There are 41 owner-reported electrical system complaints for the 2002 Saturn Vuein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
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.
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
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).
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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO TURN IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS HAD TO BE MADE BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD START. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONTINUOUSLY. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V490000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.
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
VUE STOPPED IN PARKING LOT OTHER VEHICLE HIT ME HEAD ON VUE AIR BAGS DIDNT DEPLOY MY SATURN VUE KEY WAS ON FLOOR FELL OUT OF IGNITION I WAS SENT TO HOSPITAL ERIE TOTALED MY VUE. *TR
KEYS FALL OUT OF THE IGNITION AS YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE. IS THIS ONE OF THE DEFECTIVE GM VEHICLES? *TR
MY HUSBAND CAME OUT OF WORK AND COULDN'T GET HIS CAR TO START. THE IGNITION SWITCH IS COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. AT THIS POINT WE'LL HAVE TO GET IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC TO GET THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED. GM HAS RECALLED 2003 - 2007 SATURN IONS FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM BUT THEY LEFT OUT 2002 SATURN VUES. IT'S THE VERY SAME PROBLEM! *TR
CAR WILL STALL AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SOMETIMES WILL COMPLETELY DIE OR WILL GO OFF FOR 10-30 SECONDS, TURNING SIGNALS WILL OCCASIONALLY WORK BUT WILL GO OUT. NO CODES WILL SHOW UP WHEN TESTED, SO THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED WHEN THE IGNITION IS NOT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE DRIVER ACTIVATED THE ALARM IT CAUSED THE HORN TO REMAIN ENGAGED. THE DRIVER DISCONNECTED THE HORN RELAY IN ORDER TO SHUT THE HORN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT EITHER THE AIR BAG SWITCH ASSEMBLY OR BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY BECAME DAMAGED AND FELL OUT OF THE IGNITION SWITCH SPORADICALLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY FAIL TO START. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD RANDOMLY ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V171000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) BUT THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME FAILURE THAT WAS LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE KEYS BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT HAD TO UNPLUG AND REATTACH THE BATTERY MULTIPLE TIMES TO START THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOCK CYLINDER AND IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE INSPECTED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 179000.
I BOUGHT THIS AWD 2002 SATURN JUNE 28 2013 FROM TOYOTA NATION IN BUENA PARK AND EVEN WITHIN 3 HRS OF OWNING THE CAR IT QUIT WORKING SO I HAD IT TOWED BACK I HAD TRADED IN MY 2010 CHEVY COBALT THAT ONLY HAD 25K MILES ON IT ANYHOW I VE HAD IGNITION REPLACED I HAD SOME OTHER THINGS SPENT ALMOST $1000 ALREADY I CANT GET DEALERSHIP TO FIX IT LAST I REPLACED BCM AND STILL NOT WORKING RIGHT I LL BE DRIVING 45 MPH AND POOF SECURITY LIGHT FLASHES I LOOSE GAS AND IT DIES I LIVE IM MOUNTAINS SCARY AS HECK WITH MY KIDS IM SINGLE PARENT PLS HELP. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE.THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THERE WAS AN IGNITION FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE EXACT REPAIRS WERE UNKNOWN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,300 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,440.
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
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTING TO ACT UP (EVERY DASHBOARD LIGHT COMES ON) CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER AND STALL WHILE DRIVING. STEERING POWER WAS LOST AND BRAKES BECAME VERY SOFT. HAPPENS AT RANDOM SPEEDS FROM 20MPH AND UP TO 65MPH. VERY SCARY! I HAVE A CHILD AND I COULDN'T GET MY HAZARD LIGHTS TO COME ON UNTIL THE ELECTRICAL CALMED DOWN. WAS NEARLY REAR-ENDED MULTIPLE TIMES WITH A CHILD IN THE VEHICLE. FINALLY HAD TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY ON THE VEHICLE WHICH IS VERY EXPENSIVE. *TR
THE IGNITION KEY MAY BE REMOVED WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE IGNITION REGARDLESS OF SHIFT LEVER POSITION; IT CAN BE REMOVED WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED AND ASSUMED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A WORN KEY OR IGNITION BARREL SO I HADN'T REPORTED IT. THE NEWS ITEM THAT DETAILED THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM FAILED TO MENTION THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF THE SATURN BRAND. I AM NOW FILING THIS FORMAL REPORT TO INCLUDE THE SATURN VUE AS PART OF THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM CAUSED BY GENERAL MOTORS. PLEASE RESPOND TO LET ME KNOW YOUR ACTION REGARDING THIS FILING. *JS
WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ENGAGED, IT ACTIVATES THE HEADLAMP (BRIGHTS) AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE LIGHTS OFF IS TO FLIP THE BRIGHT SWITCH UP ( TOWARDS DRIVER). THE HEADLAMPS DO NOT NEED TO BE TURNED ON. THE BRIGHT BEAM INDICATOR ON DASH ILLUMINATES WHEN THIS HAPPENS. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT SPEED YOU ARE TRAVELING. *TT
Showing 1–20 of 41 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026