AI Damage2010 Saturn VUE: common problems
Owners of the 2010 Saturn VUE filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 50% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 33% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 17% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 17% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (50% of all).
- Engine: 2 complaints (33% of all).
- Steering: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Visibility: 1 complaints (17% of all).
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 2.4 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- 3.5 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 3.6 L · petrol · 6 cyl
- 2.4 L · hybrid · 4 cyl
- automatic, 4-speed
- automatic, 6-speed
Drive: FWD, 4WD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 6 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Windshield wipers shut off randomly while driving. This has been going on since we bought the car in 2015.
The car was on fire 15 minutes after I parked it. Arson investigator told us that it is a mechanical\electrical problem. The car was a total loss.
Cruise control disengaged, this happened twice over a period of a month, when this happened the dash lights went dim , on sept 14,2012 , on I-75 at 60 mph the cruise disengaged and the engine quit, I was put in a very scary situation, almost got rear ended car is at a chevy garage now and because it will not duplicate…
Bought the vue in april 2011 and when I started using my ac in may it would barely blow cool air, took it in and the seals were bad and compresser was cracked and freon almost gone. They fixed it but it still didnt blow cold like it should. Took it back in july because it was not blowing even cool air.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 13,278 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the VUE has 236 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 6, below average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2010 Saturn VUE?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, steering. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (33%), smoke, burning smell, fire (17%), steering or power steering problems (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2010 Saturn VUE?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2010 Saturn VUE from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2010 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.