Brand New VUE with noises

I found your site while searching for information on the new Saturn VUE and why it makes certain noises and can they be fixed. I'm hoping someone can help.
My car has fewer than 300 miles on it, is 1 week old and already I have had to waste a day at the Saturn dealer shop due to noises in the steering mechanism and beneath the car.
The tech guys said they were new to these cars but the big Saturn Tech in the sky just told them to grease or lube or whatever the struts and suspension, chasis - etc.
The steering noise went away but after I got home I could hear NEW noises - like a loose oil pan type of noise coming from underneath the car!!!!

So - I am returning it to the dealer where it was bought and they will have another look at it. In the meantime I am out the use of the car and at least one day so far dealing with all of this.
Has anyone else heard of this problem???
Now I am debating whether or not I should just trade it for another. Then again I put in another radio and who's to say it will not be worde with the next one?
Oh - it's the AWD 6 cylinder model. Very cute I must say, red with a grey interior - obviously I'm a girl.
HELP???
Rae

[Dach]

First, welcome to the board, second, I can't believe they did not give you a loaner knowng that you have the power to say 'I don't want this one, give me another one or my $$ back'. There have been several posts about strut/suspension noises with new vues, you might do a search to see if anything resolves these issues. I don't know if there has been a TSB issued for the struts yet, but it is a common prob. so far.

[Qlara]

Seems like the new VUE is bothering by mysterious Noise problems than physical hardware quality compare to first year L-series 2 years ago......

rae: If the noise is still bothering you, ask for another VUE since yours only has 300+ miles on. That Saturn's policy, you can always do that. Don't let yourself be bothered by this......

[piney]

No matter what, get a loaner or rental.

So guys can't drive a red VUE? Is this a genetic thing? I would have thought that if it was designed strictly for women, that they would have put in a larger vanity mirror and tray for holding makeup...

[BobL]

The undercarriage should not need external lubricants. If this stops the noise, it'll only be temporary.

Dealer tried that on my SL1. Noise went for 3 weeks, then steering rack needed to be changed when noise returned.

Lube might be a quick way to isolate bad part if only used on one part at a time. When noise stops, you know what's broken.

Thanks for all the input.
I tend to agree with the temporary fix notion unfortunately.
I'm taking it in tomorrow and have been guaranteed a loaner.
I'll keep you posted.

And you are right about red being for both boys and girls. But I think it's more common for girls to call their cars "Very cute!" much more often than boys.
Later,
Rae

[ddsaxy]

You may also want to talk to the service manager. If he can't do anything about it, call Saturn CAC @ 1.800.553.6000 x3 and ask for an area manager. I don't think Corporate would want you to get your money back. They might give you the red carpet treatment, especially if this is a recurring theme!

[ricksLS1]

Look at the threads here and what was done to fix. If not happy and you are under 30 days and 1,500 return the sucker. I would call and tell the sales manager that you intend to return the car if this is not fixed. Also, they should give you a loaner. My wife never brought her car in for a recall for the safety belts on her 1990 Honda (The recall was years ago). Honda ordered the belts and offered us a loaner car for this if we needed one. When my car was recalled for the car handle recall on the L Series Saturn would not provide a loaner car. Have to admitt this Honda dealer has been more accomdating than the 2 Saturn dealers I have dealt with. Don't want to start something but all dealers are different so we can't generalize.

Well, I took the VUE back to the original dealership's service department. OH they said they knew EXACTLY what the problem was - the rear springs needed to be turned.
So they fixed it and said the noise was gone.
Maybe it was but by the time I got home it was back again!!!
So I called and said I wanted to return the car and get a new one. To which I heard mumbles abut bringing the car back to the service manager one more time and I had to take this up with the geneeral manager, etc. etc.
Has anyone else returned a car???
Disgruntles,
Rae

Rae, check out my thread about my Vue noise in rear being a pain in mine. I had a problem with rear noise and it ended up being some extra clips that were rubbing and the ones that I had not fitting properlly. I was ready to return my too but luckily they fixed mine. be sure to check out my thread there was all kinds of suggestions about what the noise might be.

Good luck
Jo-Ann

[Qlara]

Rae: Saturn will sure do let you return and swap another one out.....but before you go this route, why not give me one more chance to correct?

Of course they'll still let you do it if insisted, but strut noise problem is a quick and easy fix (heard of many successful cases here too).

I just thought I'd tell those of you who responded what has been going on.
I exchanged the car for another one. They didn't have another red one within the area and weren't expecting one any time soon. In the spirit and need to move along I opted for a black silver one. I hemmed and hawed for hours worrying about the blasted heat in sunny southern California but decided to get over it!
The sales person - in fact just about everyone is being very freibdly and extremely helpful and I have to add supremely patient.
But. boy, have I hit glitches.
I had put a cassette radio in the car which had to be swapped causing lots of extra expense, time and having to deal with a group of neanderthals with tools aimed at my brand new and latyest pride and joy.
It was suggested that I tint the windows to help with the heat in the car and I decided it was worth the extra $395 considering we were talking about a lot of years of a lot of baking sun and heat. Unfortunately I had to wait hours for it to be done going back and forth to the dealers with a rental car (they provided.) When it finally arrived they had done a well, basically, a LOUSY job with ripples and bubbles and words of "it will be better in a few days - if not return it." AND they only did 2 windows for $395!!!
THEN to top it off I got in the car to take it virtually across the street to the ape auto stereo place and immediately heard all sorts of rattles and grunts and noises in the car! I was practically in tears by this point - tired and anxious and nervous about spending all this money AND being told there was no trading out of the new car.
In al the hassling around about radios and tints I forgot to check the car. PLUS it was all full of water spots and the windshield still had enough dust or dirt that I could see where the wipers had cleaned the window.
So back to the dealers I went only to be assured that it would all be OK. I took it home being told that sometime the noises abate after 10 miles or so (the car only had 6 miles)and returned the next morning.
They took the car to the window tint place and got them to redo the car adding the back windows. We actually had to have them do it all in a darker tint to get all the windows done.
Anyway I returned the next day to pick up the car. I had driven with the tech guy the previous day and he was a gem. He said he knew what the noise under the car was as well as the noise inside and he could easily fix the rear door light that didn't go off without double slamming the back door. Oh and the little panel next to the driver's door had lots of scratches and had to be replaced.
OK - so I was excited to pick up the car the next day. I had been told it would be totally detailed and spotless. However when I returned the car had greasy hand marks all over the new panel piece and water spots and bird droppings AND, in the spirit of making this all a total joy... we found new scratches in the rear of the car next to the license plates!!!
Well, that was Friday and on Saturday I was told that the car would not be done until Wednesday and that they will either repaint the rear door or replace it. Whichever, we need to be sure it doesn't look like I was in an accident and had the area repainted.
SO - that is the ongoing saga. My hope is that all will be fine when I go to pick up the car. I have to say that everyone is being very pleasant about it all and I still like the car and the dealership.
More to follow,
Rae

[BobL]

So sorry to hear your story, Rae. They should have told you that you can only return once per model year.

I'd really beware of aftermarket installations of anything. If it can't be ordered my way from the factory, I'll pass on the option. Shame dealer's subcontractors were such turds.

They should get it right for you. If not, you might want to contact the Saturn Customer Assistance Center (800#) for more help.

This is not how your experience should have gone.

[piney]

Originally posted by rae
It was suggested that I tint the windows to help with the heat in the car and I decided it was worth the extra $395 considering we were talking about a lot of years of a lot of baking sun and heat. Unfortunately I had to wait hours for it to be done going back and forth to the dealers with a rental car (they provided.) When it finally arrived they had done a well, basically, a LOUSY job with ripples and bubbles and words of "it will be better in a few days - if not return it." AND they only did 2 windows for $395!!!

That is a complete freaking rip off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I get a new (to me) car about every two years and always have a high-end tint job done on them. Always a high-performance tint, always micro-edge, always one piece rear windows - never more than $160 for all and that is an expensive one. You can get a windshield done for 40 in one piece as well, but it ain't legal for use on the road... (kind of like those white rear lights) akheeemmmmmm, anyhow, $395 is a freaking rip. Make sure that you use a visor shade if you park it outside during the daytime - it'll make a difference.

Good luck with the VUE -

[baskerj]

Rae, make sure your dealer takes care of you. YOU are the customer. I had the same noises (strut rubbing). First in the right rear. They fixed it, then a week later it started in the front left. There is a technical bulleting on this. If your dealer doesn't know this, tell them to call their regional engineer.

After they fixed it in the rear, a week later it started in the left front. They fixed it. Three days later this one came back. They fixed it again and it was gone. There is now a technical bulletin on the front noise too (same problem, different bulletin).

Another interesting noise that came from my car was a high-pitched whistle which sounded like wind noise. I investigated it and it was still there when the windows were down and the sunroof was open. My previous car was a Pontiac Grand Am which a bad wind noise. I dealt with it for five years, I wasn't about to deal with it in a brand new car. Twice the dealer said they couldn't fix it. I then flexed my option to return the car (1300 miles). The Service Manager, Bob, got involved. He called the regional service engineer...who in turn put him in contact with someone from the Tennessee factory. This guy (the Tennessee one) said they had one other report of this. He flew down to sunny Orlando and recorded my wind noise. He knew EXACTLY what it was and was able to fix it. It wasn't a wind noise at all, it was a noise coming from the shifter console. He had to adjust a bracket in the shifter console. When I got the car back, the noise was gone! While I started to regret my purchase, the partnering between the Service Manager and this guy from the Tennessee factory was phenomenal. It definitely made me a believer that Saturn is a different kind of Company.

Make sure you talk to the Service Manager if you can't get anything accomplished with the "Coordinators". Make sure you involve your Sales Manager (not the Representative, the Manager). Don't settle for something you aren't happy with. Unless you are a completely irrational person, it is their job to make you happy. You spent a good chunk of change on this vehicle...don't be afraid to make them sweat a little. You can be nice and be forceful at the same time