On August 5, 2004 General Motors (GM) announced a "voluntary customer satisfaction service campaign" of 246,433 Saturn Vues.  The New York Times reported the "service campaign" as a recall of the units because of defects in the rear suspension.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that a defect investigation was opened on July 22, 2004 and closed on November 1, 2004 after GM volunteered to recall the units.

The NHTSA investigation was opened after a Saturn owner reported  that the rear suspension caused a rear wheel to collapse and caused a rollover crash.  NHTSA conducted tests that found the rear suspension failed during a 45 MPH test which included a sharp turn.  The rear wheel collapsed beneath the vehicle during the tests.

Because GM volunteered to recall the vehicles, they have been  allowed to continue selling new Saturn Vues without making repairs, without advising buyers of the alleged defect and without even advising buyers that a "service campaign" had been implemented.  The 2005 models, on the other hand, were fixed before they left GM's factories.

Since GM announced the action in August 2004, only a few thousand of the recalled units have been repaired.  Remarkably, GM continued to sell close to 10,000 of the un-repaired models to unsuspecting buyers.  The Director of the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer group, said, "It's preposterous they're still selling the vehicle."  The Group's Director also added that "It's even more dismaying to learn that the government is permitting GM to sell the vehicle by not doing a [formal] safety recall."

Saturn Vue buyers who purchased new 2004 models after August 5, 2004 may be entitled to a recovery.  We are investigating what GM told these buyers, if anything, about the voluntary recall and if buyers were given any options regarding repairs or alternative vehicles to select.  We are also investigating whether or not any person that may have suffered injures caused by this potential defect has a claim against GM for the injuries.

If you purchased a 2004 model Saturn Vue after August 5, 2004, or you were injured or a family member was killed, while driving a Saturn Vue, please contact us.