS NEARLY CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. SATURN DEALERSHIP DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT, SATURN CORPORATE LINE IS NO HELP. *JB