Before you buy
This 2006 Saturn Relay has 19 NHTSA complaints — top issue: Brake System.
A model-year pattern isn't the car in front of you. Check this exact VIN for accidents, open recalls, odometer rollback, and salvage titles.
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2006 Saturn Relay Fuel Economy
✓ EPA Official DataEPA-rated fuel economy across 3 2006 Saturn Relay trim configurations. The median figure is shown; range reflects all available trims.
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov. Figures reflect EPA lab testing; real-world results vary by driving style, load, and conditions. 3 trims analysed.
2006 Saturn Relay Safety Ratings
NHTSA 5-Star ProgramOfficial crash test results from the NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings program. Stars reflect government-conducted tests; higher is safer.
Overall
Not RatedFrontal Crash
Not RatedSide Crash
Not RatedRollover
Not RatedSource: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Ratings are based on government crash tests and may not reflect all trim levels.
SATURN RELAY 2006 has 19 NHTSA complaints and 2 recalls. Top issues include brake system, transmission, and fuel system, each with 4 complaints. Crash-related complaints are 2. Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recall records.
- Make
- Saturn
- Model
- Relay
- Model year
- 2006
- NHTSA owner complaints
- 19
- Crash-related complaints
- 2
- Safety recall campaigns
- 2
- Top reported component
- Brake System
- Reliability signal
- Severe Issues
- EPA MPG combined
- 19
- EPA MPG city / highway
- 16 / 23
- Fuel type
- Regular Gasoline
- Electronic stability control
- Optional
Common problems
Most common 2006 Saturn Relay problems
Top owner-reported complaint areas and where they often appear.
Brake System
Transmission / Drivetrain
Fuel System
Complaint patterns center on Brake System, Transmission / Drivetrain, Fuel System. Use these as a pre-purchase inspection guide, then verify recall and damage history on the specific VIN.
Buyer verdict
Should you buy a used 2006 Saturn Relay?
The 2006 Saturn Relay may be worth considering only if thoroughly inspected and all recalls are addressed, but low data confidence means patterns are uncertain. Buyers should prioritize a pre-purchase inspection focusing on reported components.
These complaint patterns highlight potential issues in critical systems like brakes and transmission, which can affect safety and reliability. Understanding them helps avoid costly repairs after purchase.
May Suit
This year may suit budget-conscious buyers willing to invest time in pre-purchase inspection and accept higher maintenance risk.
May Want to Avoid
Buyers seeking a reliable family minivan with minimal mechanical risk should avoid this year due to multiple complaint categories.
Pre-purchase
What to check before buying a used 2006 Saturn Relay
Inspection Focus
- Inspect brake pads, rotors, and brake lines for wear or leaks.
- Check transmission fluid condition and test drive for smooth shifting.
- Examine fuel lines, tank, and pump for signs of leaks or corrosion.
Before You Close the Deal
- Inspect brake system for wear, leaks, and proper function.
- Verify all open recalls are completed at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Request service records for transmission and fuel system repairs.
- Have a mechanic perform a comprehensive pre-purchase inspection.
Check the exact car
Shortlist with model-year data. Decide with the exact VIN.
Before buying a used 2006 Saturn Relay, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, theft checks, and open recalls for the exact vehicle.
AI verdict
What the complaint data suggests
Editorial interpretation of NHTSA public complaint data. Source: nhtsa.gov. Complaints are owner-submitted and do not confirm a defect. Methodology
Based on NHTSA complaint data, the 2006 Saturn Relay shows 19 complaints and 2 recalls, with top issues in brake system, transmission/drivetrain, and fuel system. Crash-related complaints are 2. Source: NHTSA owner complaints and recall records.
Year context: With only one model year analyzed, no direct comparison to other years is possible from the data.
Recall context: Two recalls indicate known safety issues that must be verified as repaired before purchase.
- Brake system has 4 complaints, the highest count among components.
- Transmission/drivetrain has 4 complaints, tied for most frequent.
- Fuel system also has 4 complaints, indicating potential fuel delivery issues.
- Brake system complaints (4) suggest possible braking performance issues.
- Transmission/drivetrain complaints (4) may indicate shifting or driveline problems.
- Fuel system complaints (4) could involve leaks or fuel pump failures.
Full breakdown
All 2006 Saturn Relay complaints by category
Every owner-reported complaint category filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Saturn Relay. Use this as a pre-purchase inspection checklist.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brake System | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Door Lock Issues | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Gasoline | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Electrical Faults | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Airbag Malfunctions | 2 | 2 | — | — | |
| Engine Problems | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Steering Defects | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Equipment | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Other | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 1 | — | — | — |
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Complaint counts may exceed total complaints because one report can span multiple categories.
In their words
Real owner complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2006 Saturn Relay. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
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…
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 INT…
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 DIFF…
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-…
MY 18 YEAR OLD SON HAD AN ACCIDENT. HE ROLLED THE VAN MULTIPLE TIMES, HIT TREES ,DAMAGED ALL SIDES, AND ROOF OF THE VAN. THE ONLY DOOR THAT WOULD EASILY OPEN WAS THE DRIVERS DOOR. THE FRONT AXLE BROKE, WINDSHIELD BROKEN. THE INSURANCE APPRAISER SAID ALL PANELS WERE DAMAGED AND…
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…
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 LI…
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 …
MY 2006 SATURN ION ALL OF A SUDDEN LOST ITS POWER STEERING WHILE I WAS DRIVING! I ALMOST CRASHED! AND NOW IT GOING TO COST OVER 500 OR MORE TO FIX. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, I WAS GOING UP A HILL ON A CURVE. JUST ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BELL RANG AND IT POPPED UP PWR STR. I GOT T…
AWD DISABLED WHEN NEEDED IN SNOW. IT SEEMS TO BE CAUSED BY ICY SLUSH. I CONFIRMED WITH THE DEALER THAT THE HUB ASSEMBLY'S AWD SENSOR CAN GET COVERED UP WITH MUD OR SLUSH AND THE AWD SYSTEM WILL DISABLE. ANY AWD SYSTEM THAT GETS DISABLED BY SLUSH IS LUDICROUSLY DESIGNED, AND BOR…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN RELAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR REPEATEDLY OPENS AND CLOSES. SHE HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER MORE THAN FOUR TIMES WITHIN TWO MONTHS TO HAVE THE DOOR REPAIRED. THE DEALER HAS SEEN MANY OF THE SAME VEHICLES WITH IDE…
POWER SLIDING DOOR ON 2006 SATURN RELAY IS NOT CLOSING PROPERLY AND OPENS UNEXPECTEDLY. DOOR DOES NOT CLOSE COMPLETELY, DOES NOT LATCH AND OCCASSIONALLY DOOR REOPENS WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING. TROUBLE STARTED ABOT TWO MONTHS AGO BUT THE REGULARITY OF THIS OCCURRANCE HAS INCREASED…
I HAVE A 2006 SATURN RELAY. IT WAS AN EXECUTIVE DRIVEN CAR AND WAS PURCHASED WITH 400 MILES ON IT AND THE WARRANTY TRANSFERRED OVER TO ME. THE TRACTION CONTROL ON THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL ENGAGED IT WOULD KNOCK OUT THE STABILITY CONTROL, TRACTION CO…
WE OWN A 2006 SATURN RELAY 3 THAT WE PURCHASED IN JUNE 2007. WE HAVE BECOME AWARE OF A DESIGN FLAW THAT EXISTS IN CHEVROLET UPLANDERS AND SATURN RELAYS THAT CAN LEAD TO DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY OUR DEALERSHIP THAT GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS DONE NOT…
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN RELAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SLIDING DOOR FAILED TO CLOSE PROPERLY. THE DOOR HAS TO BE SLAMMED SHUT IN ORDER FOR IT TO CLOSE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED …
2006 SATURN VAN IS DESIGNED WITH THE CHARACTERISTIC OF RUNNING OUT OF FUEL WHEN OPERATING ON AN INCLINE (NOSE UP OR NOSE DOWN), WITH A 1/4 TANK OF FUEL REMAINING. AFTER THIS OCCURRED THE 2ND TIME I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED THEM TO REPAIR. THEY STATED THEY WERE AWA…
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED IN THE CENTER LANE, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO GET INTO THE SAME LANE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FENDER CAUSING THE VEH…
I WAS TRAVELING ON AZ STATE ROUTE 87 ON A 6 PERCENT DOWNGRADE. I HAD APPLIED THE BRAKES A TOTAL OF 3 TIMES FOR NO MORE THAN 3 TO 5 SECONDS AT A TIME, THIS OCCURRED OVER A 5 MINUTE TIME FRAME. ON THE THIRD APPLICATION THE BRAKES BEGAN TO CAVITATE VERY BADLY. THIS CAUSED THE VE…
1) BOUGHT OUR SATURN RELAY MAY 30, 2006 2) TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE HOOD RATTLE, SAID IT WAS NOTHING SENT ME HOME. 3) CALLED ABOUT THE LOW MILEAGE THE VAN WAS MAKING, SAID IT WAS OK 4) 1 MONTH AND 26 DAYS CAR BREACKS DOWN REPAIRS ARE MADE ON 6/26/06 -SEN…
Source: NHTSA Complaints Database. Real owner reports for the 2006 Saturn Relay.
Safety recalls
2006 Saturn Relay recalls
2 campaignsNHTSA recall campaigns for the 2006 Saturn Relay. Two recalls indicate known safety issues that must be verified as repaired before purchase. Recalls are free to fix at authorized dealers, but completion status must be verified on the exact VIN.
STEERING
EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS
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Questions
2006 Saturn Relay buying FAQ
Buyer-focused answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this model year.
Is the 2006 Saturn Relay reliable?▾
Severe Issues. NHTSA currently shows 19 owner complaints, 2 crash-related complaints, and 2 recall campaigns for this model year. The 2006 Saturn Relay may be worth considering only if thoroughly inspected and all recalls are addressed, but low data confidence means patterns are uncertain. Buyers should prioritize a pre-purchase inspection focusing on reported components. Treat this as a model-year signal, then verify the exact vehicle's condition and history before purchase.
What are the most common problems with the 2006 Saturn Relay?▾
#1: Brake System (4 complaints). #2: Transmission / Drivetrain (4 complaints). #3: Fuel System (4 complaints)
At what mileage do problems start on the 2006 Saturn Relay?▾
Mileage data is not available or insufficient for this model year.
How safe is the 2006 Saturn Relay?▾
Complaint data is not the same as crash-test scoring, but it does highlight possible risk patterns. For the 2006 Saturn Relay, NHTSA complaints include 2 crash-related reports and 0 fire reports out of 19 total complaints. 2 injury reports are also on file. For controlled crash-test ratings, check nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Does the 2006 Saturn Relay have any recalls?▾
Yes. 2 NHTSA recall campaigns affect the 2006 Saturn Relay. A major recall area is STEERING. Two recalls indicate known safety issues that must be verified as repaired before purchase. Always verify open recalls by VIN because completion status varies by vehicle.
Should I buy a 2006 Saturn Relay?▾
The 2006 Saturn Relay may be worth considering only if thoroughly inspected and all recalls are addressed, but low data confidence means patterns are uncertain. Buyers should prioritize a pre-purchase inspection focusing on reported components. These complaint patterns highlight potential issues in critical systems like brakes and transmission, which can affect safety and reliability. Understanding them helps avoid costly repairs after purchase. Pay extra attention to Brake System during inspection. Before committing, run a VIN history report to verify accidents, title brands, odometer records, and recall completion for the exact car.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinSpector AI.
Wider context: See the full Saturn Relay reliability report with year-by-year comparison.
Owner Reliability Rating
Rate the 2006 Saturn Relay based on your ownership experience.
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Ratings are based on owner experience and are separate from NHTSA data shown above.
Before you buy
Check the exact vehicle history before you buy
Model-year complaints and recalls reveal patterns. A VIN report confirms whether the exact car has accident history, title brands, mileage issues, or open recalls.