2004 Saturn Vue Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE KEY FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED MORE THAN TWICE WHILE DRIVING. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL SQUEAKY AND RATTLING SOUND WHILE BEING TURNED. EXCESSIVE FORCE HAD TO BE USED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE POWER STEERING AND IGNITION FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER ELECTRIC TOOLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

NHTSA ID

11192156

Incident

Mar 12, 2019

Mileage

250,000 mi

WHILE MY CAR IS RUNNING I CAN'T TAKE MY KEY OUT ALSO WHEN I TURN MY HEATER ON MY CAR WILL JERK ETC

NHTSA ID

11175942

Incident

Feb 6, 2019

Mileage

226,980 mi

INNER, OTTER RODS AND HUB BEARINGS WERE REPLACED IN JULY BY GM OF ENGLEWOOD, NJ. AFTER TWO DAYS I HEARD A METAL RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. I TOOK IT BACK TO GM THEY CHECKED IT AND MY CAR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A STEERING COLUMN AND QUOTED A $3100.00 FOR REPAIR COST WHICH I CANNOT AFFORD. FOR A SECOND OPINION; I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC AND HE STATED THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY VEHICLE. AS WELL AS A PRINT OUT FOR 2002-2004 SATURN VUE MODELS RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE. I CALLED SATURN HEADQUARTERS, THEY CHECKED MY VIN FOR RECALLS AND CLAIM WAS DENIED BECAUSE MY VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY UNDER THIS RECALL BY THE VIN NUMBER. CAN YOU HELP?

NHTSA ID

10904376

Incident

Aug 15, 2016

Mileage

145,000 mi

I AM PAYING ON A 2004 SATURN VUE AND AFTER 101,000 MILES I WAS ON MY WAY TO DAYCARE WITH MY 3 YEAR OLD DAUGHT AND THE CAR TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL NOW IT CONTINUOUSLY SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. 3 MONTHS AFTER BUYING VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED CREAKING AND MAKING LIKE A HONKING SOUND AND WE TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP AND WERE TURNED AWAY DUE TO IT BEING A PERSONAL PROBLEM. IT ALSO MAKES POPPING NOISES AND SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHILE ON FREEWAY AFTER 50 MPH AND WHEN MAKING SOME RIGHT TURNS.

NHTSA ID

10876026

Incident

Feb 14, 2016

Mileage

102,000 mi

I AM ENTERING THIS INFORMATION FOR MY SISTER WHO HAS NO ACCESS TO A COMPUTER: WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN, THE DOORS LOCKED, THE SPEEDOMETER AND INSTRUMENT CLUSTER STOPPED WORKING. LUCKILY SHE WAS DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED AND WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR STOPPED WITHOUT CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. SHE HAD THE VEHICLE CHECKED AT A GM DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE "POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE". I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON-LINE AND WAS SURPRISED AT THE NUMBER OF RELATED INCIDENTS AND I'M RATHER SHOCKED THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. THE VEHICLE IS BASICALLY UN-USEABLE AT THIS TIME AS THE PROBLEM HAS RE-OCCURRED ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS. SHE HAS CONTACTED THE NC AG'S OFFICE AND WAS REDIRECTED TO THE GM RECALL DIVISION, UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NO ACTIVE CAMPAIGN TO REPAIR THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

10863857

Incident

Apr 1, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000. UPDATED 05/17/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10855647

Incident

Mar 29, 2016

Mileage

131,000 mi

DRIVING AT A VERY SLOW RATE OF SPEED, CAR STARTED VIBRATING SO VIOLENTLY, I WAS AFRAID THAT A WHEEL WAS COMING OFF. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE, THEN RESTARTED IT. IT WAS FINE. THE NEXT DAY, IT WAS DRIVEN ALL DAY WITH NO ISSUES, EXCEPT THAT MY DIRECTIONALS KEPT GOING OFF AND WOULD NOT WORK, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN WOULD START WORKING, ESPECIALLY IF I SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND STARTED IT BACK UP. THAT AFTERNOON, HOWEVER, THE VIBRATING STARTED AGAIN. I DROVE THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY TO A MECHANIC, WHO TOLD ME THAT NOTHING SHOWED UP ON THE COMPUTER. HE SAID THAT HE PUNCHED MY VEHICLES INFORMATION INTO THE NHTSA WEBSITE, AND FOUND THE RECALL ON THE IGNITION. HE TESTED THIS ON MY VEHICLE, AND FOUND THAT YOU COULD INDEED PULL THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND IN GEAR. HE CALLED ME AND TOLD THIS TO ME. I INFORMED HIM THAT A FEW TIMES MY KEYS HAD FALLEN OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, OR ON THE STREETS, WHEREVER. IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY. I HADN'T REALIZED THIS WAS NOT INTENTIONAL. HE THEN INFORMED ME THAT ALTHOUGH THE YEAR MAKE AND MODEL OF MY CAR WERE ON THE RECALL, AND THE FACT THAT MY CAR INDEED POSSESSED THE FAULTY IGNITION, THAT MY VIN WAS NOT LISTED AS BEING INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. HE SUGGESTED I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR AND HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR IN THE PAST, HERB CHAMBERS OF WARWICK. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE ALL OF THE ABOVE TO BE TRUE, INCLUDING THE FACT THAT MY VIN IS NOT LISTED IN THE RECALL, THEREFORE THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBMIT FOR PAYMENT, THEREFORE I WILL HAVE TO PAY AND IF THE VEHICLE ENDS UP INCLUDED IN THE RECALL IN THE FUTURE, I CAN SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT. NO ON COULD EXPLAIN WHY MY VEHICLE, BEING OF THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL, AND WHICH OBVIOUSLY HAS THE SAME IGNITION ISSUES, WAS NOT LISTED IN THE RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10643244

Incident

Oct 5, 2014

Mileage

103,204 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BROKE, MAKING STEERING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. IT FELT AS IF WE WERE GOING TO FLIP, I SLOWLY MOVED OVER AND LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO STOP BEFORE A HORRIFIC ACCIDENT OCCURRED. ONCE WE STOPPED WE GOT OUT TO FIND THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE TILTED INWARD AND UNDRIVABLE. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE SHOP WE FOUND THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND FRAME BROKE AS WELL AS THE CONTROL ARMS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES AND IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE FOR ANYONE TO BE DRIVING A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THIS AGAIN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILIES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10628136

Incident

Aug 24, 2014

Mileage

138,000 mi

I HAD AN ACCIDENT AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, I WAS INJURED MY FACE NOSE & NECK, ALSO MY KEY COMES OUT OF IGNITION WHILE VEHICLE IS ON *TR

NHTSA ID

10622055

Incident

Sep 9, 2009

Mileage

89,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION, THE HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND SMOKE APPEARED NEAR THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.

NHTSA ID

10615783

Incident

Jul 7, 2014

Mileage

104,000 mi

TRAVELING AT 65MPH THE KEY & KEY FOB FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION. I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN BUT HAD LOST POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, AND THE AIRBAGS WOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10598680

Incident

Oct 1, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi

WHEN DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST QUITS MAKING YOU LOOSE POWER STEERING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THE IP GAUGES JUMP. THE STEERING GETS HARD TO TURN WHICH CAN MAKE YOU WRECK. THIS IS SAME PROBLEM THE SATURN IONS HAVE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10586030

Incident

May 2, 2011

Mileage

70,000 mi

MY STEERING COLUMN IS GONE OUT TOOK IT IN TO GET IT LOOKED AT. THEN THE SHOP CALLED SATURN AND THEY WHERE TOLD THAT THEY WERE HAVING SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING COLUMN. NOW FOR ABOUT SIX MONTHS MY SEAT BELTS DON'T WORK THEY KEEP SNAPPING OUT OF THE HOLDER THE SEAT BELT LIGHT FLASHES WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR SEAT BELT ON. AND ALSO WE ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH OUR PASSENGER DOOR GETTING STUCK AND NOT OPENING. WE HAVE TWO SMALL CHILDREN AND A TEENAGER. HELP US PLEASE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10285929

Incident

May 1, 2009

Mileage

10,000 mi

DT: THE CALLER SAID THAT WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS STEERING WHEEL IS HARD TO TURN. SHE SAYS IT MAKES A SQUEALING NOISE. ONCE THE STEERING LOCKED. SHE HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. SHE SAID IT HAPPENED WHEN SHE WAS TURNING INTO PARKING SPOTS, DRIVEWAYS, AND WHILE TURNING CORNERS. IT STARTED HAPPENING WITHOUT WARNING, AND IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. DEALER DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING. THEY REPLACED SOMETHING CALLED STEERING SHAFT INTERMEDIATE. ALSO, THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION CYLINDER HOUSING TO FIX THE LOCKING. THEY REPLACED IT THREE TIMES. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WILL CONTINUE TO HELP THE CALLER WITH THE REPAIRS. BUT SHE COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10137431

Incident

Aug 15, 2004

Mileage

300 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10129483

Incident

Dec 29, 2004

ON MAY 8, 2004, MY SON WAS DRIVING MY 2002 SATURN VUE. HE WAS ON A ROAD THAT SURROUNDS A MALL. SPEED LIMIT IS 20 MPH. HE WAS TURNING LEFT WHEN HE WAS HIT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY ANOTHER SUV. THE CAR ROLLED OVER, HE HAD TO GO OUT THE BACK DOOR IN ORDER TO GET OUT. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE "OTHER CAR" WAS GOING A REASONABLE SPEED. OUR SATURN COULD NOT HAVE BEEN GOING MORE THAN 10 MPH, YET, WITH THE ROLL OVER, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY DAMAGED AND THE INSURANCE TOTALLED IT. DAMAGES TO THE OTHER CAR WERE NOT BAD. BOTH CARS WERE DRIVING SLOW, SO THE DAMAGE TO THE SATURN SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVE. IT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A MINOR FENDER BENDER. AMAZINGLY ENOUGH, MY SON ONLY SUFFERED SOME CUTS ON HIS ARM AND HEAD. I READ AN ARTICLE THAT THE SUSPENSION FAILED ON TWO SATURN VUES THAT THAT THE NHTSA HAD RECEIVED A CONSUMER COMPLAINT ABOUT A SMILILAR INCIDENT THAT LED TO A ROLLOVER. I'M WONDERING NOW IF THIS HAPPENED IN THIS SITUATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

10082867

Incident

May 8, 2004

Mileage

54,577 mi