Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Saturn Relay submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 41 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 41, in the owner's own words
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.
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
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
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.
ABS SYSTEM ACTING UP , OCCURRING OFF AND ON SERVICE BRAKES HYDRAULIC PROBLEM . HAPPENS EVERYDAY SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. ALSO PREVIOUS OWNER HAD SAME PROBLEM. *TR
AFTER HAVING MY BRAKES REPLACED, THE ABS LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. THE LIGHT WILL GO OFF FOR AWHILE, BUT EVERY TIME I APPLY THE BRAKES IT WILL COME BACK ON FOR DAYS. I AM ALSO HAVING ISSUES WITH MY BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS. THEY KEEP GOING IN AND OUT. SOMETIMES THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT OPEN OR CLOSE CORRECTLY, I CHECK TO MAKE SURE NOTHING IS IN THE WAY BUT STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE REVERSING FROM A DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKES FAILED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ABS WARNING LIGHTS. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A MAILBOX FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE CONTACT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS ADVISED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL HUB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE BRAKE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY, SATURN RELAY 2005 SLOWED DOWN AND LOST POWER INTERMITTENTLY. DASH WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF (ABS/STABILITY/TRACTION) - WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER ON AND OFF. WHEN I APPLIED THE GAS, THE VEHICLE BOGGED DOWN AND CONTINUED TO SLOW. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHEN I DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. I COULD NOT MOVE OVER TO THE BERM DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC SO I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT AT AN UPCOMING EXIT RAMP. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES NOTHING HAPPENED THE FIRST FEW TIMES. THEN THE BRAKES WORKED SO I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN EVENTUALLY. THE BRAKES WERE PULSATING WHEN I WOULD DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND INTERMITTENTLY, NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. *TR
ABS WARNING LIGHT APPEARS INTERMITTENTLY EVEN AFTER BRAKES WERE REPLACED. SEEMS TO BE ELECTRICAL ISSUE AS OPENING THE DOOR DOESN'T ALWAYS TURN ON LIGHT OR TURN OFF RADIO. DRAINED BATTERY. NOW I HAVE TO PULL FUSE. STEERING WHEEL RADIO CONTROLS HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY OFTEN PERFORMING OPPOSITE FUNCTIONS. *TR
ABS SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY. ABS SYSTEM SHUTS DOWN WHILE LIGHT IS ON. EBCM WAS REPLACED BY GM DEALER, BUT PROBLEM PERSISTS. *TR
12/19/2011 WIFE WAS DRIVING CAR ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN BRAKES ENGAGED FOR NO REASON. FOOT WAS NOT EVEN ON THE PEDAL. VAN LURCHED, TIRES SQUEALED, DRASTICALLY REDUCED SPEED DOWN TO 20 MPH, AND CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT. SHE PULLED OFF ONTO SHOULDER OF ROAD. T/C LIGHT CAME ON. VAN DROVE NORMALLY AFTER THAT UNTIL 1/5/12 WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT HAPPENED AT A LOWER SPEED, WHILE SLOWING TO TURN LEFT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. MADE CAR SKID AND SHE ALMOST MISSED THE TURN. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON 1/6/11 WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT. SAME SYMPTOMS, THIS TIME CAR PULLED TO LEFT. I INSPECTED VEHICLE TO FIND THAT RIGHT REAR BRAKE CALIPER WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THOUGHT THAT WOULD SOLVE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, IT WAS AN UNRELATED ISSUE. HAPPENED 5 TIMES ON 1/10/11, ONCE AGAIN ON 1/11/11 AT 60 MPH, AND ON 1/12/11 AT A LOWER SPEED. DIAGNOSIS BY A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE EBCM. CURRENTLY THE FUSE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ABS AND ABS PUMP TO PREVENT THIS VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. SWITCH IN CAR TO DEACTIVATE TRACTION CONTROL WAS NOT STOPPING IT FROM MALFUNCTIONING. MY WIFE AND KIDS USE THIS CAR, AND I WAS VERY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY, AND I HAD TO CONSULT 3-4 DIFFERENT MECHANICS TO BRAINSTORM AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. *TR
WHEN THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR LIGHTS CAME ON , IT FELT LIKE THE CAR WASN'T SLOWING DOWN MUCH, AT 35 MPH. IT WAS SCARY. I KNOW OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM, THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS. I WAS TOLD IS THE EBCM MODULE. *TT
2005 SATURN RELAY 3: REPLACED ABS SENSOR IN WHEEL HUBS 5 TIMES BECAUSE OF AWD BEING DISABLED DUE TO ABS LIGHT COMING ON. CODE INDICATED BAD SENSOR WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS REALLY THE EBCM. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER SATURN RELAY OWNERS OF THE SAME PROBLEM. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. *TR
I BOUGHT MY 2005 RELAY BRAND NEW FROM THE SATURN DEALER. ABOUT 1 YEAR LATER THE ABS LIGHT WENT ON AND I HAD IT SERVICED UNDER WARRANTY. 1 MONTH LATER ABS LIGHT AGAIN. THE HUB WAS REPLACED AND THIS FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. ABS LIGHT AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR. ONE MONTH LATER REPLACED THE SENSOR AGAIN. I STARTED HAVING SOME SHAKING WHEN BRAKING THEN THE ABS LIGHT APPEARED AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC INSTEAD OF THE DEALER THINKING THAT MAYBE THE DEALER MECHANICS WERE SHORT-CUTTING ON REPAIRS. THE PRIVATE MECHANIC WAS NOT ABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. THE ABS LIGHT STILL COMES ON ALL THE TIME. THE 2005 SATURN RELAY NEEDS A RECALL! *KB
I HAVE A SATURN RELAY 2005 ABS LIGHTS STAYS ON,ALL WHEEL DRIVE DISABLE WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON, REPLACED HUB AND WHEELBEARING THREE TIMES STILL HAVE ABS LIGHTS COME ON. NOBODY SEEM TO KNOW HOW FIX THIS PROBLEM, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. DON'T TRUST HAVING MY KIDS IN THE CAR. I LOOKED UP ON THE COMPUTER A LOT OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SATURN RELAY,THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BEFORE THERE ARE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS AND LAWSUITS. *TR
THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY. IT HAS BEEN IN TO THE SHOP 3 TIMES. BOTH HUBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED. ABS WARNING CONTINUES TO COME ON DAILY AT RANDOM TIMES. NOW THE BRAKE LIGHT IS COMING ON WITH THE ABS SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING OR BRAKING. THERE ARE NEW BRAKE PADS AND THE ROTORS ARE GOOD. BUT THE BRAKES MAKE A GRINDING SOUND ONCE IN AWHILE. THE REPAIRMAN WONDERS WHY THERE WASN'T A RECALL BY SATURN.
I BOUGHT A USED 2005 SATURN RELAY 3 IN JANUARY 2010. I HAVE 2 MAJOR ISSUES GOING ON: POWER SLIDING DOORS WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THAT THEY ARE CLOSED AND WILL CONTINUE TO DING AS IF I WAS DRIVING WITH THEM OPEN...ON A FEW OCCASIONS I HAVE HEARD THE POWER DOOR MOTOR START ON ITS OWN AS IF IT WAS TRYING TO OPEN THE DOORS WHILE I AM DRIVING! SECOND ISSUE IS ABS/TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS HAVE BEEN COMING ON SPORADICALLY SINCE I PURCHASED IT. OF COURSE, NO ONE CAN FIND THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY CAN'T REPLICATE IT. IT DOESN'T MATTER THE DRIVING CONDITIONS, DRIVING TIME, WEATHER OR ANYTHING ELSE. BOTH HAVE HAPPENED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. CURRENTLY THE LIGHTS ARE STAYING ON MORE THAN OFF AND YESTERDAY WHILE DRIVING, THE WARNING LIGHTS WERE OFF UNTIL I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, FELT AND HEARD A CLUNKING SOUND, THE BRAKE PETAL GAVE WAY SOME, AND THE SERVICE ABS/NO TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AGAIN. THE CAR DID STOP. TALKED TO THE USED CAR DEALERSHIP THAT SOLD IT TO ME AND I AM CURRENTLY MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO HAVE VEHICLE LOOKED AT. IN RESEARCHING I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE SAME ISSUES ON A NUMBER OF FORUMS. *TR
WE PURCHASED OUR 2005 SATURN RELAY 2 IN NOV. 2007 WITH 24,000 MILES. AT AROUND 34,000 MILES OUR SERVICE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT STARTED COMING ON. I TOOK IT IN TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE SENSOR IN THE WHEEL. I PICKED IT UP AND WITHIN 5 MINUTES INTO MY DRIVE HOME THE SERVICE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT APPEARED AGAIN. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND SCHEDULED ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. THIS TIME THEY SAID THE EBD SENSOR WAS DIRTY AND CLEANED IT. AFTER THAT THE LIGHT WOULD INTERMITTENTLY COME ON. I WAS RELUCTANT TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER SINCE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED A COUPLE THOUSAND MILES AFTER THE DEALERSHIP HAD TRIED TO FIX IT. THE LIGHT COMING ON HAS BEEN MORE AND MORE FREQUENT AND ON MAY 19, 2010 WITH APPROX. 55,000 MILES THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ACCOMPANIED BY A CHIME AND SHORTLY AFTER THE BRAKE LIGHT. THE BRAKES BEGAN PULSATING AND THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK WHILE COMING TO AN ABRUPT STOP. I WILL BE TAKING IT IN SOMETIME SOON TO THE DEALER FOR THEM TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE ISSUE. *TR
ABS SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON. WE BOUGHT THE 2005 SATURN RELAY USED FROM A SATURN DEALER. DAY AFTER WE GOT IT, THE ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON. DEALER CORRECTED IT. ONE YEAR LATER, BRAKES ARE ALL GOOD BUT SERVICE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON. TURN THE VAN OFF AND BACK ON, IT DISAPPEARS. THEN NEXT TIME IT IS ON. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED IN MANY FORUMS. WHY IS THIS SAFETY ISSUE NOT BEING ELEVATED TO RECALL STATUS. *TR
ABS LIGHT APPEARS SPORADICALLY. *TR
I HAVE A SATURN RELAY WITH BRAKE PROBLEMS. THE ABS DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. VERY SCARY STUFF. THE ABS WILL COME ON WITH DRY CONDITIONS BUT WILL NOT COME ON WHEN WE ACTUALLY NEED THEM, LIKE IN THE SNOW. SATURN DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS. KEEP TAKING MY VAN BACK AND NOBODY SEEMS TO KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. I GUESS THERE WAITING FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN TO ACTUALLY GET INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BEFORE ANYONE WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR
2005 RELAY. THE ABS LIGHTS WILL COME ON RANDOMLY. TURNING OFF THE CAR AND BACK ON FIXES IT FOR A WHILE, BUT RECENTLY THE LIGHTS IS ALMOST STEADY AND WE ARE NOT ABLE TO RESET IT. *TR
SERVICE ABS SYSTEM LIGHTS COMING ON RANDOMLY. *TR
I HAD A 2005 SATURN. I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT. I WOULD HAVE RATED IT AS THE MOST LIKED CAR OF MY LIFE. HOWEVER, THE STEERING OR BRAKES FAILED AND ACTUALLY CAUSED MY CAR TO ACCELERATE. I WAS IN A CHURCH PARKING LOT, GETTING READY TO PARK MY VEHICLE AND WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE CAR ACCELERATED AND I WAS HEADED FOR A TREE,WHEN I RAN OVER A PIECE OF PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT THAT STOPPED MY WILD RIDE. WHEN I TOOK IT TO SATURN OF LAKELAND, THEY SAID NOTHING HAD SHOWN UP ON A COMPUTER BUT THEY DID TEST DRIVE IT AND COULD FIND NOTHING. THEY TOLD ME THAT I MUST HAVE HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS INSTEAD OF THE BRAKE. I HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT, MUST LESS DRAMATIC BEFORE THAT WHEN I WAS PULLING IN TO PARK. BOTH TIMES I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN. THAT TIME I WAS ALMOST STOPPED BUT DID RUN INTO THE CURB. I HAVE DRIVEN 49 YEARS AND THESE ARE THE ONLY TWO INCIDENTS WHEN I SUPPOSEDLY HAD MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND NOT THE BRAKE. IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKELY AT ALL TO ME. WELL THE FROSTING ON THE CAKE WAS THAT ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER, I WENT OUT AND WAS GOING TO START MY CAR AND WHEN I TRIED TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR THE SHIFTING LEVEL FELL OUT OF POSITION AND WAS ONLY HELD IN PLACE BY THE COVERING OVER IT. SATURN OF LAKELAND DID SAY THEY DIDN'T THINK I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR ROUGHLY BUT I DID REPAIR IT AT NY OWN COST. HOWEVER, THE LACK OF CONCERN BY SATURN OF LAKELAND, WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THIS CAR WAS LESS THAN PATHETIC. SO, EVEN THOUGH I LIKED THE CAR A LOT, I FELT IT WAS A SAFETY HAZARD TO BE DRIVING IT. I GAVE UP THE FIGHT IN HONOR OF MY OWN SAFETY AND BOUGHT ANOTHER CAR AT A MONETARY LOSS TO ME. SAFETY FIRST SATURN. *TR
ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2008 I WAS BACKING UP IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGED BRIEFLY, STOPPED AND THE SERVICE LIGHT FOR BOTH THE TC AND THE ABS REMAINED ON. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET RID OF THE SERVICE LIGHTS. ON MONDAY I BROUGHT THE VAN INTO THE LOCAL GARAGE. IN JUNE 2008, I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THE SERVICE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. THE SAME GARAGE PUT IN NEW BALL BEARINGS INCLUDING THE ONE THAT HAS THE SENSOR IN IT FOR THE TC AND ABS. I HAVE READ THE EBCM MODULE OR THE SENSOR ON THE BALL BEARING COULD BE THE PROBLEM. *TR
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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