2005 Saturn RELAY: complaints, problems and recalls

HEADLIGHTS, DASH LIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS GO DIM/BRIGHT/DIM/BRIGHT ETC. AT NIGHT WHEN ACCELERATION WITH FOOT OR WITH USE OF CRUSE CONTROL. NOTIFIED SATURN AND ALSO DEALER. THEY BOTH SAID THIS IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE RELAY. DEALER ALSO SAID THEY HAD THE SAME PROIBLEM WITH THE L SERIES. SATURN NOR DEALER HAVE ATTEMPTED TO TALK DIRECTLY TO ME OR FIX IT DESPITE E-MAILS, LETTERS, PHONE CALLS. I WORRY THAT AN 18 WHEELER MIGHT THINK I AM FLASHING HIM THAT IT IS OK TO PULL OVER TO THE RIGHT. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE NEW 05 SATURN RELA…

Owner-reported narrative. 750 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116052 at NHTSA ↗

PURCHASED 2005 SATURN RELAY TO GET BETTER GAS MILEAGE THAN PREVIOUSLY OWNED YUKON @ 11 MPG, AFTER IN DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH LAFAYETTE LA. SATURN DEALERSHIP SALESMAN ABOUT THE REASON FOR NEW CAR PURCHASE. ASKED IF THE STICKER INFO OF 18 MPG (WITH A STATED RANGE OF 15-21) CITY WAS RELIABLE. I WAS ADAMANTLY ASSURED THAT IT WAS. AFTER FIRST 22 GALLONS USED, YIELDED APP. 12.6 MPG- THIS VEHICLE HAD APP. 2600 MILES AT TIME OF PURCHASE. I ASKED FOR ANOTHER RELAY AFTER APP. 2 WKS AND FIRST TANK OF GAS, (20 GALLONS) YIELDED 11.9 MPG. SATURN TESTED THE…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10122349 at NHTSA ↗

WE PURCHASED A SATURN RELAY FROM SATURN OF CHARLESTON HUNTINGTON ,SEPT 05 , WE WERE TOLD IT HAD A PREVIOUS OWNER BUT THEY HAD BROUGHT IT BACK BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T LIKE THE COLOR , AT SATURN YOU HAVE 30 DAYS OR 1500 MILES TO DO THIS . IT HAD 665 MILES ON IT . ALMOST LIKE BRAND NEW RIGHT? WELL THE FIRST WEEK I HAD IT HAD TO GO BACK IN TO HAVE A PART SERVICED IN THE DVD PLAYER .NOW I HAVE HAD IT 4 WEEKS AND HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT ELECTRONIC TROUBLE AND SATURN SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AND I KNOW THERE IS , THE SPEEDOMETER GOES UP AND DOWN W…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140423 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER EVEN AFTER 5 REPAIR ATTEMPTS. HEATER INTERMITTENTLY INOPERATIVE AFTER 5 REPAIR ATTEMPTS. POWER SLIDING DOORS DO NOT CLOSE PROPERLY AFTER 4 REPAIR ATTEMPTS. DIFFICULT STARTING AFTER 3 REPAIR ATTEMPTS. FUEL GAUGE ERRATIC BELOW QUARTER TANK. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 2,427 miles reported. Look up ODI 10146606 at NHTSA ↗

LIGHTS ON DASH AND EXTERIOR DIM AND FADE ERRATICALLY. RADIO DECIDES TO MUTE ITSELF IF CAR IS UNLOCKED AND TAIL GATE IS OPENED FIRST. THEY DON'T KNOW THE MILEAGE FOR OIL CHANGES. HAS A HESITATION FROM ROLLING START THAT MAKES THE WHEELS BREAK FREE AS IF A TURBO. SATURN DEALER CAN NOT "SEE" ANY OF THIS EVEN WHEN SHOWN. ALSO THEY SAY I MUST CONTACT SATURN TO FIND OUT HOW TO FIX. SATURN IS NOT RETURNING MY CALLS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10148283 at NHTSA ↗

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 ↗

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 ↗

Reported: 2005-02-18 (February 18, 2005)

ON CERTAIN MINIVANS, THE OUTBOARD RELEASE HANDLE ON THE IMPACT-SIDE SECOND-ROW BUCKET SEAT MAY BE ACTUATED AND THE REAR LATCHES MAY UNLATCH EARLY IN A SIDE IMPACT CRASH. THIS WAS DISCOVERED IN A SIDE IMPACT TEST RUN BY GM, UNDER CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO NHTSA'S NEW CAR ASSESSMENT PROGRAM (NCAP) SIDE IMPACT TEST.

Consequence: IF THE REAR LATCHES OF THE SEAT RELEASE EARLY IN A SEVERE SIDE IMPACT, THE FRONT OUTBOARD LATCH MAY DISENGAGE AND INCREASE THE POTENTIAL FOR INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT OF THE SEAT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE SEAT LATCH RELEASE HANDLE AND INSTALL A BLACK PLASTIC CAP OVER THE EXPOSED METAL STUD TO ELIMINATE THE SIDE IMPACT SAFETY CONCERN FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, AND PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668.

Reported: 2005-06-20 (June 20, 2005)

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 135, 'PASSENGER CAR BRAKE SYSTEMS.' TO MEET THE STANDARD, THE VEHICLE MUST NOT MOVE FOR FIVE MINUTES WHEN STOPPED ON A STEEP HILL WITH THE PARKING BRAKE APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL (N). SOME OF THESE VEHICLES FAILED THIS TEST.

Consequence: WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS RELEASED, THE DRIVER MAY NOTICE UNINTENDED BRAKING WHEN ACCELERATING, DECELERATING, OR COASTING, AND A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT COULD OCCUR INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT FOR PARKING BRAKE LEVER SLIPPAGE AT EACH REAR BRAKE CALIPER AND REPLACE THE CALIPER IF LEVER SLIPPAGE IS IDENTIFIED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 14, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, PONTIAC AT 1-800-620-7668, OR SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876.