Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2003 Saturn Vue submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 45 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 45, in the owner's own words
MY DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT THAT TRACTION CONTROL IS DISABLED. THE LIGHT COMES ON BRIEFLY WHEN I TAKE SHARP LEFT TURNS. THE WHEEL-SPEED SENSORS, WIRES, CONNECTORS, CONTROL MODULE AND OTHER COMPONENTS OCCASIONALLY CONK WITH INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. THIS HAS CAUSE MY REDUCE POWER WHEN I DRIVE IT, USING MORE GAS.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY GOES OUT, MAKING STEERING VERY, VERY DIFFICULT. IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN IN COOLER WEATHER AND USUALLY TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND PARKING FOR A LITTLE WHILE CORRECTS THE PROBLEM. TRIED TO CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID, WAS TOLD IT IS AN ELECTRIC SYSTEM.
TAKATA RECALL SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON REDUCED POWER WHILE DRIVING ALL GAS AND SPEED GAUGES ARE ALL TURNED TO THE RIGHT CAR DOSENT MOVE WHEN CUT ON NO POWER STEERING WHEEL GETS HARD UNABLE TO TURN OR STEER THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 3 MONTHS NOW
POWER STEERING STOPS WORKING SOMETIMES AND IT'S VERY HARD TO TURN THE WHEELS
THE HORN WAS SOUNDING ALL THE TIME WAS INTERMITTENT NOW ON ALL THE TIME , HAD TO REMOVE THE FUSE
I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED AS SO FAR HAVE LOST POWER STEERING, GAUGES SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, AND HAVE BEEN LOCKED IN CAR AFTER PARKING AND COULDN'T EVEN USE MANUAL LOCKS, CAR TURNS ITSELF ON WHEN REBOOTING COMPUTER WITHOUT KEY IN IGNITION. .LIGHTS BLINK ON AND OFF, AND LOCKS LOCK AND UNLOCK WHILE DRIVING.CAR WOULD NOT START FOR OVER AN HOUR AFTER PUTTING IN PARK.
HORN STARTING SOUNDING OFF, KEPT SOUNDING UNTIL BATTERY DIED. HORN SWITCH IS IN THE STEER WHEEL AND CONNECTED TO THE AIRBAG. ONLY WAY TO FIX IS BY HAVING HORN FUSE IN PLUGGED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.
HAD THE IGNITION COLUMN REPLACED DUE TO GM RECALL AND TODAY THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED SMOKING!!!! *TR
MY VEHICLE IS UNDER SAFETY RECALL FOR IGNITION AND REAR LATERAL LINKS. I ORDERED PARTS AT CROPPER'S CHEVROLET IN NOGALES, AZ ON 12/29/2014. THE PARTS ARE STILL NOT IN DESPITE MY FOLLOW UP CALLS. I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE IGNITION AND THE KEY GETS STUCK. THEY SAID GM IS NOT SENDING THEM THE PARTS IN A TIMELY MANNER. WHILE I WAS TYPING THIS, THE PARTS DEPARTMENT OF CROPPER'S CALLED BACK AND SAID THEY DO HAVE THE PARTS AND MY APPOINTMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR 8 AM ON 2/26/2015. AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU FINALLY START TO COMPLAIN. *JS
I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM GENERAL MOTORS REGARDING MY VEHICLES RECALL 14506 BACK IN SEPTEMBER 2004. I HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO SCHEDULE A FIX FOR THIS RECALL. RICE BUICK GMC , 8330 KINGSTON PIKE, KNOXVILLE, TN 865-693-0610 I AM TOLD THE PART FOR THIS FIX HAS YET TO ARRIVE AND I WILL BE CALLED WHEN THE PART ARRIVES. IT HAS BEEN MONTHS, I BELIEVE 4 MONTHS IS PLENTY OF TIME TO RECEIVE PARTS. I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE MY CALL. I AM AFRAID I WILL HAVE ANOTHER INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT. ANY HELP OR ADVICE WILL BE APPRECIATED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V490000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), WEEKS LATER THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EMITTING SMOKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED, BUT THE RESULTS WERE UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 271,469.
THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED WHILE IN THE ON POSITION, WHICH CAN CAUSE A LOT OF SERIOUS ISSUES. NOT ONLY THE KEY CAN COME RIGHT OUT, BUT ALSO WHEN THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION AND I GO TO SHUT IT OFF IT WILL GO PAST THE OFF SPOT AND I COME TO FIND A DEAD BATTERY WEEKLY BECAUSE THE IGNITION IS NOT STOPPING THE KEY. THE STEERING FROM THE IGNITION WILL LOCK AND WILL BE DIFFICULT TO UNLOCK. *TR
THE SECURITY SYSTEM LOCKED THE STEERING, WHERE YOU COULD NOT DRIVE IT. IT HAPPEN TWICE IN 2 WEEKS AND TOOK FOREVER TO GET OFF. NOW SCARED TO DRIVE IT. YOU DO NOT KNOW IF YOU GOING TO MAKE HOME. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED ONCE. *TR
STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP I CAN PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND IT LOCKS UP THE WHEEL WILL NOT TURN. THE KEY CAN SLIDE IN AND OUT WHILE THE CAR IS TURNED ON. I CAN BECOME STRANDED BECAUSE I CAN NOT GET THE CAR TO TURN ON. I HAVE TO WIGGLE THE WHEEL AND HIT THE BRAKE AND EVEN THEN IT IS NOT ENOUGH. I AM VERY UPSET AND HAVE SEEN SO MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND IT HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. *TR
CAR STARTS, HOWEVER CHECK ENGINE, BRAKE, SERVICE LIGHT ALL COME ON. POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK, NOR DOES REAR WIPER. HAVE IN PAST BEEN ABLE TO RESET THE ISSUE BY PULLING AND REPLACING FUSES WHICH SOLVES ISSUE TEMPORARILY. HOWEVER THAT FIX NO LONGER WORKING. ALSO, NEED TO WRENCH HARD ON STEERING WHEEL TO BE ABLE TO START IGNITION. ONCE ON, ABLE TO REMOVE KEY WHILE VEHICLE IS STILL RUNNING. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THERE WAS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING WITHOUT WARNING. THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE AND VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN MAKING A TURN. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
WHEN TRYING TO START THE VUE, WE HAVE ONE PERSON PULL ON THE WHEEL WHILE THE OTHER PERSON TRIES TO START THE CAR. SOMETIMES IT GOES RIGHT AWAY, OTHER TIMES WE HAVE TO KEEP TUGGING ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO GET IT TO START. ALSO THE KEY CAN COME OUT WHILE DRIVING AND THE CAR STILL STAYS RUNNING. I AM MOST CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOCKING STEERING WHEEL, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT LOCKS WHEN DRIVING. *TR
I NOTICE THE BEGINNING OF THE WEEK WHEN I STARTED MY CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON IN MY VEHICLE. I CALLED MY MECHANIC IMMEDIATELY AND HE TOLD ME THAT SEEMED BE BE A WIRING OR MECHANICAL ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE. HE STATED THAT SATURN DID HAVE A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE FOR THIS ISSUE AND I NEEDED TO GET A HOLD OF SOMEONE IMMEDIATELY. THAT IS WHY I AM FILING HIS COMPLAINT ASKING FOR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE WITH THE CRITICAL ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE. PLEASE IF SOMEONE CAN CONTACT IMMEDIATELY. *TR
AS I WAS DRIVING MY AND IT CAR BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND THE TIRES BEGAN TO SQUEAL. IN MY MIND I THOUGHT I THOUGHT I NEEDED BETTER TIRES AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. AS I WAS DRIVING TO GET THE TIRES AND ALIGNMENT I HEARD A CRACKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR, THIS REALLY SCARED ME. AT THIS POINT THE PULL TO THE RIGHT WAS EVEN STRONGER. I ARRIVE TO A TIRE SHOP AND PUT TIRES ON THINKING THIS WOULD BE BETTER BUT IT WAS THE SAME SO I DROVE ACROSS THE STREET TO A MECHANIC TO GET A WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND THE MECHANIC CAME OUT AND WENT UNDERNEATH THE CAR WHEN HE CAME BACK UP HE STATED THAT "YOUR SUBFRAME AND CHASIS IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH, PARK IT IMMEDIATELY FOR SAFETY REASONS, IN HIS 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A MECHANIC HE ONLY SAW HIS TWICE THE FIRST TIME WAS IN ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS RECALLED AND MINE THAT SHOULD BE ON RECALL WITH THE LEVEL OF DANGER, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I SEE YOU HAVE A BABY'S CAR SEAT IN YOUR BACKSEAT". HE ALSO SAID EVEN AN OLDER CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE A SUBFRAME CRACK LIKE THIS, AND THAT THE MOTOR CAN FALL OUT WHILE I'M DRIVING AND THE WHEELS WILL COLLAPSE. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO I CAN'T EVEN TRADE IT IN AND IT'S WORTH $5500 AND THE COST WOULD BE FANANIMAL TO FIX. I CAN'T GET TO WORK AND EVEN CHILD CAR THIS IS HORRIBLE. PLEASE HELP.THIS IS A DEFECTIVE CAR AND THE WORST I HAVE EVER HAD. *TR
THE ENGINE LIGHT NEVER GOES OFF, THE IGNITION WANT TURN OR CRANK SOMETIMES, YOU CAN SMELL OIL WHEN THE CAR STOPS. *TR
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE WHEEL BEARINGS, THE BRAKES 2X IN 2 YEARS, GONE THROUGH 2 SETS OF TIRES AND NOW I HAVE TO REPLACE THE ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 10 MPH ON A SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROAD SURFACE WHEN HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR, THE AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT RELEASE. ALL OF THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCKS BECAME INOPERATIVE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR BY APPLYING EXCESSIVE FORCE WITH A HAMMER TO THE DOOR LOCK MECHANISM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO A COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. THE TECHNICIAN ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A NOISE WHEN TURNING THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE FOR THE 2002 MODELS, BUT NOT THE 2003 VUE. SHE FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SATURN SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE STEERING COULD FAIL AT ANY MOMENT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,358 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,050. UPDATED 4/14/09 *CN UPDATED 04/17/09. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE CAN BE DRIVEN, BUT HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT STATED THE GAUGES DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE PURCHASE DATE AND CORRECT VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 27,000. UPDATED 02/01/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED A/C, HORN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, INTERNAL LIGHTS, AND ODOMETER ALL WERE INOPERABLE. THE CONSUMER STATED AUSTIN SATURN TRIED TO TIGHTEN THE FUSE BLOCK BOLTS, BUT IT WAS ACTUALLY WORSE AFTERWARDS. THEY REPLACED THE BCM FOR HALF PRICE. UPDATED 02/01/08 *TR
DT: 2003 SATURN VUE. THE FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS AND TORSION BAR HAVE BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES AND THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE SUSPENSION AND STEERING MADE GRINDING SOUNDS AND THE CAR HANDLED DIFFERENTLY. THEY WERE REPLACED ON MARCH 8, 2004, MARCH 3 2005, AND JULY 27, 2005. THE VEHICLE HAS 29,000 MILES ON IT. SATURN TOLD THE CONSUMER TO SEE THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE PROBLEM. *AK THE ABS ACTIVATED UNDER NORMAL BRAKING CONDITIONS. THE WIPER SWITCH WAS REPLACED DUE TO A SHORT. THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE LUBRICATED. *JB
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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