We got a letter from Saturn acknowledging there is a potential problem with the GreenLine.

From what they describe, it is the same problem folks who are getting poor performance from their Vues were describing, mainly that the battery system was not working properly. Saturn attributes this to too much resistance across the charging system, which causes it to shut down.

The best part is, you only have between 20 and 90 minutes of drive time before the car uses up its battery, and you will be stuck!

The temporary 'fix' when you notice the problem (check engine light, battery light, or the charge/discharge gauge stays fixed in the center), is to shut off the car, and restart it.


The good news is, they are asking us to bring ours in and have the engine and transmission control units reprogrammed as well as a change to the wiring harness to prevent this issue from occurring.

Anyone else get the letter?

 

No, haven't gotten the letter. Very interesting--thanks for posting! Does the letter describe any VIN series or build dates, or does it apply to all VUE GL models?

 

To All:

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

 

By the way - the thread that really got the ball rolling on this issue was on Edmunds.com

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0fb4f9/95

I have a call into my Saturn Dealer to see if this is what was officially done to my vehicle back in January when I had problems. I will let you know if it was.

 

Thanks much for the post, HybridVue.

Now, to decide whether or not to take it in. I wouldn't want to mess with our mileage, so it's not an easy decision. Perhaps we can hear from others who have already address this problem?

On another note, we took our GL to the dealer Wednesday. The ignition key has become progressively more reluctant to turn, and nearly didn't turn one afternoon. Even though the dealer was almost closed, they wrote up the repair order and sent us off in a loaner 2008 VUE XE. They were done the next day, and the switch is MUCH better. Hybrid + Saturn service =

 

I got mine and will probably wait a week or so be for I contact my dealer just to make sure they have everything in place. I am kinda having second thoughts about having it done too. Mine's working fine and I'm getting excellent mileage, so, "if it ain't broke dont fix it" keeps coming to mind!!

 

Any idea about whether they will honor this repair once the vehicle is out of warranty? I haven't yet received the letter, so I apologize if this is a redundant question.

 

I just spoke with my Local Saturn Retailer in the Baltimore area and this infomation is so new the techs do not even have the parts and info to perform the service.

They took down my info and will call me next week once they get the parts and instructions. They will also verify if I already had the "fix" back in January. I will keep everyone posted.

In the mean time, I am sitting tight.

To Phil: All 2007 Vue Hybrids will qualify for this fix and nice to see your tag working.

 

Did they say what the fix was for the ignition key?? Mine does it too, sometimes I really have to wrestle with it to get it to switch on.

 

See my (and others) saga at:

http://www.saturnfans.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=102841

My part is on page 2.

It seems to affect mostly 2006-2007 models. Have you noticed that the steering wheel doesn't lock? Apparently, that's on purpose . There is no lock plunger on the assembly for most 2007 models. If the switch is pretty sticky, take it in soon. Ours finally stuck on us, almost initiating a tow. I was able to manhandle the switch minutes before the truck arrived.

The dealer is instructed to first lube the switch with white lithium grease. In our case, they removed it and disassembled it to lube it well. They do more than just stick some lube in the key hole, which I tried (with no success). If that doesn't work, they will replace the unit. Usually, they say, lubing it will cure the problem. So far ours is MUCH better.