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Comments
When I drove the vehicle next that evening, and parked the vehicle it would not start. After about 15 minutes of trying, I was able to start the vehicle only to drive a couple blocks and have all the interior lights start flashing. The power was dying completely, coming on again, and the power steering was shutting off while driving. I turned on to a side street to have the vehicle die completely. The vehicle would not start but was strangely beeping, and making various other unwarranted noises including ejecting the CD on it's own. It felt like I was in a strange horror movie about a posessed car.
It took 2 hours for a tow truck to arrive and tow our vehicle into the dealership. It's now been in the dealership for over 2 weeks (longer than we've had the vehicle). First they had to replace the harness, now they are waiting on a battery pack which is missing in transit without the ability of being tracked. It will be at least another 5 days before we get our vehicle back, and hopefully it won't have any further problems - nothing like saying 'hopefully' about a $30000CDN purchase. Ouch.
Kyle Johnson
Saturn Communications
When an airbag deploys, the vehicle propulsion system (hybrid or non-hybrid) immediately stalls or is shutdown. If a rear impact was detected by a special sensor the hybrid battery contact will remain open but the vehicle will continue to drive under normal gas 12 volt system until you turn the vehicle off.
If the driver tries to re-start the vehicle after an airbag deployment, normal hybrid operation propulsion will occur as long a no diagnostic codes are set on the new start up...ie wires cut, damage to hybrid system, etc.
Naturally, you should check for suspension and underbody damage if you hit a rock hard enough to cause an airbag deployment.
The battery light, followed by the check engine light, came on at 2000 miles while on some errands around town.
We parked it in our driveway and called roadside assistance.
We had it towed to the dealer. They seem to have some experience (is that good or bad?) with the hybrid Vue and Aura. They diagnosed it as the harness, and are overnighting a new one.
We had a loaner and was out of there in 15 minutes.
We will see if the repaired Green Line is ready as promised tomorrow evening.
I hope everything works out for this vehicle as both my wife and I really like it. The performance of the Green Line (acceleration, handling) in suburban driving conditions has been excellent. I was getting 25 mpg to work in some pretty brutal Philly commuting conditions. My wife is now getting 27-28 commuting to her job, which is an easier drive.
One comment to Saturn. If there were less than 6,500 of these sold, you should have replaced the defective wiring up-front.
You could end up killing someone if the vehicle stops on an interstate or otherwise busy road.
We are however having the same problem with the auto-stop disengaging after being stopped for more than 60 seconds or so. Can others please post their experience with having or not having this issue?
It can be longer/shorter depending on conditions -- state of battery charge, the electrical load (HVAC blower, radio, lights, wipers, etc.)
I had the check engine light go on one afternoon, I stopped by the dealership on my way home and they said to check by gasoline cap for the check engine light is only for emissions. Sure enough, I took the cap off and on and when I restarted the car, the engine light went off and has not come back on.
Note: If check engine light comes on by itself, is most likely gas cap problem. Be sure to tighten the cap well after refueling. I also seem to be getting better gas mileage now that I pay more attention to tightening the gas cap.
I am averaging 27+ MPG in very heavy Houston, Texas commuting with the A/C on. I am now trying not to use the A/C in the morning commute for it is usually cool enough here in the morning hours. Will give an update on how well that goes after a couple of tanks.
Thanks for the input from all the other owners.
Loofing forward to a long trouble free ride.
The day after I drove it off the lot, I was into the fourth hour of a road trip when the check engine and air bag lights went on. OnStar told me I should not drive it as the air bags were inoperative. My Vue experience has been downhill from there.
No matter how carefully (ECO light on much of the time), I drive, coast, accelerate, etc., my mileage averages 23 City/25 Hwy. Service said it was an oxygen sensor, and they replaced it, but it hasn't made a bit of difference: there has been no improvement in the mileage.
I had problems with the cruise control. The shop says they fixed it. I hope so.
And there are continuing "issues" with acceleration. The throttle intermittently sticks, and the car won't upshift.
The ignition switch is very sticky. The key sometimes gets completely stuck; other times it just doesn't turn well. I was told that's just the way they make the Vue and to get used to it. Not an easy thing to do when one has joint problems in her hands. My husband went to the shop today and showed them the metal filings on the plastic around the key switch from grinding the key in the switch, and they finally (and very reluctantly) agreed to replace the key switch.
And the parking brake does not always unlock the doors. I was told to "slam" the shifter into the "park" position. That's the way to "fix" the problem? Again, not something easy when dealing with sore joints. And certainly not expected in a brand new car. At least, not any new car I have ever owned. Of course, I've never previously owned a Saturn.
I've never had such a feeling of doom about any new car I've purchased, as I have about this car. I've only owned it for two months. If it has these problems now, I can't help but wonder what's waiting down the road....
It's really a shame, because I was very excited to own this hybrid SUV. Now, however, I couldn't, in good conscience, recommend it to anyone.
Please respond to jfallon@edmunds.com before 4pm Eastern on Friday, August 3 with your daytime contact information and a few words about your experience.
We got the Vue back from the Dealer after 2 days.
We had a loaner. The Dealer got right on the problem. They FedEx-ed in a new harness. Replaced the harness and a computer reprogram. It seems to be doing fine now (knock on plastic panel).
Only time will tell.
I have a question as to what is expected of the gas mileage from other Owners. When I commute (brutal Philly-style) I got about 25-26. If I ran the AC in the yellow (non-green) mode it was a little less. My wife, who is now driving it, has an easier commute and is getting about 28 on flat-road suburban commuting. We recently got about 32 on the highway from Philly to Upstate NY and back.
Some get better, some get worse.
What we both like about the Vue Green Line is that we can drive a small/midsize SUV and get good gas mileage with a vehicle that normally carries a V6 with no real down-side on performance other than steep hills.
I drove the 4 cylinder Vue and it had very poor acceleration and was problematic even on more gentle hills.
I have also driven the Honda CRV, and it also had acceleration/hill problems.
What are your expectations of the gas mileage?
I like to call the Green Line a 4 Cylinder Plus, with the plus being the extra torque from the BAS.
Do you agree with my assessment?
:lemon:
Also, so far Saturn has been very good to me about this. It seems they are going to give me a new vehicle. We'll see. But so far, so good. I'm not happy with the car but very happy with the customer service. Will keep you updated.
Yes, I had a problem around 4000 miles. Yes it was a drag. Yes my Vue needed to be jumped in my driveway because of a dead battery. Yes it took 3 visits to the dealer and two weeks of my time, but it was fix and has been ever since. (Knock on my midnight blue plastic door.)
All first year models (hybrids or not) have issues. If you wanted more reliability, one should have waited a year or two.
My Saturn Hybrid Vue has met and exceeded at least my expectations. Future editions will be even better and will certainly come with less problems.
In the mean time, I will be zipping down the road in the left lane knowing that I am getting better gas mileage than 95% of the vehicles on the road and that I am getting the best gas mileage of any Saturn Vue Hybrid Owner in America. :shades:
One thing I now know, however, is that if any light should come on while I'm driving, I'm going to pull over immediately and call roadside assistance.
I have to agree with you. Saturn clearly knew about this problem and allowed new Green Line Owners to drive off the lot without first replacing the defective harnesses and performing the computer reprograms.
They could have avoided these problems, but chose to put the safety of their customers at risk.
I believe a recall by Saturn would be appropriate.
Lets all get the ball rolling on this.
But Saturn doesn't think so and they aren't going to recall or issue any warning. They also suggested that those of you on here aren't being honest about your experiences! Total crock, I know. Why would we all lie about the same exact thing? What purpose would it serve? So far, not impressed with Saturn. This is my first Saturn. I think I'll be going back to Toyota after this.
We're in the same boat as you, this is our first and last Saturn and our next vehicle will be a Honda - no wonder GM is having problems.
FYI to people who run a diagnostic and are told they are ok to drive, after nearly every light on our dash came on, I had a diagnostic done and was told my vehicle was fine - it died 15 minutes into my next drive.
When people run out of gas are they in danger? Yes sort of, as we all fear pulling over anywhere.
Should there be a recall? The corporate answer is not unless Saturn is dragged into it.
It might be better if a few reported the situation to the NHTSA (I think that is the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration). You might get more reponse if you asked them to investigate the problem. Or maybe if you could get consumer reports to do an article about "american cars that fail" in some context.
How many persons are having problems even after the harness is replaced? Always ask to see the old parts that have been replaced. Could the dealer-repair-replacement have been done incorrectly?
You did buy into new technology. If you remember the Toyota Prius suffered stalling problems. Many were very dangerous when the Prius quit at high speed on the freeways. It eventually got solved when the NHTSA started investigation. Has the NHTSA started an investigation on the VUE? They will do that if they get enough complaints.
If you want to file a complaint with the NHTSA then go the the website listed below. It can be completed on-line.
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
You will need your vehicle sale and VIN info in addition to the dealer info. It would also be helpful to have the tech-doc codes from your repair receipt.
I just filed my complaint. Hope you all do the same as relates to the harness and battery problems. With only 6350 of these sold the problems listed here represent a significant percentage.
No complaint, no action, its that simple!!!!
I was under the impression that the Vue went to Metal (rather than fiberglass) panels for 2008? Something to do with the fact that the Chevy Equinox has steel panels, and they wanted to cut costs...
Also, to those of you who discount the severity of the safety aspects of this problem, please remember that losing power at high speeds or in heavy traffic means losing power steering and braking in those situations, not to mention the acute stress and attentional resources diverted away from defensive driving in order to maneuver the disabled vehicle to a safe place. Now imagine kids in the car with you. In other words, please be empathic rather than dismissive. Thanks.
So far the Vue Green Line is fine after the fix.
I agree that there should be a recall. Due to the electric power steering pump that fails when the car dies, it is very hard to steer the car. Since the engine has stalled, the power brake assist fails too. So aside from reduced steering and braking, the car is perfectly safe to drive (not!).
The others are correct. It's a first year offering. There will be problems, period. The first customers are ALWAYS the last testers of any product. Can you say "Microsoft"?
The others are correct. It's a first year offering. There will be problems, period. The first customers are ALWAYS the last testers of any product. Can you say "Microsoft"?
As a software engineer, anytime something has problems to the point they are compared to Microsoft, you know it's really really bad :P
Double down shifting, minimum assist, regeneration, loss of power. Car basically drive as if there is no Hybrid function. It turns out that Saturn Engineers are aware but have not yet been able to come up with a new Calibration to fix the problem. The dealer is telling us that this is the best they can do and to deal with it. I have to say I will not! I need any help anyone has to offer.
Thanks
Seems your calls to Saturn have prompted the following letter that all Saturn Vue Hybrid Owners will be receiving. I received my letter yesterday.
Dear Saturn Customer:
We have learner that on your 2007 Saturn VUE Green Line vehicle, when high resistance is detected in one of the hybrid electronic circuits, recharging of the 12-volt battery stops. This is a design feature that prevents damage to the hybrid system. If the high resistance is detected, the battery warning light comes on, the charge assist gauge will not move from its vertical position, and hybrid operation (such as engine shutdown when the vehicle is stopped) is disabled. A check engine light may also be on. When the 12-volt battery is not being charged, the vehicle can only be driven for approximately 20 to 60 minutes, depending on the electrical accessories being used, before the engine will stop running and potentially not restart. If the vehicle is turned off and then restarted when the condition is first observed, the system may reset and the battery warning light will go off. The vehicle will operate as intended; however, the condition may occur again the next time the ignition is turned on.
Your satisfaction with your Saturn Vue is very important to us, so we are announcing a program to prevent this condition or, if it has occurred, to fix it.
What We Will Do: To prevent this condition from occurring, your Saturn retailer will add a wire harness and reprogram the engine control module and the transmission control module. This service will be performed for you at no charge.
>>>
We sincerely regret any inconvenience or concern that this situation may cause you. We want you to know that we will do our best, throughtout your ownership experience, to ensure that your Saturn VUE provides you with many miles of enjoyable driving.
Scott Lawson
General Director,
Customer and Relationship Services
Seems to me that Saturn was very responsive listening to everyone's concerns expressed in this Thread. In addition, they are taking responsibilty and are addressing the issue. It would explain issues of the Hybrid acting strangely but restarting the Hybrid fixed the problem.
Now the big question - if your vehicle has been running normally and getting great performance and gas mileage - do you take the vehicle in for the update and potentially risk it because the ECM (engine control module) and the TCM (transmission control module) will be reprogram?
For some the answewr is YES. Safety is more important than performance and MPG.
For some the answer is MAYBE/NO. If it ain't broken don't fix it train of thought and when it acts up then get it fixed.
Which ever way you go - just know that this maybe Saturn first go at the Hybrid system and things may not be perfect - but they are trying to be responsive to the needs of their customers.
- by HybridVue
I gave the representative a very hard time about Saturn not replacing the harness before we drove off the lot.
Nice to get a letter, or a phone call, but how about a RECALL. It seems to me Saturn still doesn't get it.
Please make a complaint to the NHSTA at the web address that I listed in an earlier post.
Otherwise they get off the hook.
Many thanks for sharing your experiences with the Vue Green Line. It's helpful to know how widespread some of these issues are. Here is another:
I've had ongoing issues with the breaking and transmission. The shifting is very rough, especially the downshifting when coming to a stop. It can feel like driving over railroad tracks, and it's very unpleasant! This seems to be related to the transmission control module and/or braking control module. When I first got the car the problem was very severe, and the car would lurch as it came to a stop (the service technician thought that this was the traction control engaging inappropriately). Less than two weeks after purchasing the car, all the warning lights came on and the hybrid system quit working. This was not, I believe, the problem that others have had with the wiring harness, as I was still able to drive the car for quite a while (including an hour to the dealer), and the power steering did not fail. After three weeks in the shop, the dealer replaced the brake control module. This eased the rough shifting somewhat. However, the day after I got the car back, it wouldn't start! The lights would come on and the electrical system worked, but there was absolutely no response from the engine. The car was towed in, and the dealer ultimately replaced the transmission control module.
So, the car has was out of service for 35 days (in the first 370 miles!). The shifting is still very rough, though. Since I just received the letter regarding the wiring harness, I will be bringing the car back to the dealer to get that replaced, and will ask them again about the transmission and braking. It would be very helpful to know if others have had similar problems. I'd like to know whether this is an unavoidable problem having to do with the regenerative braking system, or whether it's a solvable problem.
Does your Vue downshift smoothly when coming to a stop, or is it kind of clunky?
And, just for laughs, there is yet another problem with my Green Line. One of the seat belts in the back seat was installed incorrectly, such that both ends come out of the opening at the shoulder. Ha ha.
My recommendation to you and others is to flip to the back of your warranty book and follow the directions of the Better Business Bureau.
Good Luck!!!
I had an all new warning light come on today. Apparently, now my airbag system is not working, so I have to go back to the dealer. Again. It's been a whole 2 weeks since I've seen them, they must be getting lonely. The car has been towed 4 times and been driven in two other times. The entire transmission has been replaced. I've had to deal with the battery harness issue. Plus a few other things. All of this in a car I've had for 5 months.
I'm thinking it's about time to get an attorney involved, anyone else about there?
Does California have a Lemon Law?
With so many people having so many problems it would probably be a class action, which means we (Vue Hybrid Owners) would get a pittance while the blood-sucking lower than Saturn-Management attorneys would clean up.
But then again, I Suspect saturn would be totally unwilling to give a full refund on defective vehicles without legal action.
I think we lose either way. Really sucks.