10 of the
220 complaints about the 2002 Saturn VUE are about the
suspension — 5% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
82,500 miles.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, HE HEARD A SNAPPING SOUND ON THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE LEFT REAR TIRE SNAPPED OFF OF THE REAR LATERAL LINK. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR LATERAL LINK NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED WHICH HAD BEEN TORN FROM THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD HEARD A NOISE IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE DIAGNOSED FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132000.
NHTSA complaint #10577083 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 113,000 milesDayton, WY
SUSPENSION
I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. SHOCKS, STRUTS, REAR SUSPENSION, BRAKES, ELECTRICAL, OIL HAS BEEN EITHER LEAKING OR BURNING TO THE EXISTENT I PUT SOME IN EVERYOTHER DAY BECAUSE IT IS LOW, THE SWAY BAR AND THE STEERING COLUMN, THE TRANSMISSION AND DRIVE TRAIN, AND THE TIMING CHAIN. THERE ARE MANY OTHER UNSAFE ISSUES I HAVE HAD AND I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION FROM DAY ONE BECAUSE I HAVE A BEAUTIFUL DAUGHTER, BUT HE REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME. IT FINALLY BROKE DOWN ON ME AND NOW I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE .
NHTSA complaint #10521260 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 127,000 milesHampton, IL
SUSPENSION:FRONT
SUSPENSION "STABILIZER BAR" BROKE, RIGHT SIDE, AT THE RUBBER MOUNTING WHERE THE BAR IS BOLTED TO THE SUB-FRAME. BROKEN END OF THE STABILIZER BAR THEN RIPPED THRU THE RIGHT CV AXEL BOOT, DESTROYING THE CV JOINT. THE BREAK WAS UNDER THE RUBBER MOUNTING AND THE BAR WAS RUSTED THRU, CAUSING THE BREAK. UNDER 30 MPH, NO ACCIDENT, NO PERSONAL INJURY AND NO OTHER DAMAGE NEW PARTS UNAVAILABLE, SO PURCHASED A REBUILT AXEL AND A USED STABILIZER BAR.
NHTSA complaint #10354589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 136,942 milesHouston, TX
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
I HAVE A 2002 SATURN VUE AWD. AT A LITTLE OVER 100,000 MILES, NOISE STARTED FROM THE FRONT DRIVE TRAIN. THE NOISE WAS LIKE CONSTANT HOWL. THE NOISE WOULD START AT ABOUT 30 MPH AND INCREASE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. IT TOOK A LONG TIME TO NOTICE THAT THE NOISE WOULD DISAPPEAR WHEN TAKING A FREEWAY RAMP TO THE LEFT. THE NOISE SLOWLY GREW LOUDER UNTIL AT 136,000 MILES THE NOISE HAD BECOME VERY LOUD. AFTER SOME INTERNET SEARCHING, THE NOISE WAS BELIEVED TO BE THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING. NORMALLY, FRONT WHEEL DRIVE WHEEL BEARINGS LAST LONGER SO IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE IT HAD GONE OUT. THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE PLAY IN THE BEARING EITHER ON OR OFF THE VEHICLE. REPLACING THE BEARINGS ELIMINATED THE NOISE. I HAVE THE FULL SET OF SATURN SHOP MANUALS AND THE DIAGNOSTICS DID NOT INDICATE THAT THE BEARINGS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. AT LEAST ON INTERNET POSTING SAID AFTER TAKING APART AN OLD BEARING THAT SATURN HAD ELIMINATED A BEARING RACE. IF THIS IS TRUE, IT PROBABLY SAVED A FEW CENTS FOR SATURN BUT COST ME HUNDREDS. AFTER REMOVAL, THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING HAD NOTICEABLE NOISE JUST TURNING IT BY HAND. THE RIGHT BEARING WAS IN BETTER CONDITION BUT STILL PRODUCED NOISE ON THE VEHICLE. THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS WILL PROBABLY NEED REPLACEMENT ALSO, SINCE NOW IT APPEARS THAT NOISE IS COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR.
NHTSA complaint #10225152 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 41,019 milesSolon, OH
SUSPENSION:FRONT:STABILIZER BAR
(1) WAS TURNING RIGHT FROM DRIVEWAY ONTO STREET FROM WORK (2) WAS A LOUD METAL SNAPPING SOUND, THEN A GRINDING TYPE SOUND WHILE DRIVING HOME. THUMPS WHEN MAKING TURNS WHEN CHECKED AT HOME, DISCOVERED THAT FRONT STABILIZER BAR'S RIGHT LINK HAD SNAPPED LOOSE AT JUNCTION OF ROD AND BALL JOINT ON THE SUSPENSION STRUT. GRINDING WAS DUE TO LOOSE END OF THE LINK RUBBING INSIDE THE WHEEL. (3) LINK HAD TO BE REPLACED, WAS DIFFERENT DESIGN FROM ORIGINAL. ORIGINAL WAS 3 PIECES SCREWED TOGETHER, REPLACEMENT WAS CASST SINGLE PIECE. ORIGINAL IS AVAILABLE. FAILURE COULD HAVE LED TO THE BROKEN PIECE DISABLING BRAKES IF IT RUPTURED THE BRAKE HOUSE, OR DISABLING ABS HAD IT BROKEN WIRE LEADS WHICH ARE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY. PARTS REDESIGN POINTS TO PRIOR KNOWLEDGE THAT OLD DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA complaint #10168644 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 36,000 milesDavison, MI
SUSPENSION:FRONT
SATURN VUE HAS ISSUES WITH SWAY BAR, HAD TO REPLACE O RINGS AND DO ALIGNMENT--DEALERSHIP/SERVICE DEPT CLAIMED IT WAS BECAUSE OF MICHIGAN ROADS, FUNNY THING IS THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN VA MOST OF THE PAST 9 MONTHS. MR. FARMER AT SATURN OF FLINT WAS VERY RUDE TO ME ON THE PHONE. MANUFACTURER DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT ONCE THE O RINGS GO THEN GOES THE ALIGNMENT, TIRES AND THEN BRAKES. I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD 'TROUBLE' WITH THE O RINGS. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE RECALLED?
NHTSA complaint #10157804 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 37,000 milesElgin, ILCrash
SUSPENSION:REAR
I WAS INVOLVED IN 2 ACCIDENTS WITH MY 2002 SATURN VUE. THE FIRST TIME I WAS DRIVING IN RAINY CONDITIONS WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I LOST CONTROL OF MY CAR. I FIRST VEERED TO THE LEFT AND TRIED TO GET CONTROL OF THE CAR, BUT WOUND UP DOING SEVERAL 360 DEGREE TURNS AND SPUN TO THE RIGHT AND OFF THE ROAD INTO A DITCH. THE SECOND AND MOST RECENT TIME, I WAS FOLLOWING TRAFFIC AND TAPPED ON MY BRAKES WHEN AGAIN I LOST CONTROL, WENT TO THE LEFT AND DID A 520 AND PRETTY MUCH MY CAR IS TOTALLED.
NHTSA complaint #10105792 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Unknown, DCCrash1 injured
SUSPENSION:REAR
PROBLEMS WITH THE 2002 SATURN VUE SUSPENSION.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE WHICH WAS GOING ABOUT 30 MPH THROUGH A RED LIGHT. INITIALLY THE CONSUMER HAD CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE THEN IT SUDDENLY PULLED THEN THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE FLIPPED TWICE. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, THE CONSUMER WAS NOT BADLY INJURED. THE CONSUMER WONDERS IF THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10089154 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 52,000 milesMorgantown, WVCrash1 injured
SUSPENSION:REAR
I WRECKED A SATURN VUE GOING 55 MILES AN HOUR WHEN THE CAR BEGAN TO SWAY THEN SLDING TO THE LEFT HITTING A DITCH GOING AIRBORN ROLLING OVER SEVERL TIMES HITTING THE MOUNTAIN WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE AND ENDED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE REAR TIRE BROKE OFF THE BENT UNDER THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10087013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Corydon, IN
SUSPENSION:FRONT
I HAVE HAD MY 2002 SATURN VUE FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AND A HALF. THE PROBLEMS ACTUALLY STARTED AFTER ABOUT THREE MONTHS OF MY PURCHASE DATE. I HAVE CONTINUOUSLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING, NEVER FOR THE SAME PROBLEM TWICE. THE ENTIRE COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPLACED ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, BUT IS CAUSING ME PROBLEMS AGAIN. I JUST PICKED IT UP LAST NIGHT AFTER THE PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED; THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN THIS MORNING. THIS IS THE SEVENTH TIME I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS DEALING WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT. I ALSO HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT-END SUSPENSION SYSTEM. THE TORSION BAR LINKS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE, THE TORSION BAR BUSHINGS TWICE. THE LATEST INCIDENT HAPPENED A WEEK AGO AFTER THE SUSPENSION WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. THE DEALERSHIP HAD PUT THE WRONG SIZE OF BUSHING ON THE TORSION BAR; IT CAME FLYING OFF WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT. THIS COULD HAVE POSED A PROBLEM IF THE PART WERE TO HIT ANYONE. MY WARRANTY IS ALMOST UP AND I AM AFRAID THAT I WILL BE STUCK PAYING FOR ALL OF THESE MANUFACTURING DEFECTS. I HAVE DONE RESEARCH AND KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THESE SAME PROBLEMS. I HAVE NOTIFIED SATURN CORP., BUT REALLY DID NOT GET ANYWHERE. THEY SENT ME A CHECK FOR ONE MONTHLY PAYMENT, HARDLY COMPENSATION FOR HAVING TO DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP TWELVE TIMES WITHIN ONE YEAR.
NHTSA complaint #10066136 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.