Problems · NHTSA complaints
2005 Saturn Relay problems
Owners filed 91 complaints about the 2005 Saturn Relay with NHTSA between Mar 2005 and Jul 2018. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (26).
Complaints
91
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Service brakes, hydraulic26
- Electrical system24
- Structure10
- Service brakes9
- Latches/locks/linkages9
- Exterior lighting7
- Traction control system5
- Service brakes, electric5
- Electronic stability control (esc)4
- Fuel system, gasoline4
- Suspension4
- Power train4
- Steering3
- Tires3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
5
15
12
9
12
8
6
4
3
7
7
1
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2005 | 5 |
| 2006 | 15 |
| 2007 | 12 |
| 2008 | 9 |
| 2009 | 12 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 6 |
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Service brakes, hydraulic
26 reports1 crash
“12/19/2011 WIFE WAS DRIVING CAR ON 4 LANE HIGHWAY WHEN BRAKES ENGAGED FOR NO REASON. FOOT WAS NOT EVEN ON THE PEDAL. VAN LURCHED, TIRES SQUEALED, DRASTICALLY REDUCED SPEED DOWN TO 20 MPH, AND CAR PULLED TO THE RIGHT. SHE PULLED OFF ONTO SHOULDER OF ROAD. T/C LIGHT CAME ON. VAN DROVE NORMALLY AFTER THAT UNTIL 1/5/12 WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME IT HAPPENED AT A LOWER SPEED, WHILE SLOWING TO TURN LEFT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. MADE CAR SKID AND SHE ALMOST MISSED THE TURN. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON 1/6/11 WHILE TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT. SAME SYMPTOMS, THIS TIME CAR PULLED TO LEFT. I INSPECTED VEHICLE TO FIND THAT RIGHT REAR BRAKE CALIPER WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. THOUGHT THAT WOULD SOLVE PROBLEM, HOWEVER, IT WAS AN UNRELATED ISSUE. HAPPENED 5 TIMES ON 1/10/11, ONCE AGAIN ON 1/11/11 AT 60 MPH, AND ON 1/12/11 AT A LOWER SPEED. DIAGNOSIS BY A GM CERTIFIED MECHANIC DETERMINED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE EBCM. CURRENTLY THE FUSE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE ABS AND ABS PUMP TO PREVENT THIS VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. SWITCH IN CAR TO DEACTIVATE TRACTION CONTROL WAS NOT STOPPING IT FROM MALFUNCTIONING. MY WIFE AND KIDS USE THIS CAR, AND I WAS VERY WORRIED…”
Electrical system
24 reports1 fire
“EXACT SAME ISSUE AS DESCRIBED IN APRIL 2014 GM RECALL 14063. SUDDEN LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER WHILE DRIVING CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SHUT OFF. UNPREDICTABLE VERY DANGEROUS. SEEMS TO BE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OTHER SATURNS ARE LISTED IN THE 2014 RECALL BUT MINE IS NOT. IT SHOULD BE LISTED.”
Structure
10 reports
“ELECTRIC SLIDING DOOR WILL OPEN BY ITSELF ON MY 2005 SATURN RELAY. HAVE TO DISABLE DOOR TO BE SURE IT DOES NOT OPEN WHILE DRIVING, BUT WILL ENABLE ITSELF AND START OPENING BY ITSELF AGAIN. AS SATURN IS OUT OF BUSINESS, DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO TURN. *TR”
Service brakes
9 reports1 crash
“THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (TCS) WARNING LIGHT CONTINUE TO LIGHT UP AND STAYS ON I HAVE SEEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON VARIOUS CHAT SESSIONS.”
Latches/locks/linkages
9 reports
“PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR CHIMED AND REOPENED WITHOUT BEING OBSTRUCTED. RELAY WAS ORIGINALLY PURCHASED IN 2005 AND PROBLEMS WITH DOORS BEGAN WITHIN ONE YEAR. INITIALLY REPAIR WAS DENIED AS DEALER "COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM." THE SENSORS HAVE BEEN SERVICED 3 TIMES BY DEALER, AND MOTORS WERE REPLACED ONCE WHILE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THIS PROBLEM IS CONCERNING AS MANUFACTURER AND DEALERS ARE AWARE OF ISSUE, AND REPORTS ON SATURN FORUM AND EDMUNDS.COM HAVE NUMEROUS OWNERS EXPERIENCING FAILURE OF DOORS. DOORS HAVE OPENED WHILE CAR IS IN GEAR, BUT STOPPED. CONCERNED THAT DOORS WILL OPEN WHILE CAR IS MOVING AND CHILDREN WILL BE EJECTED OR INJURED BY DEBRIS ENTERING VEHICLE. *TR”
Exterior lighting
7 reports
“WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT I HAVE TO TURN MY HEADLIGHTS OFF TO USE MY TURN SIGNALS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE 2005 SATURN RELAY WILL NOT WORK UNLESS THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED OFF. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS...YET. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.