Total Complaints
137 filings
SATURN RELAY · model year
137 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports, and 3 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2005SATURNRELAY carries 137 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2005 RELAY is electrical system with 20 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic (14) and service brakes (9). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 3 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2005 RELAY. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
Total Complaints
137 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 20 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 14 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 9 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 6 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 6 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 6 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH | 5 |
| TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM | 5 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRIC | 5 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 4 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 4 |
| ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) | 4 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 3 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 3 |
| INTERIOR LIGHTING | 2 |
PARKING BRAKE
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
SEATS:MID/REAR ASSEMBLY
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
STEERING
DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN
EXACT SAME ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN APRIL 2014 GM RECALL 14063. SUDDEN LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. UNPREDICTABLE VERY DANGEROUS. SEEMS TO BE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OTHER SATURNS ARE LISTED IN THE 2014 RECALL BUT MINE IS NOT. IT SHOULD BE LISTED.
Mileage: 180,000
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) WARNING LIGHT CONTINUE TO LIGHT UP AND STAYS ON I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS CHAT SESSIONS.
Mileage: 137,500
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) WARNING LIGHT CONTINUE TO LIGHT UP AND STAYS ON I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS CHAT SESSIONS.
Mileage: 137,500
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE SPEED SENSOR AND TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ALSO, THE SLIDING DOOR CHIME ACTIVATED EVEN THOUGH BOTH SLIDING DOORS WERE CLOSED. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 09/08/16*LJ *CN
Mileage: 90,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE SPEED SENSOR AND TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ALSO, THE SLIDING DOOR CHIME ACTIVATED EVEN THOUGH BOTH SLIDING DOORS WERE CLOSED. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 09/08/16*LJ *CN
Mileage: 90,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE SPEED SENSOR AND TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ALSO, THE SLIDING DOOR CHIME ACTIVATED EVEN THOUGH BOTH SLIDING DOORS WERE CLOSED. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 09/08/16*LJ *CN
Mileage: 90,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE SPEED SENSOR AND TRACTION CONTROL SENSOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ALSO, THE SLIDING DOOR CHIME ACTIVATED EVEN THOUGH BOTH SLIDING DOORS WERE CLOSED. ALSO, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. UPDATED 09/08/16*LJ *CN
Mileage: 90,000
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 REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BUT THEN NOTICED THE WIRES LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VAN. THE MECHANIC WIGGLED THE WIRES AND THE VAN STARTED. A FEW WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DOING ABOUT 50 AND THE VAN JUST LOST POWER. IT WAS AS IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND HAD THE VAN TOWED AGAIN. AFTER THIS SEVERAL TIMES, WHILE DRIVING THE VAN WILL ACT AS IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS. I HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN
Mileage: 110,000
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 REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BUT THEN NOTICED THE WIRES LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VAN. THE MECHANIC WIGGLED THE WIRES AND THE VAN STARTED. A FEW WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DOING ABOUT 50 AND THE VAN JUST LOST POWER. IT WAS AS IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND HAD THE VAN TOWED AGAIN. AFTER THIS SEVERAL TIMES, WHILE DRIVING THE VAN WILL ACT AS IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS. I HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN
Mileage: 110,000
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 REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP BUT THEN NOTICED THE WIRES LOCATED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VAN. THE MECHANIC WIGGLED THE WIRES AND THE VAN STARTED. A FEW WEEKS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DOING ABOUT 50 AND THE VAN JUST LOST POWER. IT WAS AS IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER AND HAD THE VAN TOWED AGAIN. AFTER THIS SEVERAL TIMES, WHILE DRIVING THE VAN WILL ACT AS IF IT RAN OUT OF GAS. I HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN
Mileage: 110,000
WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT I HAVE TO TURN MY HEADLIGHTS OFF TO USE MY TURN SIGNALS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE 2005 SATURN RELAY WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS...YET. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE.
Mileage: 100,000
WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT I HAVE TO TURN MY HEADLIGHTS OFF TO USE MY TURN SIGNALS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE 2005 SATURN RELAY WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS...YET. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE.
Mileage: 100,000
WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT I HAVE TO TURN MY HEADLIGHTS OFF TO USE MY TURN SIGNALS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE 2005 SATURN RELAY WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS...YET. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE.
Mileage: 100,000
DRIVING AROUND 10 MPH, CAR DIED. TOOK IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH. LOOKED ON GM WEBSITE AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM, HOWEVER NOT FOR THE RELAY. I BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR ALL SATURNS! I AM VERY LUCKY I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. *TR
Mileage: 102,515
REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH ABS & T/C WARNING LIGHTS, BRAKES SEIZED UP WAS UNABLE TO MOVE VAN HAD IT TOWED TO A SHOP, T/C ENGAGES WITHOUT ANY ADVERSE WEATHER OR ROAD CONDITIONS. I HAVE SPENT OVER $2000 TRYING TO REPAIR THE PROBLEMS. BRAKE PADS WEAR DOWN QUICKLY, REPLACE BRAKE PADS TWICE A YEAR SINCE HAVING THE VEHICLE. *TR
Mileage: 93,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE ABS HUB SENSOR WAS REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE BRAKES PULSATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AFTER THE REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AND THE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM WAS UPDATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,000.
Mileage: 184,000
ON 1/12/15, WHILE MY 2005 SATURN RELAY WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE, STARTED ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS NOT STARTED OR GOING AT THE TIME. LAST DROVE THE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR PRIOR. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CEILING COMPONENT THAT HAS THE BUTTONS TO OPEN THE BACK SLIDING DOORS, ONSTAR AND GARAGE OPENING, IS WHAT STARTED THE ELECTRICAL FIRE, WHICH BURNED A WHOLE IN MY ROOF, BURNED THE DRIVERS SIDE VISOR, WHICH IN TURN BURNED THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT AND CAR SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER'S DOOR. GM DETERMINED IT WAS NOT THERE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS 10 YEARS OLD AND NO OTHER CASES WERE ON FILE. A VERY VERY VERY SCARY SITUATION. *TR
Mileage: 190,000
ABS SYSTEM ACTING UP , OCCURRING OFF AND ON SERVICE BRAKES HYDRAULIC PROBLEM . HAPPENS EVERYDAY SINCE I'VE OWNED IT. ALSO PREVIOUS OWNER HAD SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Mileage: 82,350
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE EGR VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000.
Mileage: 168,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN RELAY. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE STEERING FAILED AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE ALSO VEERED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL KNUCKLE AND IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
Mileage: 112,000
Electric Power Steering Failure
Electric Power Steering Failure
OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES STICK UNLATCHED
TIMING CHAIN BREAKS, ENGINE STALL
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE-STALL
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.