There are 289 stored owner reports matching the powertrain & transmission leading-label group for the 2003 Saturn Vue in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 50 of 289 matching reports. This is a limited sample of up to 50 reports, ordered by incident date when available, not the complete group. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)Knocking/grinding noise from under vehicle and shift problems. Taken to automotive service provider for diagnostic and they're evaluation revealed internal fail in the cvt vti transmission.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED IN THE FORWARD GEARS BUT, FAILED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
GM AFTER BANKRUPTCY: GM'S TRANSAXLE (CVT M75) IN THIS VEHICLE IS KNOWN BY ALL OWNERS TO FAIL. THIS UNIT FAILED TO PROVIDE FORWARD MOMENTUM AND LEFT THE VEHICLE STRANDED HIGH HEAVY TRAFFIC IN PORTLAND, OR YEAR APRIL 2019. MULTIPLE CALLS TO GM FOUND THAT SERVICE PROVIDERS COULDNT EVEN ID THE PROPER TRANS AXLE THAT GOES IN THIS VEHICLE SO WE COULD GET A REPLACEMENT. WE BELIEVE GM IS IN PROCESS OF A NEW "CLASS ACTION SUITE" TO REPAIR DAMAGES TO THE SECOND OWNERS. IS, THIS TRUE - LET US KNOW IF YOU KNOW - PLEASE THX. THIS TRANS AXLE WAS BUILT DAMAGED.
I STARTED MY VUE TO GO TO WORK AND IT SOUNDED NORMAL. AS I BACKED OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND PUT IT IN DRIVE IT WAS GOOD. AS I STARTED TO SPEED UP THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO OUT OF 1ST GEAR. I COULDN'T GET IT TO GO ANY FASTER THAN 20 MPH. HAD IT TESTED BY A MECHANIC ON 4 DIFFERENT MACHINES. NO CODES! MECHANIC SAID I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT OPERABLE AFTER IT WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AND REVERSE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS INTENDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000. *TT UPDATED 9/19/18*JB
SO I BOUGHT THIS CAR FROM SOMEONE ON CRAIGSLIST AND WAS TOLD THE CAR WAS IN GREAT SHAPE AND THE HISTORY REPORT MENTIONED A POSSIBLE TRANSMISSION ISSUES BUT I WAS ALSO TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED NOT TOO LONG AGO BY THE OWNER WHO HAD THE CAR BEFORE THE GUY I BOUGHT IT FROM. WELL AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS, THE SUBFRAME CRACKED WHICH WAS A $700 FIX AND TOOK ME MONTHS TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY AND MY CAR WAS NOT DRIVEABLE AT THE TIME. I GOT THE VUE FROM THE SHOP MAYBE 2 WEEKS AGO AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING. WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IT EITHER DOESN'T MOVE OR GIVES ME A LOT OF TROUBLE MOVING. WHEN I POP IT INTO DRIVE IT EITHER DOESN'T MOVE, GIVES ME TROUBLE MOVING, GOES INTO REVERSE, OR WILL MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND JERK AGGRESSIVELY BEFORE DRIVING. I TOOK THE CAR TO GET LOOKED AT AND WAS TOLD IT HAD ONE OF THE ORIGINAL CVT SATURN TRANSMISSIONS AND IT WILL NEED REPLACED. THE PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND AND COST MOST THAN THE CAR IS WORTH AND MORE THAN I EVEN PAID FOR THE CAR, ACCORDING TO THE MECHANICS I TOOK THE CAR TO. APPARENTLY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND EVEN CAUSED A LAWSUIT WITH SATURN AND GM. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE TYPE OF ENGINE SATURN USED, I DIDN'T KNOW IF I COULD GET IT REPLACED LIKE MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN THE LAWSUIT DID. I AM A BROKE AND STRUGGLING COLLEGE STUDENT AND OTHER THAN THE TRANSMISSION THIS CAR IS IN GREAT CONDITION. I AM WORRIED I WILL BE DRIVING TI ONE DAY AND THE CAR WILL STOP WORKING AND I'LL CRASH.
AIR BAGS LIGHT ON. SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T WORK. POWER STEERING HARD. GAVE OUT WHILE DRIVING AUTO LIGHT GONE. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT ON. GAS NEEDLE NOT WORKING. KEY COMES OUT WHEN CAR IS STARTED. RPM NOT WORKING
MARCH 11, 2010 THE TRANSMISSION IN MY VUE WAS NOT RUNNING PROPERLY. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO HAD DETERMINED THAT MY VUE FIT IN THE VIT TRANSMISSION "RECALL". A NEW ONE WAS INSTALLED FOR 50% OF THE REGULAR PRICE. MARCH 11, 2017, YES 7 YEARS TO THE DAY, MY TRANSMISSION BEGINS SLIPPING, SMOKE IS COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE IN EITHER DRIVE, REVERSE OR OVERDRIVE. THE CAR WAS ACTING LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. I DO BELIEVE A TRANSMISSION SHOULD LAST FOR MORE THAN 7 YEARS. FIRST TRANSMISION HAD 95605 MILES AND THIS ONE 108095 MILES ON IT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE STREET AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE ISSUE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
SATURN VUE 2003 HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. HAS STALLED DOING 80 MPH ON HWY HAS STALLED DOING 25-30 IN TOWN. SECURITY LIGHT COMES ON, POWER IS LOST TO ENGINE AND WHEN SECURITY LIGHT GOES OFF, THEN THE ENGINE WILL START AGAIN.
I WAS GOING DOWN THE ROAD STOP AT LIGHT IT WOULDNT MOVE FORWARD OR REVERSE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. WHILE EXITING A PARKING LOT, THE TRANSMISSION MADE A BUMPING NOISE AND FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, BUT FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
ENGINE HAS ONLY 52000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET OR HIGHWAY THE CAR LOSES POWER AND WILL NOT GO ANY FURTHER.
HELLO, I AM PROUD OWNER OF A 2003 SATURN VUE AND AM THE 2ND ORIGINAL OWNER. THIS PAST SEPTEMBER WHEN I WAS DOING SOME WORK IN THE YARD I HAD MY VUE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY.. NEXT THING I KNOW IS THAT IS POPPED OUT OF GEAR(PARKING BRAKE CABLE HAD BROKEN PRIOR TO THIS) AND IT TOOK A "MINOR" SHOT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. SCRATCHING THE FENDER, TURN LIGHTS, AND BUMPER COVER. THE IGNITION HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE WEIRD SINCE I PURCHASED IT HOWEVER, IT MAKE MORE SENSE KNOW. UNTIL I GET IT FIXED I ALWAYS KEEP IT IN REVERSE AND NOW HAD THE PARKING BRAKE FIXED. I WOULD ASK GM TO LOOK AT, REPAIR MY IGNITION, AS WELL AS FIXING THE FRONT OF THE CAR. IT WAS ONLY GOING A FEW MILES AN HR BUT THIS I ALWAYS TOOK GREAT CARE OF IT AND NOW IT AS THAT BUMP ON THE FRONT. I WILL BE MAKING AN APPOINTMENT AT THE CLOSEST GM DEALER TO ME (WHICH HAPPENS TO BE ALMOST 20MILES AWAY) TO HAVE THAT IGNITION THING FIXED ASAP. THANKS FOR YOUR UNDERSTAND AND I LOOK FORWARD TO DOING BUSINESS WITH GM IN THE FUTURE. THANK YOU. -[XXX] IN PA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I WAS DRIVING HOME GOING 35-45 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HAD NO POWER. MANAGED TO SAFELY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. TRIED TO TURN CAR BACK ON, PUT INTO GEAR AND NOTHING HAPPENED. HAD CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC AND THE SAID I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. UNFORTUNATELY HE DIDN'T KNOW I HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE ( A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO) AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN REBUILT. I PUT ON LESS THEN 20000 MILES ON IT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR
2003 SATURN VUE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION AND KEY PROBLEMS. *SMD
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEARS FAILED TO SHIFT INTO PLACE PROPERLY. ALSO, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE AIR BAG COMPONENTS WERE WORKING UP TO STANDARDS AND WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE RELATED TO THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PAM
I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT AND WOULD NOT GO. I HAD TO PULL OVER AND TOW MY CAR FROM THE FREEWAY TO MY HOUSE. *TR
I BOUGHT A 2003 SATURN VUE FROM AUTO DEALS LOCATED IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS LATER THE CAR BEGIN JERKING AND PULLING. I HAD MY SIX YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IN THE VEHICLE. I NOTIFIED THE ESTABLISHMENT ON MAY 7-9 WITHOUT A RETURN CALL. I BROUGHT MY CAR IN ON 5/12/2014 AND HAD THE OWNER TEST DRIVE IT. HE FELT THE JERKING AND PULLING. I STATED I FELT UNSAFE TO DRIVE IT. THE DEALERSHIP TOOK MY VEHICLE AND I HAVE NOT SEEN IT SINCE 5/12/2014. I HAD TO FIND MY VEHICLE AT JERRY'S CHEVROLET WHO GAVE ME AN INVOICE FOR ALMOST $7000 FOR THE TRANSMISSION HAVING TO BE REPLACED. I HAD THE CAR LESS THAN A MONTH. I CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE THIS. I WOULD LIKE SOME HELP! I AM OUT OF MY MONEY AND A VEHICLE. NOONE IS WILLING TO SPEAK WITH ME. IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE! *TR
Showing 1-20 of 50 loaded 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.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.