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2006 Saturn Relay
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 19 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2006 Saturn Relay, most frequently naming the powertrain (other), brakes and body & structure categories. 2 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 2 NHTSA investigations name it; and 659 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2006 | 2 | 2 |
| Aug 2006 | 1 | 3 |
| Oct 2006 | 1 | 4 |
| Jul 2007 | 1 | 5 |
| Sep 2007 | 1 | 6 |
| Sep 2008 | 2 | 8 |
| Oct 2008 | 1 | 9 |
| Dec 2009 | 1 | 10 |
| Jun 2010 | 1 | 11 |
| May 2011 | 1 | 12 |
| Oct 2011 | 1 | 13 |
| Feb 2013 | 1 | 14 |
| Jan 2014 | 1 | 15 |
| Mar 2014 | 3 | 18 |
| Oct 2017 | 1 | 19 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Powertrain (other)414.3%
- Brakes414.3%
- Body & structure310.7%
- Fuel system310.7%
- Interior & seats310.7%
- Steering27.1%
- Driver assistance27.1%
- Electrical27.1%
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
2 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.govEQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
SERVICE ABS AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON AND HAVE REMAINED ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS. FURTHER MESSAGES CONTINUE FLASHING ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM OVER THE PAST YEAR AFTER ABS WHEEL SENSORS AND THE ASSOCIATED WIRING WERE REPLACED. WITH THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET - I WAS THINKING THAT SURELY A TSB OR RECALL ON THESE ISSUES HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED OR SIMPLY IGNORED BY THE MECHANICS AND SERVICE WRITERS AT THE GM DEALERSHIPS NATIONWIDE. I KNOW THAT A TECH LL SCANNER IS REQUIRED TO CHECK FOR ANY TROUBLE CODES FOR THESE VERY COMPLEX SYSTEMS, BUT WHAT IS THE KNOWN DEFINITIVE FIX FOR THESE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEMS ? THE LIGHTS AND MESSAGES BEGAN APPEARING AFTER MODERATE BRAKING AND WHILE VEHICLE IS/WAS IN MOTION OR STATIONARY WHILE TURNING OR ON A STRAIGHT AHEAD STRETCH OF ROADWAY. VARIED ROAD CONDITIONS AND WET OR DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE SEEMINGLY NOT CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
- NHTSA ID
- 11030754
- Incident
- Sep 27, 2017
- Mileage
- 130,000 mi
AFTER STARTING VEHICLE, WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, GEAR SELECTION LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE FROM PARK AND PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE AS RESULT. SHUT DOWN ENGINE, RESTARTED WITH SAME RESULT. AFTER SEVERAL MORE ATTEMPTS TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER, IT FINALLY RELEASED FROM PARK BUT HAD DIFFICULTY MOVING DIRECTLY INTO REVERSE GEAR - IT HAD TO BE "ROWED" THRU ALL GEARS TO SETTLE TO REVERSE, AND THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SEEM TO ENGAGE IN REVERSE INITIALLY. WHEN IT DID ENGAGE REVERSE GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION "JUMPED," LURCHING THE CAR (THE PARKING BRAKE HAD DISENGAGED WHEN GEAR SELECTION LEVER FINALLY MOVED FROM PARK). THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, AND SEEMS TO SOMETIMES COINCIDE WITH OTHER DRIVETRAIN ISSUE PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10568801
- Incident
- Sep 28, 2013
- Mileage
- 128,800 mi
ATTEMPTED LOW/MODERATE ACCELERATION FROM STOP; TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO SLIP WITH ENGINE RPM INCREASING BUT NO TRANSFER OF POWER BEYOND ABOUT INITIAL HALF-FOOT OF FORWARD MOTION, THEN HARD SHIFTED INTO GEAR (LURCHED THE VEHICLE) AND ACCELERATED RAPIDLY. THIS EVENT WAS INITIALLY INTERMITTENT AND NOT ABLE TO BE REPRODUCED BY MECHANIC. IT HAS NOW BECOME FREQUENT AND AFFECTS SHIFTING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS WELL AS FROM STOP, MAKING CONTROL OF ACCELERATION UNPREDICTABLE IS HARD SHIFTING THROUGH MOST GEARS WHEN THIS IS OCCURRING, ALTHOUGH AT OTHER TIMES IT SHIFTS VERY SMOOTHLY THROUGHOUT, MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE FOR MECHANIC. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10568789
- Incident
- Oct 1, 2013
- Mileage
- 129,100 mi
NOTED THAT DRIVING LIGHTS FLASHED WITH WIPERS ON DELAY SETTING. AT NEXT USE, LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT & WARNING SOUNDED BUT LIGHTS DID NOT FLASH WITH DELAY WIPERS. TURNING OFF ENGINE AND PULLING HOOD LATCH & CLOSING HOOD ENDED LOW PRESSURE WARNING (OIL PRESSURE/ LEVEL WERE CORRECT-FALSE ALARM). 2 DAYS LATER, LIGHTS AGAIN FLASHED WITH WIPERS ON DELAY BUT NO OIL PRESSURE WARNING. CONTINUED THIS BACK-AND-FORTH (EITHER OIL WARNING OR LIGHT FLASH WITH WIPER USE, BUT NOT CONCOMITANT) FOR 2 MONTHS, THEN LOW PRESSURE WARNINGS BECAME CONSTANT, AND THE LIGHTS NO LONGER FLASHED WITH THE WIPERS AT ALL.THE LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING CAN OFTEN BE STOPPED BY EITHER TURNING OFF ENGINE AND CAREFULLY RESTARTING OR PULLING HOOD LATCH AND SLAMMING HOOD. SHIFTING GEARS MAY ALSO TRIGGER THE LOW PRESSURE WARNING IF IT ISN'T ALREADY ON. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10568780
- Incident
- Aug 23, 2013
- Mileage
- 128,500 mi
MY 18 YEAR OLD SON HAD AN ACCIDENT. HE ROLLED THE VAN MULTIPLE TIMES, HIT TREES ,DAMAGED ALL SIDES, AND ROOF OF THE VAN. THE ONLY DOOR THAT WOULD EASILY OPEN WAS THE DRIVERS DOOR. THE FRONT AXLE BROKE, WINDSHIELD BROKEN. THE INSURANCE APPRAISER SAID ALL PANELS WERE DAMAGED AND COULD NOT BELIEVE NONE OF THE AIR BAGS OPENED. THE SATURN RELAY 2006 WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10558511
- Incident
- Dec 28, 2013
- Mileage
- 125,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN RELAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITHIN THREE MONTHS, THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE DARKENED BY THREE SHADES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG METALLIC SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE THAT HAD EVEN AFFECTED HER BREATHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A FOREIGN HOSE ATTACHED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE TOXIC LEAK. THE CONTACT BECAME VERY ILL AND STRONG TRACES OF CADMIUM, LEAD AND MERCURY WERE FOUND IN HER BLOOD SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10498019
- Incident
- Oct 9, 2012
- Mileage
- 86,000 mi
I STARTED GETTING "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM" WARNING MESSAGE AND LIGHT WITH "SERVICE ABS SYSTEM" WARNING MESSAGE AND LIGHT AND "SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM". ALL ARE ALWAYS AT THE SAME TIME. SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING (PER OWNERS MANUAL) TEMPORARILY CAUSES THE LIGHTS AND MESSAGES TO TURN OFF, BUT THEY ALWAYS RETURN LATER. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN SATURN FORUMS AND IS HAPPENING WITH MANY, MANY OWNERS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10432537
- Incident
- Sep 1, 2011
- Mileage
- 111,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN RELAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS WOULD NOT SHUT. WHEN ACTIVATED, THE DOOR WOULD START TO CLOSE BUT WOULD NOT LATCH AND THEN WOULD REOPEN. THE CONTACT STATED IT TAKES A COUPLE OF HOURS AND ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE DOOR WOULD CLOSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIANS PERFORMED ADJUSTMENTS TO THE DOOR BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10399904
- Incident
- Aug 8, 2010
- Mileage
- 53,000 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.