Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2005 Saturn Vue submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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
I AM RECENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS GETTING MY 2005 SATURN VUE INTO 1ST GEAR. CALLED A TRANSMISSION COMPANY WHO LOOKED IT UP AND SAID THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS VERY ISSUE, YET THERE IS NO RECALL FOR IT. I ONLY HAVE 60,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM IS THAT SATURN PUT IN A RUBBER TYPE SHIFTING LINKAGE. *KB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HAVING HIS VEHICLE SERVICED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT HE FLUSH HIS TRANSMISSION AT 60,000 MILES. WHEN HE TOOK HIS VEHICLE INTO A CERTIFIED DEALER, THEY ADVISED HIM TO NOT FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION SINCE HE WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT SOMETIMES THE FLUSH CAUSED MORE PROBLEMS. 20,000 MILES LATER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH NO WARNING AND THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
MY TRANSMISSION IN MY 2005 SATURN VUE HAS FAILED. I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED AS I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL THE ENGINE JUST REVVED AND THE CAR TOOK A FEW SECS TO ENGAGE. I HAVE 65,001 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND I HAVE NOT HAD ANY LUCK IN FINDING THE TRANSMISSION TO FIT THIS VEHICLE. *TR
AT 24,000 MILES THIS 2005 SATURN VUE NEEDED THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM REPLACED. THEN WHEN BACKING UP AND THEN PUTTING THE CAR IN DRIVE IT WOULD NOT SPEED UP. I HAD TO STOP, PUT IT IN PARK, PUT IT IN DRIVE AGAIN BEFORE IT WOULD MOVE. THIS WAS AT 28,300 MILES, TURNS OUT THE TRANSMISSION WENT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOW AT 35,533 THE DRIVE SHAFT IS RUSTED AND CENTER SUPPORT IS BLOWN OUT. I ASKED SATURN WHAT THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THIS VEHICLE IS AND RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. THERE WERE NO ACCIDENTS RELATED TO THESE FAILURES BECAUSE I REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG AND TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE IMMEDIATELY. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD MORE SERIOUS AND COSTLY REPAIRS AT 35,533 MILES THAN VEHICLES WITH OVER 100,000 MILES. DRIVING IT IS VERY STRESSFUL AS I NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TWICE WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. BEFORE THE FAILURE, THE TRANSMISSION MADE A GRINDING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED. THREE MONTHS PRIOR TO THE MOST RECENT FAILURE, THE DEALER CLAIMED TO HAVE INSTALLED A NEW TRANSMISSION IN THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE CONSUMER HAD A CRASH. THE CONSUMER HIT THE SIDE OF A TUNNEL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,000. UPDATED 4/14/09 *CN THE CONSUMER DID NOT STATE IF SHE REPORTED IT TO THE POLICE. UPDATED 04/17/09. *JB
CAR LOSES POWER. HAPPENS FREQUENTLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, AND HAS NEARLY CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR THREE YEARS, AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. SATURN SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, BUT IT WILL COST US $1200 + TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED AND POSSIBLY REPAIRED.*TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WHILE IN TRAFFIC. UPDATED 09/23/09
MANUAL TRANSMISSION ON 2005 SATURN VUE 4 CYL FAILED AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES. LOST THE CLUTCH PEDAL AND COULD NOT SHIFT THE CAR AT ALL. OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY. GOT IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR AND THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. SLAVE UNIT FAILED, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE CLUTCH TO BE REPLACED. PAID ABOUT $1800.00 FOR THE REPAID AND SATURN WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CARS. DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I FOUND THAT THERE IS A LONG HISTORY OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES AND SUSPENSION FAILURES ON THE CARS. I AM NOT EXPERIENCING MORE TRANSMISSION ISSUES AND SUSPENSION PROBLEMS. I FEEL THAT SATURN/GM IS AWARE OF DEFECTIVE PARTS IN THEIR CARS AND REFUSE TO MAKE THE PROPER REPAIRS NEEDED. *TR
2005 SATURN VUE V6 TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT APPROXIMATELY 86,000 MILES. *TR
I OWN A 2005 SATURN VUE WITH 54,000 MILES AND HAVE, FOR THE PAST YEAR, EXPERIENCED A SHUDDER IN THE TRANSMISSION BETWEEN 25 AND 40 MPH. THE SHUDDER OCCURS REGULARLY DURING SLOW ACCELERATION. THE DEALERSHIP HASN'T, UNTIL RECENTLY, BEEN ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOW TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW TORQUE CONVERTER, WHICH WILL BE INSTALLED TOMORROW. IN ADDITION, I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCE SQUEAKING IN MY SUSPENSION EVERYTIME I TURN OR GO OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. MY CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND SHOULDN'T BE EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS. I WILL NOW BE TAKING MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE SUSPENSION LOOKED AT. *TR
I TRAVELING ON RURAL HIGHWAY AND WHEN I PRESSED THE CLUTCH TO BEGIN SLOWING DOWN AT STOP LIGHT IT WAS NOT WORKING. AUTO ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT WHICH I WAS LUCKY TO AVOID. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED IN AND THE SLAVE CYLINDER HAD GONE OUT. I HAD LESS THAT 40,000 MILES ON THE AUTO AND JUST TURNED OVER 39,000 RECENTLY ON THIS 2005 SATURN VUE. *JB
ON JULY 23, 2005, I HAD THE OIL SEAL REPLACED. THE VUE HAD BEEN LEAKING OIL IN MY GARAGE AND OTHER PLACES WHEN I PARKED. I HAD TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH ON TWO OCCASIONS AND WAS ALMOST UNABLE TO GET THE KEY TO TURN. SOMETIMES TOOK UP TO 20 MINUTES OR SO. ON JULY 22, 2006 I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING CONDENSER AND SEAL REPLACED. IT WAS OVER 100 DEGREES. I HAD TO GET A RENTAL FOR THIS REPAIR. THIS TOOK SEVERAL DAYS BECAUSE THE MECHANIC TOOK MY CAR APART, THOUGHT IT WAS REPAIRED, BUT WAS NOT, I WAS TOLD. SECOND DAY OF CAR RENTAL, I WAS TOLD THEY ORDERED THE PART, BUT THEY "SENT THE WRONG PART". FINALLY, ON THE THIRD DAY, I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR HAD TO BE TAKEN APART AGAIN TO BE REPAIRED. I RENTED A CAR FOR THREE DAYS. ON AUGUST 6, 2006, I WENT TO LEAVE TO PICK UP MY SON, THE VUE WAS IN MY GARAGE AND THERE WAS NO CLUTCH. I HAD TO CALL SATURN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO SATURN OF HENDERSON. ON AUGUST 7, 2006, I HAD THE CLUTCH CYLINDER, CONCENTRIC SLAVE REPLACED. ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2006, I WAS TAKING MY SON TO THE AIRPORT TO BE WITH HIS FATHER FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY IN MICHIGAN. I WAS ATTEMPTING TO BACK OUT OF THE GARAGE, BUT COULD NOT PUT THE VEHICLE INTO REVERSE. WE PUSHED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE. I DROVE VERY CAREFULLY (A BIT CONCERNED THINKING IT MAY BREAKDOWN) BECAUSE I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBLE DANGERS INVOLVED, BUT HAD TO GET MY SON TO THE AIRPORT ON TIME. I PULLED OFF OF THE 215 WHEN AT THAT OFF RAMP, ALL OF MY GEARS WERE SUDDENLY GONE. THE CABLES SNAPPED INSIDE AND I COULD NOT GO ANYWHERE, CAUSING ME TO ONCE AGAIN, CALL SATURN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, HAVE THE 2005 VEHICLE TOWED AWAY AGAIN, MY SON MISSED HIS FLIGHT TO MICHIGAN AND I HAD TO MISS PART OF A WORK DAY AND AGAIN RENT ANOTHER CAR. *JB
NO WARNING WAS GIVEN AT ALL! THE SLAVE CYLINDER IN MY 2005 SATURN VUE WENT OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. STUCK IN TRAFFIC WITH MY THREE OLD SON! *JB
WE PURCHASED OUR 2005 SATURN VUE IN APRIL OF 2005. WE HAD NO PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS FOR THE FIRST 10-12000 MILES. THEN WE STARTED TO GET A SLIPPING IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT PREVENTED ACCELERATION. THIS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY, A COUPLE OF TIMES WHEN I WAS TRYING TO MERGE INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC. I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW DISCONCERTING IT IS TO BE ACCELERATING INTO TRAFFIC WITH YOUR TWO KIDS IN THE CAR, AND THAN YOUR ENGINE REVS LIKE IT IS IN NEUTRAL AND YOU CANNOT MOVE! WE TOOK THE CAR INTO THE SATURN DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM. BOTH TIMES WE WERE TOLD THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THAN ON FEBRUARY 9TH, 2006, MY HUSBAND WAS LEAVING HIS WORK, AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF HIS PARKING SPACE, AS HIS CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. IT WOULD GO FORWARD, BUT ONLY WHEN IN PARK. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LIBERTYVILLE SATURN DEALER, AND, OF COURSE, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETECT A PROBLEM. THEY SAID IF THE CAR IS COLD, THE COMPUTER WILL PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION FROM BEING ENGAGED, TO AVOID TRANSMISSION DAMAGE. THEY ALSO SAID THAT THE SLIPPING IN THE TRANSMISSION WAS "NORMAL OPERATION" FOR THE CVT TRANSMISSION. WELL, I DID NOT HAVE THIS ISSUE HAPPEN WHEN I TEST DROVE THE CAR, AND FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS AFTER. I DO NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM FOR A WEEK OR SO AFTER AN OIL CHANGE. I FEEL THAT THERE IS A BLATANT PERFORMANCE PROBLEM WITH THE CVT (CONTINUOUS VARIABLE TRANSMISSION) CONTINUOUS IMPLIES THAT THE TRANSMISSION VARIES "CONTINUOUSLY" I CAN ASSURE YOU, IF MY CAR HAD DONE THIS WHILE I WAS TEST DRIVING IT, I NEVER WOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE CAR. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD, AND MAKES ME EXTREMELY ANXIOUS WHEN I AM DRIVING, AS THERE IS NO WAY TO ANTICIPATE WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. SATURN HAS REPEATEDLY STATED THAT THIS "SLIPPING" IS NORMAL. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL WEB SITES ON THE WEB WITH PEOPLE COMPLAINING OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM. *JB
MANY INCIDENCES OF SATURN VUE ROLLING BACKWARDS NON-STOP IN DRIVE (GEAR). TOLD UPON EACH OF 5 REPORTS THAT ALL AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS ROLL BACKWARDS IN DRIVE. VEHICLE HAS ALSO ROLLED (NOT SLID)4 TIMES FORWARDS IN PARK DOWN THE DRIVEWAY INTO THE ROAD WITH ALL WHEELS ROLLING. IT HAS ROLLED BACKWARDS ONCE WITH ALL WHEELS ROLLING. VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE ENTERED AN EMERGENCY BRAKE PULLED. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO DATE.*AK
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.
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