2004 Saturn Vue Problems, Recalls & Reliability
360 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Saturn Vue, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 48/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 87,500 miles.
Below average
Where 2004 sits among all Vue years
What owners report
“When driving at an high speed of 65-70 on freeway through mountain territory, speed drops and acceleration is hard to get back up to speed limit. Also car start shaking while accelerating.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Vue
“The ignition recall has been completed and now it's doing the same thing where the key can be pulled out in the running position.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Vue
“In the past year, i have already had to repair the rear suspension twice, the front suspension, my back seat latch, and my rotors. My vue is the worst vehicle i have ever purchased. When driving in any bad weather i have no traction and slip all over the road.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Vue
“Tamara recall i got a recall in the mail for my 2004 saturn vue for the ignition i've called the dealership where i got it and they said they knew about it but did not tell me when i bought it. And said i have to take car of it myself.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 Vue
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 296 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 85,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 45,000 and 124,072 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2002-2004 Saturn Vue vehicles manufactured September 11, 2001, to April 6, 2004. In the affected vehicles, it may be possible for the key to be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the…
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle to see if the key can be pulled out when the ignition is off. If it can, dealers will replace the ignition cylinder and keys, free of…
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.5L V6 (L66) ENGINES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS." THE FRONT AND REAR WHEEL RIM SIZE…
Fix: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECTED LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON DECEMBER 15, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SATURN AT 1-800-553-6000.
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
478 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2004 Saturn Vue. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Saturn Vue reliable?
The 2004 Saturn Vue drew 360 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 48/100, scored against the model's worst year (2003).
What are the most common 2004 Saturn Vue problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Saturn Vue are transmission & drivetrain (93 complaints), electrical (91), and suspension (34).
At what mileage do 2004 Saturn Vue problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Saturn Vue problems around 85,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 45,000 and 124,072 miles.
Does the 2004 Saturn Vue have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 Saturn Vue. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.