Most common 2002 Saturn Vue problems
Share of the 167 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saturn Vue complaints by model year
Best Vue years: 2010, 2005, 2009. Years to avoid: 2003, 2008, 2007, 2006. Compare all years →
2002 Saturn Vue recalls (2)
Electrical system › Ignition
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 "Off" position.
Remedy: 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 charge.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: certain sport utility vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages." some vehicles were produced with rear outer seat belt shoulder guide anchor bolts that were incorrectly installed.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear shoulder guide anchor bolts. Owner notification began December 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2002 Saturn Vue:
Timing chain failure
On December 12, 2005, odi received a defect petition (dp05-008) requesting the investigation of timing chain failures that could cause stalling in Saturn vehicles equipped with the 2.2l (l61) engine. Odi opened pe06-006 on January 24, 2006, with 24 vehicle owner complaints that alleged a broken timing chain caused the vehicle to stop operating.on April 12, 2006, odi received information from general motors (GM)…
Rear suspension toe control link
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this preliminary evaluation to investigate allegations of rear suspension failure in the subject vehicles during certain severe driving maneuvers.the investigation was prompted by NHTSA-conducted ncap dynamic rollover test incidents involving my 2004 Saturn vue vehicles and one consumer complaint that alleged when recovering from a road edge departure, the left-rear…
What 2002 Saturn Vue owners say
Electrical system all 52 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Saturn Vue. After the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 14V490000 (electrical system), the key failed to release from the ignition switch and heard a clicking noise when removing the key. A couple of days later, the turn signals failed intermittently. In addition, the contact mentioned that smoke emitted from the top of the steering wheel on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer stated that the turn signal arm would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000. Ma 10/5 updated 10/8/15
I had several problems with my ignition switch since buying this vehicle as new, so the switch was replaced on dec 2008 at the dealership, which I paid for. I brought this vehicle to a GM dealer per the recall in 2015 and was told all is good, so I could claim reimbursement for the 2008 repair. To date, after filling in the required forms and submitting them to a local GM dealer, and corresponding with GM corporate, they refuse to reimburse me for the repair because they did not keep any Saturn maintenance records when the division was shuttered, even though corporate was the office that notified me of the exact date of the ignition switch repair so I could submit my credit card statement as proof. The last contact from corporate was 15 dec 2015 with no response from several messages left with their case manager, paula [phone], ext. 5913223).
Engine & cooling all 47 →
Loss of power and eventually just stopped running. Towed it home. Suspected timing chain. Took off valve cover and tc cover. Noticed that black plastic guide was broken in main pieces and must have been for some time, for chain wore into some bolts and cover. Chain looks brand new and no issues with it. Replaced all timing components (two sprockets, chain, guide, tension arm, tensioner, cam sprocket, etc)., but it would not start. Checked compression (0 psi at all cylinders), double checked timing and was correct. Roller rockers were loose when cam is not pressing on them, so suspect all valves are bent. Fix is to rebuild the "head". I presume that if the black plastic chain guide did not break, it would not have gotten out of time and bent valves. The recall should not be on the timing chain but the plastic guide that is used for the timing chain. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Saturn Vue. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal noise underneath the hood of the vehicle. The temperature warning indicator illuminated and the vehicle started to overheat. The contact stopped to check the engine and noticed that the anti-freeze contained oil. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 151,000.
Transmission & drivetrain all 24 →
Car rolled down drive way with kids in it. My findings were that in my 2002 Saturn Vue was in the acc position on the key the transmission safety that requires you to push the brake in order to shift is unlocked. I feel this could potentially be very dangerous lucky no injuries to my kids just the car. As far as I know there is no fix for this the dealer said there was no recall and no repair I could do.
While trying to stop by applying the brakes when approaching an intersection, the accelerator would not disengage and caused the vehicle to be unstoppable in that short distance. The transmission on this vehicle has had several problems of this type and has been reported on the internet and by other owners. The result was a collision that totaled the Saturn and another driver's Volvo.
2002 Saturn Vue engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.2L 4-cyl | CVT | FWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 20 / 26 / 22 |
| 2.2L 4-cyl | CVT | 4WD/AWD | 18 / 24 / 21 |
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 17 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Saturn Vue a good car?
Based on 167 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 Vue rates average: 36% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Vue at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2002 Saturn Vue?
The electrical system — 52 complaints, 31% of all complaints for this model year, most often about horn. Next are the engine & cooling (47) and transmission & drivetrain (24).
How many recalls does the 2002 Saturn Vue have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2002 Saturn Vue, the most recent from August 8, 2014 (ignition). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Saturn Vue?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2005 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2003, 2008, 2007 and 2006. See the full Saturn Vue years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Saturn Vue problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 27% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.