Representative model. Photo: Cutlass, Wikimedia Commons, CC0

Recalls & complaints · NHTSA data

2005 Saturn Relay recalls

Every recall campaign and owner complaint NHTSA has on file for the 2005 model year. Not every vehicle is affected by every campaign: check a specific car by VIN below.

Recall campaigns: 3
Park-it warnings: 0
Complaints: 91
Latest campaign: Feb 17, 2009

Recall summary by component3

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

Component	Campaigns	Latest	Campaign IDs
Steering	1	Feb 17, 2009	09E005000
Parking brake	1	Jun 20, 2005	05V287000
Seats	1	Feb 18, 2005	05V061000

Safety recalls3

NHTSA Recalls API · cached ≤24 h

0Park-it warnings

0Fixable over the air

Feb 17, 2009Latest campaign


Feb 17, 200909E005000	Steering A BROKEN STEERING KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. DetailsHide details for campaign 09E005000 What's wrong DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA. Risk A BROKEN STEERING KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. Remedy DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DORMAN'S TOLL-FREE HOTLINE AT 1-800-523-2492 AND PRESS 5. Campaign NHTSA 09E005000 · Feb 17, 2009
Jun 20, 200505V287000	Parking brake 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… DetailsHide details for campaign 05V287000 What's wrong 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. Remedy 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. Campaign NHTSA 05V287000 · Jun 20, 2005
Feb 18, 200505V061000	Seats: mid/rear assembly 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… DetailsHide details for campaign 05V061000 What's wrong 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. Remedy 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. Campaign NHTSA 05V061000 · Feb 18, 2005

Feb 17, 200909E005000

Steering

A BROKEN STEERING KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

DetailsHide details for campaign 09E005000

What's wrong: DORMAN IS RECALLING 979 STEERING KNUCKLES, DORMAN P/NOS. 697-902 AND 697-903, SOLD UNDER DORMAN'S "OE SOLUTIONS<SUP>TM</SUP>" BRAND NAME, AND NAPA P/NOS. 7-8502 AND 7-8503 WHICH WERE SOLD FOR REPLACEMENT USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. A POTENTIAL MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT COULD RESULT IN THE STEERING KNUCKLE BREAKING IN THE HUB AREA.
Risk: A BROKEN STEERING KNUCKLE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A POSSIBLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Remedy: DORMAN WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE STEERING KNUCKLES FREE OF CHARGE AND REIMBURSE THE REPAIR FACILITY OR OWNER FOR LABOR. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DORMAN'S TOLL-FREE HOTLINE AT 1-800-523-2492 AND PRESS 5.
Campaign: NHTSA 09E005000 · Feb 17, 2009

Jun 20, 200505V287000

Parking brake

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…

DetailsHide details for campaign 05V287000

What's wrong: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign: NHTSA 05V287000 · Jun 20, 2005

Feb 18, 200505V061000

Seats: mid/rear assembly

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…

DetailsHide details for campaign 05V061000

What's wrong: 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.
Remedy: 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.
Campaign: NHTSA 05V061000 · Feb 18, 2005

To see whether a recall is still open on your car, enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer (federal law; see limits).

Buying a used 2005 Saturn Relay? Recalls cover the model; a history report checks one car's title, odometer and accident records. VinAudit history report → Sponsored · disclosure

Owner complaints by component91

NHTSA Complaints API · cached ≤24 h

91Complaints filed

2Involving a crash

1Involving a fire

1Injuries reported

Component	Complaints	%	Crashes	Fires	Injuries
Service brakes	40	44	2	0	0
Hydraulic	26	29	1	0	0
Electrical system	24	26	0	1	0
Structure	10	11	0	0	0
Latches/locks/linkages	9	10	0	0	0
Exterior lighting	7	8	0	0	0
Traction control system	5	5	0	0	0
Electric	5	5	0	0	0
Electronic stability control (ESC)	4	4	0	0	0
Fuel system	4	4	0	0	0
Gasoline	4	4	0	0	0
Suspension	4	4	0	0	0
Power train	4	4	0	0	1
Unknown or other	3	3	0	0	0
Steering	3	3	0	0	0

12 more components with fewer complaints not shown. An owner can tag several components, so percentages add up to more than 100. Complaints are unverified owner reports, de-duplicated by NHTSA ODI number.

Latest reports

Electrical system
“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.”
Filed 07/17/2018 · ODI 11111967
Unknown or other
“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.”
Filed 11/27/2017 · ODI 11048779
Steering
“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.”
Filed 07/15/2016 · ODI 10885096

Other Saturn Relay model years

Other Saturn models

All Saturn models and years →

2005 Saturn Relay recall questions

How many recalls does the 2005 Saturn Relay have?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns for the 2005 Saturn Relay. The most recent, 09E005000 (reported February 17, 2009), concerns steering. Not every vehicle is covered by every campaign; check a specific car by VIN.

What is the most common complaint about the 2005 Saturn Relay?

Service brakes is the most-reported component, named in 40 complaints out of 91 filed with NHTSA (44%). Across all complaints, owners reported 2 crashs and 1 fire. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

How do I check if a recall is open on my 2005 Saturn Relay?

Enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. That shows campaigns still unrepaired on that exact car. Safety recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer.

Check a specific Saturn by VIN

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