Comments: 1-15, 16-30, 31-45, 46-60, 61-75, 76
10:08, I think your wife has the right idea to hang onto it. As long as the car is still running, it's better to maintain it and continue to use it, and drive it into the ground. After all, why dump a car that runs over $1,500 and buy a new car that will cost you nearly $500/month in payments? That single maintenance is only three months worth of car payments, except then you'll be stuck with making the same payments for the next five years. Maybe you can spread the maintenance out over a couple of months, so it doesn't hit you all at once.
In Sept 2007 I purchased a 4 cylinder 2003 Saturn Vue. I loved driving this vehicle and was only putting in the recommended oil changes every 5,000 km. Everything was great with this car until Dec 4th when my husband and I were driving to the Buffalo airport to get a plane to Montgomery, Alabama where we had a show scheduled for the next day. Just 5 minutes from the Queenston/Lewiston border on HWY 405, the transmission just went. Fortunately my husband was driving when this happened and he had to try and manoeuvre the car through heavy traffic to the shoulder. The vehicles passing us were going 60-70 miles an hour. It was absolutely nerve wracking. We were in the middle lane of the highway and with no power; we were in danger of being seriously injured.
The vehicle was towed back to our own mechanic and when we returned from Alabama, I met with him and found out that Saturn has not released any parts of this transmission to after market repair shops. Not one transmission shop or mechanic was able to get parts to fix this for me so I was stuck with having to take my car to the local Saturn dealer in another city.
I received a call from the service department letting me know that the bill for fixing this transmission was going to cost me $6,235.11 and I would only get a one year warranty. For that price and supposedly a new transmission I definitely wanted the full 100,000 or five year warranty but the Saturn dealer said "not available". I also asked just how many of these cars had to have their transmissions replaced and their answer was very few, not more than normal.
This past year I had booked a show with a GM Parts Service Manager so I decided to give him a call to find out the wholesale price of the new transmission. When I gave him the part number, the price wouldn't come up but he told me that this was not a "brand new" transmission but a reworked one. I could have had a Cadillac transmission installed here by my mechanic for around $4,000 and it wouldn't break down again.
I feel that Saturn has taken advantage of the public, that there should have been a total recall on this transmission and the problem should have been corrected years back.
There is now a class action suit in Canada and I have joined it. I have been driving for almost 40 years and now am nervous about driving on our busy highways with this car and am worried about what will happen next.
I will definitely not be purchasing a Saturn or GM vehicle ever again.
I have a 2003 Saturn Vue AWD that I purchased used in September of 2006. I really can't complain about the Vue except that 4 months after buying it the sway bar links broke. I did buy an extended warranty so I only paid the deductable. Recently I went back to the dealership due to noise in the front and found that I needed wheel bearings. Also the rear diff is failing but because it is not "broken" it is not covered. My warranty is also supposed to cover a loaner car, which I have not received either. I'm on day 2 of not having a vehicle to drive.
The stories I have have read make me want to trade this car in but I owe too much to do so. Really, my problem is more with the warranty company than with Saturn.
I took my wifes 2003 Saturn Vue with 80000 miles on it in for an oil change 3 weeks ago. Since that point it has been making this god awful squealing.
Last night I took it out for a bit and was coming up a hill when it started grinding and whining like a blown turbo on a semi. Then it got quiet and I thought I was going to make it home. Next thing I know, nothing, it just died on me. Now it won't even try to start, it just whines. I think I'll stick with my old mopars!
Never will get another Saturn; they are just junk.
I'm an old-Mopar guy as well ('71 Barracuda and '73 Charger). My fiance has a 2003 Vue AWD that just passed 105,000 miles. She's had the broken sway bar bushings, and the wheel bearings, but luckily none of the nastier problems as yet. I've been sweating, waiting for the shoe to drop on the VTi transmission, or the front differential, which makes a grinding noise when you turn too sharply.
If you had your oil changed at an "oil and lube place" I wouldn't be surprised if somebody didn't tighten the drain plug or filter properly, and you lost your oil and seized the engine. They don't have the swiftest people working at those places. Nor have I ever seen a torque wrench in evidence at one of those places --- the oil pan drain plug does have a torque spec!
I own two 2003 Saturn Vues. The 4 cylinder manual transmission has 225K miles on it without incident & obviously with routine maintenance. The 6 cylinder automatic transmission has 80K, also with regular maintenance has been functioning normally. So far, so good? Maybe I'm just lucky?
Illinois.
Hi I don't know if anyone else had this problem, but the ignition on our 2006 Saturn Vue will not turn! My brother is 1200 miles away on a vacation with a car that he can't even turn on!! I saw some other people mention to try turning the wheel, but any other tips would be greatly appreciated!
I have 2004 Vue 2.2L manual FWD. Just passed 200,000 km. No break downs, no repairs, no major or even minor things. A/C works, heater works, front windshield original. I changed wiper blades recently.
Regular maintenance includes oil each 10,000 km, brakes, changed tires last year... that's it.
First thing to come - had to replace shifter cables, about $300 part plus labour. The part was just worn out. At that moment, did a tune up and voila. This is it. Gas consumption is 800 km on 50L. I am very happy.
I also have a 2006 Vue with ignition problems, key won't turn. Have had this off and on since I bought the car. Dealership "cleaned" the ignition a couple months after being bought.. said "there were shavings from the factory that got in it." This past month it's been very frequent and today was the last straw, the steering wheel was locked and I didn't have enough muscle to turn it and had to get help. I called a different dealership and have appointment tomorrow. Hopefully they will be able to fix it.
I wrote the April 23 comment about the key not turning the ignition. I took my 2006 Vue to the dealership & the tech. found the ignition cylinder binding. He cleaned and lubed the cylinder and ignition was still binding, so the ignition cylinder was replaced. My warranty took care of it. KJM.
I have a 2003 Saturn Vue where I have replaced the thermostat and oil cooler twice. The first one at 48,000 and the second 110,000 miles. I've read in a couple of entries that the oil cooler was the cause for the mixing of the oil and antifreeze fluids. I was told by a dealer that the oil cooler would not cause this and the problem was either my heads were cracked or the gasket was bad - they sent both items to a machine shop who didn't find anything wrong with either. My vehicle has 111,000 miles on it and has had many of the other problems referenced on this site. Wheel bearings, sway bar, low power, resurfacing of rotors, rear differential leak. I have done all the maintenance as requested on this vehicle and still have many common problems.
For the few people that had the oil cooler replaced/repaired because fluids mixed - were these repairs done by the dealer or an independent mechanic??
Not happy with Saturn... this will be my last one!
My 2003 Saturn Vue dings when you put it in park and drive. This started a few weeks ago. In the last few days the dinging is constantly going every second while driving. It sounds like it is coming from the gear shift area.
Has anyone had this problem before, if so how did you resolve it.
I have a 2003 V6 VUE with AWD and it's a tank. It has over 135,000 miles on it and still drives great.
Note that I take care of my car religiously and never miss an oil change or ignore a service light.
Just before my 100,000 mile warranty expired, I had my VUE inspected by Saturn to see if anything needed serviced, and my rear rotors were worn so they put on new ones. All of this was covered.
I love my VUE, and am actually getting ready to buy a second one.
I have a 2004 VUE AWD V6 that I tow behind my motor home. Love the car minor problems like the rear wheel bearings. And the hazard button falling into the dash. And the transmission going bad, but it was under warranty. However now while being towed and going over railroad tracks it starts to sway back and forth so much that I have to almost stop the motor home to stop the swaying of the towed Saturn.
Took it in for an alignment and later for a mechanic to check the underside as it is still bouncing from side to side after crossing railroad track. Any one have suggestions as shocks, struts, sway bar, or any other thing that you may have had to replace?
Currently has about 77,000 miles on the odometer showing and about 35,000 miles towed that does not show. So it has about 112,000 miles on total. Good tire wear however; still on the second set.
Hi, I just took over a 2003 Saturn Vue, and after driving it for 2 months, I realise that the loud noise keep coming from the front end of the vehicle and more annoying noise are starting to come from all over the car.
Could anyone help me on this problem?
Please email me at jonathanthng@hotmail.com with title 03 Vue.
Your advice/help is well-appreciated.
Thanks.