2002 Saturn Vue complaints

THE CONSUMER INSISTED THE 2002 SATURN VUE WAS A POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP FOR ANYONE WITH SIGNIFICANT DRIVING REQUIREMENTS. ACCORDING TO VUE OWNER'S MANUAL ALL-WHEEL DRIVE (AWD) SYSTEM HAS THE FOLLOWING FATAL FLAW. IF VEHICLE IS EXPOSED TO EXTENDED HEAVY USAGE, THE AWD SYSTEM WILL SHUT OFF TO PROTECT THE SYSTEM FROM OVER HEATING. WHEN THE SYSTEM COOLS, THE AWD SYSTEM WILL ACTIVATE ITSELF AGAIN AUTOMATICALLY. COOL DOWN PERIOD CAN TAKE UP TO 20 MINUTES DEPENDING ON OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE AND VEHICLE USE. CONSUMER PRESENTED THE FOLLOWING ARGUMENTS TO SATURN, AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. *AK *JB

THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DIFFICULT TO REACH. *TS *JB

ON MARCH 14, 2003, MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING W ON HWY 138 IN STOCKBRIDGE, GA. WE HAD A GREEN LIGHT AND WERE PROCEEDING THROUGH WHEN A FORD EXPLORER PULLED IN FRONT OF US. WE HIT HIM IN THE PASSENGER SIDE, SQUARELY ACROSS THE FRONT OF OUR VEHICLE. WE WERE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN WE HIT AND THE TWO FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DAMAGE TO OUR VEHICLE IS EQUAL ACROSS THE FRONT AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE IS CRUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT TIRES. OUR VEHICLE WAS A 2002 SATURN VUE. NO ONE WAS INJURED SERIOUSLY, BUT WE WERE TOLD WHEN WE BOUGHT THE CAR THAT THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY IN FRONT END COLLISIONS. *NLM

VEHICLE'S SEAT BELT HAVE BROKEN THEY WONT LOCK OR RETRACT. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

IN EXTREME COLD WEATHER, THE AIR BAG TROUBLE LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED AFTER VEHICLE IS STARTED.

WHEN MY 2002 SATURN VUE IS VERY COLD 20 DEGREES OR COLDER INSIDE CAR THE HORN IS VERY HARD TO PUSH THE PLASTIC WILL NOT FLEX MANY WOMEN WUOLD NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE HORM.

WHEN SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO FIRST GEAR, THE SHIFTER HAD BROKEN. TS THERE HAD BEEN A CHATTER IN THE SHIFTER WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS RELEASED, ALSO WHEN THE GAS WAS APPLIED, SOMETIMES CAUSING A SURGE IN THE FIRST GEAR. THE DEALER STATED THE SHIFT CABLE AND ADJUSTER HAD BROKEN. SCC

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SEVERE VIBRATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN BRAKING.*JB. *AK

IN JULY I BOUGHT A 2002 SATURN VUE. OVER CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS I NOTICED IT WAS LEAKING TRANSIMISSION FLUID FROM A CONNECTION IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS AMAZED TO FIND THESE LINES TOTALLY UNPROTECTED AND VULNERABLE TO ROAD HAZARD DAMAGE. DUE TO THEIR PROXIMITY TO THE EXHAUST I'M CONCERNED WITH A RUPTURE AND FIRE. I HAVE PICTURES AVAILABLE TO SHOW THE LOCATION OF THESE LINES BUT AM UNABLE TO ATTACH THEM TO THIS TYPE OF FILE. THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN!

I HAVE ALSO FOUND A METAL CLANKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER''S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHEN SHIFTING THE CAR OUT OF PARK, OR REVERSE. IT STILL CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE SPEEDS OF 12 TO 30 MPH, AGAIN THE PROBLEM PRESENTS ITSELF MOSTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE IS COASTING AND LOSING MOMENTUM. THE VEHICLE WOULD BE SLOWING DOWN WITHOUT ANY AID OF BRAKING OF ANY KIND AND AS THE VEHICLE WOULD ATTEMPT TO DOWN SHIFT, IT WOULD SOMETIMES MAKE A CLANKING NOISE, OR BUCK, OR IN THE MOST EXTREME CASES COMPLETELY STALL OUT. ALSO THE WIPER SPRAYERS HAVE BROKEN TWICE, AND THE DEALER EXPECTS THEM TO BREAK AGAIN.

I HAD MY 2002 SATURN VUE PARKED IN A NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY. TWENTY TO THIRTY MINUTES LATER, MY CAR POPPED OUT OF GEAR, BACKED UP, TURNED, AND ROLLED OFF AN EMBANKMENT, LANDING IN BETWEEN TREES AND ONTO SHOULDERS. WHEN I CALLED THE WEEK BEFORE THE ACCCIDENT, I EXPLAINED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS GETTING MY CAR INTO GEAR. I ASKED THEM TO CHECK THAT OUT AND I ALSO SCHEDULED AN OIL CHANGE AT THAT TIME. WHILE SERVICING THE VEHICHLE, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE GEAR PROBLEMS HAD BEEN A FLUKE OF THE VUE. PRIOR TO THAT, I HAD NO GEAR PROBLEMS OTHER THAN A NOISE WHEN I SHIFTED THAT I REPORTED TO THE DEALER IN SEPTEMBER. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE FRONT AXLE NUTS WERE NOT TORQUED PROPERLY. THEY WERE RETORQUED PER BULLETIN 02T52. THE HOUSE THAT MY CAR HAD BEEN PARKED AT HAS A SENSOR IN THE DRIVEWAY, SO I KNOW THE CAR TOOK AT LEAST 20-30 MINUTES BEFORE IT POPPED OUT OF GEAR. I REPORTED THE PORBLEM ON THE MORNING AFTER MY ACCIDENT AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER TO CALL THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER TO REPORT THE PROBLEM, I HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT SOMEONE FROM THE SATURN CORPORATION COME TO LOOK AT MY VEHICLE, AND THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MY TRANSMISSION/ AND PERHAPS THE TRANSMISSIONS OF OTHER SATURN VUE'S. DT

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE SUN ROOF DEFLECTOR FLEW OFF FROM THE TOP OF THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS COULD OF CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, IF THE SUN ROOF DEFLECTOR HAD FALLEN, WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. TS

WHEN COMING TO STOPS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SURGE AS IF BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. AFTER THE INITIAL SURGE THE VEHICLE ACTS LIKE IT IS GOING TO STALL, STOP OR CUT OFF. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN LOOKED AT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. CONSUMER DOESN'T FEEL THIS VEHICLE IS SAFE TO OPERATE, CONSUMER BELIVES THIS IS TRANSMISSION RELEATED ,HOWEVER THE DEALER IS STATING IT IS A COMPUTER CHIP THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM.*JG

ROOF RACK IS ATTACHED VIA A CUSTOMER/DEALER INSTALLED STUD THAT REPLACES THE FACTORY INSTALLED MOUNTING SCREW. THE STUD IS RUSTING AND DOES NOT REMAIN TIGHT AFTER RACK AND CARGO BOX USAGE. EITHER THE RUST OR THE LACK OF TIGHTNESS WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO CARGO BOX AND RACK BEING TORN FROM ROOF DURING TRAVEL. THERE IS THE POSSIBLILITY FOR A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.*AK

THIS ACCESSORY IS POORLY ENGINEERED. THE LONG TERM USE OF THIS ROOF RACK COULD RESULT IN A SAFETY HAZARD. DESPITE THE USE OF THREADLOCK THE ROOF PINS LOOSEN DUE TO VIBARATION AND OTHER FACTORS. WATER COLLECTS IN THE ROOF PIN WELLS ADDING TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT OVER TIME THE ROOF PINS WILL RUST AND FAIL. A PROACTIVE RECALL AND IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DESIGN ARE NECESSARY TO PREVENT FUTURE ACCIDENTS.*AK

DURING DRIVING A THUMP IS COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHEN ROAD BUMP OCCURS AND IS SOMETIMES STARTLING. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE, SERVICE REP. REPLACED A SPRING PART AS PER SERVICE BULLETIN, HOWEVER, THIS ACTION DID NOT REPAIR STEERING COLUMN PROBLEM. THE THUMPING IS FELT IN STEERING WHEEL AND FEELS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE IN STEERING COLUMN. SERVICE REP. INFORMED ME IT IS NOT A SAFETY PROBLEM.*AK

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING, THE REDUCED POWER LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WOULD AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN, AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS VEHICLE MAY RESTART, DEALER STATED THAT A SENSOR WAS NOT LETTING THE PEDAL KNOW THAT THERE WAS GASOLINE, DEALER REPLACED THIS PART, HOWEVER THIS DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *TT