Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||||
| 050730003 | 02/01/2005 | 10017446 | Intermittent hesitation during vehicle launch. *tt | 11/08/2005 | |
| 3114 | 01/01/2004 | 10009974 | Tools required to perform line pressure procedure to mj7/mj8 automatic transaxle. *sc | 11/02/2004 | |
| 3035 | 01/01/2004 | 10009650 | No forward or reverse gears or line pressure after a valve body replacement on a vt25e transaxle. *tt | 10/14/2004 | |
| 3034 | 01/01/2004 | 10009583 | No reverse after case cover assembly replaced. *tt | 10/07/2004 | |
| 040730036 | 09/01/2004 | 10009534 | Revised vt25e (vti) spacer plate available. *tt | 10/06/2004 | |
| 040417002 | 08/01/2004 | 10009417 | Vibration felt in seatback or armrest at vehicle speeds between 48 to 89 km/h (30 to 55 mph). *tt | 09/29/2004 | |
| 040730024A | 11/01/2005 | 040730024B | 10008481 | No movement in drive or reverse with or without diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p1758, p1758, p1882, p0841, p0741, p0742. *mj this bulletin replaced previous 04-07-30-024. *tt | 08/02/2004 |
| 040730011 | 04/01/2004 | 040730011A | 10005977 | Anaerobic sealant application requirements for vt25e transaxle. service manual update. *tt *mj | 04/05/2004 |
| 010418001C | 06/01/2005 | 010418001D | 10004281 | Driveline characteristics for all-wheel drive (awd) and four-wheel drive (4wd) systems. *tt updated *eh | 12/01/2003 |
| 030420003 | 04/01/2004 | 030420003A | 10002121 | Moan / growl noise / vibration from rear of vehicle when turning. *tt | 08/13/2003 |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||||
| SB-09280A | 12/01/2009 | 10032327 | Saturn: new special reimbursement policy for vehicles equipped with variable transmission with intelligence (vti) transmission-50 percent of transmission repair cost will be paid by gm or customer may elect the option of $5,000 customer cr | 03/05/2010 | |
| 060730001 | 01/01/2006 | 10019511 | Transmission fluid leak from right hand axle seal area. *tt | 03/20/2006 | |
| 3669 | 10019228 | M86/m94 transmission information to disassemble third fourth and fifth gear. *ak | 02/21/2006 | ||
| 3633 | 10018547 | Remanufactured vt25e transmission quality issues. inoperative, noise, slip, low pressure or leak related concern. *tt | 01/05/2006 | ||
| 040730007 | 02/01/2004 | 10012701 | On wheel movement in snow or slippery surfaces. *eh | 03/10/2005 | |
| 040730032 | 08/01/2004 | 10009420 | Grind/rattle noise from transaxle in park and neutral after an extended cold soak following case cover replacement or other internal transaxle overhaul. *tt | 09/29/2004 | |
| 030730058 | 11/01/2003 | 10005571 | Service manual update regarding transmission fluid replacement. *tt | 03/04/2004 | |
| 040730005 | 02/01/2004 | 10005546 | Hiss/chirp noise in park or neutral. *mn | 03/02/2004 | |
| 030730051 | 10/01/2004 | 030730051A | 10004486 | Low speed coast grinding noise and/or hesitation at vehicle launch - technical service bulletin. *tt to include 2005 saturn vue. *eh | 12/16/2003 |
| 030730040 | 09/01/2004 | 030730040A | 10003594 | Limited service repair program for the 5at automatic transaxle assembly. *tt this bulletin replaces 03-07-30-040 dated 09/01/2003. *tt | 10/24/2003 |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER | |||||
| 3713 | 02/09/2006 | 3713A | 10019424 | Torque converter shudder. *tt | 03/14/2006 |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 04020 | 03/01/2004 | 10006485 | Special policy adjustment - extended transmission warranty coverage for the variable transmission with intelligence (vti) transmission. *mr | 05/04/2004 | |
| 040420001 | 02/01/2004 | 10006222 | Drone noise between 50-75 mph (80-120 km/h). *mr | 04/26/2004 | |
| 030730048 | 10/01/2003 | 10003944 | Service information regarding transaxle poor performance after case cover replacement, diagnostic trouble code p1882 set. *tt | 11/07/2003 | |
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | |||||
| 04090 | 11/01/2004 | 10010622 | Replacement of rear drive module (rdm) differential clutch drum. *tt | 12/02/2004 | |
| 040420002 | 04/01/2004 | 10006600 | Service manual update for rtv sealant usage on the rear drive module. *tt | 05/06/2004 | |
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||||
| 070729001 | 04/01/2007 | 070729001A | 10021453 | Mg3, m86 transaxle grinding/whining noise in 3rd or 4th gear, excessive engagement or disengagement effort while shifting into 3rd or 4th gear, will not shift into either 3rd or 4th gear. (replace complete output shaft assembly). *kb | 04/27/2007 |
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION - LUBRICANT | |||||
| 040730004 | 02/01/2004 | 10005544 | Service manual update-add sealant to two upper transmission-to-engine bolts to eliminate potential oil leaks. *mn | 03/02/2004 | |
| POWER TRAIN - TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE) | |||||
| 030730039 | 09/01/2004 | 030730039A | 10003605 | Limited service repair program for the all-wheel drive (awd) transfer case assembly. *tt | 10/24/2003 |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 06/15/2012 | 115000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. the contact stated while driving 60 mph the vehicle stalled. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the dealer stated that the transmission would need replacing. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact stated that the manufacturer of the transmission was no longer in business. the vehicle manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. the failure and the current mileage was 115,000. kmj | |||
| 06/15/2012 | 115000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. the contact stated while driving 60 mph the vehicle shut down. the vehicle was towed to the dealer. the dealer stated that they had to replace the transmission. the transmission would not be found because the manufacturer went out of bueiness. the manufacturer (gmc) was contacted and they informed her that they was not hold responsible. the failure and current mileage 115,000.jp | |||
| 12/27/2011 | 78456 | ||
| Started having transmission problems about a month ago. i went online to find that the transmission i have is a known problem for saturn. i called saturn and they informed me that nothing could be done for me. i then called gm and they informed me that they would pay half of the trans cost or give me 5000 for new gm vehicle. that's not an option cause this car is payed off and don't want car payments at this time. my issue is if saturn or gm knows about this problem why aren't they doing anything about it and what do i need to do to get this solved and get a new transmission in my vehicle. my vehicle only has 78*** miles on it i should not have to be worrying about this so soon. thank you for your time and help. | |||
| 03/03/2011 | 20 | ||
| To start with it started shuttering when it would shift in the lower gears . as time went on it got where it didnt want to shift out of first and second gear . however one morning i was on my way to a doctors appointment ,i stopped filled up with gas and get some coffee and as i returned for my destination i pulled out of the store and was waiting on it to shift and something popped and i had to get off the road because it lost all power .i have since been told that there is no transmissions to be found because there is so many problems with the same vehicle and the same part ! so how many complaints does it take for a recall to be investigated ?im broke and cant afford to put any more money into a vehicle still paying for and on a fixed income. | |||
| 12/27/2011 | 78456 | ||
| Started having transmission problems about a month ago. i went online to find that the transmission i have is a known problem for saturn. i called saturn and they informed me that nothing could be done for me. i then called gm and they informed me that they would pay half of the trans cost or give me 5000 for new gm vehicle. that's not an option cause this car is payed off and don't want car payments at this time. my issue is if saturn or gm knows about this problem why aren't they doing anything about it and what do i need to do to get this solved and get a new transmission in my vehicle. my vehicle only has 78*** miles on it i should not have to be worrying about this so soon. thank you for your time and help. | |||
| 03/03/2011 | 20 | ||
| To start with it started shuttering when it would shift in the lower gears . as time went on it got where it didnt want to shift out of first and second gear . however one morning i was on my way to a doctors appointment ,i stopped filled up with gas and get some coffee and as i returned for my destination i pulled out of the store and was waiting on it to shift and something popped and i had to get off the road because it lost all power .i have since been told that there is no transmissions to be found because there is so many problems with the same vehicle and the same part ! so how many complaints does it take for a recall to be investigated ?im broke and cant afford to put any more money into a vehicle still paying for and on a fixed income. | |||
| 12/27/2011 | 78456 | ||
| Started having transmission problems about a month ago. i went online to find that the transmission i have is a known problem for saturn. i called saturn and they informed me that nothing could be done for me. i then called gm and they informed me that they would pay half of the trans cost or give me 5000 for new gm vehicle. that's not an option cause this car is payed off and don't want car payments at this time. my issue is if saturn or gm knows about this problem why aren't they doing anything about it and what do i need to do to get this solved and get a new transmission in my vehicle. my vehicle only has 78*** miles on it i should not have to be worrying about this so soon. thank you for your time and help. | |||
| 03/03/2011 | 20 | ||
| To start with it started shuttering when it would shift in the lower gears . as time went on it got where it didnt want to shift out of first and second gear . however one morning i was on my way to a doctors appointment ,i stopped filled up with gas and get some coffee and as i returned for my destination i pulled out of the store and was waiting on it to shift and something popped and i had to get off the road because it lost all power .i have since been told that there is no transmissions to be found because there is so many problems with the same vehicle and the same part ! so how many complaints does it take for a recall to be investigated ?im broke and cant afford to put any more money into a vehicle still paying for and on a fixed income. | |||
| 05/17/2011 | 142000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. the contact was driving 30 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. the instrument panel lights illuminated after the failure occurred. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who performed a diagnosed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was located at the transmission, which would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and denied any assistance with repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 142,000. | |||
| 05/17/2011 | 142000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. the contact was driving 30 mph when the vehicle stalled without warning. the instrument panel lights illuminated after the failure occurred. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who performed a diagnosed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure was located at the transmission, which would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and denied any assistance with repairs. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 142,000. kmj | |||
| 05/17/2011 | 142000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. the contact stated while driving at 30mph the vehicle stalled without warning. the instrumental panel lights illuminated after the failure occurred. the vehicle was towed to the dealer who performed a diagnosed. the failure was located at the transmission would need to be replaced. the manufacturer denied assistance with the repair. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 142,000. li | |||
| 10/01/2011 | 138000 | ||
| At slower speeds when cold the 2004 awd v6 saturn vue vehicle changed rpms (200-300rpm) with a steady pedal and load. the symptoms appeared to get better after driving for 15-20min. my repair shop first thought an eternal valve and then transmission software programming. | |||
| 03/04/2011 | 44550 | ||
| My 2004 saturn vue awd, equipped with a 5-speed automatic transmission (engine/transmission supplied to gm by honda) has 44,550 original miles on the odometer when i recently experienced a transmission vibration or shaking motion (judder or shudder) while driving at speeds between 20 and 45 mph. gm has issued customer satisfaction program recall 10285 - v2386 in february 2001 for this exact same problem but it only covers 2005, 2006 and 2007 vues. the recall reprograms the powertrain control module to correct the problem. the exact same engine/transmission is used in the 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 vues yet gm has chosen to ignore 2004 vue owners with the problem. i have written to gm's customer & relationship services but their only reply is your vin is not covered. someone needs to force gm to acknowledge the 2004 saturn vue with the honda supplied engine/auto transmission has this problem and make them reprogram the 2004 powertrain control module as they have done with the other model years. | |||
| 02/28/2009 | 125000 | ||
| My vehicle has a shudder / vibration in the front end while speeding up between the speeds of 20-45mph. it occurs multiple times per day. i purchased the vehicle used so i cannot be for sure when it started but it has done it ever since i bought the vehicle. | |||
| 07/31/2009 | 1 | ||
| 2004 saturn vue. consumer states failure of transmission *tgw the consumer was driving the vehicle at the time of the failure. however, the vehicle belongs to her aunt. *jb | |||
| 01/18/2011 | 127000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. while driving approximately 55 mph the vehicle stopped responding to the accelerator pedal. the driver applied pressure to the accelerator pedal but the vehicle would not accelerate further. the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was advised to replace the transmission. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 127,000. sm. | |||
| 06/10/2009 | 93000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. she stated that on june 2009, while driving 45 mph the vehicle jolted then started losing power causing low speed, contact had to wait for vehicle to reset itself back to normal speed. she contacted the dealer and was informed that the vehicle had a faulty transmission and needed to be replaced. the repairs were done. however, the failure re-occured four times within a year and the vehicle had to be taken back to the dealer to be repaired. the failure mileage was 93,000 and current mileage was 104,000.. | |||
| 06/24/2007 | 90000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2004 saturn vue that came out of park with no keys in the ignition and my 4yr old son fell out of vehicle and was ran over. we are able to take the key out of the ignition without it being in the off position and put the vehicle in neutral, reverse, and drive without applying my foot on the brake. the vehicle has not been repaired and is parked on the advice of my attorneys. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2008 | 70000 | 1 | |
| My 2004 saturn v6 saturn vue has started a shudder/growling noise in the drive train that's prevalent in the 20 -25, 30-35mph, 40 -45mph and now at 50-50mph. or when moderately acceleration or coasting. the vehicle had about 100k miles on it now but started around 70k. i purchased the car at 68,500k miles. the frequency of occurrence is difficult to predict but seems to be happening as often as those specific conditions (mph/coasting) present - does not happen when accelerating quickly. i have taken my car to numerous shops engine repair, transmission, and other well names repair places. all of them tell me my car is fine,but the last shop which did the transmission check on computer said the engine had over 1,000 miss fires. i called to saturn and there tech said u don't have to explain no more it is the torque converter and i have replaced many. if this is such a well occurring problem why isn't saturn paying for these repairs. my concern now is when it rains and the car stutters i lose all wheel traction going up heels and on turns. i feel like i have no control. i have read online and found may issues that are the same i believe saturn needs to fix these manufacturing issues and not leave them on the consumer. i spent $10,000 on my saturn and just finished college i do not have $4,5000 to spend on a car that is only worth $9,000 -$7,000 blue book. *tr | |||
| 04/25/2009 | 94000 | 1 | |
| A 2004 saturn vue with a 2.2 liter 4 cylinder motor with automatic transmission. after a replacement of the vti transmission under the class action lawsuit a severe rattle and vibration under the hood was detected. upon returning to the dealer for diagnoses, the problem was found to be the timing chain. the dealership says that it is impossible for the 2 problems to be related. i had no problem before the transmission. they are refusing to take care of the problem with the timing chain. i have found there is a recall on the l series car with the same engine for a defect in the timing chain. i have also found there have been many other timing chain issues with the vue that has the same motor. the dealership fails to recognize that there is a defect with this vehicle. the vehicle has 94,000 miles on it. *tr | |||
| 04/10/2009 | 145100 | 1 | |
| I have a 2004 saturn vue 4 cylinder awd with a vti transmission. i don't have the vin on me, it is with the car at the lot right now. i have now had three transmissions just up and die on me. the first time it died, i lost reverse and got it to the dealer before drive went out. the second one went out on me at 3 am and i managed to milk it to safety. this last one i went to go from a stop sign, got going just enough to get me into traffic and it died. i avoided an accident, however i have read a lot of these stories online. this last transmission only has about 30,000 miles on it. the first was serviced at 50,000 and died at 60,000 and the second was serviced at 50,000 and died a week or 2 later. *tr | |||
| 04/04/2008 | 15000 | 1 | |
| 1. brakes. i have had the front brakes and rotors replaced/cut down on this car on the average of about every 20k. i consider this abnormal wear and before you respond with driving conditions, and my other saturn sl needed brakes on the average of 60k with the same driving conditions. when i questioned soe they told me that it was my driving habits, but as of the recent events, i have begun to question their diagnosis of any problems related to my car. 2. transmission shifting/wobble/shimmy/vibration. i have complained since new that this transmission has shifted rough, and i was told working as designed. nobody has been able to find anything wrong yet this problem still exists. 3. tire wear related to recall. i had to request that my vehicle have the recall performed on it. yet, after doing research and watching my tires wear. sometimes in less that 15k something i would consider prematurely, even for performance tires, and reading several owner sites my wear is indicative of a service not being performed. 4. wheel bearing wear. i have had to have my front wheel bearings replaced 2x in the last 30k. the first occurrence was at 72k when the first replacement was made, and the 2nd was at 99k it was during the 72k service i complained my rotors warping(since i had 2 sets replaced/cut previously) and i was told it was just worn tires and they would not even consider the brake issue, until i purchased new tires. i purchased new tires and the wobbly sound was louder than now that there was new tires on the vehicle. so then recommended replacing the rotors, when i asked about brake pads they told me it was unnecessary. seemingly illogical, since you had to remove the brake pads anyway, and tired of arguing i did not push the issue, as i needed my car, and loaner availability seemed to dry up since i was out so far out of the factory warranty. *tr | |||
| 05/19/2005 | 170000 | 3 | 05/22/2004 |
| Owner of 2004 saturn ati tranny 4 cyl vue, 3 transmissions failures, 35k, 79k, 130k. saturn replaced only one, paid for one and then gave the vehicle away to the purple heart group. is there a car class action lawsuit i can file with? *tr | |||
| 06/27/2007 | 37000 | 5 | 07/27/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. on june 27, 2007, while driving approximately 60 to 70 mph, the gear cable failed. the contact called 911 and the dispatcher instructed her on how to stop the vehicle before a crash occurred. the vehicle has had many failures since it was purchased and was previously repaired under a recall for the suspension. one week ago, the horn sounded on its own at 2 am. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they found a defect in the horn and air bags. the recall number was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 37,000. | |||
| 01/08/2005 | 7 | 07/01/2004 | |
| 2004 saturn vue customer states that the transmission had to be replaced six months of ownership**cc the transmission slipped and the vehicle would not move when trying to move from a stopped position. the transmission has been replaced, however the consumer continued to experience problems. the hood latch was replaced.*jb | |||
| 05/15/2005 | 9033 | 3 | 07/26/2004 |
| Driver had the vehicle | |||
| 12/15/2003 | 400 | 9 | 12/06/2003 |
| Random obd code p0571 cruise/brake switch malfunction since purchasing the vehicle on 6 dec 03. the switch has been replaced. the following has been checked switch alignment, connectors. numerous failures currently waiting since 29 jan on engineer to look at freeze frame data from the computer. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 03/17/2011 | 120000 | ||
| My 2004 saturn vue is on it's second transmission. after 50,000 miles the transmission went out and i had to get a new one. the mechanics did not see any reason why the transmission would go out. another 50,000 miles my car started making a noise almost like something was dragging on the ground. the mechanic did not see anything wrong and did not see a reason to inspect. about 20,000 miles later the noise got louder and my car would move but was not picking up speed as i press the gas. i had to park my car in a walmart parking lot and wait for a wrecker to come pick it up. the mechanic at the yard where the wrecker came from told me that the transmission went out and they could not see a reason why. my car is not under warranty anymore and i do not have 6000 dollars to get it repaired. | |||
| 11/18/2010 | 138700 | ||
| I own a 2004 saturn vue with 137,000 miles on it, the transmission has went out on it. i was told it would cost between $3,800 and $4,200 and they still could not guarantee to fix it. i notice the numerous complaints on the saturn vue and decided to voice mine also. mainly, because i notice that the 2004 saturn vue is still being sold by dealers when they know of the transmission problems with this vehicle. i am one of the ones that is having to let my vehicle be repossed due to lack of funds to get the vehicle fixed. i brought my car new and never received any information on a recall. saturn (or dealers selling this vehicle) knowing of this problem should be made to recompense people for their expenses. i am having to depend on friends/family to get around. with all these complaints something should have been done about this by now! | |||
| 03/05/2010 | 85000 | ||
| 2004 saturn vue. transmission gone, over 5 grand to fix due to there being problems with the vues, junk yards do not carry them. it was apparently a known defect yet they sold it to me. i still owe 110000 on the car and i cant drive nor do i have the cash to fix. with the dealerships gone i can't even take the piece of junk back to them. i found out that most shops do not work on these (3 of the 4 i called) due to the fact that even with a rebuilt one, you are still putting in a transmission that is faulty and they can't gurantee them. since i now need another vehicle, this heap will certainly be repossed. | |||
| 11/09/2009 | 1 | ||
| Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6) in november of 2009 i had received a letter from saturn in which it states that my car is a recall, due to a faulty transmission and performance problems. (three month prior to the recall letter i had experienced some difficulties with the car.) saturn/gmc do not want to pay the repair in full,$5,927.03, they want me to pay the half of it. neither do they help me to get a car of the same year or value. i wrote them a hand written letter and never received an answer from them. after three months i contacted them by phone, to ask what they are doing about the car,i was told that my case is dismissed?( i call that discrimination) i went to court and filed a small claims court against saturn. three weeks after they were served the paperwork i received a letter from them that i would have to dismiss this claim since they go through bankruptcy. i am a divorced mature female, and have a small residential,light commercial and janitorial cleaning business. i need the car on a daily basis, and have to drive sometimes far to get to my clients. and since the economy has turned bad for lots of small business owners, like me, i barely make ends meet. i do not have the money to pay for a replacement transmission, nor do i have the other half of what the new transmission would cost. and since i did not design the car neither manufacture the car, i don't see why i have to pay for it. a recall needs to be taken care off from the company who puts them on the market. the time for my car is running out, and for me as well. if i have a serious accident on the road due to a transmission failure and performance issue, or if the transmission catches fire that would be horrible. if i loose all my clients if the car breaks down i won't be able to pay my rent, and end up living on the streets with my animals. please can you help me to resolve this bad problem? i have run out of options. [xxx] *tr | |||
| 04/24/2010 | 94000 | ||
| Driving at speeds between 30-45mph the rpm's rev up but the car slows down! on hills, it won't accelerate at all! even in low gear it won't move. rpm's jerk at high speeds as well. had diagnostic done 5-7-10 they said that the transmission is failing between 2nd & 3rd gear, it's not reading any codes and the fluid is discolored. estimating cost to fix is $3,000. truck has less than 100,000 miles on it!! problem occurs everyday -- transmission hasn't completely failed yet, but i fear is going to happen soon! i have no idea how i'm going to pay for this... i've only had this car 2 years. i think it is a safety concern when you're on the hwy and your car won't accelerate and people behind you are swerving to miss you and blowing at you. | |||
| 04/14/2010 | 42615 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. the contact stated that while driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle pushed back and slowed down when she attempted to accelerate. she also noticed that the check engine light remained illuminated. she drove on to the emergency lane and had the vehicle towed to her home. she called the manufacturer and was informed of a current lawsuit regarding the vti transmission and was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for a diagnostic test. the vehicle had not been repaired when the complaint was filed. the current mileage was 42,623. the failure mileage was approximately 42,615. | |||
| 04/12/2010 | 83000 | ||
| I own a 2004 saturn vue with a variable transmission. it has 83,000 miles. i took it to the dealership to be looked at because of hearing all the transmission problems these cars have had. somehow while they were looking at it the transmission went and i couldn't drive my car over 20 mph. i was stuck there at the dealership and told i had to get a new transmission. saturn will only pay for half so now after paying over $20,000 for this car i have to pay another $3,000 to get a new transmission. i was told then that the new transmission might have the same problems this one has had. this is unacceptable that they don't stand by their products and will not cover the whole replacement of something they know to be faulty. | |||
| 01/05/2010 | 50450 | 1 | |
| On many occasions my 2004 saturn vue v6 awd appears to shudder when the automatic transmission is shifting from a lower gear at speeds usually less than 40mph. when this happens it is unnerving to say the least. i have read accounts of similar problems from other saturn owners and have found that a service bulletin was issued 2/09/06. concerning torque converter shudder. i believe that a recall should be issued as my vehicle had only a bit over 50000 miles when the problem first occurred. i subsequently took it to the local saturn dealer and they could not find a problem although they had access to the service bulletin information. shortly thereafter my extended warranty ran out and although they advised me to bring the vehicle back should the problem reoccur it is not at all clear whether the repair will be made at no cost to me. i believe that gm should fix this problem for all vehicles on a case by case basis whether under warranty or not, especially for vehicles under 100k miles. any suggestions or assistance would be most helpful. ( the service bulletin number is 3713). *tr | |||
| 01/01/2008 | 50000 | 1 | 08/01/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns 2004 saturn vue. the driver stated that she received a letter dated november 2009 regarding the transmission being repaired within 5 years, at no cost. the driver stated that her 5 years has expired. the transmission has failed and the dealer is willing to pay 50% of the repair cost. the contact doesn't agree with the cost. the contact also stated that the transmission failed about 2 years ago. the failure mileage was 50,000. the current mileage was 70,000. updated 04/09/10. *lj the consumer stated the transmission should be repaired at 100%. updated 05/06/10.*jb updated 06/14/10.*jb | |||
| 02/23/2010 | 100260 | 1 | |
| I bought a 2004 saturn vue 4 months ago. i also bought a extended warranty thro wyns. my transmission has now gone out. i have 100,260 miles on it. the warranty was for 100,000. saturn says i am out of the warranty coverage but wyns will cover the cost of the transmission minus my $100 co pay. they however will not cover it until saturn faxes them the bulletin on this transmission problem. saturn called me back and said that they will not fax this information to wyns and will not mail me the warranty information to me. saturn stated to me if i took it to another repair facility that they would loose out on the money of repairing my transmission. so now i cant get my extended warranty company to fix it because they have no proof that the warranty is no good at my mileage. i bought the vehicle at west 40 auto sales who did not tell me about any problems or bulletins on this vehicle. *tr | |||
| 12/12/2009 | 55500 | 1 | |
| I was driving on speed of 55 mph and then the car suddenly stop abruptly . i took to the dealer, they said it is a vit transmission manufacturer problem on the saturn 2004 vue. this is very danger situation because the transmission stop without any warning. *tr | |||
| 02/02/2010 | 95000 | 1 | |
| While driving my kids to school on the highway, my 2004 saturn vue started to slow down in traffic. my car completely stopped and would not go forward. all the cars behind me had to swerve around me quickly as not to hit us. a cop and another car stopped to physically push my car to the side of the road. the police officer then had to push my car to an auto repair shop off the highway. they told me that my transmission was gone. after the auto repair charged me for a diagnostic, i was told that my transmission has to be repaired and that gm has had issues with these engines.. i cant understand how toyota can issue a recall, but gm can't. will it take someone important to get killed in one of gm's cars before our government does anything for the common people? *tw | |||
| 08/01/2009 | 85000 | 1 | |
| 2004 saturn vue transmission failure estimated 150,000 cars have this failure faulty transmission wire installed in autos from 2002 thru 2005. *tr | |||
| 12/24/2009 | 100500 | 1 | |
| Transmission failed with no warning on my 2004 saturn vue with 100,000 miles. the dealer tells me its my problem because they don't have to issue a recall unless they feel its a safety hazard. well i was in the middle of a busy highway going 65mph when the transmission just stopped. my rpm's revved really high but the car would not go forward anymore. i was almost hit 3 times trying to get off the highway with this faulty transmission and i am 6 months pregnant and had 2 toddlers int he back seat! i would say this is a serious safety hazard! *tr | |||
| 08/12/2009 | 69000 | 1 | |
| Transmission was replaced at 30,000 miles while under warranty. now at 69,000 miles the transmission failed again. when it failed this time i looked online and found that gm had extended the tranny warranty to 5yrs/75,000 miles. i called saturn about it and they said my vin didn't qualify for the extension even though it was not 5 years until september this year. now in november of this year i got a letter saying that it now qualifies for the extension. now it's over the 5 year time period. i now have a lawyer who says that gm will give half of the money to fix it but i have to go to a saturn dealer but i have to pay to tow it. in the beginning the lawyer said i would get a heck of a lot more then just half the repair costs plus recover monies for a rental car. how am i going to get the other half plus the tow fees up front to pay. why isn't there a recall to eliminate this vti tranny. they will only replace it with the same kind but with a stronger drive chain. this is not the fix. they don't want to have to replace the engine in order to upgrade to a different tranny. someone please help all of us with this problem. *tr | |||
| 11/10/2009 | 118000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2004 saturn vue & the transmission just died. it is a vti transmission & saturn is aware that it has issues. i would think with so many people complaining about the same issue that a recall would have been done. now i am stuck with a car that will cost $5,000 to fix. *tr | |||
| 09/20/2009 | 97500 | 1 | |
| Transmission in 2004 saturn vue has gone out twice now, the 2nd transmission after only 32,000 miles! *tr | |||
| 08/28/2009 | 54650 | 1 | |
| My 2004 saturn vue that has 54600 miles on it and the automatic transmission is slipping when i drive at a constant speed in a range form 35 - 55 miles per hr. i had in for a diagnosis at a saturn dealership. they said it is the torque converter that is faulty and it will cost $2100 to replace it. this part has to be defected. i never had an automatic transmission problem in 40 years of driving cars. *tr | |||
| 04/18/2006 | 35000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle began making a loud noise. on three occasions, the dealer stated that the vehicle did not make enough noise for them to make an unspecified repair. the contact has been able to drive the vehicle despite the noise. the dealer refused to diagnose the computer to determine the cause of the failure. the noise sounded as if a component underneath the vehicle was making contact with the ground. the dealer stated that they could not find any failures during the test drive, but they heard the noise. the failure mileage was 35,000 and current mileage was 100,000. updated 07/28/09 *bf the consumer stated the noise was coming from inside the transmission. the front rotors were replaced. updated 07/31/09.*jb | |||
| 10/15/2007 | 95000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. the contact stated that the vehicle cannot be shifted into gear properly. when placed into drive, the shifter does not stay in place. the first time the transmission failed, it was repaired at the contact's expense. the transmission failed again, but has not yet been repaired. on may 22, 2009, the vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, it has not yet been diagnosed. the manufacturer is currently being sued by consumers due to the transmission failures. the consumers feel that they are not reliable. the contact is still waiting for a response from the dealer regarding the repair of her vehicle. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 95,000 and current mileage was 167,000. | |||
| 10/08/2008 | 68178 | 1 | |
| My transmission began slipping on my saturn vue at 76000. i took it into the dealership they said nothing was wrong. 6 days later i hit the gas it went to the floor and my car did not move, ut my rpm went up to 5000 +. saturn replace my transmission at half the cost. now 9000 miles later my transmission has begun to slip again. saturn said nothing was wrong a second time (4/3/09). *tr | |||
| 11/09/2008 | 49900 | 1 | |
| There is a terrible whole vehicle shudder a low speeds and low rpm. it seems like the transmission goes into lock - up torque converter mode at too low rpms(about 1000 to 1200).this happens constantly at low speeds and is very distressing and distracting. you have to step down harder on the accelerator to kick the transmission into a lower gear which tends to make the car speed up. this is very distressing and distracting and must cause undo wear and tear on the drivetrain. there are many saturn vue (2004) owners nation wide with this problem. this and the wheel bearing and brake problems should be nation wide recalls. no wonder people are buying imports at an incredible rate. *tr | |||
| 07/14/2008 | 75000 | 1 | |
| I also have the same problem with a 2004 saturn vue v-6 fwd. i have shudder problems in the transmission at low speed between 20-35mph. i have 75,000 miles and have had this problem for a while. *tr | |||
| 06/17/2008 | 102750 | 1 | |
| On november 7, 2005 i purchased a used 2004 saturn vue from a local saturn dealer. on december 15, 2006 i took this vehicle to the local dealer in answer to a transmission recall notice i received in the mail. at this time, the following things were done to repair the defect: gasket-c/, cover asm, core-cove, sealer-tr, additive, plug-tran, fluid-a/t, converter, core-conv, fluid-a/t. these repairs constituted 1/2 of the transmission and were completed under warranty. 102,000 miles later, on 6/17/2008 i returned to the dealer because my vehicle was again showing signs of the same disorder. at this time we were informed that it would cost $6000 to replace a full transmission and that there was no warranty to cover this repair. we are quite upset that we are stuck with a design defective transmission with no recourse but to either pay for repairs which we have no money to pay, or keep the vehicle and pay $8000 in finance charges for a car that can't be used safely, or let the car go to the finance company in a repossession and wreck our credit for 7 years. we were offered a 50/50 deal from the dealership after we complained, however, we do not have $3000 either. we feel that this transmission defect should be repaired free of charge each and every time it breaks down or that we should be reimbursed $8000 to wipe out our debt on this defective vehicle and we'd be willing to call it square. our on-line research shows that this transmission (vti) has been a problem for everyone who purchased this model car. some have had to have their transmissions fixed over and over and over. we also learned that they do not make these transmissions anymore. we are very upset!!! *tr | |||
| 03/28/2008 | 124072 | 1 | |
| Problem 1: my 2004 saturn awd v6 saturn vue has developed a shudder in the drive train that's prevalent in the 20 -25 and 30-35mph range under moderate acceleration or coasting. hooked up to a code reader, no codes appear; however, the torque converter is slipping as it displays a read out of over 8,000 rpm's when this occurs and the tachometer bounces back and forth with the shudder. frequency of occurrence is higher in hotter weather and when car has been driven for several minutes. slight whine also noticed by the transmission mechanic. problem 2: this problem was noticed on 03-28-08. vehicle was also purchased with defective horn. two + weeks after the car was purchased i was hit in the rear quarter panel by a careless teenager that did not look before he backed out of his parking space. i realized shortly after that my horn was not properly working. there was no way i could have sounded the horn to alert him that he was about to back into me if had wanted to. had it repaired recently in which the horn was found to be completely non-operational. once repaired, it was apparent that all was working well with the horn as it honks when the doors are locked. we did not realize that the car would do that at the time that we purchased it. that should have been a big clue to the dealership that it was not functioning properly. i've been told that selling a car without a properly functioning horn is a safety violation. i'm appalled that this was not caught by the dealership! more over, they stuck me with an expensive bill to replace something that should have been operational at the time of sale! problem 3: repaired on 05-22-08. also, both lower control arm bushings had to be replaced as they were found to have separated. major front end noises heard prior to this getting fixed and slop in the front end when driving. felt like car might loose control when cornering! *tr | |||
| 01/10/2008 | 72000 | 1 | |
| My 2004 saturn fwd v6 saturn vue has developed a shudder in the drive train that's prevalent in the 20 -25 and 30-35mph range under moderate acceleration or coasting. it has never lost traction to the road. the vehicle 75 thousand miles when this started. the frequency of occurrence is difficult to predict but seems to be happening as often as those specific conditions (mph/coasting) present - does not happen when accelerating quickly. i have addressed the issue with my local mechanic who has been service the vehicle for 2 years - local saturn dealership is too expensive and can never seem to correct problems satisfactorily. my concern with this the issue is could it possibly cause loss of traction and possibly lead to an accident or complete transmission failure. as this seems to be occurring in this model, can the nhtsa investigate? *tr | |||
| 05/21/2008 | 51000 | 1 | |
| Our 2004 saturn fwd v6 saturn vue has developed a shudder in the drive train that's prevalent in the 30-35mph range under moderate acceleration. it is akin to a transmission slippage although we've never lost traction to the road. the vehicle presently has between 50 and 55 thousand miles. the frequency of occurrence is difficult to predict but seems to be happening more often as we put on more miles. we have addressed the issue to our local saturn dealership and they have looked into the problem however have found nothing in the onboard diagnostics that would reveal any failures. they kept the car overnight and drove it numerous times but could not reproduce the problem. they have been as helpful as possible but to no avail. our concern is the issue, which certainly seems transmission related, may present itself at a bad time and could possibly cause loss of traction at a crucial time and leave us (my wife mainly drives the vehicle) in a vulnerable position. however, until the dealership witnesses the problem they have no obligation to do anything. can the nhtsa bring this to the attention of gm and saturn? again it is a 2004 saturn vue with the v6 fwd configuration. *tr | |||
| 09/01/2007 | 48000 | 1 | 11/10/2004 |
| We have a 2004 saturn vue awd and the transmission floats between overdrive and the lower gear constantly, when driving between 35 and 45 mph. there is a low grinding noise and a shudder in the car when it shifts to the lower gear, requiring your to downshift the car manually to avoid the problem at low speed. the car only has 53,000 miles on it and with all the complaints i've found online, i'm now afraid to let my wife take the vehicle on long trips. surely gm has to know about this? *tr. updated 01-14-08. *kb the consumer stated the dealer has reluctantly offered to cover the cost of the parts only. updated 12/12/07. *jb | |||
| 10/25/2006 | 102220 | 1 | 12/31/2003 |
| Failure of vti transmission. no previous problems - transmission had been serviced at regular intervals - 50,000 and 98,000 miles. car had approximately 102,000 miles on it engine light came on indicating loss of power and code diagnosis indicated p1882 - recommend replace case cover assembly and filter - estimated repair cost $4,300 with no guarantee that it would not occur again. had to trade car - bought a honda. *nm | |||
| 10/05/2006 | 32652 | 1 | 04/04/2004 |
| Total failure of a variable speed transmission while on an interstate. a 2004 saturn vue with 32,652 miles on it. upon inspection by the dealer, the cause was attributed to a failure of the transmission 'belt' that destroyed the other internal components of the transmission. this should not have occurred in a vehicle so young. the transmission was replaced by the dealer under warranty. *nm | |||
| 03/13/2006 | 1028 | 5 | 02/22/2004 |
| Continue to experience transmission problems with vehicle. transmission has been service on five different occasion for the same defect. *nm | |||
| 12/12/2005 | 29011 | 3 | 09/20/2005 |
| Saturn vue 4 cyl with vti trans . shudder felt & heard on light up hill grades. really bad with cruise on. shakes vehicle. 3 repairs made including replacing the trans.problem still occurs. other saturn owners have complaind also, thier trans failed completly leaving them stranded on the high way. *nm | |||
| 01/27/2006 | 240000 | 3 | 02/16/2004 |
| I have a 2004 saturn vue 4 cylinder with the tvi transmission. the car has 24,000 miles. i have had this car into the sturn dealer in greenville on three occasions to repair this transmission. often, but not always, when ypressing the accelerator the car does not respond.this caused a very near serious accident when i was in traffic and tried to make a left hand turn the car did not respond and thankfully the driver of the on coming transfer truck was able to avoid an accident with my car. the vue has now been towed back to the dealership. they now tell me there is nothing wrong with the car; enev though they have previously told me the transmission is bad. this dearlership has had two seperate owners since i purchased this car. i must have a car to preform my job duties, without appropriate transportation i will not be able to work. without my job i will not be able to purchase necessary medication that allows me to live. (insulin dependent diabetic). i am afraid of driving this car with out appropriate repairs. this car is a safety hazard and a danger to drive in its present condition. the saturn dealership has acted in an unprofessional manner in working with me. i have gotten no assistance with this problem and have been treated rudly and received very poor customer service. i want this reported to the manufacturer. i would like assistance is resolving this matter and insure the safety of not only myself but others on the roads. march of 2004 the saturn cooperation sent a letter to the owners of this particular make and model of car equipted with the vti transmission regarding the concerns about this transmission and that it may require repair or replacement. this letter states that saturn will provide extended coverage for up to 75 thousand miles or 5 years. this letter also informs the owner that while this is not a recall a saturn dearler must perforn repairs at no charge. | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 7905 | 10 | 09/30/2004 |
| Vehicle has a loss of speed. rpms increase. no speed. stop car, put in park, back in drive a couple of times. gets back up to speed. doors have to be manually locked or unlocked for approximately 100 miles . dealer cannot duplicate the problem. has been in the shop 4 times. *jb | |||
| 02/08/2004 | 12000 | 9 | 09/22/2003 |
| Dt: when the consumer applied the brakes, the transmission shifted into neutral. it happened without warning. it seemed it only does it when the motor is cold, like in the first half a mile driven. the dealer was unable to find what was wrong with it. manufacturer said they could not do anything until dealer could give them a computer code.*ak *jb updated 024/24/06.*jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 07/14/2004 | 35000 | 1 | |
| While turning consumer heard a loud grinding noise. dealership informed the consumer that the problem pertained to the rear axle. however, problem was not resolved. *ak | |||
| POWER TRAIN - CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | |||
| 12/23/2006 | 40000 | 3 | 08/19/2005 |
| With only 40k miles on the vehicle, the clutch failed while driving at a speed of 35mph. i had to cut off cars and coast across two lanes to a side street. i couldn't get the clutch to engage. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic and the clutch system (slave cylinder, clutch plate) was replaced. vehicle is now drivable (can be put into gear), but check engine light hasn't gone off and cruise control no longer works. the mechanic says no code appears with code reader. there is also a strong odor of gasoline fumes each time the vehicle is started or is idling. a week previous to the clutch problem, there was a thumping noise under the hood and the vehicle wouldn't start. i had a flashing check engine light, which also produced no code with code reader. i ended up having to replace the ignition control module in order to start the engine. *tr | |||
| 12/23/2005 | 44605 | 1 | 10/02/2004 |
| While driving on interstate 84 at 70 mph i lost my clutch and nearly had a collision with a tractor-trailer. the seals in my slave cylinder leaked and i lost the hydraulic power in my clutch. 2004 saturn vue, manual shift, 44,600 miles on odometer. i would like to find out how many slave cylinders were replaced in 2002,2003, 2004, 2005. *nm | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE | |||
| 04/01/2009 | |||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 saturn vue. while driving between 35-40 mph on normal road conditions, the contact heard a noise coming from outside of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for inspection and they stated that the failure was due to the driveshaft carrier bearing. the part for the repair was unavailable due to the massive back order. the technician recommended that the contact not drive the vehicle due to the safety hazard. the vehicle remains inoperative due to the lack of repair parts. the vin and mileages were unknown. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | |||
| 12/23/2004 | 1 | 12/13/2003 | |
| 2004 saturn vue awd. saturn replaced the rear differential (rdm) with a redesigned part in november. the new part is designed to engage later than the original part. this part change causes a significant change in the vehicle's handling- increased torque steer, excessive front wheel spin and unpredictable rear differential engagement. the fwd model of the vue has traction control that limits the amount of torque steer and wheel spin. the awd model does not have this function and the crippling of the awd feature makes the vehicle unsafe.*ak | |||
| 12/23/2004 | 17000 | 1 | 12/30/2003 |
| I recently had my 2004 saturn awd vue serviced at saturn of livingston, nj, and had two recalls performed. one was for the voluntary recall of a rear suspension link which was changed due to a nhtsa test failure. the other was the recall of the rear drive module (rdm), which was causing a moaning noise in all awd versions of this vehicle. after the rdm was changed i immediately noticed a change in the vehicles awd function characteristics. when on a slight incline in wet conditions a full throttle acceleration from a stop resulted in severe front wheel spin without engagement of the awd system. in fact i could hear a discernable clicking noise emminating from the rdm which sounded as though the awd faunctionality was in effect being neutralized. i have performed this maneuver several times with my vehicle in the past year (with the original rdm), and the awd system has been successful in eliminating front wheel spin and providing ample traction going up the incline. i believe the new version of the rdm being rolled out to the masses has only served to convert all the awd versions of this vehicle to fwd, and i believe saturn must be persuaded to re-engineer their rdm to restore the awd functionality.*ak | |||
| 07/14/2004 | 8102 | 2 | 11/27/2003 |
| Complaint received via e-mail. my car is once again in the shop for replacement of the rear wheel differential. this is the second time that the problem has arisen in a spam of 3 months. the dealership replaced the first one, and is working to replace it a second time. rear differential module replaced at 8,102 miles, then again at 12.136 miles.*jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DRIVESHAFT | |||
| 12/17/2004 | 11300 | 2 | 03/17/2004 |
| Undeclared significant change to awd performance due to rear drive module (rdm) warranty replacement. saturn replaced the rdm in my awd vue on 17 december as part of the lower control link recall campaign. the replaced rdm has modified engagement characteristics from the original rdm my vue was delivered with. (the rdm had a change from a 40-60 rpm difference to a 80-100 rpm difference engagement threshold.*ak the resulting change in awd performance has resulted in effective fwd conversion under normal driving conditions. partial throttle application results in complete loss of front wheel traction and late abrupt power transfer to rear wheels with significant torque steer. my discovery of this change came during a green-light freeway exit transition with a left turn. in turn exit power application, front wheels lost traction, the vue started to slip laterally. then awd engagement occurred abruptly with heavy front wheel torque steer. my vue made a partial incursion into adjacent traffic lane (unoccupied). i was at this point able to regain control. returned to saturn service center, advised them of the issues and was advised by them that this change was permanent and that my vehicle could not be returned to original operating parameters. it was at this point, via service center contact with saturn care that it was determined by my service center that the rdm had been changed internally to engage in this new range. my saturn service center had no previous knowledge of this change in the rdm and therefore not able to advise drivers of the significantly different handling characteristics of the new rdm. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION | |||
| 01/13/2005 | 21495 | 1 | 09/20/2003 |
| I have taken my 2004 saturn vue-manual transmission in for service regarding a thumping that i heard and felt come from the shifter location. i got the everything is within normal parameters line. then tonight when i went to down-shift from 5th gear to 4th gear, the shifter made a crunch sound and then it bounced into the neutral position. however, the transmission is still in 5th gear and is sitting in front of the saturn service center awaiting to be looked at tomorrow morning. this is not my first saturn but it will be my last after having as many problems as i have had with it in 1.25 years time.*jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - MANUAL TRANSMISSION - FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY | |||
| 10/15/2003 | 25000 | 6 | 10/15/2003 |
| Dt: in april 2005 the consumer noticed that there were squeaking noises coming from the vehicle when making a right turn. she took vehicle to the dealership to see what was wrong, and they told her the bushings had to be replaced. on 8-10-05 there was a problem in the tire area. the consumer thought that it was with the tires because they had been rotated recently. the dealer told her that the rocker arm/left front wheel was broken. the consumer had it replaced. also, told her that the transmission had to be rebuilt. the dealer told her that there was a problem with this type of transmission on the 4 cylinder saturn . after the consumer had purchased the vehicle saturn had sent her a letter about a problem with the transmission. it was something to do with tbi/vmi transmission, and they would cover this for up to 75,000 miles. it was not a recall. the shifter was very stiff. the transmission was loud when press on the gas pedal. the consumer took vehicle to dealer for repairs at least 6 times. the consumer felt that every time she took vehicle to dealer for repairs there were more problems. *ak | |||