repaired · 2016 Q1
Electrical system: ignition
Risk. If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if…
2003 Saturn VUEProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 622 owner complaints about the 2003 Saturn VUE, most often about the power train. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 14V-490 the manufacturer reports only 27% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 2, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Greg Gjerdingen from Willmar, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2003 Saturn VUE has problems
622 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
316Power train7 crash/fire/injury
124Electrical system8 crash/fire/injury
62Engine and engine cooling2 crash/fire/injury
48Suspension
45Steering
41Air bags
29Engine
23Structure
21Vehicle speed control
13117 other systems10 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 316 | 7 |
| Electrical system | 124 | 8 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 62 | 2 |
| Suspension | 48 | 7 |
| Steering | 45 | 4 |
| Air bags | 41 | 14 |
| Engine | 29 | 1 |
| Structure | 23 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 21 | 2 |
| 17 other systems | 131 | 10 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2003 Saturn VUE recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Saturn.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
75kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 260 power train complaints. 74% were reported before 100,000 miles.
67under 30k miles193under 100k miles67100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
30 owners mentioned a cost$4,975median
Middle half: $2,725 – $5,900
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2003 vs. every other VUE year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the VUE median. How we score
'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2003 Saturn VUE safety ratings
2003 Saturn VUE 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (0.0% risk)
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2003 Saturn VUE, and the recalls they led to.
- REAR SUSPENSION TOE CONTROL LINKNo recall
- TIMING CHAIN FAILURENo recall
In owners' words
What VUE owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
This is more information related to Complaint 11761129: After online researching of other '03 2.2L Saturn Vue-owners stalling experiences, it appears that this vehicle has a long history of others like me: an unsafe, unpredictable stalling problem which carries no warnings or logging of error codes…
Car stalled while driving in traffic XXX. Engine died. Warning lights ON. Restarted. Stalled 3 more times in traffic but luckily had space to pull off & engine restarted. Made it into my garage. Restarted, Check Engine Light was ON, but went OFF after time. Car would NOT move in gear. Retried…
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…
Own a 2003 VUE?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.