2007 Saturn Vue Engine Problems

[Wednesday 4:11 PM] Rosales, Denise CTR (NHTSA) The contact owns a 2007 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to engage in hybrid mode the morning after being purchased. In addition, the vehicle failed to start and maintain battery power. The vehicle was towed to 2 different independent mechanics and 1 independent mechanic who came to the residence where it was diagnosed that the vehicle did not have hybrid functions possibly due to the battery failing to maintain power. The contact stated the battery was replaced however the failures remained present. An appointment with the dealer was scheduled to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 66,000.

NHTSA ID

11585902

Incident

Dec 19, 2023

Mileage

66,000 mi

I was driving and pulled up to get some gas and put my car in park it just stop and turned off and I haven’t been able to get it back on. Went and saw a mechanic and he said it was the timing chain on the car it only had 97,000 miles on it and it would shake while I’m in ideal

NHTSA ID

11584265

Incident

Aug 9, 2023

I was driving on the highway, on the way to the beach with my family and our pup! We heard a pop and thought maybe it was the tire but the engine began smoking. I pulled the vehicle over as safely as possible. I popped the hood and there was a fire. Everyone evacuated the vehicle as quickly and safely as possible. I was the last to get out of the vehicle. Within minutes the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. We stood there and watched the only vehicle we have completely burn up. I cried and I watched my kids cry. What was supposed to be a beach day for us to distress and relax turned into us almost losing our lives on the highway. We are thankful for the state trooper, the fire department, and the paramedics who all arrived on scene and kept my family safe. Im thankful our lives weren’t lost. However we still faced a life or death situation today.

NHTSA ID

11536826

Incident

Aug 6, 2023

The contact owns a 2007 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle for a state inspection, the contact was told that the front engine cradle mounts were severely corroded. The contact was also informed that the corrosion was so severe that the part could not be replaced. The dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was 204,495.

NHTSA ID

11437464

Incident

Oct 19, 2021

Mileage

204,495 mi

I'M GETTING CODES P0171 AND P2138, AIR BAG NOT WORKING CODE ON..

NHTSA ID

11389677

Incident

Jan 24, 2021

Mileage

116,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE, THE GEAR FAILED TO SHIFT EVEN THOUGH THE GEAR INDICATOR DISPLAYED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEARS AUTO CENTER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WERE ELECTRICAL FAILURES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

11096756

Incident

May 1, 2018

Mileage

180,000 mi

MY KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF IGNITION, HAD TO DRILL OUT IGNITION CYLINDER AND REPLACE HOUSING ALSO. HAD TO GET A MECHANIC TO KEY THE CYLINDER AND NOW THE LIGHTS, A/C, AND RADIO DO NOT WORK AFTER ENGINE STARTS UNTIL IT RUNS FOR ABOUT 8 MINUTES. THEN EVERYTHING WORKS, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON, THE ENGINE RUNS GOOD, UNTIL IT SITS PARKED OVERNIGHT AND HAVE TO DO IT AGAIN THE NEXT DAY. ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. STILL DOING THE SAME. HAD IT PARKED FOR ABOT TWO MONTHS AND JUST START IT AND RUN THE ENGINE TO PRESEVE THE BATTERY. USE OTHER VEHICLE INSTEAD.

NHTSA ID

10956286

Incident

Nov 6, 2016

Mileage

146,500 mi

ENGINE MAKES A LOT OF NOISE WHEN STARTING UP AND WHILE DRIVING,ALSO THE GAS GAGE DON'T REGISTER

NHTSA ID

10876484

Incident

Aug 26, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ERROR MESSAGE DISPLAYED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO LOCK OR UNLOCK THE DOORS. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AFTER DISCONNECTING AND RECONNECTING THE BATTERY. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION FAILURE, BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10855205

Incident

Aug 15, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi

WHILE MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY I LOST ALL POWER. NO ENGINE, LIGHTS, ETC. ALMOST GOT RUN OVER. OPENED HOOD AND REPLACED THE 30 AMP IGNITION FUSE AND CAR STARTED. TOOK TO GM DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM AND ORIGINAL FUSE WAS NOT BLOWN EITHER. ALSO HARD TO TURN THE IGNITION KEY AT TIMES. IS THIS A RECALL? IF NOT IT SHOULD BE AS THIS WAS A SERIOUS MISHAP WHERE WE COULD HAVEBEEN KILLED! THE CAR HAS 54K MILES AND THIS WAS ON 12-21-2015 AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER ON 12-22-2015.

NHTSA ID

10816347

Incident

Dec 21, 2015

Mileage

54,000 mi

UPON A COLD START, WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS ROLLED ABOUT TEN FEET, FORWARD OR REVERSE, WITH NO INPUT ON THE ACCELERATOR, THERE IS A WHIR FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AKIN TO A STEPPER MOTOR NOISE, AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES ON ITS OWN. IN REVERSE, APPLYING THE BRAKES STOPS THE CAR, AND THEN SELECTING DRIVE, THE VEHICLE RESPONDS TO THE ACCELERATOR CORRECTLY. THE SAME THING HAPPENS IN FORWARD, BUT IN MOST CASES THE ACCELERATOR IS ENGAGED TO MOVE FORWARD. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO OCCUR WHEN THE CAR IS WARMED UP AND BEING DRIVEN UNDER NORMAL USE. IN REVIEWING THE SHOP MANUALS, THERE IS AN ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MOTOR, WHICH I ASSUME IS A STEPPER TYPE MOTOR, IN THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY. THIS IS CONTROLLED BY THE THROTTLE ACTUATOR CONTROL(TAC) AND THE POWER CONTROL MODULE(PCM). I ASSUME THAT THE MOTOR IS FAILING, BUT HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED A REDUCED ENGINE POWER MODE OR ENGINE SHUTDOWN MODE EVENT. IF THIS PART IS FAILING IT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE EMISSION WARRANTY OF 8 YEARS/80,000 MILES, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE CAR IS 9 YEARS OLD. I WILL APPROACH MY DEALER AND SATURN ABOUT POSSIBLE COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY, BUT HAVE HAD DIFFICULTY WITH THEM IN THE PAST. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, AS IT CAN CATCH A DRIVER UNAWARE AND CREATE A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT SCENARIO.

NHTSA ID

10764201

Incident

Aug 1, 2015

Mileage

71,003 mi

MY IGNITION CYLINDER NEEDS REPLACED. MY KEYS ARE COMING OUT OF THE IGNITION WITH THE CAR STILL ON, DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER IN PARK OR NOT, MY KEY WILL SLIDE OUT. SO NOW I HAVE TO GET THIS FIXED BUT WHILE I WAIT TO HAVE IT FIXED, I HAVE TO ALWAYS MAKE SURE MY CAR IS IN PARK OR AN ACCIDENT COULD HAPPEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692312

Incident

Jan 19, 2015

Mileage

94,000 mi

WHILE PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE TIMING CHAIN TENSION SLIPPED AND BROKE. THIS CAUSED BROKEN ROCKER ARMS AND INTERNAL ENGINE DAMAGE. THE RESULT IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE! AT A COST OF $5,000 THIS LEAVES ME IN A DILEMMA, SHOULD I JUNK THE CAR (WHICH I BOUGHT 1 1/2 YEARS AGO FOR $7,500) AND PUT THE $5,000 TOWARD A NEW USED CAR. I NOTICED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT FAILURE FOR SATURN VUE, BUT NOT FOR MY MODEL YEAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10670190

Incident

Jan 3, 2015

Mileage

101,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

NHTSA ID

10640207

Incident

Sep 26, 2014

Mileage

113,000 mi

THE KEY WILL FALL OUT OF IGNITION WHILE DRIVING, ALSO THE DOOR LOCKS WILL FLEAKER OFF AND ON AND THE READING LIGHTS DO NOT GO OFF., I AM AFRAID TO HAVE ANYONE IN MY CAR ESPECIALLY MY GRANDCHILDREN, I WILL BE DRIVING AND THE LOCKS WILL START ACTING CRAZY GOING UP AND DOWN CAUSING MY GRANDSON TO BE AFRAID, CAN I GET SOME INFORMATION ON WHY THIS IS HAPPENING, IT FIRST STARTED WITH THE KEYS NOT STAYING IN THE IGNITION, I THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD ESPECIALLY WHILE THE CAR WAS ON. PLEASE HELP ME RESOLVE THIS ISSUE, I TOOK MY CAR IN TO BE FIXED ONE HEADLIGHT WAS OUT AND THE FUEL PUMP THEY INSTALLED ALSO THE MANIFOLD AND ALSO THE FRONT ROTOR WAS ALL DONE. PLEASE HELP ME RESOLVE THIS ISSUE BECAUSE I DO LOVE MY CAR. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10625699

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

230,482 mi

MY VUE HAS MYSTERIOUSLY STARTED EMITTING A STRONG SCENT OF FUEL BEFORE I COULD GET IT INTO A DAY ALERT TO DIAGNOSE AND SERVICE IT I WAS ON THE ROAD WHEN A FIRE STARTED IN THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE FILLING IT WITH SMOKE. I PULLED OVER AND MY BOYFRIEND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES BUT MY BRAKE LIGHT AND DASH LIGHT AND INSTRUMENTATION HAD BEEN DAMAGE FROM ELECTRICAL HARNESSES FRYING . ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP RETURN SYSTEM AND FLOAT AS THEY WERE THE INITIAL CRACKED CAUSE. VERY SCARY THANK GOD AND JESUS MY BABY GIRLS WEREN'T IN THE CAR OR THAT WORSE HAD HAPPENED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10621056

Incident

Jul 26, 2012

Mileage

98,760 mi

THE IGNITION WILL LOCK UP AND YOU HAVE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH WHILE YOU ARE TURNING THE KEY TRYING TO GET TO START. WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD (USUALLY IN 4TH GEAR) THE GAS PEDDLE WILL STOP WORKING, YOU CAN PUT IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND GET NOTHING. I USUALLY CAN PUSH THE CLUTCH IN AND MAKE IT WORK AGAIN.THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL COME ON WHEN NO ONE IS SITTING IN THE SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10610167

Incident

May 28, 2014

Mileage

128,000 mi

THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES AND GOES . THEN WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY THE CAR JUST UP AND DIED. HAD TO RESTART IT. I HAVE ALSO HAD IT NOT PICK UP SPEED WHEN I PUSH THE PEDDLE . AFTER RAMS DROP THEN I CAN PICK UP SPEED THIS IS SOMETHING I HAVE HAD GOING ON FOR A WHILE. NO ONE CAN FIND OUT WHY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10607428

Incident

Apr 1, 2014

Mileage

81,000 mi

IGNITION KEY FELL OUT OF IGNITION WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE OVER THE YEARS. IT CAN EASILY BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION EVEN WHEN IN THE PARK POSITION. KEY CAN COME OUT OF IGNITION NO MATTER IF THE KEY IS NEW, A COPY, OR SHOWING ANY WEAR. I HAVE NEVER KEPT ANYTHING OTHER THAN ONE HOUSE KEY AND THE MANUFACTURER'S FAB ATTACHED SINCE I FIRST TOOK OWNERSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10598902

Incident

Aug 2, 2010

Mileage

80,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DID DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, HOWEVER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE FUEL EMISSION CAP BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,591. UPDATED 9/11/14*CN UPDATED 1/20/2015 *JS

NHTSA ID

10595502

Incident

Feb 3, 2014

Mileage

86,591 mi

KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHEN THE IGNITION IS NOT IN THE OFF POSITION AND WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. WHEN I WAS DRIVING THE KEY FELL FROM THE IGNITION AND THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING...I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE KEY BACK IN THE IGNITION. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND I CAN PULL THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10594916

Incident

Nov 20, 2013

Mileage

52,000 mi

INSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH BUT I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE IGNITION TO START THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT THE KEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE KEY WAS REPLACED, I REPLACED THE KEY BUT THE DEFECT RECURRED. IT HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS, WHENEVER I GO TO TRY AND START THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON TWO OCCASIONS BUT DID NOT RECTIFY THE ISSUE. THE MECHANIC SAID SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE WAY THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS PLACED IN THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10594911

Incident

Feb 13, 2013

Mileage

46,000 mi

I WENT OUTSIDE ON A COLD MORNING AND ATTEMPTED TO CRANK MY 2007 SATURN VUE. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START. I HAD IT TOWED INTO A SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SNAPPED WHICH CAUSED ENGINE FAILURE. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING AND THAT IT WOULD COST OVER $5,000 TO REPAIR IT. I'VE DONE RESEARCH SINCE THEN AND APPARENTLY GM HAS HAD THIS ISSUE WITH SATURN VUES BEFORE. TIMING CHAINS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO WEAR OUT, PARTICULARLY NOT AT UNDER 100K MILES. MY VEHICLE WAS WELL MAINTAINED. I HAD NO PRIOR INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR ANYTHING. IT I HAD BEEN DRIVING WHEN IT SNAPPED IT COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS OR FATAL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND GM SHOULD TAKE MEASURES TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING. THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ISSUED ON SATURN VUES WITH SIMILAR ISSUES IN THE PAST, BUT CLEARLY THE RECALLS NEED TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE 2007 MODEL YEAR AND ANY OTHER YEARS AFFECTED. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ID

10576405

Incident

Mar 24, 2014

Mileage

99,960 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH IN CRUISE CONTROL. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BUT THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,583.

NHTSA ID

10573740

Incident

Jan 26, 2014

Mileage

72,583 mi

MY TRUCK ONLY HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING HOME I BEGAN TO NOTICED SOME SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK. BEING ONLY A BLOCK AWAY FROM THE HOUSE I PROCEEDED TO THE STOP SIGN. I WAS GOING TO PARK AND CHECK IT OUT THINKING THAT IT WAS SOMETHING MINOR. JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN THE CORNER THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED. WHILE AT THE STOP SIGN THE SMOKE QUICKLY IGNITED INTO FLAMES UNDER THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. TURNED OFF TRUCK, JUMPED OUT AND RAN TO THE SIDE YARD FOR THE HOSE. I YELLED OUT FOR MY WIFE CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SHE CALLED IMMEDIATELY AND I TRIED TO CONTROL THE FIRE UNTIL THE POLICE AND FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED. I WAS AFRAID THAT IT WOULD EXPLODE AND DAMAGE OTHER CARS AROUND IT. THE FIRE SPREAD UNDER THE HOOD OF THE TRUCK, UNDER THE CAR AND QUICKLY INTO THE INTERIOR THOUGH THE DASHBOARD. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE IS PREGNANT AND WE HAD JUST DRIVEN TO HER DOCTORS APPOINTMENT EARLIER THAT DAY IN THE TRUCK AND IT DROVE WELL. THERE WAS NO INDICATOR LIGHT ON TO WARN ME OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE, FUEL OR ANY OTHER VEHICLE HAZARDS. THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS AND HAS BEEN MAINTAINED WELL. I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY MAIL OR EMAIL NOTIFICATION ABOUT RECALLS THAT DISCLOSED A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE NEXT DAY I RETRACED MY PATH HOME AND SAW A TRAIL OF FLUID IN THE STREET THAT LEAD TO THE SPOT THAT THE CAR FINALLY ENDED UP IN. SO SOME KIND OF LEAK AND ENGINE FAILURE TOOK PLACE THAT CAUSED THIS AWFUL FIRE.I AM JUST SO GLAD THAT I MADE IT OUT ALIVE AND THAT IT DIDN'T HAPPEN TO HER WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING BECAUSE SHE USUALLY DRIVES THIS VEHICLE. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT RECOURSE I HAVE NOW TO DEAL WITH THIS MATTER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10548167

Incident

Oct 14, 2013

Mileage

60,000 mi