Saturn VUE Engine Problems
Owners have filed 143 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the Saturn VUE across 9 model years. The 2008 model year has the most (38). The words owners use most often: “timing chain” (11% of reports).
- 143engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 7mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 38%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Timing chain: mentioned in 16 of 143 complaints (11%)
- Stalled without: mentioned in 9 of 143 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 115 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 143 complaints, 7 mention a crash, 12 a fire, 5 an injury.
Saturn VUE engine complaints by model year
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the Saturn VUE. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
This is more information related to Complaint 11761129: After online researching of other '03 2.2L Saturn Vue-owners stalling experiences, it appears that this vehicle has a long history of others like me: an unsafe, unpredictable stalling problem which carries no warnings or logging of error codes…
Car stalled while driving in traffic XXX. Engine died. Warning lights ON. Restarted. Stalled 3 more times in traffic but luckily had space to pull off & engine restarted. Made it into my garage. Restarted, Check Engine Light was ON, but went OFF after time. Car would NOT move in gear. Retried…
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…
the transmission will not shift out of first gear
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!
Frequently asked questions
Do all Saturn VUEs have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 143 owner complaints about engine for the Saturn VUE. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Saturn VUE engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
What do owners say about engine problems on the Saturn VUE?
The most frequent phrase is “timing chain”, in 16 of 143 complaints, followed by “stalled without” (9).
Other Saturn VUE problems
- Electrical System problems (683)
- Power Train problems (649)
- Air Bags problems (307)
- Steering problems (286)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (148)
- Suspension problems (129)
See all Saturn VUE problems.