2005 Saturn VUE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
170 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
75,674 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2005 model year. Data snapshot: . 136 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 55 of 170 complaints (32.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 26 | 15.3% |
| Steering behavior | 26 | 15.3% |
| Braking behavior | 16 | 9.4% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 4.7% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 0.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 0.6% |
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 | 55 |
| Power Train | 17 |
| Steering | 17 |
| Air Bags | 13 |
| Unknown Or Other | 13 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 11 |
| Engine | 9 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 9 |
Electrical System: 55; Power Train: 17; Steering: 17; Air Bags: 13; Unknown Or Other: 13; Electrical System:Ignition: 11; Engine: 9; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 9
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 13 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 23 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 29 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 23 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 33 |
| 150,000 and above | 15 |
Under 25,000: 13; 25,000 to 49,999: 23; 50,000 to 74,999: 29; 75,000 to 99,999: 23; 100,000 to 149,999: 33; 150,000 and above: 15
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (33). 34 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 | 7 |
| 2006 | 10 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 10 |
| 2010 | 6 |
| 2011 | 11 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 61 |
| 2015 | 23 |
| 2016 | 5 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 7 |
| 2019 | 5 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2026 | 1 |
2005: 7; 2006: 10; 2007: 4; 2008: 6; 2009: 10; 2010: 6; 2011: 11; 2012: 2; 2013: 1; 2014: 61; 2015: 23; 2016: 5; 2017: 5; 2018: 7; 2019: 5; 2020: 4; 2021: 1; 2023: 1; 2026: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 26 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 26 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 16 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 10150308 · 2006-02-15 (February 15, 2006)
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. …
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10150308 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10234369 · 2008-07-15 (July 15, 2008)
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 PROBLEM…
Owner-reported narrative. 54,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10234369 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10114377 · 2005-03-20 (March 20, 2005)
I WAS SITTING AT A RED LIGHT IN MY BRAND NEW 2005 SATURN VUE AND WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY A MEDIUM-SIZED TRANSIT BUS AT APPROX. 35-40 MPH. THE DAMAGE TO THE REAR OF THE CAR WAS EXTENSIVE AND RESULTED IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF THE CAR. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BROKE DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE BACK OF THE SEAT COLLAPSED AND FELL BACK INTO THE BACK SEAT. THE SEAT ALMOST TOTALLY BROKE UNDERNEATH AND TWISTED TO THE LEFT. I WAS THE LONE OCCUPANT IN THE CAR AND SUFFERED NUMEROUS ABRASIONS, BRUISES, CUTS, BUMPS, AND SPRAINS, AS WELL AS BA…
Owner-reported narrative. 825 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114377 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10138492 · 2005-10-04 (October 4, 2005)
LAST JAN. 2004 WE PURCHASED A 04 SATURN VUE, THE VEHICLE ENDED UP BEING IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS SUCH AS SUSPENSION, DRIVE TRAIN, WHEEL BEARINGS ETC. THE LAST REPAIR WAS THE STEERING COLUMN AND SATURN AGREED TO REPLACE THE M/V. IN JULY 04 WERE RECEIVED OUR NEW 04 VUE. ON SATURDAY WE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE AND TO CHECK A RATTLE IN THE FRONT END. WE ARE NEW SCHEDULED TO HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACE IN THIS M/V. SATURN STATED THAT THE M/V IS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT MY CONCERN IS TWO (2) 04 VUE'S WITH STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENTS AND…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10138492 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10114349 · 2005-03-19 (March 19, 2005)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114349 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10147985 · 2006-01-18 (January 18, 2006)
THE VEHICLE HAS MAJOR WIND NOISE...YOU CAN NOT EVEN HEAR THE RADIO OR CONVERSATIONS IN THE VEHICLE DUE TO THIS NOISE. THE CAR ALSO HAS A RATTLING COMING FROM THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR, WE CAN NOT IDENTIFY THE SOURCE. THE VEHICLE ALSO ROLLS BACK ON A HILL WHEN IN DRIVE. THE BRAKES ALSO SQUEAL AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY ARE FINE, BUT WE DO NOT BELIEVE THEY ARE. THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN GOING ON SINCE MAY 2005 AND TILL NOW (1/18/06) SATURN HAS NOT FIXED ANY OF THEM. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10147985 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10263157 · 2009-03-26 (March 26, 2009)
THE CAR SUFFERED AN IGNITION MODULE FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN $1700.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. ONLY TWO OF THE FOUR CYLINDERS WERE FIRING. THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN NOTED BY SATURN VUE OWNERS AS EARLY AS IN THE 2002 MODELS. MY HUSBAND, AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, SAID THAT THE DEFECT WAS DUE TO BAD ENGINEERING THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CORRECTED. MY SUSPICION LEANED TOWARD "PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE" SINCE MANY VUE OWNERS HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS VERY SAME "MALFUNCTION". I CONTACTED BOTH SATURN AND GM HQ TO LEGALLY FILE MY COMPLAINT AS WELL. EXTRA …
Owner-reported narrative. 60,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10263157 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10290017 · 2009-10-27 (October 27, 2009)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN VUE. THE PASSENGER AND REAR DRIVER-SIDE DOORS WILL NOT OPEN IF THE DOORS ARE UNLOCKED. THE VEHICLE DOORS ARE EQUIPPED WITH A KEY ENTRY LOCK THAT OPEN AND CLOSE THEM; HOWEVER, THEY CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BREAK THE LOCKS. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. HOWEVER THE FIRST TIME HE NOTIFIED THE DEALER, HE WAS ADVISED TO TAKE THE BATTERY OUT TO SHUT DOWN THE POWER TO RESET THE COMPUTER AS A TEMPORARY …
Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10290017 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10711931 · 2015-04-21 (April 21, 2015)
CAR STALLED AND WOULDN'T RESTART. TOWED TO GARAGE WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 130,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10711931 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10207996 · 2007-11-05 (November 5, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN VUE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING, THE CONTACT NOTICED A STRONG GASOLINE ODOR COMING FROM THE FUEL TANK. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FUEL LINE TURBULENT INJECTOR SYSTEM WAS SEPARATING, WHICH CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK FROM THE FUEL LINES. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 47,985.
Owner-reported narrative. 47,985 miles reported. Look up ODI 10207996 at NHTSA ↗