2002 Saturn Vue Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE IGNITION KEY RELEASED FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A TREE. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED IF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

NHTSA ID

10653979

Incident

Jun 9, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi

THE IGNITION SWITCH HAS TO BE INSERTED IN THE DOOR IN ONE POSITION TO UNLOCK, THEN TURNED OVER TO TURN ON THE IGNITION, THEN IT IS VERY HARD TO TURN THE IGNITION TO THE RUN POSITION, THE ACC. POSITION WILL NOT WORK. SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT ACTIVATE THE POWER STEERING, HAS TO BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED TO GET IT TO WORK, IF GM HAS KNOWN OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE 2001, WHY DID THEY NOT RECALL MY SPECIFIC CAR WHICH IS 2002 SATURN VUE. I WAS TOLD BY GM THAT THIS VIN. WAS NOT RECALLED. THE SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE IT TO GM DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK, WHICH I HAVE TO PAY FOR, BUT I KNOW THE IGNITION IS DEFECTIVE. IF THIS IS HOW THEY INTEND TO FIX THE PROBLEM, WHY ISSUE A RECALL. I CAN HAVE IT REPAIRED BUT IT IS GOING TO COST ME IN EXCESS OF 200.00 I HAVE HAD 4 DIFFERENT KEYS CUT FOR IT, WITH NONE OF THEM WILL WORK. YOU CANNOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THIS PROBLEM POPS UP. MAYBE THIS WILL KEEP SOMEONE ELSE FROM GETTING INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT. I HAVE GIVEN UP ON GM FIXING THE PROBLEM. I WILL TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10593360

Incident

May 4, 2014

Mileage

126,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID

10592738

Incident

May 19, 2014

Mileage

150,000 mi

AFTER THE MORNING DRIVE OF 4 MILES, SMOKE START COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE AREA OF THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10592629

Incident

May 19, 2014

Mileage

167,500 mi

KEY IN VEHICLE LOCKS UP AT TIMES WHEN TRYING TO TURN IT ON. KEY ALSO COMES OUT OF IGNITION WHILE CAR IS STILL RUNNING. NOW WHEN START THE CAR SMOKE IS COMING OUT OF IGNITION AND STEERING WHEEL AREA. *TR

NHTSA ID

10587875

Incident

May 9, 2014

Mileage

124,862 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25-35 MPH WHEN SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 104,365 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 104,400.

NHTSA ID

10578215

Incident

Apr 6, 2014

Mileage

104,365 mi

2002 SATURN VUE REPEATEDLY LOOSES POWER STEERING. IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN SOON AFTER STARTING AND TURNING. SOMETIMES IT MAY BE RESET BY TURNING OFF AND ON THE VUE AND/OR LETTING IT IDLE FOR A FEW MINUTES. THIS ISSUE WAS REPEATEDLY REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP SINCE 2006 WITHOUT RESOLUTION. LOOSING POWER STEERING PERIODICALLY HAS CAUSED SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES AND MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH. PLEASE RESPOND TO ME WITH ANY SUGGESTIONS OR ADVISE. MY EMAIL ADDRESS IS [XXX]. ELECTRIC POWER STEERING HAS BEEN RECALLED ON MANY GM CARS. GM IS CURRENTLY HAS A LAW SUIT AGAINST THE MAKER OF THESE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING UNITS. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE RESOLUTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10386459

Incident

Feb 14, 2011

Mileage

60,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE GAUGES ON THE DASHBOARD FAILED AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING BELL SOUNDED IN THE VEHICLE. THE STEERING WHEEL THEN BECAME EXTREMELY STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST FAILED AND THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 98,000. UPDATED 08/03/10. *LJ UDDATED 08/04/10*JB

NHTSA ID

10339342

Incident

Apr 15, 2010

Mileage

95,000 mi

2002 SATURN VUE (42000 MILES): NOTICED RUMBLING SOUND AND VIBRATION COMING FROM AREA OF RUBBER BOOT WHERE STEERING COLUMN ENTERS FLOOR BOARD. APPLIED LUBRICANT AND THIS TEMPORARILY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM BUT IT SOON RETURNED. DEALER CLAIMS STEERING COLUMN IS BAD AND NEED REPLACEMENT - $1000+ FOR PARTS AND LABOR. *JB

NHTSA ID

10185161

Incident

Jan 15, 2007

Mileage

43,000 mi

WHENEVER THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED IT MAKES A NOISE AND SEEMS TO VIBRATE THE VEHICLE. IT HAS NOT YET FAILED, BUT IS VERY WORRISOME.*AK

NHTSA ID

10148792

Incident

Sep 10, 2005

Mileage

43,000 mi

DT: STEERING SYSTEM IS FAILING. STEERING LOCKS UP ON LEFT HAND TURNS, THEN STARTS STRAIGHTENING BACK OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN AND WHILE GOING ON/OFF EXIT RAMPS. AT LOW SPEEDS THE WHEEL COMPLETELY STOPS TURNING AND LOCKS UP. *TT

NHTSA ID

10122314

Incident

May 18, 2005

Mileage

47,100 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM FAILED, AND VEHICLE WANDERED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *TC

NHTSA ID

10110967

Incident

Dec 15, 2004

Mileage

255,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WHILE TURNING RIGHT VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE LEFT. CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

NHTSA ID

10087543

Incident

Aug 5, 2004

DIRT SUPPOSEDLY GOT IN MY STEERING WHEEL CASE AND HAS DAMAGED A COIL, NOW MY HORN BARELY WORKS AND MY AIR BAG IS AT RISK. SATURN WILL NOT REPAIR WITHOUT A COST OF $378.00 AND THE CAR IS 2YRS OLD ONLY THIS MONTH. I DRIVE THE CAR BACK AND FORTH TO WORK WITH THE AIR ON..AND DUST IN THE CASE PUTS MY LIFE IN DANGER WITHOUT THE POSSIBIITY OF AN AIRBAG. *AK

NHTSA ID

10086387

Incident

Aug 8, 2004

Mileage

68,000 mi

VEHICLE CAME EQUIPPED WITH AN ELECTRONIC STEERING MECHANISM. THE STEERING MECHANISM FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN POOR STEERING AND LOSS CONTROL. *AK

NHTSA ID

10038073

RUBBING SOUND IN STEERING COLUMN. DEALER SAYS SATURN KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM AND IS LOOKING FOR A FIX. HAVE BROUGHT IT IN 3 TIMES AND NOTHING HAS WORKED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10023669

Incident

Jul 5, 2002

Mileage

10 mi

I HAVE ALSO FOUND A METAL CLANKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER''S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN SHIFTING THE CAR OUT OF PARK, OR REVERSE. IT STILL CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 12 TO 30 MPH, AGAIN THE PROBLEM PRESENTS ITSELF MOSTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COASTING AND LOSING MOMENTUM. THE VEHICLE WOULD BE SLOWING DOWN WITHOUT ANY AID OF BRAKING OF ANY KIND AND AS THE VEHICLE WOULD ATTEMPT TO DOWN SHIFT, IT WOULD SOMETIMES MAKE A CLANKING NOISE, OR BUCK, OR IN THE MOST EXTREME CASES COMPLETELY STALL OUT. ALSO THE WIPER SPRAYERS HAVE BROKEN TWICE, AND THE DEALER EXPECTS THEM TO BREAK AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

10000748

Incident

May 12, 2002

Mileage

1,000 mi

DURING DRIVING A THUMP IS COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHEN ROAD BUMP OCCURS AND IS SOMETIMES STARTLING. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, SERVICE REP. REPLACED A SPRING PART AS PER SERVICE BULLETIN, HOWEVER, THIS ACTION DID NOT REPAIR STEERING COLUMN PROBLEM. THE THUMPING IS FELT IN STEERING WHEEL AND FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE IN STEERING COLUMN. SERVICE REP. INFORMED ME IT IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

763427

Incident

May 10, 2002