2009 Saturn VUE: complaints, problems and recalls

NO ACCIDENT. I'M REPORTING DESIGNFLAW: SATURN VUE SERVICE MANUAL STATES NOT USE TIRE CHAINS, BUT NO SUGGESTION OF WHAT TO USE IN SNOW. AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS I FOUND SATURN SELLS SPIKE SPIDERS FOR $470 TO MORE THAN $500 A POP. THESE SPIKES ARE SAID BY THE SPIKE SPIDER MANUFACTURER, NOT TO INTERFERE WITH SENSORS, BRAKES, SUSPENSION ON THE SIDE OF THE TIRE NEXT TO THE VEHICLE. MY SATURN DEALERSHIP WAS CAREFUL NOT TO RECOMMEND THESE VERY EXPENSIVE SPIKES. I HAD TO ASK THEM. BUT SATURN DOES SELL THEM AT THEIR DEALERSHIPS. WHEN CALLING THE NAT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10288795 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS HIT ON DRIVER SIDE DOOR..HIGH SPEED IMPACT.. FIRE DEPT NEEDED TO USE JAWS OF LIFE TO GET ME OUT.. I WAS UNCONSCIOUS AND TAKEN TO TRAUMA..NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED..HITS WERE ALSO NOTED TO FRONT PANEL AND REAR..CAR WAS TOTALED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10299575 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN VUE. DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THERE WERE PIECES OF METAL IN THE OIL FILTER. THE VEHICLE DIDN'T MALFUNCTION OR AFFECT HIS ABILITY TO DRIVE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. HE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER ON 03/02/2010. HE HAD NOT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO-DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,325. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,266.

Owner-reported narrative. 5,266 miles reported. Look up ODI 10315182 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE CHANGING A FLAT TIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE, THE FACTORY-SUPPLIED SCREW-TYPE JACK COLLAPSED, AND BENT ALMOST IN HALF. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE PARKING BRAKE WAS SET AND THE JACK WAS PROPERLY LOCATED. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE PART.

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10322884 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2009 SATURN VUE HYBRID HAS HAD 2 CAR BATTERIES DIE AND THE HYBRID BATTERIES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. I PURCHASED THE VUE IN JULY OF 2009. THE FIRST CAR BATTERY WAS REPORTED DEAD BY THE LOU FUZE DEALERSHIP LESS THAN A WEEK AFTER MY PURCHASE AND REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THE HYBRID BATTERIES WERE DEEMED "DEAD" BY THE LOU FUZE DEALERSHIP IN JULY 2010 AND REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. IN OCTOBER 2010, THE CAR BATTERY WAS AGAIN DEEMED "DEAD" AND REPLACED BY THE LOU FUZE DEALERSHIP. EACH TIME THE CAR BATTERY WAS REPLACED, I WAS TOLD BY THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10359322 at NHTSA ↗

1. THE INTERIOR DRIVER SIDE DOOR HANDLE IS "CHROME" COVERED AND HAS CAUSED CUTS THAT REQUIRED A 'BUTTERFLY' STITCHING. 2. EVERY TIME I OPEN THE DOOR I GET CUT 3. I HAVE CONTACTED SATURN FOR ALMOST A YEAR TO REPAIR THIS TO NO AVAIL. 1. THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSORS ARE ON BACKWARDS. IF MY LEFT FRONT TIRE IS GOING FLAT THE SENSORS AND LIGHTS SAY IT'S THE LEFT REAR TIRE. 2. THIS HAPPENS EACH TIME MY TIRE GETS LOW AND I JUST FIGURED OUT THE PROBLEM 3 MONTHS AGO. IT CAUSES ME TO OVER INFLATE THE INCORRECT TIRE AND THE LOW TIRE IS STILL LOW ON AIR. 3.…

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10361429 at NHTSA ↗

MY 2009 SATURN VUE HYBRID WAS PURCHASES IN JAN 2009. SINCE THAT TIME MY CAR BATTERY HAS DIED 4 TIMES. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE SATURN DEALER IN SAVANNAH THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY BUT MY HYBRID BATTERY HAD A RECALL. AFTER 10 DAYS THE VEHICLE WAS RELEASED BACK TO ME WITH A NEW HYBRID BATTERY HOWEVER, THE 12 V CONTINUES TO DIE. THE GM DEALER IN HINESVILLE GA SAID THAT BATTERIES WILL DIE IN EXTREME CONDITIONS. I LIVE IN SE GEORGIA. I HAVE NO GPS, RADAR DETECTOR, MPS PLAYER , DVD PLAYER ETC PLUGGED INTO MY VUE TO ACCOUNT FOR…

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10362102 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN VUE HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND EXITING THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE CHECK ENGINE, BRAKE AND ABS LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART AFTER BEING TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HYBRID BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS THE PARTS WERE ON BACKORDER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OF…

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10362930 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-09-17 (September 17, 2008)

GM IS RECALLING 42,408 MY 2008-2009 SATURN VUE VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE NUT SECURING THE POWER STEERING LINE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY LOOSEN. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THERE MAY BE A POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK.

Consequence: THE FLUID COULD CONTACT HOT EXHAUST COMPONENTS RESULTING IN A POSSIBLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE NUT SECURING THE POWER STEERING LINE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP. IF THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF A FLUID LEAK, DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE NUT. IF A FLUID LEAK IS PRESENT, DEALER WILL TIGHTEN THE NUT AND CHECK THE FLUID LEVEL. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM>HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM</A> .

Reported: 2008-11-24 (November 24, 2008)

GM IS RECALLING 2,149 MY 2009 SATURN VUE VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN INCORRECT RIGHT AND/OR LEFT FRONT STEERING KNUCKLE. AS A RESULT OF THE INCORRECT KNUCKLE AND RESULTING INADEQUATE CLEARANCE, THE TIE ROD BALL STUD COULD PULL OUT OF, OR FRACTURE, THE TIE ROD HOUSING. THIS COULD CAUSE THE TIE ROD TO SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE.

Consequence: ALTHOUGH STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE COULD BE MAINTAINED AFTER A TIE ROD SEPARATION BY THE UNAFFECTED WHEEL ON SMOOTH ROADS OR DURING LIGHT BRAKING, WITH MORE SIGNIFICANT SUSPENSION OR BRAKING INPUTS, THE AFFECTED WHEEL COULD TURN OUT AND SKID. IF A VEHICLE BUILT WITH TWO INCORRECT STEERING KNUCKLES HAD BOTH TIE RODS SEPARATE AT THE SAME TIME, STEERING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE LOST, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING KNUCKLES AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE STEERING KNUCKLE(S) AND TIE ROD(S). THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 8, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM>HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM</A> .