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The 2005 Saturn Relay has 91 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 active recall campaigns on file. Here's the breakdown — what's serious, what's noise, and what a working mechanic would actually do about it.
The 2005 Saturn Relay has 91 NHTSA owner complaints and 3 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). The most-reported system is brakes at 32 complaints, typically surfacing around 48,208 miles (~$450 to repair). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 Relay (this page) | 91 | 3 |
| 2006 Relay | 19 | 2 |
| 2007 Relay | 12 | 1 |
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy.
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Here's what this model is known to do — so you can inspect for it, price it in, or make the seller fix it before you sign.
⚠ The one to take seriously: brakes is flagged severe on this model , showing up around 48,208 mi. Inspect it closely on a test drive.
Run the VIN from the listing — 3 active recalls on this model. Recall repairs are always free.
Verdict for buyers: 7.2/10 model. The priciest documented failure is engine (~$3,100) — get the seller's service records for it or inspect closely. Otherwise an average-risk used buy at a fair price.
We tell you what this model is known for and what to inspect — a vehicle-history report tells you what this exact car has been through. Smart buyers get both.
See the full pre-purchase inspection checklist →A noise, a warning light, a repair quote, "should I buy this?" — get an answer grounded in this vehicle's actual NHTSA record, not generic advice.
Answers use this vehicle's NHTSA complaint & recall record — owner-reported and unverified, not a diagnosis. Verify anything safety-critical with a mechanic.
When owners report each system failing, in actual miles — so you can see what's likely behind you, what's due around now, and what to budget for next. Enter your mileage to mark where you are.
"Typical" = median owner-reported failure mileage from the NHTSA complaint record for this exact year and model. Not a maintenance schedule — a heads-up on where this model's failures cluster.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Saturn relay. While driving the rear sliding door opened without warning. He pulled over and it took 10 minutes to close the door. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the censors and motor were replaced. After the repair he experienced an…
Headlights flicker even after 5 repair attempts. Heater intermittently inoperative after 5 repair attempts. Power sliding doors do not close properly after 4 repair attempts. Difficult starting after 3 repair attempts. Fuel gauge erratic below quarter tank. *jb
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 Saturn relay. While driving 35 MPH, the door alarm sounds and indicates that both rear passenger doors are open. The contact must pull the vehicle over and close the doors. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle did not have any recalls;…
Purchased s 2005 Saturn relay in april 06. Since day one things have been wrong, brake rotors warped, axel broken, interior parts needing replacement and now it is in the shop for weeks for transmission problems. I have a file open with Saturn and they are not helpful. I have…
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
A broken steering knuckle could result in loss of steering control and a possible crash without warning.
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.
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.
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.2 out of 10 based on 91 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2005 Saturn Relay is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
The 2005 Saturn Relay is acceptable, with specific caveats. Worth owning if you verify the specific issues below before you buy. The record behind that call: Brakes: 32 complaints, classified severe, failures cluster 17,700–73,548 mi; Reliability score 7.2/10 — around the segment average; 3 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
Inspect the brakes first — it's the most-reported issue on this model, with 32 owner complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 48,208 miles. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop. Also confirm any open recalls have been completed by running the VIN, and ask for service records covering the problem areas listed above.
It scores 7.2 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 91 owner complaints. The main thing to watch is brakes. Typical failure occurs around 48,208 miles. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is brakes, with 32 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 48,208 miles. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop.
The brakes is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $450 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 48,208 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 91 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $450, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.