Total Complaints
220 filings
SATURN VUE · model year
220 NHTSA complaints, 15 crash reports, and 2 active recalls for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2002SATURNVUE carries 220 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 15 crashes, 6 fires, 8 injuries, 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 2002 VUE is electrical system with 31 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling (20) and engine (16). 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 2 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 2002 VUE. 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
220 filings
Crashes Reported
15 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 31 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 20 |
| ENGINE | 16 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 9 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN | 9 |
| AIR BAGS | 9 |
| STEERING | 9 |
| POWER TRAIN | 8 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 6 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 5 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| STEERING:COLUMN | 4 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL | 4 |
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 210, "SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY ANCHORAGES." SOME VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED WITH REAR OUTER SEAT BELT SHOULDER GUIDE ANCHOR BOLTS THAT WERE INCORRECTLY INSTALLED.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2002-2004 Saturn Vue vehicles manufactured September 11, 2001, to April 6, 2004. In the affected vehicles, it may be possible for the key to be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "Off" position.
CAR POWER SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING, UNABLE TO START AGAIN IN ANY TRAFFIC OR ROAD CONDITIONS TO MOVE CAR TO A SAFE AREA. FULL LOSS OF POWER UNEXPECTED, VEHICLE SIMPLY STOPS RUNNING. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 'USED' FROM A PRIVATE SELLER I SUSPECT WAS WELL AWARE OF THE SITUATION BUT DIDN'T EXPOSE IT. $2300 SPENT SO FAR WITH NO FINDINGS AS TO WHY THE PROBLEM OCCURS. ONLY AN ADDED 30 MILES TO THE ODOMETER SINCE PURCHASE. PRESENT READING IS 107,251.
Mileage: 107,257
CAR POWER SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING, UNABLE TO START AGAIN IN ANY TRAFFIC OR ROAD CONDITIONS TO MOVE CAR TO A SAFE AREA. FULL LOSS OF POWER UNEXPECTED, VEHICLE SIMPLY STOPS RUNNING. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 'USED' FROM A PRIVATE SELLER I SUSPECT WAS WELL AWARE OF THE SITUATION BUT DIDN'T EXPOSE IT. $2300 SPENT SO FAR WITH NO FINDINGS AS TO WHY THE PROBLEM OCCURS. ONLY AN ADDED 30 MILES TO THE ODOMETER SINCE PURCHASE. PRESENT READING IS 107,251.
Mileage: 107,257
CAR POWER SHUTS DOWN WHILE DRIVING, UNABLE TO START AGAIN IN ANY TRAFFIC OR ROAD CONDITIONS TO MOVE CAR TO A SAFE AREA. FULL LOSS OF POWER UNEXPECTED, VEHICLE SIMPLY STOPS RUNNING. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 'USED' FROM A PRIVATE SELLER I SUSPECT WAS WELL AWARE OF THE SITUATION BUT DIDN'T EXPOSE IT. $2300 SPENT SO FAR WITH NO FINDINGS AS TO WHY THE PROBLEM OCCURS. ONLY AN ADDED 30 MILES TO THE ODOMETER SINCE PURCHASE. PRESENT READING IS 107,251.
Mileage: 107,257
AIR INTAKE THROTTLE IS FAULTY. MAKING THE ENGINE RUN ROUGH AND CAUSING OTHER PROBLEMS SUCH AS EXCESSIVE FUEL CONSUMPTION. *TR
THE IGNITION IS FAULT. THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED WHEN VEHICLE IS IN ON POSITION. *TR
THE IGNITION IS FAULT. THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED WHEN VEHICLE IS IN ON POSITION. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, SEVERAL DASHBOARD WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED, INCLUDING THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED OPERATION TEMPORARILY AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE. ALSO, WHILE TRAVELING UP AN INCLINE, THE BATTERY WARNING INDICATOR FLASHED AND THEN TURNED OFF WHEN DRIVING ON LEVELED GROUND. A FAX WAS SENT TO THE VICE PRESIDENT OF SAFETY AT GENERAL MOTORS IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. *JS
Mileage: 120,000
2002 SATURN VUE. CONSUMER IS SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR VEHICLE AMOUNT. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRAME WAS BROKEN AND RUSTED MAKING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS LOCATED AT AN IMPOUND YARD. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE REPAIRED. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE TEMPERATURE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT STOPPED TO CHECK THE ENGINE AND NOTICED THAT THE ANTI-FREEZE CONTAINED OIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
Mileage: 151,000
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, VEHICLE STALLED,AND WOULD NOT RESTART. VEHICLE COASTED TO LANE OFF TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. FAMILY OF FOUR IN VEHICLE. HAD A POLICE OFFICER SHUT DOWN LANE OF TRAFFIC. VERY VERY DANGEROUS. DIAGNOSIS: TIMING CHAIN. *TR
Mileage: 130,000
STARTED THE CAR, TURNED AROUND IN MY DRIVEWAY AND STARTED PULLING OUT ONTO THE ROAD, VEHICLE JUST STALLED AND REFUSED TO START AGAIN, ENGINE CRACKS AND TURNS OVER BUT WONT START. THANK GOD THERE WASNT ANY TRAFFIC OR I WOULD HAVE BEEN T BONED. I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE VEHICLE BACK OFFF THE ROAD. VEHICLE STILL WONT START
Mileage: 155,000
MY CAR SEIZED UP WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD I COULD BARELY TURN OR PUSH ON THE BRAKES! THANKFULLY I HAD JUST LEFT WORK SO I WAS ONLY DOING 10 MPH. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHOM SAID THE TIMING CHAIN WENT OUT, AND THAT WITH THAT TYPE OF MOTOR A V6 THAT IT MOST LIKELY BENT THE VALVES AND ID HAVE TO GET A NEW ENGINE!!! IM CURIOUS IF THIS HAPPENS OFTEN?????
Mileage: 146,000
I HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY IGNITION SWITCH SINCE BUYING THIS VEHICLE AS NEW, SO THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED ON DEC 2008 AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH I PAID FOR. I BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE TO A GM DEALER PER THE RECALL IN 2015 AND WAS TOLD ALL IS GOOD, SO I COULD CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE 2008 REPAIR. TO DATE, AFTER FILLING IN THE REQUIRED FORMS AND SUBMITTING THEM TO A LOCAL GM DEALER, AND CORRESPONDING WITH GM CORPORATE, THEY REFUSE TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE REPAIR BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KEEP ANY SATURN MAINTENANCE RECORDS WHEN THE DIVISION WAS SHUTTERED, EVEN THOUGH CORPORATE WAS THE OFFICE THAT NOTIFIED ME OF THE EXACT DATE OF THE IGNITION SWITCH REPAIR SO I COULD SUBMIT MY CREDIT CARD STATEMENT AS PROOF. THE LAST CONTACT FROM CORPORATE WAS 15 DEC 2015 WITH NO RESPONSE FROM SEVERAL MESSAGES LEFT WITH THEIR CASE MANAGER, PAULA (866-790-5700, EXT. 5913223).
Mileage: 85,000
ABS LIGHT REMAINS ON; MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAULTY; MY BLINKERS WORK AT WILL. MY FUEL LINE SENSOR CAUSES MY VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF AFTER DRIVING A DISTANCE. THERE IS A NOISE WHEN I REVERSE. MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS NOW APPEARING AND THE WHEEL LOCKS AND HARD TO TURN. READ THE MANUAL; VEHICLE DOES NOT REQUIRE POWER STEERING FLUID. MUST CONTACT A DEALER PER THE MANUAL. WILL CALL TODAY. FUEL LINE ISSUES SEPTEMBER 2015 OTHER ISSUES TO DATE 12/28/2015.
Mileage: 200,000
ABS LIGHT REMAINS ON; MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAULTY; MY BLINKERS WORK AT WILL. MY FUEL LINE SENSOR CAUSES MY VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF AFTER DRIVING A DISTANCE. THERE IS A NOISE WHEN I REVERSE. MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS NOW APPEARING AND THE WHEEL LOCKS AND HARD TO TURN. READ THE MANUAL; VEHICLE DOES NOT REQUIRE POWER STEERING FLUID. MUST CONTACT A DEALER PER THE MANUAL. WILL CALL TODAY. FUEL LINE ISSUES SEPTEMBER 2015 OTHER ISSUES TO DATE 12/28/2015.
Mileage: 200,000
ABS LIGHT REMAINS ON; MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS FAULTY; MY BLINKERS WORK AT WILL. MY FUEL LINE SENSOR CAUSES MY VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF AFTER DRIVING A DISTANCE. THERE IS A NOISE WHEN I REVERSE. MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS NOW APPEARING AND THE WHEEL LOCKS AND HARD TO TURN. READ THE MANUAL; VEHICLE DOES NOT REQUIRE POWER STEERING FLUID. MUST CONTACT A DEALER PER THE MANUAL. WILL CALL TODAY. FUEL LINE ISSUES SEPTEMBER 2015 OTHER ISSUES TO DATE 12/28/2015.
Mileage: 200,000
I JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM A USED CAR DEALER. NEVER IN MY 40 YEARS OF DRIVING HAVE I EVER "TESTED" HORN OPERATION... SEEMS I SHOULD HAVE AS THE HORN DOESNT WORK. I FOUND AND REPLACED THE FUSE FOR THE HORN AND AFTER RESEARCHING I FOUND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON ALL 2002 SATURN VUE VEHICLES.... WHY THIS ISNT A RECALL ISSUE I HAVE NO IDEA BECAUSE THE HORN AND AIR BAG WORK OFF THE SAME POWER LINE AND THE CONTACT FOR THE HORN IS THE PROBLEM HORN WISE. I TOOK MY CAR TO A CHEVY DEALER TO GET AN ESTIMATE ON THE "FIX" AND IT WOULD COST ME 1100 BUX TO REPLACE THE FAULTILY DESIGNED UNIT GUARANTEED TO FAIL WITH ANOTHER FAULTILY DESIGNED UNIT GUARANTEED TO FAIL.
Mileage: 350
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V490000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), THE KEY FAILED TO RELEASE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH AND HEARD A CLICKING NOISE WHEN REMOVING THE KEY. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, THE TURN SIGNALS FAILED INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE TOP OF THE STEERING WHEEL ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL ARM WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. MA 10/5 UPDATED 10/8/15*JB
Mileage: 160,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.
Mileage: 84,000
2002 SATURN VUE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO IGNITION CYLINDER AND KEYS REPLACEMENT RECALL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL IN OCTOBER 2014 REGARDING AN ISSUE WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE WORK HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE AND THEREFORE, THE CONSUMER SENT IN THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK FOR REIMBURSEMENT. EVEN THOUGH THE GM HAD THE PROOF THE WORK WAS DONE, THEY INFORMED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, TO MAKE SURE THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS INSTALLED PROPERLY. ONCE IT WAS VERIFIED, THE CONSUMER NEVER HEARD BACK FROM THE GM REPRESENTATIVE. *JB
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.