Problems · by component

2003 Saturn Vue suspension problems

48 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Saturn Vue cite suspension, 8% of all 632 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
48
8% of all complaints
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the suspension

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“BOTH OF MY REAR TIRES ARE LEANING IN AND LOOKS LIKE THE CAMBER BOLTS HAVE BROKEN OFF AND COULD REALLY CAUSE A BAD ACCIDENT EVEN DEATH IF I DIDN'T SEE IT. I TRAVEL 1800MI A WEEK AND JUST HAD A BLOW OUT BECAUSE TIRES WORE SO BAD AND THEY ARE ONLY A YEAR OLD.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 25, 2021SuspensionODI 11413751
“IN OCTOBER 2016 MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. AS HE TURNED A CORNER IN THE CITY HE HEARD A CRACK AND THE VEHICLE STEERED INTO A CURB. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO PEDESTRIANS NOR OTHER VEHICLES NEAR BY. HE WAS ABLE TO GINGERLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME (1 MILE). DURING A TEST DRIVE, IT WAS APPARENT THE VEHICLE HAD A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE WITH THE SUSPENSION. INVESTIGATION INDICATED ALL BALL JOINTS, SWAY BARS AND EQUIVALENT WERE IN GOOD CONDITION. AFTER TAKING IT INTO A SUSPENSION SHOP THEY ADVISED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT SUB FRAME RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING THE UNSTABLE STEERING. THEY NOTED THE PASSENGER SIDE IS ALMOST RUSTED THROUGH AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT ROAD WORTHY. LIKEWISE WITH THE AMOUNT OF RUST UNDER NEITHER REPLACING THE SUB FRAME WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. RESEARCHING THIS CONDITION ON THE INTERNET IT APPEARS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE IN CERTAIN REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. UP UNTIL THIS SUMMER I USED TO DRIVE THIS DOWN THE INTERSTATE DAILY. I'M THANKFUL I STOPPED AND LIKEWISE THAT MY SON WAS NOT ON AN OPEN ROAD. THE CONSUMERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS CONDITION AND ALL MECHANIC SHOPS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATING FOR THIS PREMATURE FRAME FAILURE. INJURY ACCIDENTS WILL BE A…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 14, 2016SuspensionODI 10925762
“MY VEHICLE IS UNDER SAFETY RECALL FOR IGNITION AND REAR LATERAL LINKS. I ORDERED PARTS AT CROPPER'S CHEVROLET IN NOGALES, AZ ON 12/29/2014. THE PARTS ARE STILL NOT IN DESPITE MY FOLLOW UP CALLS. I AM HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE IGNITION AND THE KEY GETS STUCK. THEY SAID GM IS NOT SENDING THEM THE PARTS IN A TIMELY MANNER. WHILE I WAS TYPING THIS, THE PARTS DEPARTMENT OF CROPPER'S CALLED BACK AND SAID THEY DO HAVE THE PARTS AND MY APPOINTMENT IS SCHEDULED FOR 8 AM ON 2/26/2015. AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU FINALLY START TO COMPLAIN. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 24, 2015Steering, SuspensionODI 10690255
“AS I WAS DRIVING MY AND IT CAR BEGAN TO PULL TO THE RIGHT AND THE TIRES BEGAN TO SQUEAL. IN MY MIND I THOUGHT I THOUGHT I NEEDED BETTER TIRES AND A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. AS I WAS DRIVING TO GET THE TIRES AND ALIGNMENT I HEARD A CRACKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR, THIS REALLY SCARED ME. AT THIS POINT THE PULL TO THE RIGHT WAS EVEN STRONGER. I ARRIVE TO A TIRE SHOP AND PUT TIRES ON THINKING THIS WOULD BE BETTER BUT IT WAS THE SAME SO I DROVE ACROSS THE STREET TO A MECHANIC TO GET A WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND THE MECHANIC CAME OUT AND WENT UNDERNEATH THE CAR WHEN HE CAME BACK UP HE STATED THAT "YOUR SUBFRAME AND CHASIS IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH, PARK IT IMMEDIATELY FOR SAFETY REASONS, IN HIS 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS A MECHANIC HE ONLY SAW HIS TWICE THE FIRST TIME WAS IN ANOTHER CAR THAT WAS RECALLED AND MINE THAT SHOULD BE ON RECALL WITH THE LEVEL OF DANGER, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I SEE YOU HAVE A BABY'S CAR SEAT IN YOUR BACKSEAT". HE ALSO SAID EVEN AN OLDER CAR SHOULD NOT HAVE A SUBFRAME CRACK LIKE THIS, AND THAT THE MOTOR CAN FALL OUT WHILE I'M DRIVING AND THE WHEELS WILL COLLAPSE. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO I CAN'T EVEN TRADE IT IN AND IT'S WORTH $5500 AND THE COST WOULD BE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 22, 2012Steering, Suspension, StructureODI 10476773
“2003 SATURN VUE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TRANSMISSION ISSUES *TGW IN MARCH OF 2004, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SATURN STATING THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH VTI TRANSMISSIONS AND IT WOULD REQUIRE REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT THAT TIME BY SATURN. HOWEVER, SINCE THEN THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES. GM INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY WOULD CHARGE HIM HALF FOR REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, THE LINK BUSHINGS WERE REPLACED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 11, 2012Suspension, Power trainODI 10474884
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, A BOLT BROKE OFF THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL CAUSING THE SUB FRAME TO CRACK AND THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM AND THE SUB FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 10, 2012Suspension, StructureODI 10474521

Showing 6 of 48 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 31, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.