2006 Saturn Vue

ON THE FIRST START OF THE DAY, AT OR BELOW 24 DEGREES F, THE INTERIOR ITEMS FLASH ON AND OFF UNTIL THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WARMED UP. I ALSO LEARNED THAT IF THE IGNITION WAS ON FOR ABOUT 3 MINUTES IT WAS THE SAME AS IF IT WAS RUNNING. I LIVE IN NASHVILLE AND FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS IT ONLY OCCURRED WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMP WAS 24 DEGREES OR BELOW. THE FLASHING ON AND OFF OF THE LIGHTS AND EQUIPMENT IS THE BODY CONTROL MODULE PROTECTING THEM WHEN THE CHARGE RATE IS TOO HIGH. IT WAS CONSIDERED AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND WHO CAN TROUBLESHOOT AT OR BELOW 24 DEGREES? A MONTH AGO (JULY) IT STARTED ALL THE TIME, NO FLASHING, NO STEERING, NO DASH INSTRUMENTS, ETC. LONGER STORY SHORT WITH THE PLUG REMOVED FROM THE ALTERNATOR (IT CONTROLS THE FIELD VOLTAGE THROUGH THE ECM/PCM) THE ALTERNATOR WAS STILL PUTTING OUT 18.5 VOLTS. THIS DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT OCCUR BUT SOMETHING WAS BAD WRONG INSIDE THE ALTERNATOR. IT WAS BOILING THE ACID OUT OF THE BATTERY TOO. ONCE THE ALTERNATOR WAS REMOVED (BENCH CHECKED FAILED) AND REPLACED IT ALL WENT AWAY. IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE WEATHER GETS BELOW 24 DEGREES AGAIN. THIS ALTERNATOR IS MANUFACTURED BY GM, IS DISCONTINUED AND NO LONGER AVAILABLE FROM GM. ONLY REMANUFACTURED UNITS FROM CHINA ARE AVAILABLE AT THE AFTERMARKET PARTS STORES. THERE IS NO TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURE IN THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE ALTERNATOR PLUG CAN BE DISCONNECTED WITHOUT ANY DISASSEMBLY. THIS WAS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THE ALTERNATOR ON THIS VUE THE FIRST OCCURRED AT 87,000 MILES. IT SEEMS THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE COMPONENTS OF THIS ALTERNATOR.

WHILE I WAS SITTING IN MY CAR WAITING FOR MY DAUGHTER TO GET OUT OF WORK, THE CAR WAS RUNNING, WHEN THERE WAS SMOKE POURING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE CAR OFF AND THE SMOKE DISSIPATED. THIS WAS 2 DAYS AGO AND NOW MY WIPERS DO NOT WORK. MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE AIR BAG WIRES HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED OUT THE WIPERS.

SITTING IN TRAFFIC AT A LIGHT IN DRIVE WITH BRAKES APPLIED NOT MOVING,1989 CHEVY PICK UP TRUCK ,HIT MY BACK BUMPER,THE LIGHT ON MY DASH INDICATED THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED,AND A LIGHT ON MY DASH SAID PASSENGER AIR BAG IS OFF,THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.TOOK MY CAR TO THE NEAREST CHEVROLET DEALER KENDALL OF NAMPA IDAHO,THEY SAID CODE# BOO92 5256 CAME UP AND THEY SAID THE HEATING ELEMENT FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT WENT OUT (NO ONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT , AND I NEVER USE THE HEATED SEATS ) THE DEALER SAID THE HEATED SEATS ARE CONNECTED TO MY AIR BAGS AND MY AIR BAGS CAN'T BE TURNED ON UNTIL THE HEAT ELEMENT FOR THE SEAT IS REPAIRED. I THOUGHT THAT A FEDERAL LAW WAS PASSED IN THE EARLY 1990'S THAT THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WAS TO BE ON IT'S OWN CIRCUIT SO IT CAN NOT BE TURNED OFF BY ANY OTHER CIRCUITS? I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS TRUE I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 2006 BRAND NEW ,AND I FEEL THE CHEVROLET CORPORATION SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. PLEASE RESPOND AS FAST AS YOU CAN BECAUSE I HAVE ONLY ONE CAR, AND THE GUY THAT HIT ME HIS INSURANCE IS LOOKING INTO IT .THANK GOD I WASN'T HURT OR THE GUY THAT HIT ME,THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER FOR ME. HAVE A GOOD DAY.

UPON INITIAL STARTUP, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS DO NOT WORK IN THE DASH AND LIGHT AND POWER STEERING. AFTER IT WARMS UP, IT WILL BEGIN TO WORK. SPARKS AND BURNING SMELLS HAVE COME FROM THE DASH AREA. THIS PROBLEM IS PARTICULARLY BAD IN COLD WEATHER. IF YOU ATTEMPT TO DRIVE IT BEFORE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WARM UP AND START TO WORK THE SPARKS ARE REALLY BAD AND YOU HAVE NO POWER STEERING. THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO BE VERY COMMON AS I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL POSTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND OTHER COMPLAINT BOARDS. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR AT LEAST A YEAR AND A HALF BUT IT'S PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE IN THE WINTER..183K MILES.

I WAS STRANDED SEVERAL TIMES BY THE IGNITION SWITCH REFUSING TO TURN OR ENGAGE TO START THE ENGINE. I CHECKED RECALL NOTICES AND NOTICED THAT OTHER YEARS, LIKE THE 2004, HAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICES TO HAVE THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL AND I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF I MISSED A RECALL NOTIFICATION. I HAD TO PAY $332.30 (INCLUDING LABOR) IN JULY, 2016 TO HAVE THE IGNITION LOCK CYLINDER REPLACED, INCLUDING HAVING THE LOCK CYLINDER REKEYED TO MY ORIGINAL KEYS. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME HE HAD JUST HAD ANOTHER PERSON IN THE PREVIOUS WEEK WITH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. IS THERE ANY RECOURSE FOR ME? *TR