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#BS-2004-SATVUE-412D

2004 Saturn Vue

Based on reports from 360 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
360
Crashes
36
Fires
7
Recalls
2
TSBs
479
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 360 complaints, 36 crashes, 7 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

transmission failure

7 complaints • Severity 8.3/10

$X,XXX
2

transmission not shifting right

3 complaints • Severity 5.3/10

$X,XXX
3

leak that required entire hydrolic system to be replaced

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the ElectricalHIGH

53 owners reported electrical issues — failures commonly reported around 85K miles.

!Inspect the DrivetrainMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

56
0–30K
55
30–60K
54
60–90K
56
90–120K
40
120–150K
42
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (56 reports) • Median: 85K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Electrical (53 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Electrical53 (15%)
Drivetrain44 (12%)
Power Train:automatic Transmission38 (11%)
Other22 (6%)
Engine18 (5%)
Suspension:rear16 (4%)
Suspension14 (4%)
Electrical System:ignition13 (4%)

2004 Saturn Vue: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 15% of all reports filed for the 2004 Saturn Vue, with 53 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 85,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 85K-mile mark.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2004 Saturn Vue, with 44 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Power Train:automatic Transmission Issues

Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints account for 11% of all reports filed for the 2004 Saturn Vue, with 38 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to power train:automatic transmission-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2004 Saturn Vue, with 18 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

1
03
22
04
32
05
19
06
15
07
27
08
25
09
27
10
23
11
4
12
5
13
79
14
22
15
17
16
14
17
6
18
13
19
4
20
2
23
3
25

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2004 Saturn Vue. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

03V519000Dec 2003

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.5L V6 (L66) ENGINES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS." THE FRONT AND REAR WHEEL RIM SIZE SPECIFICATIONS ON THE TIRE/CERTIFICATION LABEL ARE NOT CORRECT. THE PRINTED WHEEL RIM DESIGNATION SPECIFIED A 16-INCH WHEEL WHEN A 17-INCH WHEEL DESIGNATION WAS REQUIRED.

14V490000Oct 2014

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Saturn Vue is the 2003 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2004 Saturn Vue vs. Class Average (Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD)

This vehicle

360

Class avg

375

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other sport utility vehicle - 2wd vehicles from 2004.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 360 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Saturn Vue Model Years

201020092008200720062005200420032002
View all Saturn Vue years →

2004 Saturn Vue: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2004 Saturn Vue?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2004 Saturn Vue is related to the electrical, with 53 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2004 Saturn Vue reliable?
The 2004 Saturn Vue has 360 complaints, 36 crash reports, and 7 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 2004 Saturn Vue problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2004 Saturn Vue have any recalls?
Yes, the 2004 Saturn Vue has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Saturn Vue problems start?
Based on 303 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 85,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 360 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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