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Which Transmission Is In Your Vue
| Model Years | Engine | Transmission |
|---|---|---|
| 2002-2005 | 2.2 Ecotec 4-cyl | VTi CVT (automatic) or 5-speed manual |
| 2002-2005 | 3.0 V6 | Aisin AF33 five-speed (AW55-50SN family) |
| 2004-2007 | 3.5 V6 (Honda-built) | Honda five-speed automatic |
| 2006-2007 | 2.2 Ecotec 4-cyl | 4T45E four-speed |
| 2008-2010 | 2.4 Ecotec and 3.5 V6 | 4T45E four-speed |
| 2008-2010 | 3.6 V6 (XR) | 6T70 six-speed |
| 2007-2009 | Green Line hybrid | 4T45E-based hybrid unit |
Year boundaries are fuzzy at the changeovers, especially 2005 to 2006 on the four-cylinder trucks. The RPO code on the glovebox sticker or a VIN decode settles it. If the trans has a dipstick and four distinct shifts, it is not a VTi.
VTi CVT (2002-2005 Four-Cylinder): The One With the Reputation
The VTi is a steel push-belt CVT built in a GM and ZF partnership. It is the reason the early Vue has a bad name. The typical complaint is a car that suddenly will not move, or creeps forward with the engine revving, or shudders hard taking off from a stop. In the shop we also see whine that grows with speed and a check engine light for ratio or pressure faults.
- No movement or slipping. Usually the belt and pulleys, the internal pressure control, or the starting clutch. Once the belt has slipped on the pulley faces, the unit is done.
- Take-off shudder. Fluid condition first. The VTi needs its own CVT fluid, and a quick-lube that topped it off with regular ATF ruins it fast.
- Whine. Bearing or pulley wear. It does not get better.
Honest advice: rebuild parts for the VTi are scarce and very few shops will touch one. Most get replaced with a tested used unit or the car gets retired. GM offered extended coverage on these when they were new, but that ran out many years ago. If you are shopping for a used 2002-2005 Vue, buy the manual or the V6.
4T45E Four-Speed (2006-2010)
The 4T45E is the trans to have in a Vue. It is a simple GM front-drive four-speed and the common faults are cheap compared with a CVT:
- Harsh or erratic shifts with a code. The shift solenoids and pressure control solenoid. The 4T40E / 4T45E solenoid kit covers the usual suspects and installs through the side cover without pulling the transmission.
- Slipping 2nd, or 2-3 flare. Worn intermediate band or a 2nd clutch problem. If the fluid is burnt and has debris, plan on a rebuild.
- Delayed engagement when cold. Low fluid and a hard input seal or pump wear. Check the level first, warm and running.
- Torque converter shudder at 40-50 mph. Old fluid or a tired converter clutch. A fluid service sometimes calms it; often it is the converter.
Our 4T45E problems and cost guide has the full code-by-code walk-through. When it is time to go inside, the 4T40E / 4T45E master rebuild kit has the frictions, seals and gaskets.
Aisin AF33 Five-Speed (2002-2005 3.0 V6)
The early V6 Vue uses the Aisin AF33, the same family as the AW55-50SN used in Volvo and other GM products. It is a good transmission that suffers from neglect. The common complaints are harsh 2-3 and 3-4 shifts, flare on the upshift, and a check engine light for shift solenoid or pressure solenoid faults. The valve body and its solenoids cause most of it, and clean fluid fixes more than you would expect.
See AW55-50SN problems and cost and the valve body replacement guide. These use JWS 3309-type fluid, not Dexron.
Honda Five-Speed (2004-2007 3.5 V6)
The mid-cycle V6 Vue got a Honda engine and a Honda five-speed automatic. That brings Honda's known patterns with it: clutch pack wear on the upper gears, flare between gears, and a blinking D indicator when it sets a code. It also brings Honda's fluid requirement. Use Honda ATF DW-1, which replaced Z1, and nothing else. A drain-and-fill with the right fluid, done two or three times, often smooths a Vue that shifts badly.
We stock Honda ATF DW-1. The same diagnosis applies as on the era's Honda and Acura V6 cars, covered in our Accord transmission guide.
6T70 Six-Speed (2008-2010 XR 3.6)
The XR uses the 6T70. Watch for the 3-5-reverse wave plate failure, which shows up as a loss of 3rd, 5th and reverse, and for TCC shudder. Early 6T70s also had valve body and TEHCM (control module) faults. When it needs a rebuild, the 6T70 gen 1 master rebuild kit fits these years.
Repair Costs
| Repair | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Fluid service (4T45E / AF33) | $150 - $250 |
| 4T45E solenoid replacement | $350 - $650 installed |
| AF33 valve body | $900 - $1,600 installed |
| Honda five-speed DW-1 drain and fill (x3) | $250 - $400 |
| 4T45E rebuild | $2,000 - $3,000 |
| 6T70 rebuild | $2,800 - $4,000 |
| VTi used unit installed | $1,800 - $3,000 |
Bottom line: on a VTi car, a major failure usually means the end of the car unless it is otherwise very clean. On everything else, read the codes, check the fluid type and level, and start with solenoids before you assume the worst.
Saturn Vue Transmission Parts
4T45E solenoid kits and master rebuild kits, 6T70 rebuild kits and Honda DW-1 fluid. CoreTransmissionParts.com carries additional GM transmission parts.
4T45E Solenoid Kit → 4T45E Rebuild Kit → 6T70 Rebuild Kit → CoreTransmissionParts.com →FAQ
What transmission is in my Saturn Vue?
2002-2005 four-cylinder automatics use the VTi CVT, 2002-2005 3.0 V6 trucks use the Aisin AF33 five-speed, 2004-2007 3.5 V6 trucks use a Honda five-speed, 2006-2010 four-cylinder and 3.5 trucks use the 4T45E, and the 2008-2010 XR 3.6 uses the 6T70.
Is the Saturn Vue CVT worth fixing?
Usually not. VTi rebuild parts are scarce and few shops service them. Most are replaced with a tested used unit, and only on a car that is otherwise worth keeping.
What fluid does a Saturn Vue transmission take?
The VTi needs its specific CVT fluid, the 4T45E and 6T70 take Dexron VI, the Aisin AF33 takes JWS 3309-type fluid, and the Honda five-speed takes Honda ATF DW-1.
Why does my Vue shift hard?
On 4T45E and AF33 trucks, solenoids and old fluid are the most common causes. Read the codes before replacing parts.