2008 Saturn Vue Engine Problems

I noticed a few days ago that the wheel was getting harder to turn so I made a maintenance appointment for Saturday I was driving to work in Texas in Fort Worth coming from Arlington today and smoke started coming from under the hood I pulled over and it was smoking I was on the highway so to get off the highway in a safe area I had to drive about 5 more miles up the road to the next exit so I started driving it didn’t smoke right off so a couple of minutes into the drive it starts smoking so I finally get to the exit smoke is now coming through the vents , I hurry and pull over and go to open the door it wouldn’t open I then I climb over and get out the back door I go into the business parking lot at this point it’s engulfed in black smoke and then it starts burning.

NHTSA ID

11733687

Incident

Apr 24, 2026

the transmission will not shift out of first gear

NHTSA ID

11663992

Incident

May 30, 2025

Alternator I changed the starter I changed the alternator brand new it ran but then it stopped in mid drive and I won't just start and that's how I crashed into something now my car is wreck in the fridge and it won't start and if it does it stops

NHTSA ID

11612712

Incident

Aug 1, 2024

Sweet smell coming from vents, suspect there is a coolant leak in the heater core, only 98000 miles and the heater core is failing.

NHTSA ID

11447965

Incident

Jan 18, 2022

My 2008 Saturn vue Engine size 3600cc, 6 cylinders has been feeling like the transmission is slipping when you get up to a certain speed and this could be very harmful to other drivers that are driving.. Sometimes the car won't go into park or reverse and I feel that since there are 3 RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE AND I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED THAT THE GM PLACE SHOULD HAVE TO FIX THIS Because someone could get hurt really badly if the transmission locks up while going down the road.

NHTSA ID

11427977

Incident

Aug 5, 2021

OCTOBER 22 2020 MY HUSBAND AND I HAD PURCHASED A 2008 SATURN VUE (LIC PLATE # 6EZZ507)FROM A PRIVATE PARTY. ON MARCH 25 2021 THE CAR SUDDENLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES THEN EXPLODED. MY HUSBAND MANAGED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE IN JUST SECONDS BEFORE THE CAR EXPLODED. WE'VE COME TO FIND OUT AFTERWARDS THAT THIS PARTICULAR YEAR,MAKE,MODEL HAD BEEN RECALLED. IS THERE ANYTHING COULD POSSIBLY BE DONE?

NHTSA ID

11412911

Incident

Mar 25, 2021

Mileage

87,000 mi

ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. SEVERAL YEARS AGO SPENT OVER &1000.00 ON IT ( TRANSMISSION) AT A GM DEALER ONLY TO HAVE THE ISSUE TO STILL EXIST. NEVER BUYING A GM VEHICLE AGAIN.

NHTSA ID

11372920

Incident

Sep 1, 2020

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR WOULD BEEP 3 TIME WHILE LIGHTS FLASH ON THE DASH. I WOULD LOSE POWER STEERING AND THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF. ... USUALLY WOULD START BACK UP IF I WAITED LONG ENOUGH. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME QUITE A FEW TIMES. I HAVE BEEN ALSO ON A STREET GOING 35 MILES AN HOUR AND SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN. THE LAST TIME I TRIED TO DRIVE IT I PUT MY KEYS IN AND CANT GET THEM OUT. .

NHTSA ID

11361453

Incident

Apr 5, 2018

Mileage

134,000 mi

MY CAR STEERING GOES IN AND OUT LOUD WHINING NOISE LIKE I'M GONNA LOSE CONTROL GOT RAN AND PINION REPLACED AND POWER STEERING PUMP SO WHAT CAN STILL BE THE PROBLEM ALSO JUST REPLACE CONTROL MODULE FOR TRANSMISSION AND NOW LIGHT JUST CAME BACK ON 3 MONTHS AFTER GETTING FIXED SAME CODE P0700

NHTSA ID

11361220

Incident

Mar 21, 2018

MY VEHICLE'S TIMING CHAIN BROKE WITH ONLY 88,000 MILES. CAUSING ME TO BE STRANDED AND NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11340066

Incident

Jul 13, 2020

Mileage

88,000 mi

DROVE TO A STORE .5 MILES FROM MY HOUSE NOTICED MY CAR WAS SMOKING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DROVE BACK HOME, PARKED, AND TURNED THE CAR OFF, THEN RAISED THE HOOD AND THE WIRE HARNESS BY MY STARTER WAS ON FIRE.

NHTSA ID

11289378

Incident

Dec 16, 2019

Mileage

119,179 mi

FOR THE LAST YEAR, WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, AND WHILE STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF. IT WON'T RESTART FOR A FEW MINUTES, SOMETIMES IT WILL RESTART ON FIRST TRY. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (I'M GUESSING) MAKES A LOT OF CLICKING NOISES-FROM THE ENGINE AND INSIDE THE CAR-DASHBOARD LIGHTS WILL FLICKER, ELECTRIC DOOR AND WINDOW LIGHTS ON DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL FLICKER, AIRBAGS, HAZARDS, RADIO LIGHTS WILL ALL FLICKER, AND WINDOWS WON'T GO UP OR DOWN, OR WILL SLIGHTLY, DOOR LOCKS WON'T OPERATE, ETC. ELECTRICAL ISSUES STARTED THE SAME NIGHT I PURCHASED IT SEPT. 2017 WHEN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WENT HAYWIRE AND THE ENGINE DIED AND ALL THE ELECTRICAL LIGHT FLICKERED. THE DEALER HAD IT HOOKED UP TO A BATTERY CHARGER THE NEXT DAY AND THE BATTERY DIED. IN ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE, WE OPEN AND SHUT DOORS, TRY TO USE ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS (WINDOWS, DOOR LOCKS ETC.), AND THAT SEEMS TO HELP, AS AFTER A FEW MINUTES IT WILL START, SEEMINGLY FROM OPENING AND CLOSING DOORS AND THE HATCHBACK. THE DOORS WILL NOT LOCK VIA THE DOOR LOCK/UNLOCK BUTTON ON THE KEY FOB. WHEN DOORS ARE LOCKED AND ALARM IS SET VIA KEYFOB (LIGHTS WILL FLASH AND ALARM NOISE WILL GIVE NOISE TO CONFIRM IT), HOWEVER, THE DOORS WILL OPEN BY JUST PULLING ON THE HANDLE, AND ALARM WILL GO OFF. THE STEERING HAS A LEAK THAT LEAKS OUT ALL THE FLUID IN A DAY OR TWO, AS WELL.

NHTSA ID

11287918

Incident

Dec 3, 2019

Mileage

70,000 mi

CAR GOES INTO REDUSED ENGINE POWER ON THE HIGHWAY. ENGINE SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY. PULL OVER SHUT OFF CAR WAIT AND RESTART CAR. SOMETIMES IT HAPPENES AGAIN RIGHT AWAY SOMETIMES IT DOESNT HAPPEN FOR MONTHS LATER.

NHTSA ID

11155431

Incident

Nov 30, 2018

Mileage

130,000 mi

WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY IN PARKED LIKE MODE, WHEN GOING TO START THE ENGINE, THERE IS NOTHING. NO CLICKING, NO SOUND. OTHER TIMES IT WILL START BUT STRUGGLE AND OTHER TIMES WITHIN SECONDS OF THE FIRST 2 EXAMPLES ABOVE, IT WILL START RIGHT UP.

NHTSA ID

11151510

Incident

Nov 14, 2018

Mileage

113,600 mi

NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION NOW EVERY TIME I KILL THE ENGINE I HAVE TO START THE VEHICLE WITH A JUMP STARTER CAMSHAFT AND TIMING ADVANCES PROBLEMS

NHTSA ID

11080985

Incident

Mar 22, 2018

Mileage

173,000 mi

VEHICLE WON'T SHIFT GEARS ONE I GET TO THIRD. WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF WAVE PLATE SPECIAL WARRANTY AND NOW I'M 4000 MILES PAST ACCEPTED MILES. GM SUGGESTS THAT I WAIT UNTIL FULL RECALL IS FORCED ON THEM. PLEASE HELP

NHTSA ID

11063316

Incident

Jan 17, 2018

Mileage

105,000 mi

OVER THE PAST YEAR AND HALF I'VE HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES. HEAD LIGHTS DIMMING AND FLASHING AT VERY HIGH INTERVALS ALMOST LIKE A DIM STROBE. RADIO NOT TURNING ON. INTERIOR LIGHTS NOT COMING ON. ODOMETER LIGHT DIMS. RANDOM DINGING NOISE. TURN SIGNAL NOT ALWAYS WORKING OR WORKING SPORADICALLY. FRONT WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOT ALWAYS COMING ON AND WHEN THEY DO IT'S SPORADIC. REAR WINDSHIELD NOT COMING ON BUT WILL AFTER AN ENGINE RESTART. KEY STUCK IN THE IGNITION. HAZARD LIGHTS NOT WORKING WHEN ENGINE IS OFF. ALL THIS HAS HAPPENED SLOWLY OVER THE LAST YEAR AND HALF. I'VE REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE AND HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY CAN'T FIND AN ISSUE. EVERYONE WITH THESE PROBLEMS WILL TELL YOU THAT A MECHANIC CAN'T RUN A TEST FOR THE PROBLEM IF IT'S NOT HAPPENING AT THAT TIME. WE ALSO ALL KNOW TOO WELL THESE PROBLEMS COME AND GO VERY QUICKLY AND SOMETIMES TEMPORARILY FIX THEMSELVES WITH JUST AN ENGINE RESTART, DRIVING OVER A BUMP (WHICH ALSO BRINGS ON THE ISSUES) OR SHAKING THE WIRE HARNESS ON TOP OF THE BATTERY. SO TAKING IT TO A SHOP TO RUN A TEST IS ALMOST MEANINGLESS UNLESS TOWED AND EVEN THEN IT'S NOT 100% CHANCE YOU'RE GOING TO GET A CODE(S) TO READ. THE LAST FEW MONTHS THE PROBLEMS HAVE GOTTEN WORSE. THE BIG OCCURRENCE CAME WHEN I WAS JUST TWO MINUTES DOWN THE ROAD FROM WHERE I LIVE, I HAD THE VUE NOT START UP OR EVEN TURN OVER AND THE KEY WAS LOCKED IN THE IGNITION. I OPENED UP THE HOOD, TAPPED ONCE ON THE BLACK BOX ON TOP OF THE BATTERY AND THE VUE STARTED DINGING AND WAS ABLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON. I THEN DROVE TO MY HOUSE AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF ON ME AND RESTARTED TWICE WITHIN THAT TWO MIN DRIVE. I LOST TOTAL POWER AND VERY LIMITED CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP AND COMPLAINED ABOUT HUNDREDS OF TIMES ON THE INTERNET AND HAS YET TO BE INVESTIGATED. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS ELECTRICAL ISSUE. -11.4.17

NHTSA ID

11043306

Incident

Nov 4, 2017

Mileage

65,000 mi

I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY TRANSITION. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL AND WAS NEVER NOTIFIED. WHEN I CALLED ABOUT THE RECALL THE WOMAN ON THE OTHER END SAID I WASN'T ABLE TO BE INCLUDED THAT'S WHY I WASN'T NOTIFIED. THE RECALL STATED ANY OWNER. AS EVEN THOUGH I WAS SOLD THE CAR AS NEW, THERE HAD BEEN A PREVIOUS OWNER. I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 420 MILES. MY CAR WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR SOMETIMES, WHEN IN PARK IT ROLLS ABOUT 8 TO 10 INCHES. WHEN MY CAR WON'T SHIFT MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I USE THE TIPTRONIC SHIFT AND WHERE THERE SHOULD BE A 1 FOR FIRST GEAR THERE IS NOTHING. ON THE HIGH WAY WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS MY CAR WON'T SHIFT TO A HIGHER GEAR TO PICK UP SPEED

NHTSA ID

11019968

Incident

Feb 14, 2009

Mileage

2,500 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" MY 2008 SATURN VUE HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR 3 ITEMS, ALL OF WHICH I AM EXPERIENCING ISSUES WITH BUT ACCORDING TO MY VIN NUMBER MY VEHICLE DOES NOT APPLY FOR THESE RECALLS. I DID RECEIVE A NOTICE A FEW YEARS AGO BUT SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS STILL OKAY AT THE TIME, I NEVER BROUGHT IT IN. THE 3 RECALLS ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH, 2. POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, 3. STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT MIKE ANDERSON CHEVROLETT DUE TO THESE ISSUES BUT THE ONLY ITEM THAT'S APPEARING COVERED IS THE TRANSMISSION. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW MY VIN HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL WHEN ALL THE 2008 SATURN VUE'S ARE MADE WITH THE SAME PARTS. I WOULD LIKE AN INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE DUE TO MY VEHICLE FALLING UNDER THE RECALL CATEGORY BUT NOT FALLING UNDER THE CORRECT VIN NUMBER CATEGORY. MY VEHICLE CURRENTLY WON'T ALLOW ME TO GO PASS 40MPH, MY STEERING WHEEL GETS LOCKED MAKING IT HARD FOR ME TO TURN AND THERE IS A LEAK, ALSO WHEN MY LOCKS ARE UNLOCKED THE HANDLES STILL WON'T OPEN AS IF IT'S STILL LOCKED. IMMEDIATE ATTENTION IS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTED.

NHTSA ID

10981721

Incident

Apr 3, 2017

LOUD EXPLOSION FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THEN, SPARKS WITH FLAMES BEGAN, WHILE DRIVING ON THE STREET. OTHER DRIVERS WAIVED & ALERTED US THAT FLAMES WERE COMING OUT. WE STOPPED & GOT OUT. THERE WAS A TRAIL OF OIL BEHIND. APPROX. 75 FT LONG. CHUNKS OF ENGINE METAL WAS RECOVERED OFF THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

10955298

Incident

Feb 13, 2017

Mileage

50,000 mi

REFERENCE # 10945589, FORGOT TO MENTION VEHICLE IS NOT AND HAS NOT SHOW WARNING LIGHT ABOUT THIS.... EXP..NO CHECK ENGINE...

NHTSA ID

10945826

Incident

Jan 12, 2017

Mileage

143,586 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10945589

Incident

Jan 12, 1982

Mileage

143,586 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10939647

Incident

Jan 3, 2017

Mileage

105,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10918506

Incident

May 1, 2016

Mileage

103,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

10882223

Incident

Jul 1, 2016

Mileage

126,000 mi