2003 Saturn Vue Fuel System Problems

The contact purchased a 2003 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that two days after purchasing the used vehicle, the vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH, the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood and from the gas tank location. A service warning light was illuminated. The contact stated while pulling to the side of the road, a bystander alerted the contact that there was a fuel leak. The contact and the other passengers of the vehicle immediately exited the vehicle. The contact stated that the fire started at the gas tank location and extended to the front of the vehicle. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The contact stated that the vehicle was significantly burned. The contact could not confirm that a fire department report was filed. There was no property damage. Neither the contact nor the other passengers of the vehicle sustained injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot by the registered owner. The contact could not confirm whether the vehicle was totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

While driving the engine lights kept coming on, so we decided to get it checked by a mechanic and he told us that we have a faulty fuel tank pressure sensor and that the IMRC actuator valve is not working at all.

I OWN A SATURN VUE 2003 AND TOPPED THE TANK WITH GAS ONLY TO WITNESS A FUEL ODOR AND A LEAK UNDER THE TANK AREA. THE DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY MONDAY THE 3RD OF APRIL I VISITED DEWEY BARBER IN GARDENDALE ALABAMA AFTER RESEARCH AND INQUIRED ABOUT SPECIAL COVERAGE 12191, FUEL ODOR AND GROUND SPOTTING. I FURTHER EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT WHEN I ACCELERATE THERE'S A HESITATION AS IF THE FLOW OF GAS IS ALTERED. THEY LOOKED UP MY VIN AND DISCOVERED A RECALL OF THE KEY IGNITION CYLINDER AND ORDERED THE SWITCH AND KEY WHICH WOULD BE IN AT 7:30AM TUESDAY. THEY WROTE IT UP ON A FORM AND PASSED IT ON. 2-HOURS LATER THEY SAID THE SPECIAL COVERAGE 12191 WASN'T FOR MY CAR AND THAT IT DIDN'T APPEAR UNDER MY VIN. THEY ALSO CONCLUDED THAT MY KEY WAS SO WORN THAT A COPY COULDN'T BE MADE, ANOTHER KEY IS ORDERED FROM THE MANUFACTURER. SO I WAS TOLD TO CALL BACK WEDNESDAY TO SEE IF THE KEYS ARRIVED. WHO DO I GET TO FIX THESE PROBLEMS CONCERNING THE FUEL ODOR FROM THE GAS LEAK????? THERE IS A DISTURBANCE OF FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED!!!!!!!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FAILED TO GO INTO THE FUEL TANK AFTER REFUELING THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUED TO POUR OUT RANDOMLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DECELERATED AND THEN ACCELERATED TO 70 MPH INDEPENDENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL CAP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG GASOLINE FUEL ODOR COMING FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS FUEL LEAKING AND THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO READ THE ACCURATE FUEL LEVELS. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY COULD BE REMOVED WHILE IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

I LOST THE ABILITY TO GO FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WILL ONLY GO IN REVERSE. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT WITH MY MOTHER AND WENT INTO REVERSE AND WHEN I TRIED TO GO FORWARD THE ENGINE WOULD ONLY REV. AFTER MANY TRIES TO GET IT TO WORK I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION I HAD REPLACED JUST 32000 MILES EARLIER HAD FAILED. THIS IS THE SECOND TRANSMISSION. THE CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 130000 MILES. NOT REALLY SURE SINCE IT HAS BEEN SETTING IN MY DRIVEWAY SINCE THIS HAPPENED AND I CAN'T GET IT TO TURN OVER TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE MILEAGE. WHILE AT THE DEALERSHIP IT DID IT AGAIN. THEY WERE ABLE TO GET IT IN GEAR SO I COULD GET IT HOME. THERE ARE MANY CONSUMERS HAVING WORSE SAFETY ISSUES. TAKE A LOOK AT EDMUNDS.COM AND LOOK AT THE SATURN BLOG. SOME HAVE HAD THEIRS GO OUT WHILE IN TRAFFIC, WHILE AWAY ON TRIPS, ON HIGHWAYS. ETC..... *TR

LEAK IN 2003 SATURN VUE GAS TANK. I OWN A 2003 SATURN VUE WHICH HAS BEEN DRIVEN ONLY ABOUT 52,000 EASY HIGHWAY MILES. IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN A CRASH, NEVER ABUSED OR OFF-ROADED, IT HAS NEVER BEEN TOWED AND HAS HAD ALL RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE. ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO, THERE WAS A SMELL OF GAS IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, AND TO FILL IT UP AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED. WE DID THIS, AND THERE WAS A STRONG GAS SMELL IN AND OUT OF THE CAR WITH A SMALL GAS PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR. WE TOOK THIS BACK TO THE MECHANIC, AND THEY FOUND A CRACK IN THE TANK/FILLER NECK. I AM ATTEMPTING TO GET THIS FIXED. I CALLED GM, BUT THEY HAVE NO INTENTION OF HELPING WITH THIS PROBLEM. THEY DID NOT SEEM INTERESTED IN THE FACT THAT THIS IS A LIGHTLY USED VEHICLE, AND THAT A PART FAILED. AS THIS IS NOT A PART THAT BEARS ANY WEIGHT, DOES NOT WEAR OR SEE ANY STRESS OTHER THAN THE GAS, THERE SHOULD BE NO REASON FOR A PLASTIC TANK TO FAIL, UNLESS IT WERE MADE OR DESIGNED POORLY. I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. IT IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. IT COULD EASILY LEAD TO A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. GAS TANKS MADE OUT OF PLASTIC SHOULD NOT FAIL WITHOUT CAUSE UNLESS POORLY DESIGNED OR MANUFACTURED. *TR

OWNER NOTICES SMELL OF FUEL AFTER FILLING GAS TANK AT GAS STATION..... OWNER FOUND GASOLINE PUDDLE FORMING UNDER CAR WHILE CAR WAS SITTING IN HIS DRIVEWAY..... OWNER BROUGHT VEHICLE TO SATURN CAR DEALER......MECHANICS AT DEALERSHIP FOUND GASOLINE TANK LEAKING AT FILLER NECK STUB AND AT SEAM.....SATURN DEALERSHIP REMOVED AND REPLACED GAS TANK, ETC....OWNER ASKED FOR DEFECTIVE GAS TANK BUT DEALERSHIP KEPT IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR WOULD CONSISTENTLY ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE FUEL CAP. TWO MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIR, SHE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL NOZZLE SHUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY OR PREMATURELY WHILE FILLING THE VEHICLE AND/OR SES LAMP WITH DTC P0446 EVAP VENT SYSTEM PERFORMANCE SET. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WOULD COST $1,000 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED ACCORDING TO TSB NUMBER 10017570. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO THE EXPENSE. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

THIS CAR IS A PIECE OF CRAP. I CANNOT EVEN SELL IT BECAUSE PEOPLE WHOMEVER LOOK AT IT SAYS IT RUNS HORRIBLY. THE TRUCK DOESN'T ACCELERATE PROPERLY, THE GAS TANK FLOAT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK, THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH THE KEY GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO START THE CAR (IF YOU CAN GET IT IN IT DOESN'T ALWAYS TURN), IT MAKES GRINDING SOUNDS WHEN IT TURNS, THE CD PLAYER SCRATCHES YOUR CD'S, THERE ARE BURNING SMELLS FOR NO REASON .... ON AND ON AND ON. DON'T KNOW WHY THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. I CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX EVERYTHING THAT GOES ON WITH IT. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT PLEASE EMAIL ME AT. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS 2003 SATURN VUE IS HAVING FUEL PROBLEMS. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HIS VEHICLE HE CONTINUES TO SMELL GAS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAS TO DRIVE WITH HIS WINDOWS OPEN BECAUSE THE FUMES ARE SO STRONG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS STARTED HAPPENING IN OCTOBER OF 2006, WHEN HE HAD THE FUEL INJECTOR REPLACED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP THE DAY AFTER THE INJECTOR WAS REPLACED AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL INJECTOR SEAL WAS NOT REPLACED PROPERLY. THEY REPLACED THE SEAL AT THAT TIME, BUT HE STILL SMELLS GAS WHILE DRIVING HIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN HIS VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS BECAUSE OF THE FUMES AND THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH HIS VEHICLE. *JB UPDATED 02/27/07. *JB

NOTICE A GAS ODOR A FEW WEEKS AGO, TOOK MY SATURN VUE TO THE DEALER AND FOUND OUT THAT THE GAS NECK HAD A CRACK. I HAD TO LEAVE IT THERE DUE TO THE DANGER OF THE GAS LEAKAGE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ONLY TIME THAT OCCURS IS FROM AN ACCIDENT. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO SIGN OF AN ACCIDENT AND THEY COULD NOT THINK OF ANY OTHER REASON FOR THE CRACK. THE SATURN WHICH WAS BOUGHT NEW FROM THE DEALER HAD 37,000 MILES. OF COURSE NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANTY SINCE I MISSED THE 36,000 MILE FULL WARANTY THE DEALERSHIP COVERS. BUT I WAS CONCERNED THIS MIGHT HAPPEN TO OTHER SATURN OWNERS AND WAS TOLD IT COULD BE DANGEROUS DUE TO THE GAS LEAK. *NM

2003 SATURN VUE SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING AT AN INTERSECTION. THOUGHT THAT IT WAS THE FUEL FILTER, WHICH IS ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE DEALERSHIP(IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE WHEN THEY ARE OPEN). NOW THE CAM SHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND THE AND THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ARE BOTH READING BAD, AND MY VEHICLE WILL QUIT RUNNING AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITHOUT WARNING. *NM

1) NO PRIOR WARNING LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE 2) I DIDN'T KNOW IT AT THE TIME, BUT THE GAS GAUGE WAS BROKEN CAUSING ME TO RUN OUT OF GAS ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. I HAD TO COAST OVER 2 LANES THANKFULLY NOT GETTING HIT OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. HEART BEATING "-THANK GOD I"M ALIVE", II CALL SATURN DESCRIBING THAT MY CAR JUST STOPPED RUNNING ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. THEY LOOK UP MY CAR, TELL ME IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THAT I WILL BE CHARGED FOR THE TOW AND REPAIRS. 3)I HAD IT TOWED TO MY REPAIR SHOP, PAID FOR TOW, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FUEL SENSOR AND LABOR TOTALING $750.00. *NM

I HAVE KEPT TRACK MY GAS MILEAGE SINCE I BOUGHT MY VUE A YEAR AGO, AND HAVE NEVER BEEN SATISFIED WITH IT. I TOOK IT IN FOR AN ECONOMY TEST 3 MONTHS AGO AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. SO, I LOGGED MY GAS MILEAGE FOR THE LAST 3 MONTHS AND BROUGHT IT IN FOR ANOTHER ECONOMY TEST. EVEN THOUGH I ONLY AVERAGED 20 MPG OVER THE 3 MONTHS (AND I DRIVE MOSTLY HIGHWAY MILES), THEY STILL SAY I AM GETTING ADEQUATE GAS MILEAGE (THEY SAID THEY GOT 26 MPG WITH 35 MILES COMBINED HIGHWAY AND CITY). I PLACED A COMPLAINT WITH SATURN CORPORATE AND RECEIVED ONE PHONE CALL STATING THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. ALL I WAS TOLD WAS THAT WIND, COLD WEATHER, DRIVING HABITS AND THE VTI TRANSMISSION ALL PLAY A PART IN THE FUEL ECONOMY. THESE THINGS (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE VTI TRANSMISSION SINCE IT IS NEW) HAVE NEVER CAUSED A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL ECONOMY IN ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE OWNED (INCLUDING ANOTHER SATURN). *JB

2003 SATURN VUE: WHILE DRIVING, THE "REDUCED POWER" LIGHT COMES ON AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE CAR HAS BEEN REDUCED IN SPEED TO 15 TO 20 MPH. THIS SUDDEN REDUCTION, WITHOUT WARNING IS A SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. THE SUDDEN REDUCTION HAS THE SAME EFFECT AS PUTTING ON THE BRAKES WITHOUT THE BRAKE LIGHTS.

I HAVE TAKEN MY 2003 SATURN VUE IN 8 TIMES FOR HIGH IDLE (1000 RPM) IN NEUTRAL, SES LIGHT ON, AND ENGINE COOLING FAN GOING ON. THE DEALER STOPPED ATTEMPTING TO FIX THE PROBLEM ON VISIT 6 (WHEN THEY LET MY CAR SIT AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 13 DAYS WITH 1 DIAGNOSIS ATTEMPT). ANOTHER DEALER HAS LOOKED AT THE CAR FOR THE LAST TWO VISITS. SATURN SAYS THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. YET I HAVE FOUND A SATURN SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. THE HIGH IDLE IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT AFFECTS MY SHIFTING. AN INDEPENDENT ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC HAS STATED THAT THE HIGH IDLE AND ENGINE FAN RUNNING WILL EVENTUALLY DAMAGE THE FAN, ENGINE MOUNTS AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER. OF COURSE, MY GAS MILEAGE IS COMPROMISED AS WELL AS MY SAFETY. THE SERVICE BULLETIN PERTAINS TO THE SES LIGHT, CODE P0171 FUEL TRIM SYSTEM LEAN. *AK

PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION EQUIPMENT ON 2003 SATURN VUE.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***.*MR THREE WEEKS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THE CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED OF A TRANSMISSION RELATED RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. FOUR MONTHS LATER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WITHOUT WARNING IN TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (VTI TRANSMISSION). THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THE VTI TRANSMISSION BUT INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE WITH A DIFFERENT TYPE OF TRANSMISSION THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY. THE STARTER AND REAR WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED. BOTH FUEL SENDERS FAILED RESULTING IN INACCURATE FUEL READINGS. THE LIFTGATE BECAME STUCK WHEN OPENED. *NM