Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 3117 | 3117A | 10010098 | Rear toe cam adjustment nut for service applications. *sc | 11/04/2004 | |
| 3135 | 01/01/2004 | 10010045 | Pop noise from engine area during heavy throttle input. *tc | 11/03/2004 | |
| 3116 | 01/01/2004 | 10009971 | Ses illuminated engine miss/misfire feel or rough idle. *sc | 11/02/2004 | |
| 040604008 | 10/01/2004 | 040604008A | 10006167 | Service engine soon (ses) lamp illuminated with dtc p0135 ho2s heater circuit performance bank 1 sensor 1 and/or dtc p0155 ho2s heater performance bank 2 sensor 1. *mr this bulletin replaces previous 04-06-04-008. *eh | 04/23/2004 |
| 0306123001 | 11/01/2003 | 10005574 | Slight loss of coolant or low coolant light coming on with no signs of external leaks. also the engine may be difficult to start; engine misfire for several seconds; and/or white smoke or coolant odor from the tailpipe. *tt | 03/04/2004 | |
| 030602001 | 03/01/2003 | 10001188 | Design change to water pump used on l61 engine. *tt | 04/22/2003 | |
| 030602002 | 03/01/2003 | 10001193 | Insufficient heat, service engine soon (malfunction indicator lamp) telltale on, diagnostic trouble code p0128 set. *tt | 04/22/2003 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - FAN | |||||
| 040137006 | 05/01/2004 | 10007551 | Heater-ventilation-air conditioning (hvac) hiss-type noise. *mr | 07/01/2004 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| PIP-4495C | 03/01/2011 | 10038510 | Gm: there may be noise coming from the cylinder head, because of low oil pressure which is caused by debris. *rm | 06/16/2011 | |
| PIP-4495C | 03/01/2011 | 10038510 | Ready | 06/16/2011 | |
| 3859 | 3859A | 10020923 | Low oil pressure - inspect oil filter for damage. *kb updated 10/18/07. *nj | 01/30/2007 | |
| 3433 | 3433D | 10017032 | Service engine soon (ses) light and severe engine misfire on cylinders 1 and 4 or cylinders 2 and 3. *tt updated 08-15-07. *kb | 10/20/2005 | |
| 040604074 | 10/01/2004 | 10010509 | Service engine soon (ses) and/or reduced power lamp illuminated, limited throttle response following cold engine start up, diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p0638. *tt | 11/30/2004 | |
| 040603007 | 10/01/2004 | 10010449 | Crank no start, hard start, stalling, or front lamps intermittently inoperative setting any of the following diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) - p0629, b2752, b3722, n3717, b2717, b2600, b2722. *tt | 11/23/2004 | |
| 040605009 | 07/01/2004 | 10009360 | Service information regarding a pop/clunk noise from the rear of the vehicle on initial cold start and/or during the warm-up drive cycle. *tt | 09/27/2004 | |
| 040604033 | 09/01/2004 | 040604033A | 10007087 | Check engine light on with p0440 or p0442 stored. *tt this bulletin replaces previous bulletin dated 05/01/2004. *tt | 05/25/2004 |
| 040601011 | 05/01/2004 | 10006979 | Service manual update for engine block clearance, cylinder head clearance and fastener torque specifications. *tt | 05/20/2004 | |
| 040601009 | 04/01/2004 | 10006739 | Oil leak from front cover seal during extremely cold weather. *tt | 05/11/2004 | |
| 040601010 | 04/01/2004 | 10006740 | Blue smoke at engine start-up. *tt | 05/11/2004 | |
| 040604027 | 04/01/2004 | 10006725 | Service manual update - add diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p0504. *tt | 05/11/2004 | |
| 040601004 | 09/01/2004 | 040601004A | 10006088 | Service information regarding engine support during removal of right front engine mount assembly. *tt | 04/16/2004 |
| 040601001 | 01/01/2004 | 10005199 | Oil leaks from engine after sub-freezing temperatures. *tt | 02/12/2004 | |
| 03065 | 12/01/2003 | 10005158 | On-board diagnostic (obd) system software upgrade. *tt | 02/09/2004 | |
| 030090003 | 09/01/2003 | 10003976 | Oil filter cap assembly and oil filter element design change. *tt | 11/10/2003 | |
| 030604043 | 09/01/2003 | 10003592 | Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) service engine soon telltale lamp on, reduced power lamp may illuminate with diagnostic trouble codes p0121, p0221, and/or p2135. *tt | 10/24/2003 | |
| 030601021 | 07/01/2003 | 10003411 | Crank no start after backfire or rough run/high idle after engine start. *tt | 10/20/2003 | |
| 030601017 | 06/01/2003 | 10002122 | Timing chain design change and revised service procedures. *tt | 08/13/2003 | |
| 030601015 | 05/01/2003 | 10001668 | Service manual update for removal of the sealer used on oil pump gasket during oil pump installation. *tt | 06/18/2003 | |
| 030601014 | 05/01/2003 | 10001667 | Service manual update regarding the use of saturn special tool j-42065 crank hub holding tool. *tt | 06/18/2003 | |
| 020601016A | 03/01/2003 | 020601016 | 10001540 | (mil) service engine soon telltale illuminated with diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) p0171 and/or p0174. *tt | 06/06/2003 |
| 030604016 | 03/01/2003 | 10001199 | Service information regarding the engine control module (ecm) connector and terminal locations on saturn v6 engines. *tt | 04/22/2003 | |
| 030601007 | 03/01/2003 | 10001187 | Buzzing, grinding, or growling noise or vibration from rear of vehicle when fuel pump is running. *tt | 04/22/2003 | |
| 030604023 | 03/01/2003 | 10001202 | Intermittent whistle/chirp noise from engine compartment. *tt | 04/22/2003 | |
| 02T67 | 10/01/2002 | 10000200 | Rough idle, malfunction indicator lamp (mil) illuminated with diagnostic trouble codes (dtc) p0171 fuel trim system lean and / or p0172 fuel trim system rich. *tt | 02/14/2003 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||||
| 050604059 | 09/01/2005 | 10017570 | Fuel nozzle shuts off intermittently or prematurely during fuel fill and/or ses lamp on with dtc p0446 evap vent system performance set. *tt | 11/10/2005 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | ||||||
| PE06006 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 01/24/2006 | 06/06/2006 | TIMING CHAIN FAILURE | ||
| On december 12, 2005, odi received a defect petition (dp05-008) requesting the investigation of timing chain failures that could cause stalling in saturn vehicles equipped with the 2.2l (l61) engine. odi opened pe06-006 on january 24, 2006, with 24 vehicle owner complaints that alleged a broken timing chain caused the vehicle to stop operating.on april 12, 2006, odi received information from general motors (gm) concerning timing chain failures in approximately 412,000 model year (my) 2000 through 2003 saturn l-series and ion vehicles with 2.2l engines. gm's response included 1,020 owner complaints and field reports concerning timing chain failure, including 228 that alleged the failure caused the vehicle to stall while driving.gm also provided warranty claim data that showed 1,902 subject vehicles receiving timing chain repairs, including 261 which indicated that a stall while driving resulted from the failure.the gm complaints, field reports and warranty claims that did not contain sufficient information to determine that a stall while driving occurred were provided in the category other.gm stated that the majority of these incidents probably occurred while the vehicles were parked since the timing chain is more likely to break during high chain load situations, such as engine startup.gm's data showed elevated failure rates in approximately 20,500 my 2001 l-series vehicles produced during a four month period from november 2000 through february 2001.over one-third of gm's total complaints and field reports (34.3%) and warranty claims (38.2%) involved l-series vehicles built during the 4-month period, which are only about 5% of subject vehicle production.the timing chain failure rate in the vehicles built during this range is over 10 times greater than the remaining subject vehicle population. for the my 2001 l-series vehicles built during the 4-month period, the 36-month failure rate for repairs involving stall while driving is slightly under one percent.however, if the incidents coded as other are added, the 36-month failure rate rises to nearly five percent for those vehicles.odi and gm are continuing to assess the number of complaints and warranty claims coded by gm as other that involve incidents of stall while driving.gm's statistical modeling of the failure data initially concluded that the failure rates were declining with age and mileage for any set of warranty data analyzed (e.g., stall while driving, other or combined).however, subsequent analysis showed that the failure rates are increasing. based on the high complaint and warranty rates for timing chain failure in the 4-month production period for the my 2001 l-series vehicles, this investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis to further assess the frequency of stall incidents due to timing chain failures in those vehicles (ea06-009). | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 03/19/2012 | 166000 | ||
| I was rear ended on march 19th in springdale arkansas. i was parked at a stop light when a car rear ended me. the driver did not have insurance and his name was kyle roberts address on the accident report was 601 w easy street rogers arkansas. the vehicle was a mitsubishi mirage license plate 551 rkz and drivers license number 931627087. the officers name was proctor badge number 356. i received the letter from the insurance company progressive stating that he did not have insurance. the following day after the accident on the way home my service engine light, oil light and several other lights flashed. there was a loud popping noise and black smoke came pouring out and everything shut down. i have since noticed there is a recall for this same thing but was told it is not for my specific vin number. i am arguing with the insurance company because they refuse to repair the engine part which they said was not due to the accident. i think the impact from the wreck knocked the oil filler cap off because when the geico adjusters had the car they could not find it. i found the oil filler cap down in the front between the front of the engine and front of the car. oil was all over the engine and seized from what the geico adjusters said. i am placing a complaint with the insurance commissioner on geico for not picking me up for road side assistance, taking to long to repair the bumper, not knowing what they are doing taking so long to be able to repair the car. they tried charging me a $500 deductible when i had uninsured and underinsured motorists and several other issues with them. | |||
| 04/23/2012 | 160002 | ||
| Timing chain broke on the vehicle while driving it. | |||
| 12/15/2011 | 98000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 saturn view. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic for routine maintenance when the mechanic discovered that the engine oil housing was cracked. the engine oil housing failed due to defective material and corrosion. the local mechanic replaced the engine oil housing unit. the failure and the current mileage was 98,000. the vin was not available. kmj | |||
| 12/15/2011 | 98000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 saturn view. the contact stated while the vehicle was at the local mechanic for routine maintenance, the mechanic found the engine oil housing cracked. the engine oil housing failed due to defective material, and corrosion. the vehicle was repaired. the local mechanic replaced the engine oil housing unit. the failure and the current mileage was 98,000. li | |||
| 07/12/2010 | 40000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. the contact stated that there were multiple failures within the vehicle. the vehicle was hesitant to accelerate accompanied with a loud, humming noise. the horn sensor was melted, causing the horn to malfunction and sound continuously. the fuel tank was also fractured, causing a fuel leak and fumes to fill the vehicle cabin. the muffler was abnormally loud and the steering wheel would seize without warning and most frequently when attempting a left turn. in addition, the timing chain failed causing an increase of engine roms to 4000. the hazard light activation button also fractured therefore; the contact was unable to utilize the hazard lights. the dealer and manufacturer were contacted in regards to all of the failures experienced in the vehicle but neither provided any assistance to the contact. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 64,000. kmj | |||
| 10/14/2010 | |||
| The engine light never goes off, the ignition want turn or crank sometimes, you can smell oil when the car stops | |||
| 07/12/2010 | 40000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. the contact stated that there were multiple failures within the vehicle. the vehicle was hesitant to accelerate accompanied with a loud, humming noise. the horn sensor was melted, causing the horn to malfunction and sound continuously. the fuel tank was also fractured, causing a fuel leak and fumes to fill the vehicle cabin. the muffler was abnormally loud and the steering wheel would seize without warning and most frequently when attempting a left turn. in addition, the timing chain failed causing an increase of engine roms to 4000. the hazard light activation button also fractured therefore; the contact was unable to utilize the hazard lights. the dealer and manufacturer were contacted in regards to all of the failures experienced in the vehicle but neither provided any assistance to the contact. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 64,000. kmj | |||
| 10/14/2010 | |||
| The engine light never goes off, the ignition want turn or crank sometimes, you can smell oil when the car stops | |||
| 07/12/2010 | 40000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. the contact stated that there were multiple failures within the vehicle. the vehicle was hesitant to accelerate accompanied with a loud, humming noise. the horn sensor was melted, causing the horn to malfunction and sound continuously. the fuel tank was also fractured, causing a fuel leak and fumes to fill the vehicle cabin. the muffler was abnormally loud and the steering wheel would seize without warning and most frequently when attempting a left turn. in addition, the timing chain failed causing an increase of engine roms to 4000. the hazard light activation button also fractured therefore; the contact was unable to utilize the hazard lights. the dealer and manufacturer were contacted in regards to all of the failures experienced in the vehicle but neither provided any assistance to the contact. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 64,000. kmj | |||
| 10/14/2010 | |||
| The engine light never goes off, the ignition want turn or crank sometimes, you can smell oil when the car stops | |||
| 07/12/2010 | 40000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. the contact stated that the vehicle would accelerate slowly and the vehicle would make a loud humming noise; the horn sensor melted, causing the horn to continuously hank; the fuel tank had a crack, causing fumes and fuel to leak from the fuel tank; the muffler would make a loud noise; the steering wheel would lock up, especially while making left turns, making it would be difficult to steer the vehicle while driving; the timing chain would cause the rpms to fluctuate to 4000; the hazard light button broke completely off and the hazard light would not come on, making if difficult to see at night. the dealer and manufacturer denied any assistance with repair to the failures. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 40,000 and the current mileage was 64,000. nw | |||
| 10/14/2010 | |||
| The engine light never goes off, the ignition want turn or crank sometimes, you can smell oil when the car stops | |||
| 07/26/2011 | 103000 | ||
| My car has 103000 on it and has been very well maintained. it suddenly died with no warning while i was driving up a hill. i had it towed to the shop, where they ran a diagnostic. i have a transmission leak, a bad intake manifold that causes the engine to run incredibly lean, and a sensor problem. this car is babied, and with such low mileage should not be experiencing any issues with the intake manifold and the transmission. the sensor i can understand failing, but the amount of issues that this vehicle has had, and the amount of complaints i have seen from other owners of the 2003 saturn vue v6 awd is staggering. these are clearly vehicles with issues and saturn owners should receive some sort of compensation for the amount of money we are putting out to make repairs for shoddy worksmanship. | |||
| 03/16/2011 | 49765 | ||
| While driving my son noticed a sound coming from the engine that was not normal. when we stopped i opened the hood and investigated. when idiling it sounded like a chain slapping, at 1000 rpms the sound was like a whir instead of a slap. after listening for a few moments i decided it sounded like the timing chain. the next day my wife brought the vehicle to a chevrolet dealer and they determined that the tensioner had failed and the chain was indeed slapping around, but it had not damaged a valve. i checked on the internet and found that saturn engines, such as mine (2.2l engines), did indeed have a problem with the timing chain. a recall was issued for that engine, but only 2000-2002 model year. total cost to repair was almost $1400.00 | |||
| 05/27/2010 | 53510 | 1 | |
| I purchased a used 2003 saturn vue 2.2l in 2006. in may 2010 with 95,000 miles on it, it started running rough. i was leaving for work one morning and it died as i left my driveway. called my auto shop and was able to drive it to the shop for diagnosis. the whole way there the service engine soon light was flashing. the diagnosis was that 2 cylinders were misfiring and had failed and that meant the ignition control module needed to be replaced. along with that the spark plugs needed to be replaced because of the damage done by the misfiring. total cost: $350. picked up the car and service engine soon light came on again and was steady. it happened to be memorial day weekend so i couldn't take my car back in right away. took it in on the following wednesday, mind you i got it back on friday night. now it is the downstream o2 sensor, upstream o2 sensor and possibly the catalytic converter. was advised to definitely replace the downstream o2 sensor, but was told that the upstream o2 sensor and catalytic converter could repair themselves after running a while. after finding a recall on my year, make and model called the saturn customer service and was told my vin was not included in the recall and because i had purchased it used they would not replace or help me in any way, shape or fashion. with the same exact issue as the recall, i do not understand why my car would not be included. *tr | |||
| 04/17/2010 | 91000 | ||
| Tl*-the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. the contact observed when the vehicle was parked, a leakage of fluid underneath the engine area. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the technician informed that the coolant was mixing with the oil which required a replacement of the head gasket. the manufacturer was notified and advised that the defect could not be repaired under the service warranty. the vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. the failure and current mileages were 91,000. | |||
| 04/12/2010 | 85047 | ||
| My 2003 saturn vue is shutting down without warning or notice even on the expressway. my check engine light came on one day and went out and since then my car will shut off and not start back up. the car will attempt to turn over but not run as if it is not getting any gas. i had to be pushed into a cvs paking lot because i was in the right turning lane. after waiting 15 to 20 minutes later, the car started up, i put the car in drive and it shuts down again.it took me 30 minutes to go 2.5 miles because the car constantly shut down four times. the total time it took me to go 10 miles from my home, to my destination, and back was 3 hours. i took the car to a repair shop and was originally told it was the fuel pump; test revealed this was not the problem but it could be a bad crankshaft sensor, or an engine control module and the approximate cost would be over $600 depending on the problem. a car shutting down while driving is very dangerous for me and to others. i am literally afraid of driving my own car now due to this problem. while researching this problem online it appears this problem is occurring frequently and a recall should be in order. | |||
| 05/01/2009 | 1 | 02/04/2009 | |
| 2003 saturn vue. consumer states defective transmission. *tgw after three months of purchasing the vehicle from a private seller, the consumer notice the vehicle would slip into a weird gear and the engine would sound as if it were running harder. the issue occurred at random intervals with no noticeable pattern. the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and was informed that was the way it was supposed to sound, but they would inspected it. when the consumer returned to pick up the vehicle, he noticed the mileage was virtually the same and wondered if they test drove the vehicle. 4-5 weeks later, the consumer received a letter from gm stating the vehicle had a potentially defective vti transmission installed at the factory. the consumer was informed nothing could be done for him based on the mileage. the consumer stated there was a problem before the mileage on the vehicle excluded him. also, the coolant light illuminated. the dealer found the water pump leaking. *jb | |||
| 05/26/2009 | 89405 | 1 | |
| I have a 2003 saturn vue and the transmission went on may 5 went to the shop to be repaired on may 20 got vehicle back on the 23 and on may 25 the transmission went again took it back to saturn of albany n.y. and they told me it was the catalytic converter picked it up on may 27 got about 5 miles away from saturn tried to cross a 4 lane intersection and vehicle would barely move due to transmission problems again it is a good thing there was very little traffic. *tr | |||
| 04/15/2009 | 41500 | 1 | |
| Serpentine belt was shredded, when the bearing on the idler seized. v6-awd. *tr | |||
| 02/05/2009 | 98000 | 1 | |
| 2003 saturn vue. at 80,000 miles transmission went out and had to get it replaced. at 98000 miles 8 months later noticed sputtering and took it to dealership. was told at first it was the ignition coil and the spark plugs and modules needed replaced for 682 dollars. 4 hours later they called and said they fixed it and it is not fixed i now have a bad #1 cylinder and have to get the whole engine replaced for 5400 dollars. awaiting call back from saturn corporate to see if they are going to help. it is pretty sad that a 5 year old can needs both the tranny built and a new engine before 100,000 miles. should of kept my honda civic with 230,000 miles. it runs better. *tr | |||
| 11/30/2008 | 120000 | 1 | |
| No warning. one day the car just stopped turning over. when we took it too the dealership they told us that the timing chain broke, the engine was destroyed and would have to be completely replaced. *tr | |||
| 07/25/2008 | 1 | ||
| My 2003 saturn vue's check engine and service soon lights came on and the vehicle loses all power when you start to decelerate. my mechanic could not get any codes to register on his computer, however saturn is telling me it needs a thermostat. i don't believe a faulty thermostat would render my car losing all power. *tr | |||
| 03/10/2008 | 25000 | 8 | 10/05/2002 |
| This has been occurring just about since i've purchased my 2003 manual saturn vue. i drive down the freeway and suddenly the car loses power and the reduced engine power light and service engine soon lights come on. the car very suddenly and dangerously loses power on the freeway, i've had this occur on the 405/5 split where there were no shoulders to pull over to. i have to turn the car engine off and then restart to return to normal highway speeds. i've taken this car in 8 times for this same problem and saturn has not been able to identify the root cause. each time they attempt to fix it by replacing things, the last time they told me they replaced all electronic wiring. this is a dangerous defect as it only occurs at very high speeds! i know this has affected other vue owners because i have read several blogs where people have complained of similar incidents. *tr | |||
| 03/09/2008 | 110000 | 1 | 10/24/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. while driving approximately 70 mph with the cruise control activated, the engine began to rev without warning. while approaching a stop, the vehicle revved very loudly and then lost power. the contact depressed the accelerator pedal, but the vehicle would not gain speed. he turned the vehicle off for ten minutes and restarted it, but the vehicle would not move. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the repair would cost $6,000. the manufacturer stated that they would attempt to work out a resolution, but have not contacted him back in reference to the failure. the vin was unknown. the failure and current mileages were 110,000. | |||
| 10/15/2007 | 112000 | 10 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. while driving 25 mph, the vehicle completely shut down. the vehicle would shake intermittently and stalled on the freeway several times. there were no warning indicators prior to the failure. the service light would illuminate after the failure. the vehicle had been back and forth from the dealer approximately five times. the dealer could not determine the cause of the failure. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 114,357 and failure mileage was 112,000. | |||
| 01/09/2003 | 1 | 8 | 01/09/2003 |
| Cv joints were replaced at 22000 now againat 37000 i need to replace them. front rotors were replaced at 22000 and again at 33000 timing belt at 20000 needed replacement i replaced the main computer controller in aug 2006. this car is a piece of crap and i will never buy a saturn again i bought this brand new off the lot in jan 2003 and have had major things go wrong. i also need to now replace the tires ( dullers) at 37000 because i am hydroplanng all over the place.i had a loud sound from my passenger window that took 2 years to diagnosis and repair and the rear end was recalled and the cooling fan replaced at 24000. *nm | |||
| 12/04/2004 | 20000 | 1 | 01/20/2003 |
| I went out to start my car. it made a sound like it was a diesel truck engine. i had it towed to saturn in norwood ma on rt 1. it was my timing chain. it was covered under warranty. i am just reporting this now because i saw you were investigating the belts on other saturn's. i read that it hadn't effected the vue but i wanted you to know it does. i am looking up problems with this car because i have had so many. the incident date is estimated. i pick my vue up(again) today from the dealer i will get a print out of the exact date this occurred. *jb | |||
| 11/17/2003 | 2 | ||
| 2003 saturn vue failed to start. *kb the vehicle made squeaking noises when the consumer made a right turn, in addition to various other rumblings. the consumer experienced problems with the rotors, bearings and transmission. a special wheel bearing had to be ordered as well as a special side cover and hardware for the transmission. the coolant switch was defective. the rear wipers would stick. the gas gauge would only read 3/4 full. the air condition stopped working and the hot and cold knob did not go all the to cool. the starter was replaced which was the reason the vehicle wasn't starting. the transfer case seal was replaced. *jb | |||
| 02/18/2006 | 56699 | 1 | 05/06/2003 |
| 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 | |||
| 12/24/2005 | 41000 | 5 | 04/02/2005 |
| Purchased my saturn vue used in march 2005...at that time i had 6k miles left on the original warranty...in june 2005 took it to my local saturn dealership to take care of all normal issues & get a maint checkup...at that time they replaced the resistor- engine cooling fan (due to blowing hot air when air conditioner was on), head lamp assembly composite on front left (cracked where bolted to frame), obd system upgrade (recall), replacement of rear lateral link assembly (recall), and last the gear shift cable was replaced/adjusted & lubed due to going bad - at that time they never disclosed to me that the gear shift cable had already been replaced 3x's since jan 2003. on dec 24th @ 10:00am...my entire gear shift assembly failed and left me stranded...the car was towed to the dealership that i purchased it from...due to me being 5,000 over my warranty...they were not going to replace it...approx cost of $450. i went directly over to my local dealership....fort wayne, in saturn...a service consultant pulled up the history of my vue and displayed to me that the gear shift had been worked on 4 other times...his service manager stated he would not take care of it due to the warranty had expired & it was not his fault...i called saturn's corporate office informed them of the issue...they informed me that they would get it taken care of with no questions asked...waiting to see what is done...my vehicle is currently at the dealership....as for the service manager @ fw, in saturn dealership...i have heard numerous complaints about how he treats customers from friends that are also saturn owners... 8jb | |||
| 06/01/2003 | 1 | 04/01/2003 | |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. she states that the vehicle will rev at about 35 mph. this problem is intermittent. the car will jerk and hesitate. she has noticed this on roads with a slight incline. she can travel the same road twice and the problem may or may not occur.*ak *jb | |||
| 10/25/2003 | 16358 | 3 | 11/09/2002 |
| Consumer states: took in vehicle on 5 separate times for transmission, whining noise was heard, almost like the engine was overheating. was on highway, and no matter how much gas consumer gave it vehicle wouldn't move. when giving it more gas the engine would rev but still wouldn't go. before problems with transmission, at a separate time, something with the computer went wrong. it completely shut down. such as gas gauge showed empty tank and speedometer went to zero.*ak when at a stop idle seems to drop and when accelerating from stop, vehicle hestiates and lurches. transaxle speed sensor replaced. transmission control module reprogramed due to whining noise. hood won't open. hood cable readjusted. driver and passenger washer nozzle missing and replaced. steering wheel making noise. shaft boot greased. service engine soon (ses) light on. oxygen sensor was contaminated and replaced. *tt | |||
| 08/02/2004 | 23000 | 2 | |
| While driving vehicle hesitated before accelerating. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak | |||
| 05/17/2004 | 5200 | 1 | |
| 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 | |||
| 04/15/2003 | 3969 | ||
| 1. recall transaxle 2. same day ---check ingine light would not go out. they fixed it and same day it came on again, they fixed it again 3. same day car is lurching shen coming to a stop. they fixed it. 4. next week the car is not getting any gas when press the excelerator. 5. car had to be towed in becasue it would not start at all.they fixed it. 6. same day after pick up hear knocking sound when turn a corner and then rattle when increase in speed. they said they donot hear anything. | |||
| 02/28/2004 | 17500 | 2 | 06/25/2003 |
| Several problems - gas gauge not working, numerous rattles and squeaks, weird engine noises, thermostat out, misc warning lights. *ak | |||
| 01/22/2003 | |||
| Consumer states he has a rattling noise in the front of his vehicle that the mechanic in the service dept of the dealership refuses to acknowledge. he states the service tech has driven his auto and the noise was heard by him, then got out and they both got out and got into a new car, and the noise was not there, yet the service tech would not acknowlege that there is a problem. the consumer states he has had his auto in for various things nine times since he purchased the auto. ts | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 03/06/2009 | 14002 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue which was purchased in december 2002. she stated that there were numerous failures with the vehicle. while driving approximately 6 mph through a brush-less car wash, water entered into the sun roof housing. on a separate occasion, she also smelled oil burning and the dealer replaced the right inner cv joint boot. the hazards lights failed to operate normally and were repaired twice due to repeat failures. when she engaged the hazard switch, it collapsed into the dashboard console. the service engine soon light illuminated and the dealer stated that the thermostat failed and it was replaced. all repairs were made to the vehicle per the warranty. the rear lateral link assembly recall number 04067001 2002-2004 vue rear suspension recall was also replaced. the driver's side window would not close; however, the driver's side switch was replaced. the fuel gauge indicated the improper level of fuel that was in the fuel tank; although, the fuel sending units were replaced. all of the repairs made to the vehicle have failed more than once. the horn would also operate intermittently on its own. the dealer found a shortage in the body control module and replaced the operating design system which forced the mechanic to reprogram the keys to the vehicle. the valve cover gasket failed a second time when the contact smelled oil burning. there were no related recalls for most of the other failed components. the failure mileage was 14,002 and the current mileage was 70,501. | |||
| 09/15/2005 | 20 | 04/16/2003 | |
| I purchased my 2003 awd v6 vue new from the same dealership that i take it to for repairs. since i have owned it, i have reported several times that the vehicle stalls while accelerating. usually around 40 mph. the rpm's rev up (to the red) and the car goes nowhere, like it has suddenly shifted into neutral. this happens while accelerating after a stop. needless to say, i have had several incidents where i was almost rear-ended. i feel the dealership is trying to resolve the problem, but have been unable to get it to repeat. we are now looking at having one of the service tech drive it for a week or two to see if they can get it to occur. it happens to me at least 3-6 times a month, but intermittently. i do not have a vti transmission. i have two other problems with my vue that have been unable to be fixed; the first is the steering/alignment. if i hold the steering wheel straight on, the car goes to the left. the dealership will fix the alignment, and within 2 days it off again. i have to steer to the right to keep the vehicle straight. it has never been involved in a wreck and i can see no reason for the alignment to go off so quickly. secondly, the car makes a loud popping sound when idling if the a/c or heater is on. the dealership says this is normal. it just doesn't seem right. the vents also blow air when the system is off. my vue has 46,001 miles. i stand behind the vehicle and my dealership. i just wish they could figure out what is causing it to rev out the way it does. it is quite alarming when it happens. *nm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM - HOSE | |||
| 09/29/2004 | 15400 | 5 | 09/14/2002 |
| Coolant light appears & i have taken the car more then 5 times for the same problem, the car leaks, the dealership could not find the problem, the coolant is mixing with the oil. the hose has been replaced & the engine has been pulled out from the car, but they still could not find the problem. the problem has started in october 2002, & its now september 2004 & the dealer still can not find the problem. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 01/07/2011 | 83720 | ||
| Timing chain slipped while driving on interstate and caused the engine to be replaced | |||
| 06/17/2010 | 68500 | ||
| Timing chain broke on 2003 saturn vue on attempting to start vehicle in the middle of a 3 hour highway trip. no prior warning of failure. engine valves bent and recommendation of new engine from gm dealer service department | |||
| 02/06/2009 | 57000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle lost timing chain tensioners at 57k miles, due to poor oil flow at low rpms despite regular oil changes and maintenance. cost to repair is $1400.00, saturn will not recall or cover costs to repair engine. and says there are no 'known issues with this model' yet the l-series which has the same 2.2l engine has recalls out for timing chain issues. and in the new parts purchased for repair saturn has included upgraded oilers to increase oil flow to failed components. *tr | |||
| 07/29/2008 | 106000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. while driving at any speed, the reduced power light illuminated and the vehicle performed at half power. the dealer stated that the vehicle needed a new engine. the contact did not notice any differences in the vehicle beforehand. the current and failure mileages were 106,000. updated 10/07/08. *lj the consumer stated he experienced t he same problem that other saturn models had and they were recalled for an ignition module problem. updated 10/08/08. *jb | |||
| 01/16/2006 | 1 | 12/01/2002 | |
| 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 | |||
| 10/11/2005 | 16445 | 4 | 10/04/2003 |
| My 2003 saturn vue w/vti trans has had 4 episodes of near-stalling, hesitation upon acceleration in 3-week period in october. 1st episode vehicle did not respond when gas pedal pushed. finally responded with a lurching forward. temp in 90's outside. second episode sitting for 8 hours at work. heater turned on. went to leave parking lot & stopped at sign. when accelerator depressed, there was brief response and then a near-stall/hesitation. happened 3 times in succession before leaving parking lot. third episode 3 days later. vehicle was in condo parking lot for 2 hrs. i went out to go to the grocery store. didn't put on a/c or heat. backed up vehicle. when started to drive forward, it near-stalled/hesitated before getting out onto road. fourth episode 7 days later. left work after 8 hours into busy traffic. had 2 more incidents in traffic. left this street and went to post office. parked outside and went in for 5 minutes. backed vehicle up and near-stall happened again. went to dealership 3 times after these episodes. hooked up to computer and nothing was found, nothing done to fix it. gm told me, if you're ever in the area when it happens, stop by right away. i don't live close to them. told me to run out the gas tank completely until the low fuel light goes on and fill w/93 octane at bp amoco. still no resolution for problem. severe safety concern for me and those around me. *nm | |||
| 01/24/2005 | 20000 | 01/09/2003 | |
| The morning after the blizzard i started my 2003 saturn vue with 20,000 miles on it, i noticed a ticking sound from engine,i continued to shovel my vue out thinking the car is cold and it will be ok . well the sound did not go away. concerned i shut off car and called saturn. today i am told it might be a timing belt tension thing . they are making the warranty repair and will call me tomorrow with test drive info. ? is this damaged my engine or not. *nm | |||
| 05/03/2004 | 18900 | 4 | 12/12/2002 |
| 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 | |||
| 3200 | 1 | ||
| 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 | |||
| 08/29/2003 | 17634 | 1 | 10/14/2002 |
| I went to drive to work and all of a sudden the reduced power light came on and the service engine soon light came on. i had the accelerator floored, rpm shot up to 6000 and i was doing only 35 miles an hour down the road. dealership replaced the valve body. *la | |||
| 10/14/2003 | 5000 | 4 | |
| The vehicle experienced a hard hesitation, lack of power in the engine and lost of acceleration when the pavement was wet or uneven. *jb there was also a possible transmission problem. *sc *jb | |||
| 02/28/2003 | 3200 | 4 | |
| Misc electrical problems, car won't start, service engine soon light on, service soon light on, speedometer to zero, tachometer to zero, cruise control wouldn't work. this happened on 4 different occasions. *nlm | |||
| 03/28/2003 | 1 | 11/28/2002 | |
| I purchased a 2003 vue on 12/02 there was a recall in 03/03 the problem was fixed, but lead to other problems. (1) the check engine light would not go out took it in 2 times. (2) the car was lurching when coming to a stop. (3) the car did not get enough gas when taking off. (4) there is a knocking sound when i turn a corner. (5) the car had to be towed in just 1 day after picking it up for other problems because it would not start. *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 04/25/2009 | 84000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. while driving 65 mph, the timing chain failed. there were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel prior to or during the failure. the vehicle was difficult to control, but the contact was able to move it to the side of the road. he took the vehicle to the dealer for repairs. the failure mileage was 84,000. | |||
| 02/28/2007 | 69500 | 1 | 11/28/2002 |
| Called dealer when the car had 60,000 miles to inquire about replacing timing belt and was told that it did not have to be replaced until 80,000 miles. car now has 69,000 miles and is being repaired due to a failure in the timing belt and am know being told there may be more damage in the valves due to the failure. *jb | |||
| 01/28/2005 | 20421 | 1 | 01/09/2003 |
| Timing belt needed replacement on 1/28/05. *nm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 01/08/2010 | 104000 | 1 | |
| Ignition module replaced , service engine light stay solid , advice to replace catalytic converter , after 2 months engine coil failed , 2 cylinders failed and cat converter turned cherry red due to excess of fuel burned , fire hazard and road hazard . *tr | |||
| 05/01/2005 | 40000 | 1 | 01/02/2003 |
| Saturn vue experiencing problems with the transmission, catalytic converter shield, windshield, accelerator, rear suspension, defective passenger side ball joints, struts and bushings.***no answer required***. *mr the defective catalytic converter shield was replaced, there was noise under the vehicle in the exhaust area of the vehicle due to a defective muffler. the windshield rattled at high speeds. the accelerator pedal stuck resulting in sudden acceleration. the driver's door would not open from the inside. *nm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 01/10/2008 | 1 | 05/27/2006 | |
| Purchased my 2003 saturn vue last year with 32,000 miles on it. i bought the best extended warranty available just in case. well, i took my vehicle to inspection last month and failed for emissions. it wasn't the gas cap. saturn of freehold, nj ran a diagnostics to find out that it's the thermostat!. you would think this would be covered under the warranty? well, everything else is covered except the thermostat...sigh. how is it possible for a four year old vehicle with normal mileage blow a thermostat? i'm wondering if this is common amongst the vue's and if maybe there might be a recall coming. would love to hear from someone. *tr | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||
| 10/10/2007 | 42000 | 3 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 saturn vue. the vehicle stalled and lost power while driving 75 mph. there were no warning lights prior to the failure. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and later repaired. the failure recurred and the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer stated that the vehicle needed a new catalytic converter. the vehicle was repaired a second time, but later began making a clicking sound. the contact was informed that the converter was rubbing against another component. after repairing the vehicle for the third time, she smelled exhaust fumes inside the passenger compartment. the vin, engine size, and purchase date were unknown. the current mileage was 42,500 and failure mileage was 42,000. | |||
| 12/23/2002 | 2 | 12/18/2002 | |
| The transmission mount didn't fit the transmission and engine completely. as a result, the transmission and engine vibrated. the transmission had made a knocking sound which had come from the catalytic converter heat shield. when the vehicle was driven down an incline, it would make a noise. (michael livingston is the second consumer in reference to this complaint) ts scc | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CRANKCASE (PCV) | |||
| 02/18/2006 | 56699 | 1 | 05/06/2003 |
| 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 | |||