| 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
2003 Saturn VUE repairs by problem area
Engine (44%)
Transmission and Drivetrain (11%)
Brakes and Traction Control (6%)
Suspension and Steering (19%)
Electrical and Air Conditioning (16%)
Paint, Rust, Leaks, Rattles, and Trim (2%)
Other (2%)
Chart based on 174 repairs.
2003 Saturn VUE engine repair cost distribution
$2500+ (3%)
$1000 - $2499 (12%)
$500 - $999 (16%)
$100 - $499 (32%)
< $100 (37%)
Chart based on 73 repair trips. The repair cost chart excludes repairs made under warranty, do-it-yourself repairs, and repair trips that include maintenance.
2003 Saturn VUE
Engine not specified
| 146500 mi US $1000 |
driving at about 45mph car boged down and came to a stop towed it home discovered catalyit conv pluged replaced runs fine |
| 149700 mi US $800 |
Plugged catalytic converters |
| 87000 mi | Just got car, needed engine mod sensor. |
2003 Saturn VUE 4dr SUV
181-horsepower 3.0L V6 5-speed automatic FWD
| 93500 mi US $400 |
Replaced thermostat. |
| 108200 mi US $67 |
Replaced Crankshaft Position Sensor (CKP) |
| 110000 mi US $1000 |
Exhaust leak - replaced 2 Flex Connectors |
| 113000 mi US $75 |
Replaced Spark Plug Boots, Cam Cover and Throttle Body Gaskets. |
| 114000 mi US $700 |
Replaced 2 pre-Cats and Main Cat |
| 117000 mi US $650 |
Engine stalling and rear wiper, DRLs and door locks malfunctioning. Replaced ECM and BCM. |
| 117000 mi | Replacement ECM failed. Returned ECM under warranty - replacement ECM did not effect a repair. |
| 46000 mi | GM recall to replace bad ignition tumbler and keys. The key can be removed in IGN or ACC position. If you remove it too quickly you cannot re-insert the key. You have to use a small screwdriver to get it back to the "lock" position. |
| 50000 mi | Replace keys and ignition steering wheel lock. |
| 176800 mi US $85 |
Mass air sensor failed causing p0606 p0172 p0171 p0175 p0174 p0638 p0700 OBD codes. Replaced MAS and now running great. |
| 184700 mi US $20 |
Had obd code for throttle body not responding, electrical female connector failed to throttle body. Replaced connector with aftermarket product and now works great! |
| 192000 mi US $6 |
Oil pressure sending unit leaking oil. |
| 99000 mi | Car kept stalling, computer reported errors, car wouldn't start any more. |
| 134000 mi US $300 |
Thermostat sticking open |
| 146000 mi US $280 |
Car misfiring badly. Coil Pack replaced |
| 35000 mi US $10 |
Vacuum leak, Replaced Gas Cap. Fixed problem. |
| 117000 mi US $100 |
Replace leaking radiator |
2003 Saturn VUE 4dr SUV
181-horsepower 3.0L V6 5-speed automatic AWD
| 79000 mi US $1837 |
1 front Y pipe and catalytic converter. 1 front pipe and catalytic converter. Exhaust noise detected one converter bad removed and second failed while removing the first. Vehicle has 3 converters overall. |
| 81000 mi US $1900 |
Tires, alignment/balance, water cooler |
| 105000 mi US $400 |
key stopped working, they had to put in a new key mechanism |
| 298000 mi | Valve and intake manifold gaskets replaced. Valve cover gaskets blew out within 200 Miles. Suspect PCV was clogged up. It was blowing oil all over the exhaust manifolds. Looked like James Bond from the back!! Traded with valve cover gaskets blown. Leaked about a quart onto the exhaust manifold during the 50-mile drive to the dealer, smoke city! |
| 130500 mi US $339 |
Replaced Thermostat |
| 139000 mi | As above in Dec 2014 OBD II codes indicated throttle body/transmission again. Removed TB electrical connector, checked connections/dielectric grease/reassembled. Info via Tech Bulletin from Saturn Forum. So far, all OK |
| 154300 mi | replaced water pump, timing belt/idlers--ac tune up |
| 156000 mi | Ice in PCV line--pressurized crankcase--oil everywhere. Tech bulletin from Saturn forum explained problem and fix. Due to cold temps in winter. |
| 93000 mi US $200 |
ignition ground all the keys down - needed an entire new set. cleaned and lubed tumbler fixed the problems |
| 105000 mi US $25 |
Threw a code (was it P1025 or something) car not up to temp; replacing the $25 thermostat requires $2000 of labor to pull the engine apart, decided not to replace since car runs normally. |
| 42160 mi C $310 |
Had to order new gas tank straps as one had rusted off. (Replaced 2 tires.) |
| 48360 mi C $75 |
Replaced flex pipe in front exhaust |
| 52080 mi C $60 |
Intermittent starting problems Saturn would start cold, but after driving for 15-30 min, and letting car cool for 15 min would not start back up, will crank, but will not start until quickstart sprayed in air intake, then runs fine |
| 52080 mi C $25 |
Saturn will not start, codes for oxegen sensors, emmission pressure sensor, misfires in 3 cyl. All seems to be related to fuel delivery, but no mechanic seems to be able to pinpoint to part that is the problem. |
| 52700 mi | Replaced fuel pressure sensor, fixed no start problem. I ran into a problem of it starting but only running for about 15 min, So I replaced the Crank Position sensor. Part was $129. |
| 134000 mi US $800 |
Water pump failure and timing belt replacement. The engine is a 3.0 l v6, dual overhead cam. Water pump failure, as well as replace timing belt, serpentine belt, tension pulley, and idler pulleys. |
| 140000 mi US $600 |
Timing belt failure |
| 140000 mi US $400 |
broken engine mounts |
| 142000 mi US $300 |
Exhaust failure, rusted off engine |
| 172000 mi US $300 |
oil leaking out the bottom of engine, found o ring cracked from prior oil change. |
| 60000 mi US $450 |
Thermostat as indicated by check Engine light. Went off by itself while living in warm climate GA but had to be replaced upon move back to cold OH. |
| 102000 mi US $535 |
Plastic engine cooling fan broke off a large piece. Had to replace whole unit. |
| 107000 mi US $50 |
Dashboard Light "Service Engine Soon" came on. After having AutoZone check codes, determined I needed a new Fuel Cap. |
| 112000 mi US $274 |
Two Emission Sensors failed. Caused CHECK ENGINE SOON light to come on. Would not pass NY state inspection without this light being out. |
| 28202 mi | SES light, transmission failed to shift properly. Transmission EPROM reprogrammed. Hazard light on dash repaired. Covered by warranty |
| 38360 mi US $1646 |
Oil cooler leak repaired. Valve body gasket replaced. Oil pan leak repaired. 2 tires replaced w/ alignment. |
2003 Saturn VUE 4dr SUV
143-horsepower 2.2L I4 CVT FWD
| 38865 mi US $161 |
replace ignition column switch |
| 90000 mi US $2000 |
Engine Replacement |
| 79143 mi US $212 |
water pump - $441 ext warentee covered $182 |
| US $303 | Tensioner |
| 82483 mi US $379 |
Drive Belt & Tensioner replacement |
| 119500 mi US $20 |
Engine made chattering noise. getting white smoke from exhaust pipe sometimes. Added 2 quarts of oil. Cannot find oil leak. I think the engine is burning oil. |
| 126000 mi | Engine clattering, sometimes making white smoke when sold. |
| 58000 mi US $554 |
Intake Manifold Gasket Fuel Injector O Ring top and bottom |
2003 Saturn VUE 4dr SUV
143-horsepower 2.2L I4 CVT AWD
| 98000 mi US $1000 |
new fuel pump |
| 120000 mi US $3000 |
Engine replaced |
| 94600 mi US $920 |
Exhaust manifold developed leak on passenger side, two of the studs broke off at head. Removed broken studs with engine in car, replaced all studs with new and gasket, also replaced manifold with new one. |
| 47120 mi C $180 |
Catalytic converter shot and injectors clogged. Muffler also rusted out, but I went after market for that. |
| 47740 mi C $100 |
Replaced muffler. reported a knocking sound but it was not present for the techs, could have been from the faulty muffler. |
2003 Saturn VUE 4dr SUV
143-horsepower 2.2L I4 5-speed manual FWD
| 64000 mi US $1200 |
Ignitions switch would not turn. |
| 67300 mi US $931 |
Leak in fuel line right below the fuel tank. Parts hard to find for Saturns no longer in business. Re-inspected ignition switch. |
| 45000 mi | Poor performance, check engine light, throttle body replaced. Fuel injectors replaced; valves adjusted/replaced; throttle control system repaired. No charge under dealer warranty. |
| 45000 mi | Ignition, throttle body. |
| 49000 mi US $50 |
New thermostat, fixed coolant leak. |
| 55000 mi US $950 |
Replaced timing chain due to inadequate design of original oiler nozzle. TSB referenced the defect but GM did not deem it worthy of a recall, only that the oiler should be replaced along with the timing chain. |
| 88000 mi US $450 |
Timing belt |
| 128000 mi US $400 |
Rough idle at low temperature better as engine warmed up. Problem was the ignition coil but got there after replacing other cheaper parts. |
| 138000 mi US $150 |
Muffler replacement |
| 93000 mi US $650 |
Water pump leaking, replaced |
| 105000 mi US $415 |
Ignition lockset failed and needed to be replaced |
| 108000 mi US $1300 |
Vac code for gas cap and seal |
2003 Saturn VUE 4-door
4-cylinder manual 2WD
| 78000 mi US $2500 |
Known VUE problem of the timing chain tensioner breaking - which it did - causing timing chain to shatter valves and metal through the pistons requiring new engine. |
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See TrueDelta's information for all Saturn models.
