Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
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 2004 Saturn Vue submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR ISSUES WITH ACCELERATION, FUEL MILEAGE, AND THE BRAKES BEING WORN OUT. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
TAMARA RECALL , THE KEY CAME OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE THE CAR WAS ON. WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE CONFIRMED IT BUT WOULD NOT FIX IT OR SEND US ANYWHERE TO GET IT FIXED. OUR ABS WENT THE 3RD WEEK WE HAD THE CAR, THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT IT. THE OTHER RECALL MADE OUR TIRES ONLY HOLD AIR FOR A FEW DAYS AT A TIME.
I PURCHASED A SET OF BRAKE PADS FROM "CARQUEST AUTO PARTS" IN BETHLEHEM, PA ON 6/23/09. UPON THE ADVICE OF ONE OF THE SALES REPRESENTATIVES, I DECIDED TO PURCHASE THE CARQUEST BRAND BRAKE PADS LISTED ON THE INVOICE AS, "RED CERAMIC PAD." I INSTALLED THE PADS ON MY 2004 SATURN VUE. UPON COMPLETION, AS ALWAYS I TOOK THE CAR ON A ROAD TEST. I EXPERIENCED SOME EXCESSIVE BUOYANCY IN THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND CONTINUED THE ROAD TEST. I DROVE THE CAR FOR A TOTAL OF NO MORE THAN FIVE MILES. (NOTE THAT THE ROTORS AT THIS POINT WERE ALMOST NEW, AND HAD NO UNUSUAL WEAR OR DAMAGE.) AS I STOPPED THE VEHICLE DURING THE TEST, PLUMES OF BRAKE DUST EMANATED FROM BOTH FRONT TIRES. I INSPECTED THE PADS ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT 90% OF THE PAD SURFACE HAD DISINTEGRATED IN LESS THAN 5 MILES. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE STORE TO NOTIFY OF A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND A DEFECTIVE BRAKE PRODUCT, THEY MOCKED ME FOR "PURCHASING SUCH GARBAGE IN THE FIRST PLACE INSTEAD OF USING DEALER PARTS." THEY SHOWED NO CONCERN OR SURPRISE OVER WHAT HAD HAPPENED, DESPITE HOW CLOSE I CAME WITH DEATH. I HAVE RETAINED THE DEFECTIVE PADS FOR YOUR ANALYSIS AND HOPEFULLY TO IMPLEMENT A RECALL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE. ON THREE OCCASIONS, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT MAKE ENOUGH NOISE FOR THEM TO MAKE AN UNSPECIFIED REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DESPITE THE NOISE. THE DEALER REFUSED TO DIAGNOSE THE COMPUTER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE NOISE SOUNDED AS IF A COMPONENT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES DURING THE TEST DRIVE, BUT THEY HEARD THE NOISE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 07/28/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION. THE FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 07/31/09.*JB
THERE IS A TERRIBLE WHOLE VEHICLE SHUDDER A LOW SPEEDS AND LOW RPM. IT SEEMS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO "LOCK - UP TORQUE CONVERTER" MODE AT TOO LOW RPMS(ABOUT 1000 TO 1200).THIS HAPPENS CONSTANTLY AT LOW SPEEDS AND IS VERY DISTRESSING AND DISTRACTING. YOU HAVE TO STEP DOWN HARDER ON THE ACCELERATOR TO KICK THE TRANSMISSION INTO A LOWER GEAR WHICH TENDS TO MAKE THE CAR SPEED UP. THIS IS VERY DISTRESSING AND DISTRACTING AND MUST CAUSE UNDO WEAR AND TEAR ON THE DRIVETRAIN. THERE ARE MANY SATURN VUE (2004) OWNERS NATION WIDE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS AND THE WHEEL BEARING AND BRAKE PROBLEMS SHOULD BE NATION WIDE RECALLS. NO WONDER PEOPLE ARE BUYING IMPORTS AT AN INCREDIBLE RATE. *TR
1. BRAKES. I HAVE HAD THE FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED/CUT DOWN ON THIS CAR ON THE AVERAGE OF ABOUT EVERY 20K. I CONSIDER THIS ABNORMAL WEAR AND BEFORE YOU RESPOND WITH DRIVING CONDITIONS, AND MY OTHER SATURN SL NEEDED BRAKES ON THE AVERAGE OF 60K WITH THE SAME DRIVING CONDITIONS. WHEN I QUESTIONED SOE THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS MY DRIVING HABITS, BUT AS OF THE RECENT EVENTS, I HAVE BEGUN TO QUESTION THEIR DIAGNOSIS OF ANY PROBLEMS RELATED TO MY CAR. 2. TRANSMISSION SHIFTING/WOBBLE/SHIMMY/VIBRATION. I HAVE COMPLAINED SINCE NEW THAT THIS TRANSMISSION HAS SHIFTED ROUGH, AND I WAS TOLD WORKING AS DESIGNED. NOBODY HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG YET THIS PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. 3. TIRE WEAR RELATED TO RECALL. I HAD TO REQUEST THAT MY VEHICLE HAVE THE RECALL PERFORMED ON IT. YET, AFTER DOING RESEARCH AND WATCHING MY TIRES WEAR. SOMETIMES IN LESS THAT 15K SOMETHING I WOULD CONSIDER PREMATURELY, EVEN FOR PERFORMANCE TIRES, AND READING SEVERAL OWNER SITES MY WEAR IS INDICATIVE OF A SERVICE NOT BEING PERFORMED. 4. WHEEL BEARING WEAR. I HAVE HAD TO HAVE MY FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED 2X IN THE LAST 30K. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS AT 72K WHEN THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS MADE, AND THE 2ND WAS AT 99K IT WAS DURING THE 72K SERVICE I COMPLAINED MY ROTORS WARPING(SINCE I HAD 2 SETS REPLACED/CUT PREVIOUSLY) AND I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST WORN TIRES AND THEY WOULD NOT EVEN CONSIDER THE BRAKE ISSUE, UNTIL I PURCHASED NEW TIRES. I PURCHASED NEW TIRES AND THE WOBBLY SOUND WAS LOUDER THAN NOW THAT THERE WAS NEW TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. SO THEN RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE ROTORS, WHEN I ASKED ABOUT BRAKE PADS THEY TOLD ME IT WAS UNNECESSARY. SEEMINGLY ILLOGICAL, SINCE YOU HAD TO REMOVE THE BRAKE PADS ANYWAY, AND TIRED OF ARGUING I DID NOT PUSH THE ISSUE, AS I NEEDED MY CAR, AND LOANER AVAILABILITY SEEMED TO DRY UP SINCE I WAS OUT SO FAR OUT OF THE FACTORY WARRANTY. *TR
MY VUE WAS PURCHASED IN 2004 AND HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES. ONE OF THE ISSUES I HAVE IS THE FRONT END SHAKES, SOMETIMES IT SHAKES SO BAD IT SCARES ME. I HAVE BROUGHT IT IN FOR THIS TO A DEALER IN DENVILLE AND MOUNT OLIVE; BOTH IN NJ, AND THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. LAST WEEK I WAS TOLD I NEED NEW FRONT BRAKES AND NEW TIRES. THE TRUCK IS LESS THAN TWO YEARS OLD, NEW BRAKES NEW TIRES ??? THAT DOESN'T MAKE SINCE. THE GUYS AT THE SERVICE NEVER TOOK IT FOR A SPIN, I'M APPROACHING 36K MILES AND I'M SCARED ONCE I PASS THE WARRANTY TIME I WILL BE OUT OF LUCK. I'M NOT SATISFIED AT ALL AND WANT SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS. MY WIFE THINKS THE CAR IS FALLING APART, IT SHAKES AND MAKES WEIRD SOUNDS. THE FIRST YEAR I WAS RAVING ABOUT THIS CAR NOW I TELL PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY FROM SATURN. HELP ME CHANGE MY OPINION ON SATURN BY GETTING MY CAR FIXED ! *JB
2004 VUE MULTIPLE ISSUES... FIRST ISSUE LESS THEN 100 MILES ON VEHICLE, DEPRESSED BRAKES CAR CONTINUED TO CREEP AT STOP SIGN. DIAGNOSTICS AT SATURN DEALERSHIP: SPLIT IN BRAKE LINE, REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND ISSUE: LESS THEN 300 MILES ON VEHICLE, QUICK STOP CAUSED REAR SEAT SAFETY HARNESS TO BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM VEHICLE WALL.. DAUGHTER WAS NOT RESTRAINED AND SLID FORWARD IN SEAT. SATURN DIAGNOSTICS: SOMEONE WAS NOT DOING THEIR JOB THE DAY IT WAS MADE... THEY TIGHTENED SCREW BACK INTO WALL OF CAR AND HAVE NOT HAD ISSUES SINCE... THIS WAS UNCALLED FOR AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAUGHT DURING SAFETY INSPECTION. THIRD ISSUE: SAW DETAILS ON NEWS ABOUT RECALL ON THIS MODEL OF VUE, CONTACTED SATURN DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT AND WAS TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE GETTING INFORMATION IN THE MAIL ABOUT REPAIRS. FOURTH ISSUE: ABOUT 20,000 ON VUE, WENT TO STORE AND WAS FUNCTIONAL, CAME OUT AND CAR WOULD NOT START, OVER HALF A TANK OF GAS IN VEHICLE AND GAUGE SHOWS EMPTY, BOUGHT GAS CAN AND PUT 5 MORE GALLONS OF GAS IN CAR. STILL SHOWS EMPTY AND CAR WOULD NOT START, NO WORD ON REASON FOR FAILURE BEACHES IT HAPPENED TODAY (10/23/05). *NM
IN THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO REPAIR THE REAR SUSPENSION TWICE, THE FRONT SUSPENSION, MY BACK SEAT LATCH, AND MY ROTORS. MY VUE IS THE WORST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER PURCHASED. WHEN DRIVING IN ANY BAD WEATHER I HAVE NO TRACTION AND SLIP ALL OVER THE ROAD.
2004 SATURN VUE UNDERWENT COMPREHENSIVE VEHICLE TEST INCLUDING BRAKS AT SATURN OF NEW BRUNSWICK ON 6/4/05. ON 6/24/05 WHILE AT FULL STOP IN TRAFFIC ( SLIGHT INLINE IN ROAD), VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL WHILE BREAK ENGAGED. IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS TO PRESS HARDER THEN PUMPED SEVEREAL TIMES WITHOUT RESULTS. MY VEHICLE STRUCK THE VEHICLE IN FRONT IN THE REAR AT WHICH TIME I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TURNED OF THE IGNITION. THE DISTANCE OF THE ROLL WAS APPROX 8 FEET AT APPROX 3 MPH. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE BRAKES WERE OPERATIONAL AFTERWARD BUT REPORTED THE FAILURE AND RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO SATURN OF NEW BRUNSWICK. THE FINDING ON THE SERVICE INVOICE STATES, "TECH VERIFIED LOW PEDAL, FOUND PEDAL TRAVEL TO BE TOO MUCH. TECH REMOVED REAR DRUMS TO CLEAN AND ADJUST REAR BRAKES, REINSTALLED AND FOUND TO BE OK AT THIS TIME. TECH ALSO CHECKED FRONT BRAKES AND CALIPERS, BRAKES OK".
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
Data on this page last refreshed .