Transmission complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I have only 68,329 miles. My transmission lost reverse. When first driving it will only go up to 10 mph and over time the maximum speed is 30 to 40 mph. Even if it gets to this speed it hesitates. The car is a danger and not drive able. I took the car to a GM dealer requesting a Policy Evaluation according to the Service Bulletin Warranty. The evaluation showed GM will not help me with any repairs or replacement of transmission. A car should not have a major component fail like a transmission especially with such low mileage. It is expected to have maintenance and repairs on a vehicle. What is not expected or normal servicing is transmission repair or replacement. It was estimated from the GM dealerships Policy Evaluation it will cost $5,500 to replace the transmission. My car is in great shape other than the transmission failure. …
While I am driving I have had intermittent incidents that cannot be replicated. "stabilitrak" warning light has not turned off. I have lost control of my vehicle while driving twice but was able to pull over after a few seconds. The vehicle will lose power to the dash. When I am turning the steering wheel gets very hard to turn and will turn off the radio. This will cause the car to loose power while driving. Then when I turn the car off I will be unable to get the key out or turn the vehicle on. I will have to restart the vehicle. I have replaced the battery twice and the alternator twice and this helped for 2 months then the problem persisted. I also replaced the wheel sensors to no avail. I have taken to 3 mechanics but they cannot replicate the issue. …
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that the transmission felt like it was slipping while driving at various speeds. The transmission failed to shift gears or lock into the desired gear. The contact had not taken the vehicle to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 22,000.
2008 Saturn vue AWD. Steering wheel is very difficult to turn while driving. There is a lot of resistance. No leaking fluid visible and no visible loss of fluid levels. Transmission was torn down/repaired in 2017 for metal bits present at 95,000 (approximate) miles. It is currently at 107,600 miles. Transmission gets stuck in lower gear and rpms Rev up without the vehicle gaining acceleration. The tear down/rebuild was due to bad 3 5 wave plate also and seems to be replicating the issue again. Check engine light comes on amd goes off intermittently and cannot get issue to replicate at the mechanics. Key has also gotten stuck in the barrel. Took almost 2 hours to try numerous ways to get it to release-also had to unlock manually on the door handle, none of the lights inside worked and when it was able to get started it was very slow and deliberate. …
I was driving on the highway, on the way to the beach with my family and our pup! We heard a pop and thought maybe it was the tire but the engine began smoking. I pulled the vehicle over as safely as possible. I popped the hood and there was a fire. Everyone evacuated the vehicle as quickly and safely as possible. I was the last to get out of the vehicle. Within minutes the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. We stood there and watched the only vehicle we have completely burn up. I cried and I watched my kids cry. What was supposed to be a beach day for us to distress and relax turned into us almost losing our lives on the highway. We are thankful for the state trooper, the fire department, and the paramedics who all arrived on scene and kept my family safe. Im thankful our lives weren't lost. However we still faced a life or death situation today.
I bought this 2007 Saturn Vue v6 AWD in July 2012 from brighton Ford, brighton mi noticed a slight vibration when test driving. Less than a week after I buy it the ac goes out, and the shuttering gets worse. Take it back to them to look at and get referred to a tire shop. Was told the ac coil had a huge leak, and was probably "topped off" at by the dealer and that there was some tire wear issues. Brighton Ford refused to fix anything. Drive it for about a year the shuttering gets worse and worse take it in to bud kouts Chevrolet, lansing, mi for a check engine light that came on, it was because of a miss fire in two of the cylinders. Told them about the shuttering, was told nothing was wrong. 28 days later I have a tire explode, told there was nothing wrong. Take it back after finding a huge hole in the shock absorber casing. …
The contact owns a 2006 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 35 MPH, the vehicle shuddered violently. The contact's daughter lost control of the vehicle and drove off the road before coming to a complete stop. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 89,973. The VIN was unavailable.
My car is very rusted out,underneath the body and no one will work on my car because they feel it's a hazard to drive and work on. I went to an iron works shop and mechanic said it's a common problem with Saturn Vue's,I took it back to where I bought it because they knew it before I bought it . All they wanted to do was put me ina sports car,my car is a hazard to drive it plus I have 1 more year to pay for it. Seems like something could be done about this
Related recalls (1)
Power train › Automatic transmission
GM is recalling 26 my 2008 Saturn vue vehicles equipped with a 6t70 6-speed automatic transmission. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the transmission case side bore that holds the park pawl pivot pin May have a casting porosity.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the transmission free of charge. The recall began on May 5, 2008. Owners May contact Saturn at 1-800-972-8876, or through their website at http://www.gmownercenter.com .
Frequently asked questions
Which Saturn Vue years have transmission problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (316), 2008 (120), 2004 (93), 2005 (30) and 2006 (26) model years. Transmission complaints make up 51% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Saturn Vue transmission problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 08V-200 (automatic transmission, May 5, 2008). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Saturn Vue transmission problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles; 32% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the automatic transmission (272 mentions), followed by the manual transmission (15).
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.