98 of the 3,274 complaints filed about the Saturn VUE are about the braking system — 3% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 2008.
98
Complaints
3%
Share of all complaints
7
Crashes
3
Fires
SERVICE BRAKES
MY DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT THAT TRACTION CONTROL IS DISABLED. THE LIGHT COMES ON BRIEFLY WHEN I TAKE SHARP LEFT TURNS. THE WHEEL-SPEED SENSORS, WIRES, CONNECTORS, CONTROL MODULE AND OTHER COMPONENTS OCCASIONALLY CONK WITH INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. THIS HAS CAUSE MY REDUCE POWER WHEN I DRIVE IT, USING MORE GAS.
NHTSA complaint #11364312 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
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 complaint #11205865 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
WHEN THE CAR STARTS THE STEERING LOCKS UP AND MAKES THE CAR DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. THE BRAKES ALSO GRIND AND THE TRANSMISSION MAKES NOISES. THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS MALFUNCTION AND LIGHTS AND SOUNDS FLICKER ON AND OFF. ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN LOOKED INTO BY A MECHANIC AND THEY CANNOT FIND A SOLUTION AS TO WHY THE ELECTRIC MALFUNCTIONING AND STEERING IS LOCKING UP.
NHTSA complaint #11203257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
ON MY 2006 SATURN VUE I HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRONT BREAKING SYSTEM. PLUS THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE BREAKING SYSTEM WITH LESS THAN 44,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM THAT THERE NO WARNING SYSTEM ON IT AT ALL. THE VEHICLE JUST STOP AND WOULD NOT GO AT ALL. IT JUST STOP DEAD. LUCKILY I WAS NOT ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THIS HAPPEN, BECAUSE I WAS JUST GOING AND IT JUST STOP COMPLETE AND WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL. TO ME THAT IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. I FOUND OUT THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THESE ISSUE WITH THE BREAKING SYSTEM DO NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEM EITHER. THAT IT INVOLVES VEHICLES FROM 2004 -2009. BECAUSE OF THEM USING CHEAPER PRODUCTS.
NHTSA complaint #11181006 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
THIS HAPPEN ON 2 DIFFERENT DATE. THE FIRST THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT ONLY 39,111 MILES ON VEHICLE ON 8/14/2018. THEN THE THING THAT HAPPEN IS THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED AND WOULD NOT GO AT ALL. ENGINE WOULD RUN BUT WOULD MOVE UNTIL IT COOLED OFF THEN IT DID IT AGAIN AND THE PROBLEM WAS THE ENTIRE FRONT BREAKING SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF FAULTY PRODUCTS USED. BRAKE ROTORS, BRAKE CALIPERS, HOSES AND ALL FLUIDS. THE THAT DID NOT WORK TOOK ANOTHER 2 WEEKS FOR THEM REDO THEM AGAIN BECAUSE ON GOING PROBLEMS HAS BEEN GOING WITH 2004-2009 SATURN'S. WHICH COST ME AROUND $1214.59.
NHTSA complaint #11174589 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
WHEN YOU TRY TO STOP SOMETIMES PULLING UP TO A REDLIGHT OR STOP SIGN ITS LIKE THE BRAKE PEDAL DOESNT WANT TO MASH DOWN AND IT TAKES EVERYTHING TO MASH IT THEN IT SLAMS YOU ON YOUR HEAD.SOMETIMES IT STOPS FINE BUT ONCE OUT OF EVERY 10 TIMES IT KEEPS GOING.THE CAR HAD 107399 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT IN SEPTEMBER & THE BROKER REPLACED THE BRAKES HE SAYS.WE FOUND A RECIEPT IN THE DASH FOR HAVING THEM BLED SO DONT KNOW IF THEY WERE REALLY REPLACED OR NOT.
NHTSA complaint #11133465 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
EVERY TIME I AM DRIVING THE ABS BRAKES WILL START ENGAGING EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT HITTING THE BRAKES. THE ABS AND BOTH TRACTION LIGHTS COME ON. THEY ALSO ENGAGE WHILE I AM TRYING TO STOP EVEN THOUGH I AM NOT ON WET/ICY ROADS. NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT THE FIX FOR THIS. WE HAVE CHECKED AND REPLACED EVERYTHING.
NHTSA complaint #11131576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I HAD JUST RETURNED HOME FROM SHOPPING WHEN I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. FORTUNATELY THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON MY DRIVEWAY AS I WAS DRIVING UP TO THE FRONT OF MY GARAGE. SINCE I WAS MOVING VERY SLOW I WAS ABLE TO STOP BY SHIFTING THE TRANS INTO "PARK". I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND SAW A PUDDLE OF BREAK FLUID ON THE DRIVEWAY AT EACH REAR WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP BY A TOWING SERVICE AND DELIVERED TO AUTO-LAB OF TROY, MI 48084. THEIR INSPECTION FOUND THAT BOTH BRAKE LINES AT THE REAR WHEEL CYLINDERS WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH WHICH ALLOWED THE FLUID TO SPAY OUT OF THEM WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED.
NHTSA complaint #11131044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
' TAMARA RECALL' WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND STICKS AND WHEN RELEASED THE CAR DARTS AWAY AND MAKES IT HARD TO STOP. I HAVE BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THIS AND HAVE RECEIVED TWO TICKETS BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES .
NHTSA complaint #11115497 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, BRAKING REGULARLY WITH THE STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, MY BRAKES SUDDENLY LOCKED UP ON ME AND I WAS BARELY ABLE TO GET BACK UP TO 50 MPH. EVENTUALLY I WAS CLOSE TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS, BUT THE CAR WASN'T SHIFTING CORRECTLY. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES, AND WE BEGAN REPLACING PARTS ON THE BRAKES. THEN, WHILE DRIVING AGAIN, THE BRAKES LOCKED DOWN AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. ONCE LOCKED, THE BRAKES DID NOT RELEASE, OR DO NOT RELEASE COMPLETELY. AND WE DISCOVERED - ULTIMATELY, ONCE THIS HAPPENS YOU SIMPLY CAN'T FIX IT. THE FIRST THING THAT WE DID IS WE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS, ROTORS, TIE ROD ENDS AND BOOTS, BECAUSE WE THOUGHT THE PADS WERE GOING BAD AND THE ROTOR WAS WARPED (THE FRONT END HAD STARTED HAVING A SHIMMY AT HIGHER SPEEDS SOMETIMES ALSO). THAT SEEMED TO FIX ALL BUT THE SHIMMY SO WE THEN REPLACED THE TWO FRONT TIRES AND HAD THEM REBALANCED AND REALIGNED. AFTER THAT THE BRAKES SUDDENLY LOCKED UP RATHER HARD. I MANAGED TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY SAFELY, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD BARELY DO 10 MPH BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES LOCKING DOWN. WE TOOK IT IN AND REPLACED PARTS FOR ALL OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. WE REPLACED THE PADS, ROTORS, CALIPERS, HOSES, MASTER CYLINDER AND THE ABS UNIT (ONLY FOUND IN JUNKYARDS NOW). THEN THE BRAKES LOCKED ONCE AGAIN AND CAUGHT FIRE! WE PUT IT OUT, BUT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REPLACE BRAKE PARTS ON THIS MODEL. WE FOUND NUMEROUS REPORTS ONLINE THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL, AND NOT JUST FOR 2005.
NHTSA complaint #11114537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
BRAKES LOCKUP WHEN DRIVING. ABS BRAKING SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET. BRAKES LOCKED UP AGAIN AFTER TAKING TO DEALER. PLEASE HELP!! CAR WAS IN MOTION AT NORMAL SPEEDS 55 MPH WHEN THIS HAS HAPPENED ON 3 OCCASIONS.
NHTSA complaint #11062329 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TAKATA RECALL. BRAKE FAILURE. MY BRAKES WENT OUT WHILE I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN OFF A FREEWAY EXIT RAMP. I TRIED TO BRAKE AND PUSHED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. I HAD JUST HAD ROTORS AND PADS PUT ON THE VEHICLE THAT DAY. I STRUCK TWO VEHICLES AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I STRUCK MY HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND MY LEFT KNEE ON THE DASHBOARD.
NHTSA complaint #11045518 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
CARS SHAKES AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50
NHTSA complaint #11044321 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE BRAKES APPLIED AUTOMATICALLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER (AIRPORT CHEVROLET, 3001 BIDDLE RD, MEDFORD, OR 97504), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED DUE TO LACK OF FAILURE CODES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000. *LN UPDATED 8/3/18
NHTSA complaint #11040401 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
1. THE OFF LIGHT OF PASSENGER AIRBAG IS ON 2. IF TAKE BRAKE THE STEERING WHEEL WILL BE SHAKE, CHANGED NEW BRAKES, IT IS SAME.
NHTSA complaint #11011885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
AROUND JUNE 22, 2017HE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM ABS, TRACTION CONTROL TC/ESP ELEC. STABILITY, AWD ALL-WHEEL DRIVE, AND BRAKE WARNING AND INDICATOR LIGHTS STAY ON AND WILL NOT RESET ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL INDICATING THE SYSTEMS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING/POWERED ON AND/OR NOT WORKING PROPERLY. ON MAY 9, 2017 SCOTT AUTOMOTIVE PUT NEW BRAKES ON THE CAR. THEY COULD NOT GET A READING FROM THE ABS/TC CONTROL SYSTEM AND SUGGESTED TAKING IT TO A DEALER - IT WOULD NOT COMMUNICATE. A TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AS WELL AND LATER IN THE WEEK, CARTER AUTO REPAIR REPLACED THE TIRE PRESSURE SENSOR AND STATED WITH THE CORRECT READING EQUIPMENT THE ABS/TC STILL WAS NOT COMMUNICATING AND ALSO SUGGESTED HAVING GM PERFORM A READING. GM TECHNICIANS' ONLINE RESPONSES TO FORUM COMPLAINTS OF 2008 SATURN VUE (AND OTHER MODELS) STABILITY TRACK SYSTEM AND TRANSMISSION ISSUES LEAD ME TO BELIEVE GM IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS BUT HAVE YET TO TAKE RECALL ACTION TO ADDRESS THEM. THE VEHICLE RUNS THROUGH A SELF-CHECK OF THE SENSORS WHEN THE CAR IS PARKED WITH ONLY THE AWD LIGHT BLINKING AND THE NORMAL ALL LIGHTS FLASH ON THE DASH AND THEN THE BRAKE, ABS, BOTH TC/ESP LIGHTS COME ON AND STAY ON AND THE AWD LIGHT CONTINUES TO BLINK. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THE TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC STABILITY AND ABS ARE NOT ON AND WORKING SO I AM HOPING WHEN I TAKE THE CAR TO GM ON WEDNESDAY THEY WILL OFFER TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE BECAUSE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FOR MY MOTHER BECAUSE IT HAS A 5-STAR SAFETY RATING AND IT IS NO LONGER SAFE FOR HER TO DRIVE IF SHE IS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE BRAKES LOCK UP AND SHE SKIDS ACROSS THE HIGHWAY.
NHTSA complaint #11002703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS EXITING THE INTERSTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT, A CERTIFIED MECHANIC, DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINES HAD A HOLE DUE TO IMPROPER ROUTING OF THE BRAKE LINE. THE CONTACT DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,430.
NHTSA complaint #10986143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
WHEN BRAKES ARE LIGHTLY APPLIED THEY CONTINUE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE UNTIL YOU PLACE YOUR FOOT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PULL IT UP TO GET IT TO RELEASE . THE MECHANIC DECIDED THAT THE BOOSTER OR THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS THE PROBLEM. WE FIXED TO THE TUNE OF $946.52. FIVE WEEKS LATER THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED. THIS TIME IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PIVOT PIN THAT MOUNTS THE BRAKE PEDAL UNDER THE DASH WAS SQUEEZING THE PEDAL ARM SO TIGHT THAT THE PEDAL WAS STICKING. THE PEDAL ARM WAS REMOVED AND MACHINED DOWN SO THAT IT NOW PIVOTS FREELY TO THE TUNE OF $100.00 SO IT A VERY SHORT TIME I HAVE SPENT $1046.42 IN CAR REPAIRS.
NHTSA complaint #10985627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
I HAVE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL TO INDICATE AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM ABS AND STABILITY RESPONSE TO MY VEHICLE. THE TECHNICIAN AT NTB STATED MY WIRING HARNESS IS CORRODED. TO ME THIS IS NOT A NORMAL THING TO HAVE GENERAL MAINTENANCE. THERE IS NO CURRENT RECALLS NOTED FOR THIS AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. ALTHOUGH I CAN STILL BRAKE THE CAR.
NHTSA complaint #10972372 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER FOR ISSUES WITH ACCELERATION, FUEL MILEAGE, AND THE BRAKES BEING WORN OUT. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
NHTSA complaint #10956015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.