Saturn Relay Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

ON MAY 1, 2009 THE DRIVERS SIDE SLIDING DOOR FELL OFF MY 2007 SATURN RELAY. IT WAS IMMEDIATELY TAKEN TO OUR LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP AND TO THIS DAY HAS YET TO BE FIXED. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT NONE OF OUR 5 CHILDREN WERE HURT BUT THEY WERE TRAUMATIZED BY THIS INCIDENT AND ARE AFRAID TO RIDE BY ANY SLIDING VAN DOOR. NOT ONLY HAS THIS HAPPENED BUT BACK IN FEBRUARY WE HAD A INCIDENT WHERE THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE FOR NO REASON. I DO NOT FEEL THAT SATURN/GM IS TAKING THE APPROPRIATE STEPS TO INSURE THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE SAFE TO DRIVE OR SAFE FOR PASSENGERS. THE DEALERSHIP ACTUALLY TOLD MY HUSBAND TODAY THAT WE COULD NO LONGER HAVE RENTAL AND MUST DRIVE OUR VAN EVEN THOUGH IT IS NOT FIXED. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY VIOLATION I HAVE A SET OF TWINS AND A SET OF TRIPLETS EVERY SEAT IN MY VAN IS OCCUPIED SO I CAN NOT JUST PUT SOMEONE IN A DIFFERENT SEAT TO AVOID A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR FALLING OFF. I REALIZE THAT GETTING PARTS IS SLOW BECAUSE OF THE CUT BACKS BUT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PUT MY FAMILIES LIFE IN DANGER BECAUSE A AUTO MAKER CAN NOT PRODUCE THE PARTS TO FIX THE VEHICLES THEY MAKE. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST ISSUE WE HAVE HAD WITH THIS VAN, BACK IN JANUARY 2009 IT WAS IN THE SHOP FOR A PROBLEM WITH HE STEERING COLUMN. APPARENTLY THE STEERING COLUMN HAD A BREAK IN IT AND WE ARE LUCKY THE STEERING DID NOT GO OUT ON THE VAN. THIS VAN IS BEGINNING TO LOOK MORE AND MORE LIKE A LEMON EVERY DAY. *TR

I OWN A 2007 SATURN RELAY. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEM WITH THE REAR SLIDING DOORS. I BOUGHT IN APRIL OF 2007. IT WAS USED. THE PASSENGER DOOR STARTED OPENING WHEN I WAS DRIVING. ONE NIGHT WHEN I STOPPED TO GET GAS A PASSENGER GOT OUT AND THE DOOR FELL OFF. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY THEY ALSO HAD TO PAINT PASSENGER SIDE. A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE DRIVERS SIDE STARTED OPENING UP WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IT OPENED UP AND I HAD TO PULL OVER AND THE DOOR FELL OFF WHILE I WAS TRYING TO CLOSE IT ON A BUSY HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. THEY REPAIRED EVEN THOUGH NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE OF MILEAGE. NOW MY PASSENGER SIDE DOOR IS OPENING AGAIN AND THE DEALERSHIP IS REPAIRING AGAIN AT NO CHARGE. THIS CAR SCARES ME. I HAVE 4-6 KIDS IN MY CAR AT ANY GIVEN TIME. IS IT GOING TO TAKE ONE OF THEM FALLING OUT WHEN THIS DOOR OPENS TO GET ANYONE TO SAY HEY WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING. I AM CONSULTING A LAWYER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN RELAY. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAYED INACCURATE READINGS. THE GAUGE SHOWED 1/4 TANK OF GAS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ACTUALLY EMPTY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS, BUT THE FAILURE ALWAYS RECURS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 11,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. UPDATED 11-25-08 *BF UPDATED 11/26/08. *JB

I OWN A 2007 SATURN RELAY 3 MINIVAN. THE VAN HAS DUAL POWER ASSISTED REAR SLIDING CARGO DOORS. DURING MY FAMILY'S EVACUATION FOR HURRICANE GUSTAV THE PASSENGER SIDE POWER ASSISTED SLIDING CARGO DOOR DID NOT CLOSE PROPERLY (DID NOT LATCH). I ELECTRICALLY RE-CLOSED THE DOOR AND LOCKED THE VEHICLE. DURING THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 1ST THROUGH SEPTEMBER 7TH THE SAME DOOR WOULD NOT CLOSE PROPERLY, UNLATCHED WHEN THE FORWARD DRIVER OR PASSENGER DOOR WAS CLOSED AFTER ENTERING, AND UNLATCHED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE I-10 PASSING THROUGH THE MOBILE BAY TUNNEL. AFTER EXITING TO FIND A SAFE PLACE TO "RE-CLOSE" THE SLIDING DOOR I STOPPED & TRIED TO PUSH ON THE REAR EDGE TO SHUT THE DOOR. INSTEAD OF CLOSING THE DOOR OPENED COMPLETELY BY ITSELF (POWER ASSISTED). THE SLIDING DOOR HAS NOT OPENED ENTIRELY WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION, BUT REGULARLY UNLATCHED. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE DOOR IS LOCKED OR CONSOLE SLIDING DOOR SWITCHES TURNED OFF. THE PASSENGER SLIDING DOOR HAS UNLATCHED WITH THE CAR STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, DRIVING AND HITTING A BUMP, AND DRIVING AND TURNING A CORNER. THE PROBLEM ONLY EXIST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR. THE DRIVER SIDE POWER ASSISTED SLIDING DOOR CONTINUES TO WORK CORRECTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SATURN OF NEW ORLEANS WESTBANK WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED FOR INVESTIGATION AND REPAIR ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2008 UNDER A WARRANTY CLAIM (I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PLAN WITH THE VEHICLE). THE VEHICLE REMAINS THERE AFTER ONE DAY. I HAVE ALSO OPENED A COMPLAINT FILE WITH SATURN CORP, FILE NUMBER 71-663259600. SATURN HAS CALLED ME TO SAY THEY ARE WORKING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE REPRESENTATIVE'S NAME IS LINDSEY, PHONE 866-290-5700, EXT. 21622. TO MY AMAZEMENT THE SATURN DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD MY WIFE "IT'S ONLY AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM". OUR RATHER IMPOLITE REPLY WAS THAT ANSWER IS UNACCEPTABLE CONSIDERING OUR SON OWNS A 2006 RELAY 2 WITH EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPAIR THIS LATENT DEFECT AFTER THREE TRIES. *TR

I WENT TO GET MY 2 YEAR OLD OUT OF THE VAN AND THE WHOLE DOOR FELL OFF JUST MISSING MY FEET. *TR UPDATED 09/09/08. *JB

STARTER SOMETIMES ENGAGES, SOMETIMES DOESN'T ENGAGE, SOMETIMES STAYS ENGAGED. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP FEW TIMES AND WAS FINALLY TOLD THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. *TR

SERVICE ABS AND SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON AND HAVE REMAINED ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS. FURTHER MESSAGES CONTINUE FLASHING ON THE DRIVER INFORMATION CENTER. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM OVER THE PAST YEAR AFTER ABS WHEEL SENSORS AND THE ASSOCIATED WIRING WERE REPLACED. WITH THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET - I WAS THINKING THAT SURELY A TSB OR RECALL ON THESE ISSUES HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED OR SIMPLY IGNORED BY THE MECHANICS AND SERVICE WRITERS AT THE GM DEALERSHIPS NATIONWIDE. I KNOW THAT A TECH LL SCANNER IS REQUIRED TO CHECK FOR ANY TROUBLE CODES FOR THESE VERY COMPLEX SYSTEMS, BUT WHAT IS THE KNOWN DEFINITIVE FIX FOR THESE POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROBLEMS ? THE LIGHTS AND MESSAGES BEGAN APPEARING AFTER MODERATE BRAKING AND WHILE VEHICLE IS/WAS IN MOTION OR STATIONARY WHILE TURNING OR ON A STRAIGHT AHEAD STRETCH OF ROADWAY. VARIED ROAD CONDITIONS AND WET OR DRY WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE SEEMINGLY NOT CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

ATTEMPTED LOW/MODERATE ACCELERATION FROM STOP; TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO SLIP WITH ENGINE RPM INCREASING BUT NO TRANSFER OF POWER BEYOND ABOUT INITIAL HALF-FOOT OF FORWARD MOTION, THEN HARD SHIFTED INTO GEAR (LURCHED THE VEHICLE) AND ACCELERATED RAPIDLY. THIS EVENT WAS INITIALLY INTERMITTENT AND NOT ABLE TO BE REPRODUCED BY MECHANIC. IT HAS NOW BECOME FREQUENT AND AFFECTS SHIFTING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS WELL AS FROM STOP, MAKING CONTROL OF ACCELERATION UNPREDICTABLE IS HARD SHIFTING THROUGH MOST GEARS WHEN THIS IS OCCURRING, ALTHOUGH AT OTHER TIMES IT SHIFTS VERY SMOOTHLY THROUGHOUT, MAKING IT MORE DIFFICULT TO REPRODUCE FOR MECHANIC. *TR

AFTER STARTING VEHICLE, WITH FOOT ON BRAKE, GEAR SELECTION LEVER WOULD NOT MOVE FROM PARK AND PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT DISENGAGE AS RESULT. SHUT DOWN ENGINE, RESTARTED WITH SAME RESULT. AFTER SEVERAL MORE ATTEMPTS TO MOVE THE SHIFT LEVER, IT FINALLY RELEASED FROM PARK BUT HAD DIFFICULTY MOVING DIRECTLY INTO REVERSE GEAR - IT HAD TO BE "ROWED" THRU ALL GEARS TO SETTLE TO REVERSE, AND THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SEEM TO ENGAGE IN REVERSE INITIALLY. WHEN IT DID ENGAGE REVERSE GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION "JUMPED," LURCHING THE CAR (THE PARKING BRAKE HAD DISENGAGED WHEN GEAR SELECTION LEVER FINALLY MOVED FROM PARK). THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM, AND SEEMS TO SOMETIMES COINCIDE WITH OTHER DRIVETRAIN ISSUE PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED. *TR

NOTED THAT DRIVING LIGHTS FLASHED WITH WIPERS ON DELAY SETTING. AT NEXT USE, LOW OIL PRESSURE LIGHT & WARNING SOUNDED BUT LIGHTS DID NOT FLASH WITH DELAY WIPERS. TURNING OFF ENGINE AND PULLING HOOD LATCH & CLOSING HOOD ENDED LOW PRESSURE WARNING (OIL PRESSURE/ LEVEL WERE CORRECT-FALSE ALARM). 2 DAYS LATER, LIGHTS AGAIN FLASHED WITH WIPERS ON DELAY BUT NO OIL PRESSURE WARNING. CONTINUED THIS BACK-AND-FORTH (EITHER OIL WARNING OR LIGHT FLASH WITH WIPER USE, BUT NOT CONCOMITANT) FOR 2 MONTHS, THEN LOW PRESSURE WARNINGS BECAME CONSTANT, AND THE LIGHTS NO LONGER FLASHED WITH THE WIPERS AT ALL.THE LOW OIL PRESSURE WARNING CAN OFTEN BE STOPPED BY EITHER TURNING OFF ENGINE AND CAREFULLY RESTARTING OR PULLING HOOD LATCH AND SLAMMING HOOD. SHIFTING GEARS MAY ALSO TRIGGER THE LOW PRESSURE WARNING IF IT ISN'T ALREADY ON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN RELAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WITHIN THREE MONTHS, THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE DARKENED BY THREE SHADES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG METALLIC SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE THAT HAD EVEN AFFECTED HER BREATHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A FOREIGN HOSE ATTACHED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE TOXIC LEAK. THE CONTACT BECAME VERY ILL AND STRONG TRACES OF CADMIUM, LEAD AND MERCURY WERE FOUND IN HER BLOOD SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

I STARTED GETTING "SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM" WARNING MESSAGE AND LIGHT WITH "SERVICE ABS SYSTEM" WARNING MESSAGE AND LIGHT AND "SERVICE STABILITY SYSTEM". ALL ARE ALWAYS AT THE SAME TIME. SHUTTING OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTING (PER OWNERS MANUAL) TEMPORARILY CAUSES THE LIGHTS AND MESSAGES TO TURN OFF, BUT THEY ALWAYS RETURN LATER. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN SATURN FORUMS AND IS HAPPENING WITH MANY, MANY OWNERS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN RELAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SLIDING DOORS WOULD NOT SHUT. WHEN ACTIVATED, THE DOOR WOULD START TO CLOSE BUT WOULD NOT LATCH AND THEN WOULD REOPEN. THE CONTACT STATED IT TAKES A COUPLE OF HOURS AND ATTEMPTS BEFORE THE DOOR WOULD CLOSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIANS WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIANS PERFORMED ADJUSTMENTS TO THE DOOR BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.