2009 Saturn Vue Problems, Recalls & Reliability
171 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2009 Saturn Vue, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 0 defect investigations. It scores 24/100 on the trouble index — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Electrical leads the reports, typically around 59,000 miles.
Typical
Where 2009 sits among all Vue years
What owners report
“The wiring harness to the passenger side head light keeps melting, causing me to loose the use of that headlight. I have already repaired the situation twice, now i am see that other saturn owners have had the same issue. I called gm and there is no recall? How is that possible. I have struggled…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Vue
“While turning at low speeds power steering goes out. The vehicle becomes hard to steer.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2009 Vue
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 145 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 77,500 miles. Half of those reports fall between 50,000 and 103,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
GM IS RECALLING 2,149 MY 2009 SATURN VUE VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN INCORRECT RIGHT AND/OR LEFT FRONT STEERING KNUCKLE. AS A RESULT OF THE INCORRECT KNUCKLE AND RESULTING INADEQUATE CLEARANCE, THE TIE ROD BALL STUD COULD…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE STEERING KNUCKLES AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE STEERING KNUCKLE(S) AND TIE ROD(S). THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 8, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR…
GM IS RECALLING 42,408 MY 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.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE NUT SECURING THE POWER STEERING LINE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP. IF THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF A FLUID LEAK, DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE NUT. IF A FLUID LEAK IS PRESENT, DEALER…
Technical service bulletins
1,018 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2009 Saturn Vue. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2009 Saturn Vue reliable?
The 2009 Saturn Vue drew 171 complaints in federal safety records — a middle-of-the-pack year for this model. Its trouble index is 24/100, scored against the model's worst year (2003).
What are the most common 2009 Saturn Vue problems?
The top reported problems for the 2009 Saturn Vue are electrical (42 complaints), steering (40), and other (20).
At what mileage do 2009 Saturn Vue problems show up?
Owners most often report 2009 Saturn Vue problems around 77,500 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 50,000 and 103,000 miles.
Does the 2009 Saturn Vue have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2009 Saturn Vue. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.