2008 Saturn Vue: doors won't lock, open or latch

Filed Sep 2, 2024 · Electrical, Steering · NE

2008 Saturn vue AWD. Steering wheel is very difficult to turn while driving. There is a lot of resistance. No leaking fluid visible and no visible loss of fluid levels. Transmission was torn down/repaired in 2017 for metal bits present at 95,000 (approximate) miles. It is currently at 107,600 miles. Transmission gets stuck in lower gear and rpms Rev up without the vehicle gaining acceleration. The tear down/rebuild was due to bad 3 5 wave plate also and seems to be replicating the issue again. Check engine light comes on amd goes off intermittently and cannot get issue to replicate at the mechanics. Key has also gotten stuck in the barrel. Took almost 2 hours to try numerous ways to get it to release-also had to unlock manually on the door handle, none of the lights inside worked and when it was able to get started it was very slow and deliberate. Battery appeared to be dead but after jump starting and taking to have it checked, battery was found to be fine. These are serious concerns regarding the vehicle as 1 or all could cause serious damage to the driver and others on the road. It happened again today with the high rpms and low gear/not shifting to next gear.

Filed Jul 1, 2022 · MO

Passenger door handle fell off. Also frame is rusting out

Filed Dec 9, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 70,000 miles · AZ

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.

Filed Aug 23, 2018 · Electrical · GA

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.

Filed Jun 5, 2018 · Steering, Visibility · CA

1.engine would stall when turn on have to turn the key twice at any location. 2. Power steering when out driving on the freeway 3. Door handle on my driver side came off

Filed Apr 13, 2018 · Body, Electrical · 115,000 miles · OH

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.

Filed Dec 17, 2016 · 2 miles · IN

This vehicle is having transmission problems,yes when driving it will stall to move forward and all lights on dash will light up check engine light comes on the RPM meter goes all the way over to the red,there is a safety recall on the transmission for this vehicle recall no08v200000. And also recall on the steering recall no.08v470000 and the latches/door handles recall no.09v233000

Filed Mar 13, 2015 · Body · 92,612 miles · FL

I went to open the driver side front door and the exterior handle just broke. The breakage point occurred "inside" the door, at the rear portion of the handle. From the outside the driver is unable to open the door. I must enter the vehicle from the passenger side to use the interior door handle, to open the driver's door. The exterior door handle is still attached on the front end but is completely unusable.

Filed Jun 18, 2014 · Electrical · 109,677 miles · SC

Initial problems (may 2011) were power down while driving, losing power while driving, ABS and traction dash lights went on and off while driving, onstar attempted to connect by itself even when the vehicle was shut off, draining the vue battery. In dec 2012, while parked with radio on, an extremely loud noise was emitted through the radio speakers. Shortly, the ignition and the entire electrical system shut down (door locks, dash lights,...). The vue was picked up by gm dealer. Extensive testing over a week or more finally indicated that the battery for onstar (under right passenger seat) failed. The vehicle communication interface module battery (vcim) was replaced. The vue has not had this problem since, although some sensors had to be replaced. This was an extremely difficult problem to diagnose, and is potentially a lethal defect with the vcim. All traditional tests failed to pick up the problem. Astute techs at gm finally did.

Filed Jun 4, 2014 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 119,000 miles · TX

While backing out of a parking spot, my car just quit, locked up steering, everything dead. Could not move the steering wheel or anything. Car did start up again. Drove down the road a 1/2 block and car stopped again, dead in road, no steering, could not operate door locks or anything. Car started again and managed to move the car to a safe spot before it went out again. Nothing was workable. When the car was taken to chevrolet dealer in llano, tx it was diagnosed as the positive connection to the main fuse box had come loose. The only fix was complete replacement of the fuse box assembly because the main positive lug to the fuse box is only held on by plastic. The design of this fuse box is definitely poor creating the possibility of a very dangerous situation. Had I been driving on the highway at a high rate of speed when this occurred, the outcome could have been disastrous causing an accident and possible death. This poorly designed fuse box with main lug nut held by only plastic needs to be addressed immediately to prevent future accidents and possible death to occupants of the vehicle.

Filed May 27, 2013 · Electrical · 17,000 miles · AZ

While driving I noticed the tachometer, speedometer, compass, and outside temp gauges were not working. I arrived at my stop and turned the engine off. Upon starting the engine and proceeding on home the gauges all worked fine and have done so since that day. After this happened, I noticed the automatic door locks no longer work. (which is a good thing in my opinion). This car has always had a history of the compass and temp gauge acting up. If it ain't broke they cannot fix it so they said at the dealer. Along with the gauges not working at times, I cannot get the change oil light to reset. I just gave up on that as I did on the other gauges. I have chalked it up to another cheap gm product with poor customer relations at the saturn dealer before going out of business. No more gm products for me.

Filed Dec 21, 2010 · NC

My saturn 2008 has 47 000 miles and it already needs heater core replacement. I took it in because check engine light was on. It cost $333 to replace cam haft acuters. Six months ago I took my car in for one of the safety recalls because gm was recalling 44,451 2008 saturn vue vehicles with body color outside door handles. The outside door handles may stick or bind. If this were to occur, the door may not latch when closed. Consequences driving with an unlatched door could result in an unbelted occupant falling out of the vehicle, causing increased risk of injury. A month ago I took it for a different recall. Gm was recalling 42,408 2008-2009 saturn vue vehicles. Some of these vehicles have a condition in which the nut securing the power steering line to the power steering pump may loosen. If this were to occur, there may be a power steering fluid leak. Consequences the fluid could contact hot exhaust components resulting in a possible engine compartment fire. Now I have coolant fluid dripping on my engine and I can not breathe while driving my vehicle. This is very expensive replacement and I don't know how I am going to pay for it. Dealership is asking for $1100 for just a part plus hours of work. They usually charge $80 an hour. My 2008 saturn is spending more time in shop in repairs than on the road.