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2008 Saturn VUE problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

406 owner complaints analyzed

3 distinct recall campaigns

75,337 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 328 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 108 of 406 complaints (26.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Transmission and shifting10726.4%
Steering behavior9824.1%
Braking behavior5012.3%
Electrical and battery issues4310.6%
Engine operation184.4%
Fuel system concerns51.2%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train
108
Steering
84
Electrical System
81
Unknown Or Other
44
Engine
38
Air Bags
23
Service Brakes
18
Vehicle Speed Control
17
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Power Train108
Steering84
Electrical System81
Unknown Or Other44
Engine38
Air Bags23
Service Brakes18
Vehicle Speed Control17

Power Train: 108; Steering: 84; Electrical System: 81; Unknown Or Other: 44; Engine: 38; Air Bags: 23; Service Brakes: 18; Vehicle Speed Control: 17

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
48
25,000 to 49,999
43
50,000 to 74,999
71
75,000 to 99,999
65
100,000 to 149,999
68
150,000 and above
33
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00048
25,000 to 49,99943
50,000 to 74,99971
75,000 to 99,99965
100,000 to 149,99968
150,000 and above33

Under 25,000: 48; 25,000 to 49,999: 43; 50,000 to 74,999: 71; 75,000 to 99,999: 65; 100,000 to 149,999: 68; 150,000 and above: 33

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (71). 78 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2007
1
2008
25
2009
14
2010
23
2011
24
2012
12
2013
26
2014
77
2015
35
2016
36
2017
37
2018
29
2019
23
2020
15
2021
12
2022
4
2023
5
2024
5
2025
2
2026
1
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20071
200825
200914
201023
201124
201212
201326
201477
201535
201636
201737
201829
201923
202015
202112
20224
20235
20245
20252
20261

2007: 1; 2008: 25; 2009: 14; 2010: 23; 2011: 24; 2012: 12; 2013: 26; 2014: 77; 2015: 35; 2016: 36; 2017: 37; 2018: 29; 2019: 23; 2020: 15; 2021: 12; 2022: 4; 2023: 5; 2024: 5; 2025: 2; 2026: 1

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 107 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 98 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 50 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10216833 · 2008-02-04 (February 4, 2008)

THE CAR IS A 2008 SATURN VUE 4 CYLINDER AUTOMATIC WITH TWO MAIN SAFETY PROBLEMS. PROBLEM ONE IS THE CAR WILL LOCK YOU OUT AUTOMATICALLY WITH THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION. CAR CAN BE RUNNING OR SHUT OFF. THIS HAPPENED TWICE WITH MY SON IN THE CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 14 TIMES. LUCKILY I HAD THE WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN AND WAS ABLE TO ACCESS THE CAR. SATURN HAS REPEATED THIS PROBLEM ON OTHER VUE AND DEEMS IT A "NORMAL FUNCTION" EVEN THOUGH THE OWNERS MANUALS SAYS THERE IS A FUNCTION IN THE CAR ENGINEERED INTO IT TO PREVENT YOU FROM LOCKING YOUR KEYS …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10216833 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10218552 · 2008-02-19 (February 19, 2008)

WHEN CAR IS IN CRUISE CONTROL IT IS CONSTANTLY DOWNSHIFTING TO MAINTAIN SPEED EVEN ON FLAT SURFACE. APPARENTLY THE GEARING ON THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SUPPORT TO WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE AND IT CANNOT MAINTAIN THE CRUISE CONTROL SPEED. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 3,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10218552 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10256954 · 2009-01-30 (January 30, 2009)

ON 9/24/08 I PURCHASED A 2008 SATURN VUE XR AWD WITH 5945 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. IT WAS A CORPORATE FLEET VEHICLE PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. IT HAS A "PREFERRED PACKAGE" INCLUDING A FACTORY-INSTALLED REMOTE START. IN THE SHORT 4 MONTHS I OWN IT I HAVE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER PANEL AT LEAST 10 TIMES OR MORE. SPECIFICALLY, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY DOES NOT ILLUMINATE AT ALL. NO SPEEDOMETER, NO FUEL GAGE, RPM'S OR TURN SIGNALS YET THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE AND RUNNING. WHAT I'VE BEEN EXPERIENCING TYPICALLY…

Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10256954 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10318978 · 2010-03-11 (March 11, 2010)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS TO HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN SHAFT REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, THE FLOOR SHIFTER FAILED TO RELEASE INTO GEAR. AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION OCCURRED AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS TO BE REPAIRED WHICH CONSISTED OF REPLACING COMPONENTS SUCH AS; FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY, ACCELERATION PEDAL ENGIN…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10318978 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10217487 · 2008-02-08 (February 8, 2008)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS, HEADLIGHTS, AND INSTRUMENTAL PANEL LIGHTS SHUT OFF SEVERAL TIMES. MOST RECENTLY, WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, ALL OF THE LIGHTS DIMMED. WHEN THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURRED, THE DEALER REPLACED THE COMPUTER BODY SENSOR. AFTER THE LAST FAILURE, THE DEALER REPLACED THE INSTRUMENTAL GAUGE CLUSTER AND THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE. THE CONTACT HAS NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO EXCHANGE THE VEHICL…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,070 miles reported. Look up ODI 10217487 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10239991 · 2008-08-27 (August 27, 2008)

I PURCHASED A SATURN VUE 2008 AUTOMOBILE WHICH WAS PURCHASED ON FEB.18,2008. I'VE HAD TWO ACCIDENTS WITH THIS VEHICLE, BOTH DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. THE FIRST ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON JUNE 27,2008, AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15AM. I WAS MANEUVERING MY VEHICLE IN A GARAGE AREA WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE , THE PEDDLE WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE THUS "STOPPING " THE CAR, THE CAR WAS MOVING 5-10 M.P.H. THE SECOND ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON JULY 17, 2008 AT 4:15PM. I WAS 3 CAR LENGTHS BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING 25 M.P.H WHEN I STEPPED …

Owner-reported narrative. 8,283 miles reported. Look up ODI 10239991 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10274796 · 2009-06-24 (June 24, 2009)

WE A 2008 SATURN VUE ON JUNE 28, 2008. 4 MONTHS AGO, I STARTED BEING "SHOCKED" WHEN EXITING/CLOSING THE DRIVERS DOOR ON ALL OCCASIONS, THIS OCCASIONALLY HAPPENS TO PASSENGERS TOO. ONE CAN ACTUALLY SEE THE SHOCK STRIKE WHICH LEAVES A DULL ACHING PAIN IN A FINGER ON MY LEFT HAND. WE HAVE TRIED SEAT COVERS, STATIC GUARD, DRYER SHEETS, BUT NOTHING SOLVES OR LESSENS THE ISSUE. MAIN CONCERN IS WHEN FUELING BECAUSE IT COULD VERY WELL CAUSE AN EXPLOSION OR FIRE. WE THINK THERE IS SOME TYPE OF ELECTRICAL SHORT, BUT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DISMISSED OUR C…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10274796 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10233541 · 2008-07-08 (July 8, 2008)

MY 2008 SATURN VUE REDLINE HAS EXHIBITED NEAR STALLING, SHUDDERING,AND BUCKING ON THREE (3) OCCASIONS WHEN SIMPLY DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. MY FEAR IS THAT I WILL BE REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE SINCE THERE IS NO WARNING AS TO WHEN THIS EVENT WILL OCCUR. IN AN EFFORT TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE, I CONTACTED TWO SATURN DEALERS, NEITHER OF WHOM WAS ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE SECOND DEALER THAT I CONTACTED INFORMED ME THAT SATURN MAY NOW, AS OF JULY 5, 2008, HAVE SOME IDEA AS TO THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT HAS NO IDEA HOW TO FIX IT. FOR THE…

Owner-reported narrative. 9,791 miles reported. Look up ODI 10233541 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10282509 · 2009-09-01 (September 1, 2009)

I PURCHASED MY SATURN IN OCTOBER, 08. I ENJOYED DRIVING MY VUE THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS. THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS, I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS. MY SATURN STALLS WHEN I ACCELERATE. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE GAS, BUT I FOUND OUT THAT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. I TOOK IT BACK TO SATURN IN JUNE 09, THAT STATED "THEY DID NOT SEE A PROBLEM". THE TAKE OFF IS SO SLOW AND MY VUE IS STILL STALLING. I NEED THE PROBLEM SOLVED. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP IN THIS MATTER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 14,589 miles reported. Look up ODI 10282509 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10238696 · 2008-08-18 (August 18, 2008)

AT 200 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER. TOLD ME THAT I PROBABLY DIDN'T PUT THE GAS CAP ON PROPERLY. THEY RE-SET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AT 800 MILES, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER. THEY WERE ABLE TO DETECT 2 ERROR CODES ON THE COMPUTER. THEY EXAMINED THE CAR AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL HOLE ON THE FLANGE OF THE FUEL PUMP. THEY REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND RE-SET THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. CAR HAS BEEN RUNNING FINE SINCE. OLD FUEL PUMP IS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10238696 at NHTSA ↗