2008 Saturn Vue Visibility & Wipers Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that the passenger's side windshield wiper was inoperable. Upon investigation, the contact self-diagnosed the vehicle with windshield wiper linkage failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that the last 8-digits of the VIN were recognized as another make and model vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

THE FRONT WINDSHIELD FLUID WILL NOT SPRAY ONTO THE WINDSHIELD

THE HEATING AND VENTILATION IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THIS VEHICLE HAS AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL. THIS SAME CONDITION OCCURRED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE FAN IS ABLE TO BE VARIABLY CONTROLLED FOR SPEED. THE COLD/HOT SELECTOR DOES NOT CHANGE THE TEMPERATURE. THE MODE SELECTOR FOR THE AIR DISTRIBUTION IS STUCK ON VENT MODE. I HAVE NO HEAT OR FRONT DEFROSTER. THE WARRANTY FIX WAS A COMPUTER RE-FLASH THE THE H.V.A.C. PROGRAMMER. THIS HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR 7 DAYS. STATIC OR MOVING MATTERS NOT. I DO BELIEVE ALL MOTOR VEHICLE VENTILATION SYSTEMS SHOULD DEFAULT TO DEFROSTER MODE! REGARDS, M4RK

THE PASSENGER WIPER ARM DISCONNECTED FROM THE MOTOR WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN. LUCKY I WAS NEAR MY HOME AT THE TIME.

WEBASTO HOLLANDIA 600 SUN ROOF COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM THE CAR WHILE DRIVING ON THE PA TURNPIKE. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR AND IT WAS INSTALLED PRIOR TO MY PICKING IT UP AT THE FAULKNER DEALERSHIP, SATURN OF JENKINTOWN. THE ROOF WAS INSTALLED BY.RSC RESTYLING IN LEVITTOWN, PA. I TOOK THE CAR TO FAULKNER GM IN TREVOSE, PA FOR REPAIRS AND CONTACTED MY AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY. A FEW DAYS LATER I FOUND OUT THAT THE SUN ROOF MANUFACTURER HAD ISSUED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THE SUN ROOF WAS REPLACED AT RSC AND I ATTEMPTED TO FIND OUT WHY I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. FAULKNER GM WASN'T AWARE OF THE RECALL NOTICE. I CONTACTED THE OWNER OF RSC RESTYLING, [XXX}, WHO TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE ID NUMBERS OF CARS THAT HAD THESE ROOFS INSTALLED WERE FORWARDED TO THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER'S REPS CLAIMED THAT MY VIN WAS NEVER PROVIDED TO THEM. THEREFORE NOBODY WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT COULD HAVE EASILY RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHE. A DEFECT MIGHT APPLY TO A WATER LEAK, NOISE, VIBRATION, FAULTY OPERATION. THIS "DEFECT" IS MORE APTLY DEFINED AS RISKING A CATASTROPHE. 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *TT

ON A RAINY DAY THE WIPERS WILL STOP WORKING THEN EVENTUALLY START BACK UP. WHILE USING THE DELAY WIPERS THEY WOULD WORK HALF THE TIME, SOMETIMES GO FAST, AND EVEN STOP. YOU JUST NEVER KNOW IF THEY WILL WORK WHICH IS REALLY SCARY ON HEAVY RAINS. *TR

NO HEAT. GOT CAR 2500 MILES AGO NOW THAT ITS COLD OUTSIDE TRIED TO USE HEATER NO HEAT. INSTALLED NEW T-STAT. FLUSHED HEATER CORE. STILL NO HEAT. NEED HELP

THE SATURN VUE I OWN IS A 4 CYLINDER AND THE HEATER CORE IS CRACKED JUST AS GM'S DOCUMENT ID[XXX] DESCRIBES. I STARTED TO SMELL ANTIFREEZE COMING FROM THE VENTS, ON ABOUT 9-3 WE HAVE GONE TO A RESTAURANT THAT NIGHT AND WHEN WE CAME OUT TO GO HOME, THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD WAS FOGGED UP, I TRIED TO USE THE DEFROST SETTING TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD BUT IT HAD NO EFFECT, I HAD NO RAG TO WIPE THE INSIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD SO I WIPER IT WITH MY HAND TO GET SOME VISIBILITY, I WAS FORCED TO STOP SEVERAL TIMES ON THE WAY HOME TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD BY HAND. I CALLED SATURN GM CONCERNING THE ISSUE AND THEY HAD ME TAKE THE CAR TO A GM DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE HEATER CORE IS CRACKED. GM CLAIMS THEY HAVE A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM TO FIX THIS ISSUE SO THE HEATER CORE WILL NOT CRACK BUT THEY CLAIM THAT MY CAR IS NOT IN THE PROGRAMS GROUP. THE PROGRAM REROUTES THE HEATER HOSES SO THAT INTERNAL PRESSURE BUILD UP IS REDUCED TO A SAFE LEVEL AND PREVENTS THE HEATER CORE FROM CRACKING THE PROGRAMS NUMBER IS #09206A. FROM WHAT I CAN FIND OUT THE PROGRAM STARTED IN 2009 AND WAS TO END 1-2011 BUT IT HAS NOW BEEN EXTENDED TO 1-31-2012. AS I SAID ABOVE THEY CLAIM THAT THE DEFECT IS FOR A GROUP OF VUES WITH SERIAL NUMBERS 8S500002 TO 8S645537 WHICH WOULD NOT INCLUDE MY CAR. IF YOU READ #09206A IT DESCRIBES WHAT HAS HAPPEN TO MY HEATER. THEY STATE IN THIS DOCUMENT " WE HAVE LEARNED THAT YOUR 2008 MODEL YEAR SATURN VUE, EQUIPPED WITH A 4-CYLINDER ENGINE, MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A HEATER CORE THAT COULD EVENTUALLY FRACTURE DUE TO PRESSURE FLUCTUATIONS WITHIN THE HEATER CORE. IF THE HEATER CORE FRACTURES, YOU WOULD NOTICE A STRONG COOLANT SMELL, VAPOR OR MIST COMING OUT OF THE HEATER VENTS, AND OR AN OILY FILM ON THE WINDSHIELD." THIS IS WHAT IS HAPPENING TO MY VUE CONFIRMED BY THE GM DEALER AND REPORTED TO GM. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND THE DRIVER BEGAN TO HEAR A CLUNKING NOISE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND REALIZED THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING WAS CRACKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIPERS TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,782 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81,800.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER OVERLAPPED THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER. THE CONTACT PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT TO UNTANGLE THE WIPERS. THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER HOWEVER, WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,842 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,862.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WAS BEING UTILIZED, THE WIPER ARMS WOULD BECOME TANGLED AND WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE INTO A DEALER AND THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

2008 SATURN VUE. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE NEEDS TO HAVE HER HEATER CORE REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND GM HAS REFUSED TO PAY THE INITIAL COST OF THE REPAIR *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED BECAUSE THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH THE HEATER HOSE, GM SHOULD PAY THE ENTIRE BILL, NOT JUST HALF. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE TEMPERATURE AND ENGINE SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE OWNER PUT WATER IN THE VEHICLE AND TOOK IT TO A GOODYEAR REPAIR SHOP AND DROPPED IT OFF. THEY ADVISED THAT THE HEATER CORE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. SATURN STATED THAT THEY WOULD REIMBURSEMENT THE OWNER FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 47,770. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. THE ELECTRIC MOTOR ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. AS A CONSEQUENCE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE MOTOR WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 01/26/10 *BF UPDATED 01/26/10.*JB

THE DRIVER SIDE VANITY LIGHT/VISOR BECAME DAMAGED WHEN THE INTERNAL PINS THAT STOP THE VISOR WHEN SLIDING OUT TO ADJUST BROKE AND SHORTED OUT THE WIRING. THE WIRES, WHICH RUN THROUGH THE METAL VISOR POLE WOULD SHORT OUT AND HEAT THE METAL TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES, CAUSING BURNS TO THE HAND AND POSSIBLY BE ABLE TO START A FIRE. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO FIX IT. I DISCONNECTED THE VISOR FOR TIME BEING UNTIL PROPER REPAIRS COULD BE MADE. *TR

I CAN NOT UTILIZE THE INSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR TOTALLY, BECAUSE THE TOP HALF OF THE INSIDE MIRROR IS TAKEN UP BY THE BACKSIDE OF THE ONSTAR PANEL, IT IS WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR. ALSO, THE REAR SEAT HEAD REST TAKE UP THE LOWER HALF OF PORTIONS OF IT, SO I HAVE TO KEEP THE REAR SEATS LOWERED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO UTILIZE THE LOWER PORTION OF THE MIRROR. SO NOW I HAVE A 2 SEAT SUV. WHEN PEOPLE ARE SITTING IN THE REAR SEAT, ESPECIALLY WITH 3 PEOPLE, YOU HAVE NO MIRROR VIEW AT ALL. DEALER SAID FRONT MIRROR CANNOT BE RELOCATED AND GLUED BECAUSE OF THE WIRE GOING TO IT AND THE RAIN SENSING WINDSHIELD. THERE ARE A LOT OF DEAD SPOTS IN THIS VEHICLE, AS TO SEEING YOUR WAY CLEAR! TRIED TO REMOVE REAR HEADREST BUT WAS UNABLE TO. *TR