2008 Saturn Vue Electrical Problems

rlf1101

A week ago I started driving my 2008 Saturn Vue and was on the road for about 2 minutes and noticed speedometer and tach ware not working. Noticed low tire indicator and door ajar indicator and a couple of others. Continued driving and the radio went off. Drove 10 miles to home and turned off the car. Restarted it and everything seemed to work with door indicator on. Opened and closed passenger door and all was fine. Drove it with no problem. 2 days later drove 60 miles and when the car was parked and the lift gate was opened the rear wiper took one swipe. Did it again the next day, so I turned on the rear wiper and seemed to stopped that problem. Haven't had any problems since. Anyone know what is going on?

0patience

Aliens.

Sorry, I had to do it.

Since multiple systems are showing problems, you need to have it scanned for the body controls.
So the local parts store isn't going to be able to check it.
When you have multiple electrical problems, there are 2 main common denominators. The battery (and cables) and the computer (ECM/BCM)

So, what you can check is the battery cables, make sure they are clean and tight. Check the ground cable especially. Follow it down and where it connects to the frame/subframe, make sure that connection is clean and tight. There should also be a flat braided cable that goes from the frame to the body, usually on the firewall.
If the battery is holding charge, the alternator is putting out 13+V and the grounds are all good, then you are at a point where you need to see what the system is telling the body controller.
That is where it requires a scanner cable of body control codes.

GreggWoodcock

I SOLVED THIS PROBLEM with my 2008 Saturn VUE:

These were my transient symptoms:
1: Instrument lights blinking off.
2: Instrument gauges not working or bouncing around.
3: Radio blinking off.
4: Turn signals don't work.
5: Turn signal activation disengages cruise control.
6: Cruise control cannot be set.
7: Car behaves as through battery has been removed (which also means that the key cannot be removed if you put it in).
These problems could usually be triggered by using a DC->AC power converter with a heavy load, like a laptop.

There were 2 problems with the battery connections.
1: The battery connections are of a poor design and do not allow for excessive (adequate) clamping so the positive terminal had wiggled loose. This was the main problem and made the care stable for a few weeks but then the symptoms came creeping back. So I went back to the battery area and found...
2: There is a very small gauge wire connected to the accessory lug of the Ground/Negative battery terminal via a very poor quality ring lug. The connection of the crimp to the ring was so week that when I gently pulled on it, it separated completely (see the 2 pictures: 1 before, 1 after). I stripped it back and screwed the nut directly onto the wire (did not yet replace with another proper ring lug) and have done 1000 miles with heavy load and no electrical glitches at all.

Wesley3

I have a 2008 Vue and have all the same problems plus a few more electrical issues. I found the same small cable problem and replace it with another connection. Now everything is dead. Had all the same issues for some time now and got to the point if you hit the key fob all the electrical would go out. wiggle wires at the (the same cable) or wires to the box above the battery and power would come back on. Vehicle appeared run normal unless stop and turn off vehicle and hit the key fob to lock vehicle. 50/50 chance loose all electrical. Now i got nothing.