2008 Saturn VUE Transmission & Power Train Problems

NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/14/2026

108Power Train complaints

26.6%Of all 406 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How power train ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN108 · 26.6%

STEERING84 · 20.7%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM81 · 20%

Unspecified / other44 · 10.8%

ENGINE38 · 9.4%

Share of the 406 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2008 Saturn VUE overview page.

What owners report

“STARTING UP SLIGHT INCLINE WHEN CAR LOST SPEED, THEN STARTED MOVING AGAIN BUT WOULD NOT GO OVER 30 MPH AT 4000RPMS. PULLED INTO SERVICE CENTER…”NHTSA complaint 10565195 — filed 02/20/2014

“MY TRANSMISSION FAILED AS I WAS ACCELERATING OFF A STOP LINE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WAS AT 3000…”NHTSA complaint 10556659 — filed 12/19/2013

“ON NOVEMBER 19, 2013 AS I WAS IN MY WAY TO WORK THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A WEIRD NOISE AND AS I KEPT DRIVING…”NHTSA complaint 10553808 — filed 11/26/2013

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Power Train complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Saturn VUE have transmission & power train problems?

Power Train is the most-reported problem area on the 2008 Saturn VUE: 108 of 406 complaints on file (26.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2008 Saturn VUE have in total?

406 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 16 involved a crash, 11 involved a fire, 14 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's power train category include?

NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.