Saturn RELAY problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
122 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
42,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 to 2007 model years. Data snapshot: . 109 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 25 of 122 complaints (20.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 54 | 44.3% |
| Steering behavior | 14 | 11.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 7 | 5.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 7 | 5.7% |
| Engine operation | 5 | 4.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 3.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 25 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 16 |
| Service Brakes | 11 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 10 |
| Latches/Locks/Linkages | 8 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 7 |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 |
| Power Train | 6 |
Electrical System: 25; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 16; Service Brakes: 11; Structure:Body:Door: 10; Latches/Locks/Linkages: 8; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 7; Exterior Lighting: 7; Power Train: 6
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 34 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 25 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 13 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 13 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 18 |
| 150,000 and above | 6 |
Under 25,000: 34; 25,000 to 49,999: 25; 50,000 to 74,999: 13; 75,000 to 99,999: 13; 100,000 to 149,999: 18; 150,000 and above: 6
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (34). 13 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 19 |
| 2007 | 14 |
| 2008 | 16 |
| 2009 | 16 |
| 2010 | 9 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 8 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 2 |
2005: 5; 2006: 19; 2007: 14; 2008: 16; 2009: 16; 2010: 9; 2011: 9; 2012: 5; 2013: 5; 2014: 11; 2015: 8; 2016: 1; 2017: 2; 2018: 2
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 54 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10144004 · 2005-11-30 (November 30, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE WAS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTING. WHILE DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE DASHBOARD PANEL LIGHTS FLICKERED FROM BRIGHT TO DIM. ALSO, THE IDLE WAS VERY LOUD AND ROUGH. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO ACCURATELY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, AND NO FURTHER REPAIRS WERE MADE. *AK UPDATED 12/27/2005. THE HORN SPRINGS WERE DEFORM WHICH RESULTED IN THE HORN BEING INOPERATIVE. THE SLIDING DOOR WOULD …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,878 miles reported. Look up ODI 10144004 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10149024 · 2006-01-30 (January 30, 2006)
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHERE ABS BRAKES AND TRACTION CONTROL NEEDED TO BE ACTIVATED. WHENEVER THEY ACTIVATED THEY FAILED. THEY WILL ACTIVATE FOR ABOUT 1 SECOND AND THEN SHUT DOWN WITH WARNING COMING ON THE DISPLAY AND SAYING TO SERVICE THE ABS BRAKES AND THE TRACTION CONTROL. ALSO, THE ICONS ON THE DASHBOARD COME ON, INDICATING THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL ARE SHUT DOWN. UNTIL RECENTLY THERE WASN'T A MAJOR PROBLEM , BUT ON 1/23/2006 WHEN BRAKES SHUT DOWN VAN ALMOST ENDED UP IN A RIVER WITH 2 YEAR OLD CHILD IN THE VAN WI…
Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149024 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10149277 · 2006-02-02 (February 2, 2006)
WITH A 1/4 OF A TANK OF GAS MY SATURN RELAY 2005 SHUT OFF ON A DECLINE CAUSING THE LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND STEERING. THE MANUFACTURE SAID THE VEHICLE IS OPERATING AS DESIGNED! *NM
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10149277 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10153931 · 2006-03-28 (March 28, 2006)
I PURCHASED A 2005 SATURN RELAY IN MAY 2005. THE CRUISE CONTROL IS LOCATED ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND NOT ON THE STEERING COLUMN. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN I WAS CONDUCTING A TURN MY BLOUSE OR SKIRT HAS GOT CAUGHT ON THE CRUISE CONTROL AND I COULD NOT COMPLETE THE TURN AND AT TIMES I WAS CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING SNAGS ON THE CRUISE CONTROL STRETCHING THE CLOTHING AS FAR AS IT WILL GO AND THEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED DOWN. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND I HAVE NEARLY HAD A WRECK FROM IT SEVERAL TIMES. *J…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10153931 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10212428 · 2007-12-20 (December 20, 2007)
PURCHASED S 2005 SATURN RELAY IN APRIL 06. SINCE DAY ONE THINGS HAVE BEEN WRONG, BRAKE ROTORS WARPED, AXEL BROKEN, INTERIOR PARTS NEEDING REPLACEMENT AND NOW IT IS IN THE SHOP FOR WEEKS FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. I HAVE A FILE OPEN WITH SATURN AND THEY ARE NOT HELPFUL. I HAVE 6 KIDS 5 OF WHICH DRIVE IN THE CAR QUITE A BIT AND I FEEL THE CAR IS UNSAFE. THE DEALER ADMITTED TO NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO WITH THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT'S BEING DONE TO MY VEHICLE THEY SAID THEY WILL NOTIFY ME WHEN THEY MAKE PROGRESS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10212428 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10267433 · 2009-05-01 (May 1, 2009)
MY WIFE PLACED OUR 2005 SATURN RELAY MINIVAN IN PARK, AND STEPPED OUT TO GET THE MAIL. THE VAN IMMEDIATELY STARTED BACKWARDS, WITH THE DOOR PUSHING HER DOWN. LUCKILY, AS IT PUSHED HER DOWN, SHE FELL TO THE INSIDE, AND WAS ABLE TO ACTIVATE THE PARKING BRAKE WITH HER HAND, STOPPING THE CAR. SHE DID RECEIVE A VERY MINOR KNEE INJURY, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. OUR TWO DAUGHTERS WERE BOTH IN THE CAR, WHICH WOULD HAVE ROLLED DOWN A HILL AND INTO A NEIGHBORS HOUSE, HAD SHE NOT STOPPED IT. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT SHE'D MADE A MIS…
Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10267433 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10148828 · 2006-01-27 (January 27, 2006)
THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH EITHER THE ENGINE OR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THE 2005 SATURN RELAY. WE HAVE BEEN TO DEALERSHIPS AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS, BUT THEY HAVE BRUSHED US OFF BY SAYING THAT IT COULD BE THE WEATHER, AND THEY DID NOT SEE ANY PROBLEM. THE CAR ACTUALLY GOES DOWN IN RPMS AND THE WHOLE DASHBOARD AND LIGHTS DIM WHEN IN IDLE. ALSO, THE IDLE IS VERY ROUGH. THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED AT SINCE AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON SOME WEB SITES THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND THEY ARE…
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10148828 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10244255 · 2008-10-02 (October 2, 2008)
2005 SATURN RELAY. WHEEL SPEED SENSOR JUMPER WIRING REQUIRED REPLACEMENT (INDICATED BY WARNING LIGHT). ISSUE IS THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES WILL NOT FUNCTION BASED ON MALFUNCTIONING SENSOR. GM WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE, AND HAD A PROCEDURE IN PLACE FOR DEALER TO IMPLEMENT. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE, AS THE REMEDY REQUIRES A DIFFERENT WIRING PROCESS THAN ORIGINALLY ENGINEERED. DRIVERS ARE AT RISK WITHOUT ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. *TR UPDATED 12/10/08
Owner-reported narrative. 41,256 miles reported. Look up ODI 10244255 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10175584 · 2006-12-08 (December 8, 2006)
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FACING DOWN HILL MOVING OR PARKED, WITH 1/4 OF A TANK OF GAS OR LESS, THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATOR NEEDLE WOULD MOVE TOWARD EMPTY AND FUEL WOULD NOT FLOW TO THE ENGINE CAUSING A PROBLEM STARTING THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE THE VEHICLE MOVED DOWN HILL. THE SALES/SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED, AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY BOTH THE SERVICE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER, THAT THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE REQUIRED AT LEAST A HALF FULL TANK OF FUEL TO PREVENT ENGIN…
Owner-reported narrative. 31,239 miles reported. Look up ODI 10175584 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10567799 · 2014-03-07 (March 7, 2014)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND ONCE RESTARTED, RESUMED NORMALLY FOR A HALF A MILE BEFORE THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONNECTOR HARNESS TO THE FUEL PUMP WAS REWIRED AND REPLACED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE SECOND REPAI…
Owner-reported narrative. 91,652 miles reported. Look up ODI 10567799 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10758509 · 2015-08-22 (August 22, 2015)
THE FIRST TIME I WAS PARKED AND THE VAN WOULD NOT START. I WAS TOLD IT MIGHT BE THE FUEL PUMP. I HAD THE VAN TOW TO A SERVICE CENTER. THEY SAID IT WAS THE FUEL RELAY. I PAID TO HAVE THE FUEL RELAY REPLACED. A FEW DAYS LATER SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. THE VAN WOULD NOT START. THIS TIME WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY OR SPARK PLUGS. I PAID TO HAVE A NEW BATTERY, NEW SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG CABLES. A FEW DAYS LATER I WAS LEAVING FROM WORK AND THE VAN WOULD NOT START AGAIN. I HAD IT TOW AND THEY SAID IT MIGHT BE THE FUEL PUMP. THEY WERE GOING TO REP…
Owner-reported narrative. 110,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10758509 at NHTSA ↗
Recalls by model year
All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.
Recall campaigns
Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 0 |
2005: 2; 2006: 1; 2007: 0