2002 Saturn Vue problems
NHTSA has received 220 complaints about the 2002 Saturn Vue, and 24% of them involve electrical system. After that come engine (22%) and steering (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 220 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 24% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 15 and 6
- Injuries and deaths
- 8 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 79,000 miles 175 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 27 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 10 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 24 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 27 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 19 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 37 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 14 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 10 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 4 |
What the data shows
Among the 175 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 79,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 86,000 miles (46 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 15 complaints mention a crash; 6 complaints mention a fire; 8 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2002 ranks 6th most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Saturn Vue with enough data (96 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
My 16 year old son was driving. My 13 year old daughter was his passenger. He was driving a 2002 saturn vue. He hit a tree, dead-on, going 40 MPH. The airbags did not deploy. Firefighters, police, ambulance folks, body shop rep: they all said the same thing and look at me with amazement that this happened (or didn't happen). I bought the car with the impression it was equipped with working airbags.
While trying to stop by applying the brakes when approaching an intersection, the accelerator would not disengage and caused the vehicle to be unstoppable in that short distance. The transmission on this vehicle has had several problems of this type and has been reported on the internet and by other owners. The result was a collision that totaled the saturn and another driver's volvo. *nlm
I wrecked a saturn vue going 55 miles an hour when the car began to sway then slding to the left hitting a ditch going airborn rolling over severl times hitting the mountain with the drivers side and ended on the driver side. The rear tire broke off the bent under the car.
While driving down street engine stopped. Repair shop said that timing chain broke and it should have not happened on car. I checked on recalls and there were recalls on this problem for 2001 engines! This is unacceptable that this problem was not resolved! GM should be responsible for this failure! Almost $3000 later my car will be fixed! Please help?
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…