2005 Saturn Relay Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Relay years
- Not enough data 1st of 3 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 91 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005 Saturn Relay. That is the most of any Relay model year in the database (3 years). The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (26 complaints, 29%), typically at around 23,400 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 91owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2005 Saturn Relay problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 26 | 29% | 23,400 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 24 | 26% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 10 | 11% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 9 | 10% | 13,412 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 9 | 10% | 86,175 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 8% | 11,839 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 5 | 5% | 56,816 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 5 | 5% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 4% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 4% | 61,920 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 4% | 12,746 | — | — |
| Suspension | 4 | 4% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 3% | 101,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 3% | 16,094 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 3% | 107,750 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 2% | 61,967 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 2% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 2 | 2% | 11,839 | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 1% | 168,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 2,142 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 1% | 55,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 1% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 1 | 1% | 65,632 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2005 Saturn Relay recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Parking brake
Problem: Certain sport utility vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 135, 'passenger car brake systems.' to meet the standard, the vehicle must not move for five minutes when stopped on a steep hill with the parking brake applied and the vehicle in neutral (n). Some of these vehicles failed this test.
Risk: When the parking brake is released, the driver may notice unintended braking when accelerating, decelerating, or coasting, and a noise coming from the rear of the vehicle. Unintended vehicle movement could occur increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect for parking brake lever slippage at each rear brake caliper and replace the caliper if lever slippage is identified. The recall began on november 14, 2005. Owners may contact buick at 1-866-608-8080, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, pontiac at 1-800-620-7668, or saturn at 1-800-972-8876.
Seats:mid/rear assembly
Problem: On certain minivans, the outboard release handle on the impact-side second-row bucket seat may be actuated and the rear latches may unlatch early in a side impact crash. This was discovered in a side impact test run by gm, under conditions similar to nhtsa's new car assessment program (ncap) side impact test.
Risk: If the rear latches of the seat release early in a severe side impact, the front outboard latch may disengage and increase the potential for injury to the occupant of the seat.
Fix: Dealers will remove the seat latch release handle and install a black plastic cap over the exposed metal stud to eliminate the side impact safety concern free of charge. The recall began on april 5, 2005. Owners may contact saturn at 1-800-972-8876, chevrolet at 1-800-630-2438, and pontiac at 1-800-620-7668.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Power sliding door (EA07019) — opened Dec 11, 2007, closed Feb 23, 2009.
- Power sliding door opening (PE07044) — opened Aug 16, 2007, closed Dec 11, 2007.
- Electrical harness damage (PE05063) — opened Nov 29, 2005, closed Mar 6, 2006.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Exact same issue as described in april 2014 gm recall 14063. Sudden loss of electrical power while driving causing the engine to shut off. Unpredictable very dangerous. Seems to be the ignition switch. Other saturns are listed in the 2014 recall but mine is not. It should be listed.
The anti-lock brake system warning light and traction control system (tcs) warning light continue to light up and stays on i have seen similar complaints on various chat sessions.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 saturn relay. While operating the vehicle, the speed sensor and traction control sensor lights illuminated and the braking distance increased when the brake pedal was depressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the electronic body control…
The first time i was parked and the van would not start. I was told it might be the fuel pump. I had the van tow to a service center. They said it was the fuel relay. I paid to have the fuel relay replaced. A few days later same thing happened again. The van would not start. This time we thought it…
When i drive at night i have to turn my headlights off to use my turn signals. I have noticed that the turn signal on the driver's side of the 2005 saturn relay will not work unless the headlights are turned off. I have not had any accidents...yet. This is a real safety issue.
Other Saturn Relay years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 Relay | 12 | 0 |
| 2006 Relay | 19 | 1 |
| 2005 | 91 | 2 |
See all Saturn Relay problems by year, every Saturn model, or the VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Saturn Relay?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system, structure problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 26 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2005 Saturn Relay?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2005 Saturn Relay a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Relay model years, the 2005 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.