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2005 Saturn Relay
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 91 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2005 Saturn Relay, most frequently naming the brakes, electrical and interior & seats categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 3 NHTSA investigations name it; and 546 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 2005 | 1 | 5 |
| Jan 2006 | 3 | 8 |
| Feb 2006 | 1 | 9 |
| Mar 2006 | 2 | 11 |
| Apr 2006 | 1 | 12 |
| Jul 2006 | 1 | 13 |
| Aug 2006 | 3 | 16 |
| Sep 2006 | 1 | 17 |
| Oct 2006 | 1 | 18 |
| Dec 2006 | 2 | 20 |
| Feb 2007 | 1 | 21 |
| Apr 2007 | 1 | 22 |
| Jul 2007 | 4 | 26 |
| Aug 2007 | 1 | 27 |
| Sep 2007 | 2 | 29 |
| Oct 2007 | 1 | 30 |
| Dec 2007 | 2 | 32 |
| Jan 2008 | 2 | 34 |
| Mar 2008 | 1 | 35 |
| Aug 2008 | 1 | 36 |
| Oct 2008 | 2 | 38 |
| Nov 2008 | 1 | 39 |
| Dec 2008 | 2 | 41 |
| Jan 2009 | 1 | 42 |
| May 2009 | 2 | 44 |
| Jun 2009 | 1 | 45 |
| Jul 2009 | 1 | 46 |
| Aug 2009 | 4 | 50 |
| Sep 2009 | 1 | 51 |
| Nov 2009 | 1 | 52 |
| Dec 2009 | 1 | 53 |
| Jan 2010 | 1 | 54 |
| Apr 2010 | 2 | 56 |
| May 2010 | 1 | 57 |
| Jun 2010 | 2 | 59 |
| Nov 2010 | 1 | 60 |
| Dec 2010 | 1 | 61 |
| Feb 2011 | 1 | 62 |
| Mar 2011 | 1 | 63 |
| Jun 2011 | 1 | 64 |
| Jul 2011 | 1 | 65 |
| Aug 2011 | 1 | 66 |
| Sep 2011 | 1 | 67 |
| Jan 2012 | 1 | 68 |
| Apr 2012 | 1 | 69 |
| Dec 2012 | 2 | 71 |
| Jun 2013 | 3 | 74 |
| Mar 2014 | 3 | 77 |
| Jun 2014 | 1 | 78 |
| Jul 2014 | 1 | 79 |
| Aug 2014 | 1 | 80 |
| Dec 2014 | 1 | 81 |
| Jan 2015 | 1 | 82 |
| Feb 2015 | 1 | 83 |
| Mar 2015 | 1 | 84 |
| Apr 2015 | 2 | 86 |
| Aug 2015 | 2 | 88 |
| Jul 2016 | 1 | 89 |
| Nov 2017 | 1 | 90 |
| Jul 2018 | 1 | 91 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Brakes4131.3%
- Electrical2418.3%
- Interior & seats118.4%
- Body & structure107.6%
- Exterior lighting75.3%
- Other / unspecified75.3%
- Fuel system64.6%
- Driver assistance53.8%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
3 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govPARKING BRAKE
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
POWER SLIDING DOOR
ODI EVALUATED GENERAL MOTORS' (GM) DATA, CONDUCTED CONSUMER INTERVIEWS, INSPECTED AND TESTED MY 2005-2007 GM MINIVANS WITH REGARD TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT OF A POWER SLIDING DOOR (PSD) OPENING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF PARK.ODI IDENTIFIED A HIGH WARRANTY CLAIM RATE.HOWEVER, THESE CLAIMS ARE RELATED TO VARIOUS PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DOORS NOT PROPERLY OPENING OR CLOSING AND NOT SPECIFICALLY TO DOORS OPENING WHILE DRIVING.THE CONDITION OF THE PSD REVERSING DIRECTION DURING THE CLOSING SEQUENCE IS CONSISTENT WITH AN OBSTRUCTION OF THE DOOR, OR WITH IMPROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE DOOR, AND THIS IS ADDRESSED IN GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 07-08-64-007 AND BULLETINS # 07-08-64-007A THROUGH D.ODI'S EVALUATION OF THE PSD SYSTEM NOTES NUMEROUS SAFEGUARDS TO PRECLUDE BOTH UNINTENTIONAL AND INTENTIONAL POWER OPENING OF THE PSD WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.A SAFETY-DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.[SEE DOCUMENT FILE FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS RESUME.]
POWER SLIDING DOOR OPENING
ODI HAS RECEIVED REPORTS THAT THE POWER SLIDING DOORS OPENED WITHOUT COMMAND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON MODEL YEAR 2005 AND 2006 GENERAL MOTORS MINIVANS (CHEVROLET UPLANDER/VENTURE, PONTIAC MONTANA SV6/MONTANA, BUICK TERRAZA, AND SATURN RELAY).SOME REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE DOOR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CLOSED AND LATCHED BEFORE DRIVING AWAY CAUSING THE DOOR TO REVERSE (OPEN) AT LOW VEHICLE SPEEDS.HOWEVER, OTHER REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE DOOR WAS INITIALLY SHUT THEN OPENED AFTER DRIVING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AND/OR MILES AT VEHICLE SPEEDS BETWEEN 20 AND 70 MPH.ODI HAS UPGRADED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS (EA07-019) TO FURTHER ASSESS THIS ISSUE.
ELECTRICAL HARNESS DAMAGE
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION OPENED THIS INVESTIGATION ON NOVEMBER 29, 2005, BASED ON ONE CONSUMER REPORT TO ODI AND A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED BY GENERAL MOTORS.THE BULLETIN, NO. 1613174, ISSUED ON FEBRUARY 21, 2005, STATES IN PART, SOME CUSTOMERS MAY REPORT A STALL AND/OR NO CRANK, NO START CONDITION AFTER THE WIPERS ARE USED.ANALYSIS OF THE AVAILABLE DATA INDICATES THAT THE PROBLEM EXPERIENCE OCCURS EARLY IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.APPROXIMATELY 80% OF ALL FAILURES OCCURRED WITHIN THE FIRST 3,000 MILES.ADDITIONALLY, 88% OF THE COMPLAINT VEHICLES WERE BUILT IN THE FIRST HALF OF PRODUCTION.CHANGES TO THE PRODUCTION PROCESS, THE ISSUANCE OF THE SERVICE BULLETIN, AND COMPONENT MODIFICATIONS, APPEAR TO HAVE RESOLVED THIS ISSUE. A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED. THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
EXACT SAME ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN APRIL 2014 GM RECALL 14063. SUDDEN LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. UNPREDICTABLE VERY DANGEROUS. SEEMS TO BE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OTHER SATURNS ARE LISTED IN THE 2014 RECALL BUT MINE IS NOT. IT SHOULD BE LISTED.
- NHTSA ID
- 11111967
- Incident
- Jul 5, 2018
- Mileage
- 180,000 mi
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) WARNING LIGHT CONTINUE TO LIGHT UP AND STAYS ON I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS CHAT SESSIONS.
- NHTSA ID
- 11048779
- Incident
- May 1, 2017
- Mileage
- 137,500 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE SPEED SENSOR AND TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ALSO, THE SLIDING DOOR CHIME ACTIVATED EVEN THOUGH BOTH SLIDING DOORS WERE CLOSED. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 09/08/16*LJ *CN
- NHTSA ID
- 10885096
- Incident
- Jan 2, 2005
- Mileage
- 90,000 mi
WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT I HAVE TO TURN MY HEADLIGHTS OFF TO USE MY TURN SIGNALS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE 2005 SATURN RELAY WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS...YET. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE.
- NHTSA ID
- 10758510
- Incident
- Oct 15, 2014
- Mileage
- 100,000 mi
THE FIRST TIME I WAS PARKED AND THE VAN WOULD NOT START. I WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD THE VAN TOW TO A SERVICE CENTER. THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL RELAY. I PAID TO HAVE THE FUEL RELAY REPLACED. A FEW DAYS LATER SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THE VAN WOULD NOT START. THIS TIME WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY OR SPARK PLUGS. I PAID TO HAVE A NEW BATTERY, NEW SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG CABLES. A FEW DAYS LATER I WAS LEAVING FROM WORK AND THE VAN WOULD NOT START AGAIN. I HAD IT TOW AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE THE FUEL PUMP. THEY WERE GOING TO REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BUT THEN NOTICED THE WIRES LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VAN. THE MECHANIC WIGGLED THE WIRES AND THE VAN STARTED. A FEW WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DOING ABOUT 50 AND THE VAN JUST LOST POWER. IT WAS AS IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND HAD THE VAN TOWED AGAIN. AFTER THIS SEVERAL TIMES, WHILE DRIVING THE VAN WILL ACT AS IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS. I HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT...YET. I HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE VAN, GO TO THE PASSENGER SIDE AND WIGGLE THE WIRES LOCATED UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT OF THE VAN.
- NHTSA ID
- 10758509
- Incident
- Oct 23, 2013
- Mileage
- 110,000 mi
DRIVING AROUND 10 MPH, CAR DIED. TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. LOOKED ON GM WEBSITE AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, HOWEVER NOT FOR THE RELAY. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR ALL SATURNS! I AM VERY LUCKY I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10711799
- Incident
- Apr 16, 2015
- Mileage
- 102,515 mi
REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH ABS & T/C WARNING LIGHTS, BRAKES SEIZED UP WAS UNABLE TO MOVE VAN HAD IT TOWED TO A SHOP, T/C ENGAGES WITHOUT ANY ADVERSE WEATHER OR ROAD CONDITIONS. I HAVE SPENT OVER $2000 TRYING TO REPAIR THE PROBLEMS. BRAKE PADS WEAR DOWN QUICKLY, REPLACE BRAKE PADS TWICE A YEAR SINCE HAVING THE VEHICLE. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10706475
- Incident
- Apr 6, 2015
- Mileage
- 93,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE ABS HUB SENSOR WAS REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES PULSATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AND THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM WAS UPDATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10694113
- Incident
- Oct 18, 2013
- Mileage
- 184,000 mi
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
This PI directs technician to training regarding sliding door operation.
This PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic assistance from TAC.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about the use of J-35616-64B and Mini 50 terminal test probe, replacement terminals, and terminated leads.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
This service bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on OnStar Module 2G Sunset Information.
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.