REFERENCE # 10945589, FORGOT TO MENTION VEHICLE IS NOT AND HAS NOT SHOW WARNING LIGHT ABOUT THIS.... EXP..NO CHECK ENGINE...
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 →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Vue years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
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.
Engine complaints
38 reportsONCE I START DRIVING MY AUTOMATIC 2008 SATURN VUE AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE MUCH. ITS LIKE THE SHIFTS GET STUCK AROUND 3RD OR SO AND IT SMELLS LIKE BURN. *TR
THERE WAS A RECALL BULLETIN ISSUED FOR MY MODEL YEAR VEHICLE: HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/ACMS/CS/JAXRS/DOWNLOAD/DOC/UCM472842/RCRIT-14V614-0055.PDF HOWEVER, WHEN I CONTACTED MY CLOSEST GM DEALER THEY SAID THAT MY VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL. THIS IS CONCERNING AS THE RECALL IS DESCRIBING THE EXACT PROBLEM W/ THE…
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THERE WAS A RECALL BULLETIN ISSUED FOR MY MODEL YEAR VEHICLE: HTTP://WWW-ODI.NHTSA.DOT.GOV/ACMS/CS/JAXRS/DOWNLOAD/DOC/UCM472842/RCRIT-14V614-0055.PDF HOWEVER, WHEN I CONTACTED MY CLOSEST GM DEALER THEY SAID THAT MY VIN WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RECALL. THIS IS CONCERNING AS THE RECALL IS DESCRIBING THE EXACT PROBLEM W/ THE CAR AND HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED BY A SERVICE PROFESSIONAL. ONE OF THE CONNECTORS ON MY ECM SOMEHOW HAS BECOME CONTAMINATED AND IS CAUSING THE CAR TO UNEXPECTEDLY DIE WHILE IN USE. ALSO AS A RESULT, THE TCS/ESP/AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ALL COME ON AND REMAIN ON UNTIL THE COMPUTER CAN BE RESET. IT HAS DONE SO TWICE WHILE MY WIFE HAS BEEN DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY, CREATING VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. IT STRANDS HER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD UNTIL WE CAN GET THE CAR STARTED AGAIN AND OFF THE HIGHWAY. THIS HAS ALSO HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR IS IDLING, AND WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS OFF THE HIGHWAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT ONLY CERTAIN VINS ARE INVOLVED IN CERTAIN RECALLS, BUT SINCE THE PROBLEM IN THE RECALL BULLETIN LINKED ABOVE IS HAPPENING TO OUR VEHICLE AND OUR VEHICLE'S VIN IS NOT LISTED, I AM CONCERNED THERE COULD BE OTHERS THAT ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS AND COULD BECOME SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE DOORS WOULD SUDDENLY LOCK AND UNLOCK AND THE LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLASHED. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE MANY OTHER ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS THAT WOULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING. IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE DOORS WOULD SUDDENLY LOCK AND UNLOCK AND THE LIGHTING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLASHED. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE MANY OTHER ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS THAT WOULD OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING. IN ORDER TO GET THE VEHICLE TO FUNCTION CORRECTLY, THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO BECOME STUCK IN GEAR AND WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS ON IT OWN. I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND TURN CAR COMPLETELY OFF ALLOW THE CAR TO SIT FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND RE-CRANK THE CAR FORCING CAR TO RESET TO GEAR 1. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE CAR WA…
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WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUED TO BECOME STUCK IN GEAR AND WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS ON IT OWN. I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER TO SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND TURN CAR COMPLETELY OFF ALLOW THE CAR TO SIT FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND RE-CRANK THE CAR FORCING CAR TO RESET TO GEAR 1. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION ON HIGH WAY AND DURING PULL OFF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT, THE CONTACT NOTICED EXTENSIVE SMOKE ENTERING INTO THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER INTO A PARKING SPACE AND A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, BUT THE FLAMES WERE TOO INTENSE…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT, THE CONTACT NOTICED EXTENSIVE SMOKE ENTERING INTO THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER INTO A PARKING SPACE AND A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, BUT THE FLAMES WERE TOO INTENSE. A FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A YARD TO BE INSPECTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I HAD BEEN OUT TO LUNCH AND WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE IN MY WORKPLACE PARKING LOT. I EASED INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND NUDGED THE GAS TO GET COMPLETELY IN THE SPACE. WHEN I NUDGED THE GAS, MY CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITH SUCH A FORCE THE CAR WENT OVER A CONCRETE BARRIER IN THE PARKING SPACE AND I THEN HIT A BRICK AND …
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I HAD BEEN OUT TO LUNCH AND WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE IN MY WORKPLACE PARKING LOT. I EASED INTO THE PARKING SPACE AND NUDGED THE GAS TO GET COMPLETELY IN THE SPACE. WHEN I NUDGED THE GAS, MY CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN WITH SUCH A FORCE THE CAR WENT OVER A CONCRETE BARRIER IN THE PARKING SPACE AND I THEN HIT A BRICK AND CONCRETE WALL THAT WAS KNOCKED DOWN. AN IRON RAILING WAS ON TOP OF THE CONCRETE AND THAT GOT SMASHED AS WELL. MY CAR WAS MOVING AT SUCH A FAST AND FURIOUS SPEED I HAD NO CONTROL OVER IT. AS A RESULT, MY CAR WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE REPAIRS THAT WERE NECESSARY. THIS EXACT THING HAPPENED EXACTLY THREE YEARS AGO IN THIS CAR AND IT WAS THE SAME SITUATION. I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING PLACE AT A SHOPPING MALL AND AS I EASED ON THE GAS TO PULL INTO THE SPACE, AGAIN, MY CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND I HIT A TRUCK THAT WAS IN THE SPACE IN FRONT OF WHERE I WAS PULLING IN AND MY CAR STOPPED WHEN IT HIT THE CAR NEXT TO THE TRUCK. MY CAR WAS REPAIRABLE. THANKFULLY, BOTH OF THESE TIMES I WAS IN THE CAR ALONE. I HAVE CALLED GM/SATURN AND MADE A COMPLAINT WITH THEM. ...UPDATED 09/28/15*BF
CAR IS NOT SHIFTING APPROPRIATELY WHEN GOING INTO REVERSE. ALSO NOTICE ISSUES WHEN DRIVING WHERE CAR APPEARS TO STRUGGLE SHIFTING TO THIRD GEAR. HAS STALLED OUT. *TR
THE C5 PLATE IN THE TRANSMISSION SNAPPED CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. NO REVERSE EITHER. CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 30, RPM'S WERE HIGH. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. COST TO FIX $1794. RESEARCHED PROBLEM, BUNCH OF COMPLAINTS CAME UP, SAME PROBLEM, SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. TRANSMISSION EXCHANGE IN LACKAWANNA NY VERIFIED…
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THE C5 PLATE IN THE TRANSMISSION SNAPPED CAUSING MY VEHICLE TO NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. NO REVERSE EITHER. CAR WOULD NOT GO OVER 30, RPM'S WERE HIGH. ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. COST TO FIX $1794. RESEARCHED PROBLEM, BUNCH OF COMPLAINTS CAME UP, SAME PROBLEM, SAME MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. TRANSMISSION EXCHANGE IN LACKAWANNA NY VERIFIED THAT HE HAS DONE SIMILAR VEHICLES WITH SAME TRANSMISSION, SAME PROBLEM. I'M A SINGLE MOTHER NEEDING TO GET BACK AND FORTH TO WORK. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN LABELED A RECALL BEING IT'S A MANUFACTURER MALFUNCTION. *TR
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING, WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. AFTER VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT WOULD SHIFT INTO DIFFERENT GEARS BUT WOULD NOT MOVE. DEALER REPAIR SERVICE CENTER STATES: "38909 TRANSMISSION 3-5-R WAVED PLATE BROKEN AND DAMAGED" PARTS REPLACED: SEAL KIT, GASKETS, NUT, VALVES, COVER, SP…
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VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING, WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. AFTER VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, IT WOULD SHIFT INTO DIFFERENT GEARS BUT WOULD NOT MOVE. DEALER REPAIR SERVICE CENTER STATES: "38909 TRANSMISSION 3-5-R WAVED PLATE BROKEN AND DAMAGED" PARTS REPLACED: SEAL KIT, GASKETS, NUT, VALVES, COVER, SPRING, PISTON, HOUSING, PISTON, PLATE KIT, PLATE TIMES 2 *TR
Official recalls
309V233000 · 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
1PE09016 · 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.
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