9.3

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,535 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2003 Saturn Vue:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #2

Dec 262008

Vue 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
2003 Saturn Vue had a partially melted transmission drive shaft boot. The consumer stated when his wife attempted to start the vehicle, it would not turn over. A few minutes later, there as a loud explosion from under the hood. The consumer ran out and discovered smoke coming from under the vehicle. After several tries of trying to get the vehicle to start, it finally started but it would shut off. On the eighth try, the consumer was able to keep the vehicle running by pumping the accelerator. The vehicle would not maintain a steady RPM. The vehicle had no power brakes and the RPM continued to move from 2000 to 3000 and when the consumer stopped the vehicle, it did not idle. The brakes finally became active and the RPM was steady. The consumer stated the problem that caused the damaged had not been diagnosed. The consumer had another mishap with the vehicle. The consumer's wife smelled something electrical and then the service engine light illuminated. There was difficulty starting the vehicle. The next day, when the consumer attempted to start the vehicle, it didn't start and again it backfired with a loud pop. The consumer put his hand under the right bottom side near the catalytic converter and there was black grease on the underside. The consumer stated there seems to be a problem with having a rubber boot with grease next to the catalytic converter and unprotected without a shield.

- Santa Rosa, CA, USA

problem #1

Nov 252003

Vue 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 3,070 miles
I have brought my car back a total of 5 times to Saturn of morristown with a complaint of a shimmy/shudder in the car at highway speeds. Initially the complaint was from 50-75 but after their 4th fix, the shudder began at 45A nd was really bad at 65. Saturn is in its final attempt to fix the car, denies the car is a lemon, has told me Saturn knows of the problem with the car but has tried every fix and then some and my car won't respond to any fixes and that they can't fix the car yet they refuse to buy it back claiming they are within their alloted time as a final fix. February 15 is the 12th consecutive day without my car and the 24th cumulative day. They will not contact me, I always have to be the one to contact them and the woman I am speaking with at Saturn at the customer care center refuses to allow me to speak to anyone else. The shimmy/shudder has been in the car since day one and every time they gave it back to me they said it was road tested good yet I could immediately upon reaching highway speeds feel the shudder. I don't understand how they could have given it back to me 4 times saying it was good and yet keep it for this length of time and refuse to acknowledge it as lemon considering they know of the inherent defect.

- Parsippany, NJ, USA