NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

2008 Saturn Vue (Page 1 of 4)

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 4
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
74,247 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Saturn Vue electrical problems

electrical problem

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2008 Saturn Vue Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #78

Mar 252021

Vue

  • 87,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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?

- La Habra, CA, USA

problem #77

Mar 012021

Vue

  • 216,000 miles
I push gas pedal no accel then it would take off. I hit a tree from this doing this and sl mm ost got hut by another car from behind

- Cosby, TN, USA

problem #76

Aug 032019

Vue

  • 179,000 miles
The lights on the dash are sometimes on, sometimes not on or some of the lights come on but not others. We think there is an issue with the electrical/computer system.

- Centerville, OH, USA

problem #75

Dec 162019

Vue

  • 119,179 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Salisbury, NC, USA

problem #74

Dec 032019

Vue

  • 70,000 miles
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.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #73

Nov 152019

Vue

  • 154,000 miles
Vehicle hasn't retained correct amount of fuel. Vehicle has electrical and mechanical issues out of no where. Driver seat has issues that will not allow for the seat to incline but only recline which happened while driving on city street. I'm scared to drive vehicle and I've only had it for almost 2 years.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #72

May 152016

Vue

  • 0 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Both headlight wiring melted. Replaced both side headlights and after 2 years the wire harness melted again the parking pawl gets stuck often. When putting the car in reverse the parking pawl gets stuck. Then it will eventually go into reverse but the car jerks and makes a clunking noise. The light issue I've been dealing with for the last 3 years now. The parking pawl issue has been like this for over a year now.

- Hilo, HI, USA

problem #71

May 012019

Vue

  • miles
The key will not release from the ignition when the shifter is put in park. The key stuck in the key lock cylinder and would not turn. All lights stay one in the vehicle

- Palm Springs, CA, USA

problem #70

Apr 052019

Vue

  • 90,000 miles
The key gets stuck in the ignition switch when I park my car. I have the barrel two times 2017 and 2018. My key chain only has my car key and the remote and I'm the only driver. I have changed the barrel two times and apparently I have to do it again. This repair is very expensive and I feel very unsafe and I waste a lot of time waiting for the switch to release my key. I'm afraid I may damage the gear.

- Fullerton, CA, USA

problem #69

Feb 152019

Vue

  • miles
When my vehicle is stopped I cannot rotate the ignition key to the off position. The problem was identified by the dealer as a faulty transmission park shifter. The car doesn't know what position the shift selector switch is "in" and doesn't signal the ignition. The windows won't come down with the car started, because the position of the car is not correct or not recognized. This is a dangerous defect, when you can't lower your windows or must leave the car running, for fear of auto theft. The other safety implications are not known as far as driving and can't lower windows or other mishap based on the unknown transmission selector switch position. There is a bulletin out #14633C, but it didn't cover my VIN #, but I believe the recall or special adjustment should be expanded.

- East Amherst, NY, USA

problem #68

Nov 012018

Vue

  • 158,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A/C unit will stop blowing hot air, this will fog up windows in mornings and on rainy days causeing you not to see and crash no visable out of windshield, can not see..very dangerous

- Lewisville, TX, USA

problem #67

Nov 302018

Vue

  • 130,000 miles
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.

- Buffalo, NY, USA

problem #66

Nov 142018

Vue

  • 113,600 miles
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.

- Temecula, CA, USA

problem #65

Oct 272018

Vue

  • 194,000 miles
On Friday October 26, 2018, my battery died. I had it replaced after the tow company diagnosed it. It was later discovered that the alternator was malfunctiong. My car on a busy intersection just died with on coming heavy traffic. I could not move or put it in nuetural to move it. It had to be jumped in order to clear the dangerous situation. My concern that the car just locked up, no power or ability to move. I could not use my hazard lights. A very unsafe situation. The vehicle was in motion and then I was accelerating then all of a sudden everything went dark. Please advise of what type of documentation you will need for this file? I am just writing because this was a safety related malfunctioning that was life threatening.

- Southfield, MI, USA

problem #64

Dec 012017

Vue

  • miles
My door locks do not lock or unlock intermittently. It may be that the drivers door unlocks but none of the others and at times none but the rear hatch unlock and I have to crawl thru the SUV to get doors opened. When none of the door locks open, the key will not unlock the door either. Also, about 1/3 of the time when you use the clicker to lock the doors, the horn sounds indicating it locked but when I check, some or none locked. When I shift into gear from park or back to park, the locks do not engage or disengage or only some do. I took it to my mechanic because someone said it might be the lock actuators but he said that it couldn't be if they open the doors locked or unlocked the doors some of the time. He said he had also had customers that owned GM cars having the same problems and that there had been a recall of GM models to correct it. I just want to know my locks are working properly. I won't leave anything in the car when shopping or parked because I can't trust that the doors locked. If I felt unsafe for any reason going to my car, I don't know if I would be able to get in and I don't know when I come out, if someone is already in my car.

- Macon, GA, USA

problem #63

Jul 242018

Vue

  • 85,000 miles
After sitting for awhile, I tried to use the key fob to unlock the car. It did nothing. I used the key then to unlock the doors and the dome lights did not work. However, the car started up with the second turn of the key. After driving home, the key fob worked again along with the dome lights. While driving at several other times, the radio will shut off and the clock will reset to midnight and the calendar will reset. This will happen while driving as well as when the engine is first started. This will happen at least once a week. This has been happening for several months now.

- Seymour, IN, USA

problem #62

Feb 142009

Vue

  • 35,000 miles
This is a continuous problem and, stability, antiskid lights stay on constantly. The car will die and restart w hike driving. The ac blows from bottom heater vents. Battery will acts as if dead until I bang terminal with a hammer

- Germantown, TN, USA

problem #61

Apr 042018

Vue

  • 115,000 miles
Now this is like the 5th time I think I have wrote a letter to this company and no one has answered me I've had problems with my car being parked on a hill and it rolls backwards when no one's inside of it and other little things thats on the Saturn recall but my car is not on the list. But now I'm having a problem with my back door not shutting when I shut it it opens unexpectently. In the words of car talk it's called 1. transmission case porosity at park pawl 2. outside door handle sticks/bind. Also the interior lights on the trans stick is out, my warning dash boards light come in for no reason 1st it was oil light which I received an oil change a month ago and now it's the check engine light, car alarm goes off when the back door acts up. Now I hope to here from someone soon. I might go to the news cause I need help and you people not helping so that might make U move faster. But if I die of my car rolls away and kills one of these kids outside I will sue you people so hard. Waiting for an awser bye. Fyi ive been having problems with this car since I bought it in 2014.

- Cleveland, OH, USA

problem #60

Nov 012017

Vue

  • 99,995 miles
My airbag light won't turn off. My dashboard lights won't reset. The staircase light is on, the oil light, the suspension light. I've had electrical problems since purchasing the car which now has 99,972 miles on it.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

problem #59

Nov 112017

Vue

  • 139,000 miles
Takata recall this afternoon, the airbag warning light came on and stayed on. I was not moving. Previously, the electrical system went out and was costly to repair, had to be towed from pittsburgh to cleveland.

- Euclid, OH, USA

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