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2008 Saturn Vue

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Saturn Vue do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 276.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

329 reports with mileage · 77 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 120 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 88 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 86 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports11 fire reports10 injury reports

Electronic Stability Control (esc) complaints

15 reports
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Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2020
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Power Train

THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING BETWEEN 45-50 MPH AT ABOUT 1500-2000 RPMS THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID IT WAS USING THE MANUAL MODE. IT WAS ONLY HAPPENING AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED UP TOO BY THE END OF MY 200 MILE DRIVE TODAY IT WAS SLIPPING BAD AND IT HAS FLUID I TOPPED IT OFF THIS MORNING HOPING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM BUT IT WAS NOT A…

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THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING BETWEEN 45-50 MPH AT ABOUT 1500-2000 RPMS THE ONLY WAY TO AVOID IT WAS USING THE MANUAL MODE. IT WAS ONLY HAPPENING AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS WARMED UP TOO BY THE END OF MY 200 MILE DRIVE TODAY IT WAS SLIPPING BAD AND IT HAS FLUID I TOPPED IT OFF THIS MORNING HOPING THAT WAS THE PROBLEM BUT IT WAS NOT AND I CONSISTENTLY CHECKED IT THROUGHOUT THE DRIVE AND IT DID NOT GO DOWN OR LOSE FLUID.

NHTSA ODI #11342863

7,590,000 miles · Mar 16, 2019
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Steering

HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMN TWICE DUE TO ANTI LOCK BRAKE AND TRACTION CONTROL ISSUES. BOTH SYSTEM LIGHTS ARE ON THE DASH. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT BUT THE ONLY FIX IS A STEERING COLUMN WHICH ARE HARD TO FIND. HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 2 YEARS

NHTSA ODI #11187215

85,000 miles · Jul 24, 2018
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Unknown Or Other

AFTER SITTING FOR AWHILE, I TRIED TO USE THE KEY FOB TO UNLOCK THE CAR. IT DID NOTHING. I USED THE KEY THEN TO UNLOCK THE DOORS AND THE DOME LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. HOWEVER, THE CAR STARTED UP WITH THE SECOND TURN OF THE KEY. AFTER DRIVING HOME, THE KEY FOB WORKED AGAIN ALONG WITH THE DOME LIGHTS. WHILE DRIVING AT SEVERAL OTHE…

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AFTER SITTING FOR AWHILE, I TRIED TO USE THE KEY FOB TO UNLOCK THE CAR. IT DID NOTHING. I USED THE KEY THEN TO UNLOCK THE DOORS AND THE DOME LIGHTS DID NOT WORK. HOWEVER, THE CAR STARTED UP WITH THE SECOND TURN OF THE KEY. AFTER DRIVING HOME, THE KEY FOB WORKED AGAIN ALONG WITH THE DOME LIGHTS. WHILE DRIVING AT SEVERAL OTHER TIMES, THE RADIO WILL SHUT OFF AND THE CLOCK WILL RESET TO MIDNIGHT AND THE CALENDAR WILL RESET. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING AS WELL AS WHEN THE ENGINE IS FIRST STARTED. THIS WILL HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW.

NHTSA ODI #11113375

35,000 miles · Jun 26, 2018
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior Lighting

THIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM AND, STABILITY, ANTISKID LIGHTS STAY ON CONSTANTLY. THE CAR WILL DIE AND RESTART W HIKE DRIVING. THE AC BLOWS FROM BOTTOM HEATER VENTS. BATTERY WILL ACTS AS IF DEAD UNTIL I BANG TERMINAL WITH A HAMMER

NHTSA ODI #11104133

99,995 miles · Dec 1, 2017
Air BagsElectrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

MY AIRBAG LIGHT WON'T TURN OFF. MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS WON'T RESET. THE STAIRCASE LIGHT IS ON, THE OIL LIGHT, THE SUSPENSION LIGHT. I'VE HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR WHICH NOW HAS 99,972 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ODI #11051641

118,000 miles · Jul 2, 2017
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service BrakesUnknown Or Other

AROUND JUNE 22, 2017HE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ABS, TRACTION CONTROL TC/ESP ELEC. STABILITY, AWD ALL-WHEEL DRIVE, AND BRAKE WARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS STAY ON AND WILL NOT RESET ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL INDICATING THE SYSTEMS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING/POWERED ON AND/OR NOT WORKING PROPERLY. ON MAY 9, 2017 SCOTT AUTOMOTIVE PUT NEW BRAK…

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AROUND JUNE 22, 2017HE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ABS, TRACTION CONTROL TC/ESP ELEC. STABILITY, AWD ALL-WHEEL DRIVE, AND BRAKE WARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS STAY ON AND WILL NOT RESET ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL INDICATING THE SYSTEMS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING/POWERED ON AND/OR NOT WORKING PROPERLY. ON MAY 9, 2017 SCOTT AUTOMOTIVE PUT NEW BRAKES ON THE CAR. THEY COULD NOT GET A READING FROM THE ABS/TC CONTROL SYSTEM AND SUGGESTED TAKING IT TO A DEALER - IT WOULD NOT COMMUNICATE. A TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AND LATER IN THE WEEK, CARTER AUTO REPAIR REPLACED THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR AND STATED WITH THE CORRECT READING EQUIPMENT THE ABS/TC STILL WAS NOT COMMUNICATING AND ALSO SUGGESTED HAVING GM PERFORM A READING. GM TECHNICIANS' ONLINE RESPONSES TO FORUM COMPLAINTS OF 2008 SATURN VUE (AND OTHER MODELS) STABILITY TRACK SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION ISSUES LEAD ME TO BELIEVE GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS BUT HAVE YET TO TAKE RECALL ACTION TO ADDRESS THEM. THE VEHICLE RUNS THROUGH A SELF-CHECK OF THE SENSORS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED WITH ONLY THE AWD LIGHT BLINKING AND THE NORMAL ALL LIGHTS FLASH ON THE DASH AND THEN THE BRAKE, ABS, BOTH TC/ESP LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON AND THE AWD LIGHT CONTINUES TO BLINK. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THE TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC STABILITY AND ABS ARE NOT ON AND WORKING SO I AM HOPING WHEN I TAKE THE CAR TO GM ON WEDNESDAY THEY WILL OFFER TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FOR MY MOTHER BECAUSE IT HAS A 5-STAR SAFETY RATING AND IT IS NO LONGER SAFE FOR HER TO DRIVE IF SHE IS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE BRAKES LOCK UP AND SHE SKIDS ACROSS THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI #11002703

134,005 miles · Mar 13, 2017
Electrical SystemElectronic Stability Control (esc)

ALL OF MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS INCLUDING MY BRAKE LIGHT IS ON MY EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT BEEPS WHILE I'M DRIVING BUT IT'S NOT ENGAGED MY SHIFTING IS VERY CHOPPY AND I'M HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE AS WELL A FEW WEEKS AGO I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS LIGHTS ON MY DASHBOARD I WENT TO A AUTOMOBILE PLACE THEY ERASE ALL THE CODES…

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ALL OF MY DASHBOARD LIGHTS INCLUDING MY BRAKE LIGHT IS ON MY EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT BEEPS WHILE I'M DRIVING BUT IT'S NOT ENGAGED MY SHIFTING IS VERY CHOPPY AND I'M HAVING A HARD TIME WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE AS WELL A FEW WEEKS AGO I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS LIGHTS ON MY DASHBOARD I WENT TO A AUTOMOBILE PLACE THEY ERASE ALL THE CODES SO WE COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH IT AND EVERY SINGLE THING THAT COULD GO WRONG WITH IT THEY'RE SAYING IT'S WRONG WITH IT BUT IT STILL DRIVES IT HAS A HARD TIME SHIFTING AND THIS IS AN AUTOMATIC SO I'M NOT IN CHARGE OF THE SHIFT IT'S VERY CHOPPY WHEN IT SHIFTS INTO DIFFERENT GEARS THE AUTOMOBILE PLACE THAT IT'S EITHER THE COMPUTER OR THE TRANSMISSION THIS CAR HAS MILE NUMBER 134380 ON IT IT ALWAYS HAS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF FLUIDS IN IT I ALWAYS GET OIL CHANGES ON TIME I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS CAR

NHTSA ODI #10960412

Mileage unknown · Mar 13, 2017
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior LightingFuel/propulsion System

N/A

NHTSA ODI #10960267

150,000 miles · Jun 8, 2016
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Service Brakes

WHILE IN MOTION THE FRONT BRAKES STARTED TO ENGAGE THEMSELVES. VEHICLE DID NOT WANT TO MOVE VERY WELL.VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN QUICKLY WHEN LETTING OFF THE GAS PEDAL CAME TO A STOP WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE. PULLED OVER AND BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE SMOKING.

NHTSA ODI #10873313

79,432 miles · Apr 24, 2015
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Equipment Adaptive/mobilityService Brakes

OUR 2008 SATURN VUE XE RECENTLY STARTED LOCKING UP THE ABS AND BRAKES WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND MOST FRIGHTENINGLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WILL APPLY THE BRAKES AT WILL FOR NO REASON AND THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS COME ON. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED MULTIPLE TIMES AND WE HAVE …

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OUR 2008 SATURN VUE XE RECENTLY STARTED LOCKING UP THE ABS AND BRAKES WHILE DRIVING. IT HAPPENS IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AND MOST FRIGHTENINGLY AT FREEWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WILL APPLY THE BRAKES AT WILL FOR NO REASON AND THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL INDICATORS COME ON. WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED MULTIPLE TIMES AND WE HAVE REPLACED ALL BRAKE HARDWARE AND THE ISSUE STILL EXISTS. WE HAVE DONE COUNTLESS HOURS OF RESEARCH AND HAVE FOUND THAT HUNDREDS OF SATURN, CHEVROLET, AND COMMODORE VEHICLES EXHIBIT THE SAME ISSUES AND GENERAL MOTORS DEALERSHIPS DO NOT EVEN HAVE AN ANSWER. THE VEHICLE BRAKE ISSUES RENDER THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE AND CAUSE IMMEDIATE SLOWNESS AND INABILITY TO MANEUVER ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT LOCKS UP. WE CANNOT USE THE VEHICLE AND HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL RESOURCES AND OPTIONS TRYING TO FIX THE ISSUE. IT CANNOT BE TRADED IN WITH THESE ISSUES EITHER. CAN SOMEBODY INVESTIGATE POSSIBLE RECALLS OR DEALER SOLUTIONS SO WE CAN FEEL SAFE DRIVING...WITH OR WITHOUT OUR SMALL CHILDREN. PLEASE HELP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10712761

Official recalls

3

09V233000 · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

Jun 25, 2009

GM IS RECALLING 44,451 MY 2008 SATURN VUE VEHICLES WITH BODY COLOR OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES. THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES MAY STICK OR BIND. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE DOOR MAY NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DRIVING WITH AN UNLATCHED DOOR COULD RESULT IN AN UNBELTED OCCUPANT FALLING OUT OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES WITH CHROME DOOR HANDLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNER MAY CONTACT SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.

08V470000 · Steering:hydraulic Power Assist:hose, Piping, And Connections

Sep 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 & remedy

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> .

08V200000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission

May 5, 2008

GM IS RECALLING 26 MY 2008 SATURN VUE VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 6T70 6-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE TRANSMISSION CASE SIDE BORE THAT HOLDS THE PARK PAWL PIVOT PIN MAY HAVE A CASTING POROSITY. THIS CONDITION, COUPLED WITH NORMAL OPERATING STRESSES, COULD LEAD TO FAILURE, ELIMINATING THE ABILITY TO SECURE THE TRANSMISSION IN 'PARK' POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS PARKED ON A NON-LEVEL SURFACE, THE VEHICLE COULD ROLL WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSE INJURY TO PEOPLE IN ITS PATH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 5, 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> .

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE09016 · Outside Door Handles Stick Unlatched

Opened Mar 10, 2009 · Closed Jul 2, 2009

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Latches/locks/linkages:doors:latch

BY LETTER DATED JUNE 23, 2009, GENERAL MOTORS NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL (NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 09V233) TO REPLACE THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 SATURN VUE VEHICLES. THE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE ON CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 SATURN VUE VEHICLES CAN STICK IN THE UNLATCHED POSITION.THE DOOR MAY OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THE AGENCY OPENED ITS INVESTIGATION BASED ON TWO COMPLAINTS OF DOOR LATCH FAILURE THAT CAUSED THE DOOR TO OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION.THE AGENCY ALSO RECEIVED EARLY WARNING (EWR) REPORTS ON THIS ISSUE.CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2008 SATURN VUE VEHICLES HAVE PAINTED BODY-COLOR OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES THAT MAY STICK OR BIND.IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE DOOR MAY NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED.DRIVING WITH AN UNLATCHED DOOR COULD RESULT IN AN OCCUPANT FALLING PARTLY OR FULLY OUT OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING INCREASED RISK OF INJURY.BASED ON THE ABOVE SAFETY RECALL, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.