The 2002 Saturn Vue carries 2 open NHTSA recalls — most recently covering ignition and anchorage. Owners report 8 recurring issue clusters, led by “Ignition switch and key release failure.” GM wound Saturn down in 2009, so parts now come through the GM catalog rather than a Saturn dealer. Which Saturn you own changes the maintenance picture completely. The S-series cars, meaning the SL, SC, and SW, use a 1.9 liter four with a timing chain, and the twin-cam version is known to burn oil as it ages, so checking the dipstick between changes matters more than the interval does. The L-series and Astra are Opel designs and want European-spec parts. The later Vue, Ion, Aura, Outlook, and Sky are mainstream GM under the badge. One item deserves a direct warning: 2002 to 2005 Vue models fitted with the VTi continuously variable transmission had a poor reliability record, and GM stopped building it. If you are buying one, confirm which transmission it has first.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
Campaign #14V490000 · Aug 8, 2014
Issue: 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.
Risk: If the key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position, the vehicle could roll away: (a) for an automatic transmission, if the transmission is not in the "Park" position; or (b) for a manual transmission, if the parking brake is not engaged and the transmission is not in the "Reverse" position. This potential for rollaway increases the risk for a crash and occupant or pedestrian injuries.
Fix: 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. The recall began in October 2014. Owners may contact Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 14506. Note: Until a vehicle has been remedied, owners and operators are advised that when exiting, to be sure that the vehicle is in "Park," or in the case of a manual transmission, that the vehicle is in the "Reverse" position and the parking brake is engaged.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
Campaign #01V386000 · Dec 18, 2001
Issue: 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.
Risk: IF THESE BOLTS WERE INCORRECTLY INSTALLED, THEY WOULD NOT WITHSTAND THE LOAD REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD. IF AN ANCHORAGE FAILED IN A CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED AND COULD HAVE AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.
Fix: 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 REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT SATURN AT 1-800-553-6000.
What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2002 Saturn Vue.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
14 NHTSA complaints · 2014-04 → 2020-06
“KEYS FALL OUT OF THE IGNITION AS YOU'RE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE”
“THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY CAN BE REMOVED WHEN THE IGNITION IS NOT OFF”
“THE IGNITION KEY MAY BE REMOVED WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE IGNITION REGARDLESS OF SHIFT LEVER POSITION; IT CAN BE REMOVED WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED”
AIR BAGS
3 NHTSA complaints · 2003-03 → 2007-10
“WE WERE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN WE HIT AND THE TWO FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
“HE HIT A TREE, DEAD-ON, GOING 40 MPH. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY”
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
28 NHTSA complaints · 2006-07 → 2017-01
“WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART”
“2002 SATURN VUE 4 CYLINDER ENGINE. CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT 74,000 MILES. TIMING CHAIN BROKE WITHOUT WARNING, SHUTTING DOWN VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING”
“TIMING CHAIN FAILURE CAUSING ENGINE DAMAGE”
AIR BAGS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
10 NHTSA complaints · 2004-09 → 2015-10
“HORN ON VEHICLE STUCK IN ON POSITION AND CAN ONLY BE SILENCED BY REMOVING FUSE”
“HORN CONSTANTLY ON IN THE VERY EARLY HOURS OF THE MORNING”
“MY WIFE PULLED UP TO A HOUSE THAT MY DAUGHTER WAS VISITING AND HONKED THE HORN FOR HER TO COME OUT. THE HORN CONTINUED TO SOUND UNTIL THE FUSE WAS PULLED”
POWER TRAIN
9 NHTSA complaints · 2003-02 → 2012-06
“2002 SATURN VUE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ON HIGHWAY. THE CAR MADE A LOUD SOUND AND THE SPEED DROPPED DOWN QUICKLY TO 5 MILES/HR”
“THE TRANSMISION DOWN SHIFT VERY HARD IN STOP AND GO DRIVING CONDITION”
“2002 SATURN VUE AWD AND THE TRANSMISSION DIED”
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
11 NHTSA complaints · 2002-05 → 2020-06
“MY THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR WILL SIMPLE SHUT OFF WHILE I TRAVELING, I MAY BE GOING 65 MILES PER HOUR AND THE VEHICLE WILL COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING”
“2002 SATURN VUE - CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON DUE TO A FAILED THROTTLE BODY AND THE PARTS. IT WOULD ALSO CAUSE THE CAR TO GO INTO RESERVE POWER AND THE CAR WOULD ONLY GO 10 MILES AN HOUR”
STEERING
6 NHTSA complaints · 2003-09 → 2020-01
“WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ELECTRIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM FAILED, AND VEHICLE WANDERED”
“STEERING SYSTEM IS FAILING. STEERING LOCKS UP ON LEFT HAND TURNS, THEN STARTS STRAIGHTENING BACK OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN AND WHILE GOING ON/OFF EXIT RAMPS”
“2002 SATURN VUE REPEATEDLY LOOSES POWER STEERING. IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN SOON AFTER STARTING AND TURNING”
STEERING
5 NHTSA complaints · 2014-04 → 2015-07
“AFTER THE MORNING DRIVE OF 4 MILES, SMOKE START COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL IN THE AREA OF THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR”
“THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT WARNING”
“THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25-35 MPH WHEN SMOKE WAS EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN”
Note: NHTSA also opened 2 defect investigation(s) on this vehicle that closed without action.
Issues on other model years
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 1, 2026.
We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.
Critical for safety and preventing major damage
Models from about 2003 on use the GM Oil Life System. Change when it asks and at least once a year. On S-series cars with the twin-cam 1.9, check the level every other fuel stop. Oil consumption on a worn one can empty the sump well before the next service is due.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$120–$160
Shop
~$85–$115
DIY
~$25–$55
Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.
Rotate every 7,500 miles. Check the sidewall date codes too. On cars this age, tires usually time out before they wear out.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.
Inspect pads, rotors, hoses, and hard lines at every service. Rear drums on S-series cars and rear calipers on the Vue and Ion both stick on vehicles that sit for long stretches.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$85
Shop
~$60
DIY
Free
Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.
Replace every 2 years. This is the single cheapest thing you can do to keep an aging ABS pump and calipers alive.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$180–$200
Shop
~$125–$140
DIY
~$10–$25
DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.
Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently
Drain and fill every 45,000 miles. Fluid depends on the car: Dexron VI for most conventional automatics, a specific CVT fluid for 2002 to 2005 Vue models with the VTi, and Saturn-spec manual gear oil for the S-series manuals. Confirm the spec before anyone pours anything in.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$330–$500
Shop
~$235–$355
DIY
~$60–$180
Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.
100,000 miles on platinum or iridium plugs. On the S-series 1.9 and the Ecotec fours, replace the coil pack boots at the same time. Brittle boots misfire and mimic a failing coil.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$390
Shop
~$200–$275
DIY
~$25–$100
Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.
Replace the belt and the tensioner as a set once either one is cracked, glazed, or noisy. A tired tensioner will destroy a new belt.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$195–$235
Shop
~$135–$165
DIY
~$20–$50
DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.
Replace every 30,000 miles. Easy access on the S-series and the Ecotec engines.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$60–$95
Shop
~$45–$70
DIY
~$15–$40
5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.
Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort
Every 5 years on a car this old. Most Saturns use orange Dex-Cool, which must never be mixed with green coolant. Ask the shop to check for seepage at the water pump and the intake gasket while the system is open.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$285–$330
Shop
~$200–$235
DIY
~$25–$60
Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.
Most of the lineup uses conventional hydraulic steering, so check the fluid level and the hoses. The Ion and some Vue models use an electric power steering unit instead, which has no fluid but was the subject of GM recall activity. Worth confirming yours was addressed.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$185–$220
Shop
~$130–$155
DIY
~$15–$40
Most cars built after ~2012 use electric power steering and have no fluid to service.
Test the battery and alternator once a year. A weak battery on this generation of GM electronics produces warning lights that look like much more expensive problems.
Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges
Dealer
~$225–$390
Shop
~$160–$280
DIY
~$130–$250
Most auto-parts stores test and install batteries free with purchase. Skip the dealer markup.
Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)
42 crashes 1990–2024
How the 42 occupant deaths break down
33
driver deaths
9
passenger deaths
42
occupant deaths
Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2003 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.
FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number
FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.
Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.
Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.
IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.
Owner-reported problem signals
Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.
14
complaints mentioning a crash
5
complaints mentioning a fire
Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle
Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.
How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.
This maintenance schedule for the 2002 Saturn Vue reflects Saturn's published service intervals and the GM Oil Life System system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.