2009 Saturn Vue Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2009 Saturn Vue. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn and was inoperable while attempting to reverse. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.

NHTSA ID

11691955

Incident

Oct 7, 2025

Mileage

113,000 mi

Stalls stops, with Engine power reduced, stabilitrak off. After turning or braking. Engine light with down arrow. Accident probability. DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IF ON HIGHWAY OR COUNTRY RD!

NHTSA ID

11618624

Incident

Aug 20, 2024

Vehicle has lost power steering. Difficult to steer especially in reverse and sometimes in turning left. If wheels are not completely straight, you have turn with all the strength you can muster. Reluctant to turn left unless you have twice as much time as you should need to avoid an accident.

NHTSA ID

11615531

Incident

Jan 1, 2024

I have only 68,329 miles. My transmission lost reverse. When first driving it will only go up to 10 mph and over time the maximum speed is 30 to 40 mph. Even if it gets to this speed it hesitates. The car is a danger and not drive able. I took the car to a GM dealer requesting a Policy Evaluation according to the Service Bulletin Warranty. The evaluation showed GM will not help me with any repairs or replacement of transmission. A car should not have a major component fail like a transmission especially with such low mileage. It is expected to have maintenance and repairs on a vehicle. What is not expected or normal servicing is transmission repair or replacement. It was estimated from the GM dealerships Policy Evaluation it will cost $5,500 to replace the transmission. My car is in great shape other than the transmission failure. I love my car and anticipated to have this car many years. This is an unaffordable repair and essentially makes this a throw away car. I feel extremely disappointed in GM's decision to not remedy this major problem.

NHTSA ID

11525489

Incident

Apr 29, 2023

For the third time since purchasing my car in 2009 I am having problems removing the key from the ignition cylinder. On 11/16/17 the floor shifter was replaced. On 09/11/20 another one was replaced. On 10/07/22 having problems again removing the key. Will take car in for service again.

NHTSA ID

11488477

Incident

Oct 7, 2022

The power steering goes out especially at lower speeds are from take off ,it takes every thing you have to turn wheel it has almost caused me two accidents, fluid level is fine, makes no unusual noise steering just goes out making it very dangerous to turn to the right are left & very difficult to turn from a complete stop .No one has figured the problem out & its my only vehicle there is definitely a Manufacture problem with the steering in this vehicle

NHTSA ID

11446620

Incident

Dec 28, 2021

Vehicle is a Saturn Vue XE, 3.5 liter AWD, ~84,000 miles. Problem Statement: Extensive corrosion of the subframe located at the midpoint of the vehicle on the driver and passenger sides. This is NOT surface rust - the frame corrosion has resulted in sections of the frame rotting through, severely compromising the structural integrity of the frame and safety of the vehicle. I have documented at least 6 formal complaints for the same problem from various websites, including some with front end and engine mounts cross members literally rotting away. My vehicle is only 12 years old and has only 7000 miles average miles per year but will not pass a safety inspection in Massachusetts due to the extensive rust through. The NHTSA has several corrosion related service bulletins documented involving several General Motors vehicle models but they only call out surface corrosion. The NHTSA needs to investigate FRAME RUST THROUGH on Saturn Vue and other GM vehicles as OWNERS ARE HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO REALIZE THE LOOMING SAFETY HAZARD if they have no other reason to inspect underneath the vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11430907

Incident

Aug 20, 2021

the car stable trak light comes on for service then the power steering service light comes and I lose power steering and power of my car this happened at 60mph on the highway, shut the car off for 5 mins and everything went back to normal then it happened again proceeded to do the same thing and it went back to normail

NHTSA ID

11420066

Incident

Jun 5, 2021

WHILE I AM DRIVING I HAVE HAD INTERMITTENT INCIDENTS THAT CANNOT BE REPLICATED. "STABILITRAK" WARNING LIGHT HAS NOT TURNED OFF. I HAVE LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING TWICE BUT WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AFTER A FEW SECONDS. THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER TO THE DASH. WHEN I AM TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL GETS VERY HARD TO TURN AND WILL TURN OFF THE RADIO. THIS WILL CAUSE THE CAR TO LOOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING. THEN WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF I WILL BE UNABLE TO GET THE KEY OUT OR TURN THE VEHICLE ON. I WILL HAVE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY TWICE AND THE ALTERNATOR TWICE AND THIS HELPED FOR 2 MONTHS THEN THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. I ALSO REPLACED THE WHEEL SENSORS TO NO AVAIL. I HAVE TAKEN TO 3 MECHANICS BUT THEY CANNOT REPLICATE THE ISSUE. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK, I WILL TRY TO TURN THE VEHICLE ON AND THEN JUST TAP ON THE BRAIN COMPARTMENT ABOVE THE BATTERY AND SOMETIMES THIS WORKS. I HAVE BEEN LEFT STRANDED MORE THAN I CARE TO ADMIT. WHILE DRIVING IF THE ISSUES ARE REALLY BAD AND IF I HAVE TO DRIVE LONG DISTANCE I WILL TRY TO USE CRUISE CONTROLL BUT IT WILL NOT ENGAGE.

NHTSA ID

11385133

Incident

Dec 27, 2020

Mileage

160,000 mi

THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 122,000 AND IS IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION, YET THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING BADLY. AFTER DOING SOME INVESTIGATION, WE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS OFTEN THE CASE FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR AFTER 120,000 MILES. WE BROUGHT IT INTO OUR LOCAL GM DEALER/SHOP AND THEY TOLD US IT NEEDS A NEW TRANSMISSION, WHICH RANGES FROM REBUILT AT $2500 AND NEW FOR OVER $4000. THIS SEEMS VERY WRONG CONSIDERING KBB SAYS IT BOOKS FOR $4500?

NHTSA ID

11366159

Incident

Sep 20, 2020

Mileage

121,000 mi

TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING

NHTSA ID

11354446

Incident

Jul 11, 2020

Mileage

143,000 mi

VEHICLE HAS A HIGH WHINING SOUND ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING AS WELL AS WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION YOU CAN TELL SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH THE STEERING ALMOST LIKE IT'S GETTING STUCK IN EITHER DIRECTION

NHTSA ID

11353556

Incident

Apr 9, 2020

Mileage

81,000 mi

TRACTION CONTROL STAYS ON AND TRANSMISSION ENGAGES THEN RELEASE SLIPPING ..ALSO HYBRID SYSTEM NIT WORKING AT ALL NEVER TURN OFF AND ANY STOP LIKE A HYBRID .

NHTSA ID

11353451

Incident

Jul 17, 2020

Mileage

144,041 mi

CARE WAS PARKED IN STORE PARKING LOT. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, KEY WOULD NOT MOVE FROM ACC TO PARK. CAR WOULD START, BUT NO MATTER WHAT I TRIED, I COULD NOT REMOVE THE KEY. DROVE TO DEALER WHO TOLD ME IT WAS THE SHIFTER. GAVE ME A WORK-AROUND: MOVE AUTOMATIC GEAR TO M (MANUAL) THEN PUSH UP HARD TO P (PARK.). THE KEY COULD THEN BE REMOVED. THIS POSES A SAFETY ISSUE IF WORK-AROUND WAS NOT KNOWN. THERE'S A DANGER TO LEAVING THE CAR, UNABLE TO LOCK IT AND RUNNING THE BATTERY DOWN. IF THE CAR HAD BEEN IN A CRASH WITH THE NEED TO IMMEDIATELY LEAVE THE VEHICLE, THERE WOULD BE A RISK TO PASSENGERS, NEARBY PEDESTRIANS, OTHER DRIVERS AND PROPERTY. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER TO CONFIRM SERVICE NEEDED AND SET AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE, I WAS TOLD THAT I SHOULD NOT WAIT AND COME IN IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA ID

11342710

Incident

Jul 25, 2020

Mileage

96,580 mi

THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING QUITS SEVERAL TIMES DURING A 2-3 MILE TRIP. THE WHEEL IS EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN BUT DOES PIVOT THE FRONT TIRES. IT TAKES A LOT OF FORCE TO TURN THE WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328714

Incident

Jun 8, 2018

Mileage

88,895 mi

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S STILL HAVING SOME PROBLEMS DUE TO THE RECALLS..THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND THE TIRE SENSOR LIGHT IS ON..

NHTSA ID

11319626

Incident

Feb 27, 2020

IT STARTED RAINING IN AN AREA I WAS NOT FORMILLIA WITH. WHEN I HIT THE GAS SOMETIMES IT ENGAGED OTHER TIMES IT DID NOT. THEN IT WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. I COULD ONLY GO FORWARD IN LOW, WOULD NOT SHIFT INTTO 2ND OR DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11297276

Incident

Nov 1, 2019

KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT AFTER PUTTING CAR IN PARK. TOOK IT TO MYERS AUTOWORLD, THEY FOUND THE SHIFTER SWITCH WAS BAD.

NHTSA ID

11271681

Incident

Sep 30, 2019

Mileage

121,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING WENT OUT. DIFFICULT TO CONTROL OR TURN WHEEL. ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. FORTUNATELY WAS DRIVING 25MPH ON CITY STREET WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE IF ON INTERSTATE.

NHTSA ID

11252589

Incident

Aug 19, 2019

"TAKATA RECALL" I HAVE A 2009 SATURN VUE I LOOSE MY POWER STEERING AT LOW SPEEDS WHILE TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT. IT TAKES TWO HANDS AND VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN.

NHTSA ID

11252053

Incident

Jun 30, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO PHIL SMITH CHEVROLET (LOCATED AT 1640 N STATE RD 7, LAUDERHILL, FL 33313, (954) 372-2576) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

NHTSA ID

11232036

Incident

Jun 26, 2019

Mileage

103,000 mi

POWER STEERING LOCKED FROM TIME TO TIME. DEALER SAYS MODULE AND MOTOR AT THE POWER STEERING IS CAUSING THAT. THAT CAN HAPPEN WHETER THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. VERY UNSAFE

NHTSA ID

11231636

Incident

Jun 26, 2019

Mileage

103,000 mi

AT LESS THAN 35,500 MILES I HAD A POWER RACK LEAK AND RACK NEEDS TO REPLACED WITH A PRICE OF $1000. AT 62,000 MILES WE HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PUMP WITH A COST OF $700, AND NOW AT 64,000 MILES I FIND I HAVE A CRACKED WAVE PLATE IN THE TRANSMISSION THAT WILL COST ANOTHER $2,000.

NHTSA ID

11210317

Incident

May 24, 2019

Mileage

35,500 mi

WHILE IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET GOING UP HILL, THE CAR WAS HAVING A PROBLEM ACCELERATING UP HILL. WHEN GOING DOWNHILL, THE CAR WOULD STOP, AND THE BRAKES WOULD LOCK UP. HAVE TO USE ACCELERATION WHEN GOING DOWNHILL IN ORDER FOR IT TO MOVE. FINALLY WHEN I MADE IT HOME AND PARKED THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE (LIKE SOMETHING WAS SCRAPING AGAINST SOMETHING). AND THEN THE SERVICE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I GOT OUT THE CAR, IT SMELLED LIKE BURNT METAL. WHEN I GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM, IT APPEARS THAT A LOT OF SATURN VUE USERS HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUES AND IT APPEARS AS IF THE DEALERSHIPS ARE NOT SURE HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11205865

Incident

May 6, 2019

Mileage

54,225 mi

TAKATA RECALL. I HAVEN'T RECEIVED NOTIFICATION TO REPLACE MY TAKATA AIRBAGS BUT ALL OTHER MAKES AND MODELS OF CARS AND TRUCKS HAVE RECEIVED THEIR RECALLS. I WANT MY TAKATA AIRBAGS REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

11205852

Incident

Dec 31, 2009