2008 Saturn Vue Complaint Log

WHILE I AM NOT REPORTING ANY DEATHS OR INJURIES, I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO YOUR ATTENTION IN HOPES OF PREVENTING UNNECESSARY DEATHS OR INJURIES. THE INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY NOTED IN THEIR VEHICLE RATINGS THAT 'TWO TESTS OF THE VUE WERE CONDUCTED. IN THE FIRST TEST, THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY, AND THE REAR PASSENGER DUMMY'S HEAD WAS HIT BY THE WINDOW SILL OF THE REAR DOOR. THIS IMPACT DID NOT PRODUCE HIGH HEAD INJURY MEASURES, BUT THE HEAD PROTECTION WAS INADEQUATE. IN RESPONSE, GENERAL MOTORS REDESIGNED THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS TO ENSURE MORE RAPID INFLATION AND GREATER EXTENSION OF THE AIRBAG NEXT TO THE REAR DUMMY'S HEAD. IN THE SECOND TEST, THE FIX WAS SUCCESSFUL, AND THE HEAD PROTECTION RATING IMPROVED TO GOOD'. FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, THE REDESIGNED AIRBAGS ARE BEING INSTALLED IN ALL VUE'S PRODUCED AFTER DECEMBER 2007, OR FROM JANUARY 2008 ON. I PURCHASED MY 2008 SATURN VUE IN NOVEMBER OF 2007. AS SUCH, I DO NOT HAVE THE REDESIGNED AIRBAGS. I CONTACTED SATURN CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER VIA EMAIL AND RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING RESPONSE 'I CURRENTLY AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH ANY REDESIGNS FOR THE SIDE AIR BAGS AND AS ADVISED IN AN EARLIER CORRESPONDENCE, SHOULD THERE EVER BE A CAMPAIGN ISSUED, YOU WOULD BE NOTIFIED BY UNITED STATES MAIL.' AM I TO HOPE THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT THAT THESE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOY PROPERLY EVEN THOUGH SATURN CLEARLY KNOWS AND HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THROUGH ITS ACTIONS THAT THEY MAY NOT DEPLOY PROPERLY? *TR

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 CLAIM WITHOUT CHECKING AND STATES THAT IT IS CAUSED BY THE MATERIALS USED IN MAKING THE SEATS, ISSUES STILL EXISTS. FOR PAST 6 MONTHS, WE'VE EXPERIENCED A TERRIBLE VIBRATION COMING FROM AND OCCURS WHEN THE SUN ROOF IS OPEN. SERVICE DEPART CLAIMS THIS IS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE WITH SUN ROOFS, BUT IT DID NOT OCCUR DURING THE FIRST 6 MONTHS OF OWNING IT. WE TRIED RIDING WITH ALL WINDOWS DOWN WHILE THE ROOF IS OPEN, STILL OCCURS. OUTCOME - WE ARE UNABLE TO USE THE SUN ROOF BECAUSE IT CAUSES A VERY PAINFUL VIBRATION IN OUR EARDRUMS, I WAS TOLD BY AN ENT OUR EARDRUMS COULD BE DAMAGED WITH CONTINUOUS USE. THIRD ISSUE OCCURRED 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING. THE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE SOMETIMES "STICKS" OPEN. THE DOOR WILL SHUT, BUT WE DO NOT RECEIVE ANY SOUNDS OR LIGHT INDICATION THAT THIS IS OCCURRING. IT APPEARS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE DOOR SEEMS TO BE SHUT, IT IS NOT LATCHING. I WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE AND THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN, LUCKILY THERE WAS NO PASSENGER SITTING THERE. I PRESENTED OUR SERVICE DEPART WITH A PRINTOUT ABOUT THIS ISSUE FROM THIS WEBSITE, THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE, THEREFORE, THEY DON'T PERCEIVE THERE IS AN ISSUE UNTIL IT CAN BE REPLICATED OR WORSE. ISSUES ARE STARTING TO APPEAR SLOWLY, BUT ARE USUALLY DISMISSED. UNFORTUNATELY, NO ONE OTHER THAN A SATURN DEALER WILL WORK ON A SATURN VEHICLE - TOO COMPLICATED. THE OTHER NEAREST SATURN DEALER TO US IS ABOUT 100 MILES AWAY. WISHED I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT... *TR

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 IN THE CAR ACCIDENTALLY. AGAIN THIS HAPPENS AUTOMATICALLY A MINUTE OR TWO AFTER EXITING THE CAR. PROBLEM TWO, TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY DOWNSHIFTS AND ACCELERATES ON FLAT GROUND OR SLIGHT GRADES WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL. THIS ALSO HAPPENS SOMETIMES WHEN CRUISE CONTROLS IS DISENGAGED AS WELL. MY WIFE ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE ONE DUE TO THIS ON A CURVING ROAD GOING UP HILL. I ALMOST HIT A VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAPPENED AS WELL. MULTIPLE DATES OF THESE PROBLEMS HAPPENING. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND HAPPENS BETWEEN 40 AND 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 47 DAYS SINCE IT HAS BEEN PURCHASED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. WHEN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT SWITCH IS IN THE AUTOMATIC POSITION, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DOES NOT ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 640 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18. UPDATED 12/12/07.

I PICKED UP MY BRAND NEW 2008 SATURN VUE FROM THE DEALER SEPTEMBER 27TH, 2007. UPON DRIVING IT TO MY OFFICE I NOTICED A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE TO WHICH THE SALES PERSON ADVISED IT WAS BECAUSE THEY HAD STORED THE CARS IN DOORS. KNOWING NOTHING ABOUT CARS I TOOK THE CAR AND LEFT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT I NOTICED THE NOISE UPON STARTING THE CAR. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN 3 TIMES SINCE PICKING IT UP FOR THIS ISSUE AND HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT SATURN DESIGNED THE CAR THIS WAY WHICH DOES NOT SEEM LOGICAL TO ME. NOW I AM AT ABOUT 1,200 MILES (IT HAD 300 ON IT WHEN I PURCHASED IT WHICH SEEMS NOW SUSPECT TO ME) AND THE SQUEAKING ISSUES HAS GOTTEN LOUDER AND MORE FREQUENT. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND AM AWAITING A RESPONSE. *TR

ONCE 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