Model year report

2005 Saturn Vue: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2005 Saturn Vue

On the 2005 Saturn Vue, the failure owners report most often is other electrical problem, and the reports cluster around 87,500 miles. The earliest to appear is other powertrain problem, reported by a median of 55,000 miles. Overall it scores 62 out of 100, high risk for a 2005.

High risk for a 2005 — 262nd riskiest of the 320 2005 vehicles we can rate. 216 owner reports; fleet size borrowed from other years of the same model.

The failures owners actually file about

Owners have reported 42 named failure modes on the 2005 Saturn Vue, and the three most-reported carry 39% of everything filed.

Other electrical problem leads with 46 reports, about 0.7 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 63k to 112,500 miles.

Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure follows with 25 reports, usually reported between 60k to 100,000 miles.

Other powertrain problem follows with 14 reports, usually reported between 45k to 65,000 miles.

By system, the reports fall mostly into electrical (75), transmission (30) and steering (28).

At what mileage it happens

165 of the reports on the 2005 Saturn Vue came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 75,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 27% by 50,000 miles, 66% by 100,000 miles and 89% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 2 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 60,000 and 70,000 miles, which alone holds 12% of the dated reports.

21% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

In the order they tend to show up: other powertrain problem around 55k, ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure around 81k, other electrical problem around 88k and other steering problem around 101k.

Median

Other electrical problem

88k
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure

81k
Other powertrain problem

55k
Other steering problem

101k
Steering column or shaft failure

105k
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure

67k
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash

90k
Other engine problem

107k
Complete transmission failure

68k
Manual clutch or hydraulics failure

50k
Other brake problem

100
Torque converter failure

71k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 42. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 75k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 2 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

How bad it is when it goes

Across the named modes, 12 mention a crash, 3 a fire and 9 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.69, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure at $250–$1,500, other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500 and other steering problem at $350–$2,400. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

23% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other electrical problem	electrical	46	37	63k	88k	113k	0.7	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure	electrical	25	24	60k	81k	98k	0.4	$250–$1,500	High
Other powertrain problem	transmission	14	10	45k	55k	64k	0.2	$400–$4,500	High
Other steering problem	steering	14	11	89k	101k	119k	0.2	$350–$2,400	High
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	12	3	—	105k	—	0.2	$600–$2,500	Critical
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	6	5	—	67k	—	0.1	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	6	6	—	90k	—	0.1	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Other engine problem	engine	6	4	—	107k	—	0.1	$300–$4,000	High
Complete transmission failure	transmission	5	4	—	68k	—	0.1	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
Manual clutch or hydraulics failure	transmission	5	5	—	50k	—	0.1	$900–$2,800	Moderate
Other brake problem	brakes	5	1	—	100	—	0.1	$300–$1,800	High
Torque converter failure	transmission	4	4	—	71k	—	0.1	$1,100–$3,200	High
Other body or interior problem	body	4	3	—	57k	—	0.1	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Oil leak	engine	3	3	—	26k	—	0.0	$250–$2,200	Moderate
CV axle or driveshaft failure	drivetrain	3	3	—	36k	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	High
Alternator or charging system failure	electrical	3	3	—	42	—	0.0	$450–$1,600	High
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	3	3	—	144k	—	0.0	$400–$2,200	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	3	3	—	165k	—	0.0	$300–$2,200	High
CVT failure	transmission	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$3,000–$8,500	Critical
Air conditioning failure	hvac	2	2	—	60k	—	0.0	$400–$2,800	Moderate
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin	emissions	2	2	—	57k	—	0.0	$250–$2,000	High
Other suspension problem	suspension	2	1	—	50	—	0.0	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other speed control problem	adas	2	2	—	73k	—	0.0	$250–$2,000	Critical
Head gasket failure	engine	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,400–$4,000	Critical
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	1	1	—	57k	—	0.0	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	1	1	—	48k	—	0.0	$300–$2,500	Critical
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	1	1	—	104k	—	0.0	$700–$3,000	High
Loss of braking	brakes	1	1	—	88k	—	0.0	$400–$3,000	Critical
Master cylinder or brake booster failure	brakes	1	1	—	145k	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	Critical
Parking brake failure	brakes	1	1	—	300	—	0.0	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	1	1	—	155k	—	0.0	$0–$0	Critical
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	1	1	—	825	—	0.0	$200–$900	High
Cruise control failure	adas	1	1	—	34k	—	0.0	$200–$1,400	High
Loss of power steering	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$2,800	Critical
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$700–$2,600	High
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,500	Critical
Door latch or handle failure	body	1	1	—	30k	—	0.0	$250–$1,200	High
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	1	1	—	15k	—	0.0	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Wiper or washer failure	glass	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$120–$800	Moderate
Other seat belt problem	airbag	1	1	—	27k	—	0.0	$200–$900	High
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,500	High
Other visibility problem	glass	1	1	—	34k	—	0.0	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Unclassified problem	other	20	13	24k	106k	131k	0.3	—	Moderate

This year had no usable recall paperwork, so the fleet-size estimate is the median of other years of the same model. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2005 Saturn Vue draws about 3.2 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 77th percentile of complaint rates among 2005 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. This year had no usable recall paperwork, so the fleet-size estimate is the median of other years of the same model.

The working figure is 67,385 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2005 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure

Ignition lock failure. Key will not turn to off position. Key locked into ignition cylinder. Key comes out of cylinder but cylinder does not turn to off position and can continues running, solution for now take key out and take out ignition fuse to stop interior electrical from running or disconnect battery. If does not turn to accessory position have to remove fuel fuse and ignition fuse. Cost of repair over $300, from internet reading this is happening on most saturn vue and saturn ion vehicles. This needs to be recalled and isn't, just has a service bulletin which is not covered by warranty and costing lots of people lots of money for a defect that they should have recalled. Please recall! *tr

100,091 miles NHTSA complaint 802718 filed 2010-07-28

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 saturn vue. The contact stated that the ignition would lock and he could not turn to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic who replaced the ignition housing and ignition switch. The manufacturer was contacted and informed him that due to the age and the mileage on the vehicle, they would not reimburse him for the repairs and offered no further assistance. The failure mileage was 93,000.

93,000 miles NHTSA complaint 880268 filed 2011-09-16

How it ranks in the 2005 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2005 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

How 2005 compares with the other years

High risk for a 2005 — 262nd riskiest of the 320 2005 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.

Across the 8 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2007 comes out best at 62 and 2003 worst at 73, with 2005 itself at 62.

No other year of this model scores meaningfully better than 2005, so if this generation is what you want, the year is not the lever.

Within the 2002–2007 generation specifically, 2007 is the strongest year at 62 and 2003 the weakest at 73.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2002-2007 generation, 2007 Saturn Vue scores best at 62 and 2003 Saturn Vue worst at 73.

What to look at before buying one

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other powertrain problem from about 45k, ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure from about 60k, other electrical problem from about 63k and other steering problem from about 89k.

On a 2005 Saturn Vue with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other powertrain problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.

Where these figures stop being useful

216 owner reports; fleet size borrowed from other years of the same model. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 216 reports, 165 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 76% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2005 Saturn Vue?

The most-reported failures are other electrical problem (46 reports, median 87,500 miles), ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure (25 reports, median 80,000 miles) and other powertrain problem (14 reports, median 55,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2005 Saturn Vue problems start?

Other powertrain problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 55,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 45,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 75,000 miles.

Is the 2005 Saturn Vue reliable?

It scores 62 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 262nd riskiest of the 320 2005 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2005 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Saturn Vue is best?

Within the 2002–2007 generation, 2007 scores best at 62 out of 100 and 2003 worst at 73. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 30 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed