NHTSA vehicle safety data

2005 Saturn Vue Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2005 Saturn Vue has no NHTSA recall campaigns and 170 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Saturn dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2005 Saturn Vue, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

Pre-purchase inspection checklist → Reliability & 5-year cost forecast →

2005 Saturn Vue owner complaints

Owners have filed 170 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Saturn Vue, describing incidents dated December 1, 2004 to July 15, 2026.

Most-cited components

Electrical System 72 complaints
Power Train 30 complaints
Steering 20 complaints
Engine 17 complaints
Air Bags 15 complaints
Unknown or Other 13 complaints

Of the 170 complaints on file, 15 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 170 complaints, owners report 15 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11751633 · Filed July 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2005 Saturn VUE. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ignition key fell out of the ignition switch and the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the key failed to fit back in the ignition switch. The contact turned off the vehicle. The…
ODI #11521041 · Filed May 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2005 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that while stopped in traffic, a vehicle began doing donuts in the intersection, causing a multi-car accident and crashing into her vehicle. The air bags had failed to deploy. The contact sustained back and knee injuries, and both her son and…
ODI #11405745 · Filed March 31, 2021
THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE SATURN VIEWS IT IS WHERE THE ENGINE CARRIAGE BOLT ATTACHES TO THE FRAME THE WATER FROM THE ROAD IN EVERYTHING SHOOTS RIGHT UP ON IT AND RUST THIS AREA WHERE I HAD TO WORK ON THIS AREA AND REMOVE THE BOLTS IN THE FRONT THERE WAS SO MUCH RUST THAT NOW THE BOLT CANNOT…

Read all 170 complaints

Owner-reported

2005 Saturn Vue mileage at failure

135 of the 170 complaints on file for the 2005 Saturn Vue give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Electrical System	Median 80,000 miles	Middle half 60,000–105,000 miles	Based on 60 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 2005 Saturn Vue as of November 3, 2026. New recalls can be issued at any time, so check the specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before buying.

2005 Saturn VUE 4-DR.

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

21% rollover risk

Safety Technology

170 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2005 Saturn Vue.

Electrical System

ODI #11751633

Incident: July 15, 2026 · Filed: July 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2005 Saturn VUE. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ignition key fell out of the ignition switch and the steering wheel seized. The contact stated that the key failed to fit back in the ignition switch. The contact turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the parts were discontinued. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.

Air Bags

ODI #11521041

Crash 3 injuries

Incident: May 5, 2023 · Filed: May 8, 2023

The contact owns a 2005 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that while stopped in traffic, a vehicle began doing donuts in the intersection, causing a multi-car accident and crashing into her vehicle. The air bags had failed to deploy. The contact sustained back and knee injuries, and both her son and grandson had body pain. A police report was available. The vehicle had not been taken to an independent mechanic or a local dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.

Structure

ODI #11405745

Incident: January 10, 2020 · Filed: March 31, 2021

THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THESE SATURN VIEWS IT IS WHERE THE ENGINE CARRIAGE BOLT ATTACHES TO THE FRAME THE WATER FROM THE ROAD IN EVERYTHING SHOOTS RIGHT UP ON IT AND RUST THIS AREA WHERE I HAD TO WORK ON THIS AREA AND REMOVE THE BOLTS IN THE FRONT THERE WAS SO MUCH RUST THAT NOW THE BOLT CANNOT BE REATTACHED THIS WOULD CAUSE PROBLEMS ON THE ROAD IF IN A WRECK IT WOULD FOLD UP NOW I'M TRYING TO FIND SOMEBODY TO FIX IT. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE WITH ANY OF THE CARS I HAVE PREVIOUSLY WORKED ON. THE FRAME OF A CAR SHOULD NOT RUST OUT LIKE THIS. SHOULD B THE LAST THING TO RUST OUT.THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AT THE TIME WAS REPLACING SWAY BAR COMPONENTS.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11385259

Incident: December 28, 2020 · Filed: December 28, 2020

THE FRAME TO SUBFRAME AREAS THAT HOLDS UP MOTOR AND TRANSMISSION RUSTED AND BROKE LOOSE. AS I WENT OVER A LARGE BUMP ON A CITY STREET THE WHOLE SUBFRAME SEPARATED. I WAS ON A BUY HERE PAY HERE LOAN FROM TNT MOTORS IN OREGON ILLINOIS. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THEM AND I'M WORRIED THEY WILL TRY TO PUT IT BACK ON THE ROAD

Structure

ODI #11341601

Incident: March 17, 2020 · Filed: July 27, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SHAMROCK AUTO BROKERS, LLC (322 B NH-104, NEW HAMPTON, NH 03256, (603) 548-3165) TO GET THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE FAILED THE STATE INSPECTION. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE PERFORATIONS ON THE SUBFRAME DUE TO RUST. GREENWOOD AUTO (6 FARRARVILLE RD, BELMONT, NH 03220, (603) 528-0158) WAS CONTACTED HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,540.

Steering; Unknown or Other

ODI #11323779

Incident: May 7, 2020 · Filed: May 7, 2020

I WAS SITTING IN DRIVER SEAT AND I OUT MY KEY IN IGNITION AND TURNED IT TO 1 PAST THE ACC AND I WAS ABLE TO TAKE MY KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION WHILE IT STILL BEING TURN TO 1. WHILE IN PARK. I CAN ALSO TAKE MY KEY OUT OF IGNITION WHILE IT'S RUNNING WHILE IN DRIVE OR PARK ON THE 1 MARK AFTER ACC. *TR

Power Train

ODI #11322715

Incident: April 1, 2020 · Filed: April 29, 2020

WHEN TRAVELING AT 65 MILES AN HOUR ON THE FREEWAY FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP WHETHER IT'S IN TRAFFIC OR GETTING OFF THE FREEWAY THE CAR SUDDENLY JERKS VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH AND CLUNKING SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS SLIPPING THE CAR WILL ALL OF A SUDDEN JUST DIED AND STOP RUNNING.BY PUTTING THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL THE CAR WILL COME TO A STOP THE JERKING OF THE TRANSMISSION RELEASING THE GEARS

Air Bags

ODI #11254532

Crash 3 injuries

Incident: August 20, 2019 · Filed: September 10, 2019

TAKATA RECALL MY FAMILY AND I WERE IN A ROLL OVER ACCIDENT ON AUGUST 20TH 2019 OUR AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT IMPACT. WE WERE IN MOTION GOING 60MPH ON COURNTY ROAD 799 GOING TOWARDS GEORGE WEST TX WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS HEADED TOWARDS A COVERT AND JERKED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT TO AVOID THE DITCH BUT THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED BACK TO THE RIGHT SENDING US ON THE 2 SIDE PASSENGER WHEELS AND THEN ROLLING OVER 3 TIMES I BLACKED OUT AND WHEN WE STOPPED THE AIR BAGS STILL DIDNT DEPLOY.

Electrical System

ODI #11246247

Incident: August 17, 2019 · Filed: August 24, 2019

THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHEN THE IGNITION IS NOT IN THE "OFF" POSITION. THERE WAS A RECALL (#14V490000 ON 08/08/2014) FOR 2002-2004 SATURN VUE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED SEPTEMBER 11, 2001, TO APRIL 6, 2004, HOWEVER, I HAVE A 2005 SATURN VUE THAT HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND THERE IS NO RECALL OR REMEDY AVAILABLE.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11219145

Incident: June 7, 2019 · Filed: June 10, 2019

THE KEY WILL NOT TURN IN THE IGNITION EVEN AFTER JIGGLING THE STEERING WHEEL AND FLIPPING THE KEY BACK AND FORTH. WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD YOUR ARE ABLE TO PULL THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND CONTINUE DRIVING

Other Saturn Vue model years

Check your 2005 Saturn Vue VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Saturn Vue at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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