New Saturn Vue Owner-Sort Of
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Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2025
Posts: 11
New Saturn Vue Owner-Sort Of
Hello everyone.
48 hours ago I purchased a 2005 Saturn Vue V6 AWD, and I am going to need lots of advice and assistance. Technically, this is my first Saturn, sort of. Let me explain…
I moved from central New York to Atlanta Georgia back in 2002. My parents stayed behind. At the time my mother wanted a new car. I am a “car guy” (was into turbo imports, still am) and recommended she get a new Saturn Vue AWD. All wheel drive for the wi terms, plastic body panels for rust prevention (this will come up later), and a friendly local dealership to help when she needed service. She purchased a Silver ‘02 Vue V6 AWD, and has been happy ever since.
Now move ahead to 2024. My mother, who is in her 80s now, still has the Vue, it has like 104k on it, pretty low miles and gentle use, mostly to go to and from the post office and grocery store. It has generally been trouble free, but this is where rust comes back into he picture. Six years ago she had to get a replacement engine cradle because it failed due to rust. Two years after that some component on the rear suspension snapped while she was driving, again, due to rust. It was fixed. Obviously the Saturn dealership is long gone but she had a local repair shop that she trusts. I’ve asked them “how much long will this thing last” every year, and they have assured me that everything is fine, everything is fixable. That was until July, when while it was at the shop for its yearly inspection they informed her this would be the last year where it would pass. Some component on the rear suspension is near shot and can not be fixed- since I’m 1000 miles away I can not see exactly what the issue is, but knowing this a 23 year old vehicle that has seen 23 nasty northern winters, I understand the situation.
Given her age and situation, I decided to try and find a replacement AWD Saturn Vue. She feels comfortable and knows how everything feels and works, this is the path we chose. After over a month of searching for a suitable candidate (and believe me, this was a real exhausting process). I found a ridiculous low-mile example at a dealership. It’s even the same color as hers. I made sure it has as little rust on the underside as possible. I road-tripped with my wife and got the Vue back here in Georgia. My plan it to fully clean it, do the timing belt, change all the fluids and fix anything it needs to have done. Drive it to New York, transfer it to her and rustproof the hell out of the underside, and pray it will last the rest of her life and be as trouble-free as possible.
The one main issue right now it is having, and this came up on the way home, is the automatic locks the trigger either when it’s in gear or at a certain speed will out of the blue trigger again and again like a kid hitting the button over and over.its very random, and before I try and fight pre this out I need a few days rest to clear my head.
Anyway, I know I’ll have a bunch of questions as this is the first time I’ve ever had to work on a Vue. Please be gentle! Are there any Saturn experts in the metro Atlanta area?
Reid
48 hours ago I purchased a 2005 Saturn Vue V6 AWD, and I am going to need lots of advice and assistance. Technically, this is my first Saturn, sort of. Let me explain…
I moved from central New York to Atlanta Georgia back in 2002. My parents stayed behind. At the time my mother wanted a new car. I am a “car guy” (was into turbo imports, still am) and recommended she get a new Saturn Vue AWD. All wheel drive for the wi terms, plastic body panels for rust prevention (this will come up later), and a friendly local dealership to help when she needed service. She purchased a Silver ‘02 Vue V6 AWD, and has been happy ever since.
Now move ahead to 2024. My mother, who is in her 80s now, still has the Vue, it has like 104k on it, pretty low miles and gentle use, mostly to go to and from the post office and grocery store. It has generally been trouble free, but this is where rust comes back into he picture. Six years ago she had to get a replacement engine cradle because it failed due to rust. Two years after that some component on the rear suspension snapped while she was driving, again, due to rust. It was fixed. Obviously the Saturn dealership is long gone but she had a local repair shop that she trusts. I’ve asked them “how much long will this thing last” every year, and they have assured me that everything is fine, everything is fixable. That was until July, when while it was at the shop for its yearly inspection they informed her this would be the last year where it would pass. Some component on the rear suspension is near shot and can not be fixed- since I’m 1000 miles away I can not see exactly what the issue is, but knowing this a 23 year old vehicle that has seen 23 nasty northern winters, I understand the situation.
Given her age and situation, I decided to try and find a replacement AWD Saturn Vue. She feels comfortable and knows how everything feels and works, this is the path we chose. After over a month of searching for a suitable candidate (and believe me, this was a real exhausting process). I found a ridiculous low-mile example at a dealership. It’s even the same color as hers. I made sure it has as little rust on the underside as possible. I road-tripped with my wife and got the Vue back here in Georgia. My plan it to fully clean it, do the timing belt, change all the fluids and fix anything it needs to have done. Drive it to New York, transfer it to her and rustproof the hell out of the underside, and pray it will last the rest of her life and be as trouble-free as possible.
The one main issue right now it is having, and this came up on the way home, is the automatic locks the trigger either when it’s in gear or at a certain speed will out of the blue trigger again and again like a kid hitting the button over and over.its very random, and before I try and fight pre this out I need a few days rest to clear my head.
Anyway, I know I’ll have a bunch of questions as this is the first time I’ve ever had to work on a Vue. Please be gentle! Are there any Saturn experts in the metro Atlanta area?
Reid
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 12,315
From: Slightly off center
Welcome.
If you haven't already, please start a separate thread for the issues with your vehicle in the VUE section of the forum.
Is this a 2002 VUE all wheel drive or a different year, say 2003 or 2004?
If you haven't already, please start a separate thread for the issues with your vehicle in the VUE section of the forum.
Is this a 2002 VUE all wheel drive or a different year, say 2003 or 2004?
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2025
Posts: 8
From: NW Ohio
New kid here.
I was at the local junkyard here in NW Ohio and saw a recent arrival, a 2007 Saturn Ion, 2.2, automatic.125,000 miles. It's rough, very neglected and abused, but I couldn't bear to see it crushed. I bought it and had it towed home.
Undercarriage has some rust, but I intend to fix that.
I'm looking forward to interacting with everyone here as I get my Ion road worthy.
SafariRob
I was at the local junkyard here in NW Ohio and saw a recent arrival, a 2007 Saturn Ion, 2.2, automatic.125,000 miles. It's rough, very neglected and abused, but I couldn't bear to see it crushed. I bought it and had it towed home.
Undercarriage has some rust, but I intend to fix that.
I'm looking forward to interacting with everyone here as I get my Ion road worthy.
SafariRob
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,544
From: Anniston, AL
Suprasonic, I'm not a mechanic, but have been working on my own cars for over 50 years. The locks locking and unlocking sounds like a BCM problem to me. I don't know where it's located on the Vue you purchased for your mom, as I've never even looked under the hood of a Vue. BUT someone here will know the location. Probably under the dash board. I'd try unplugging it and using some electrical contact cleaner on the plug and connector. Then, I'd plug it in and unplug it several times in order to "sweep" the connections. This MIGHT solve the issue or the BCM could need replacement which is not that common. Do this with the battery disconnected. Before reassembling the dash (if that's where it is), reconnect the battery and drive it for a while to see if it reoccurs.
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