REPORT: GM recalling over 44,000 Saturn Vue crossovers because of sticky door handles?!
Saturn Vue - Click above for high-res image gallery
Some 44,451 Saturn Vue models from the 2008 model year are being recalled, and yours might be a part of the action if it has body-color door handles. What's the deal? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the handles may stick, preventing the door from properly latching.
NHTSA says an unbelted occupant could tumble out of the vehicle as a result of a door that refuses to latch, though one has to figure that you're sort of asking for it by ignoring the safety gear. In any circumstance, doors that pop open aren't acceptable, so the 44,451 vehicles affected will be give chrome door handles by dealers at no charge to customers. The recall goes into full effect by August 18th, plenty of time to get a can of Nevr-Dull to keep those shiny handles looking their best.
Gallery: 2008 Saturn VUE
[Source: NHTSA]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Bob-omb 2:41PM (6/30/2009)
You laugh at the headline until you realize what the actual problem is. Yikes.
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James 2:53PM (6/30/2009)
"Some 44,451 Saturn Vue models from the 2008 model year are being recalled.."
Made by....Dae-woooooo
Iwa 3:05PM (6/30/2009)
"Made by....Dae-woooooo"
No, those would be the Opel Antara that are made by Daewoo. These Vues are manufactured in Mexico.
homunculus 3:09PM (6/30/2009)
a sticky door handle sounds like a manufacturing issue not an engineering issue.
inline6 4:52PM (6/30/2009)
" 'Made by....Dae-woooooo'
No, those would be the Opel Antara that are made by Daewoo. These Vues are manufactured in Mexico."
Yeah, and the doorhandles are probably made by some outside supplier, not Daewoo, Opel, or GM.
Luis 2:42PM (6/30/2009)
AB: You make it sound like a silly recall in the title, but it's quite serious.
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jv2k 4:46PM (6/30/2009)
It doesn't seem like the kind of thing that would happen to often and honestly I think the average person would notice if their door is actually shut properly or not. This is just for gm to cover it's ass in case something happens.
Hale 2:46PM (6/30/2009)
ahh so the plastic chrome will fix anything!
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drcruelty 2:50PM (6/30/2009)
That will teach them to wear a seatbelt!
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216 2:55PM (6/30/2009)
actually its true, seems like you're only in danger if you're not wearing a seatbelt
But i think its cool that they're giving everyone chrome door handles! I wish Chevy would upgrade the handles on my 05 Malibu for free
waiownsyou 4:26PM (6/30/2009)
Chrome handles on a Malibu. Right.
Jeff 7:29PM (6/30/2009)
Unless it's the kind of seatbelt built into the door that GM loves so much. Then what?
drcruelty 4:14AM (7/01/2009)
Seatbelt mounted on the door? You do realize they're recalling 2008 models.........not 1991.
Tyler 2:57PM (6/30/2009)
I am a proponent of safety, however, I think that people who don't wear seatbelt have no claim to safety that any governing body or automaker needs to respect. Like when the Ferraris couldn't come to America because the airbag didn't work for unrestrained small women and children.
Sure, doors shouldn't open, but if they only open when an unbelted passenger is thrown against them, that's fine.
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ronEbear 3:00PM (6/30/2009)
+1
Redeemed 3:09PM (6/30/2009)
A lot of people feel the same way. Yet we elect public officials that want to make this more and more a nanny state.
anonymous j 3:21PM (6/30/2009)
"Sure, doors shouldn't open, but if they only open when an unbelted passenger is thrown against them, that's fine"
So if a car company makes a car with doors that don't close and you fall out because you aren't wearing a seat belt, it's the person's fault??
That's got to be one of the worst arguments I've ever heard in my life.
anonymous j 3:24PM (6/30/2009)
forgot to add: Whether a person is wearing their seat belt or not shouldn't even matter because your car door should CLOSE, it's like you are trying to justify the terrible quality control that allowed this to happen in the first place.
Swede 3:33PM (6/30/2009)
"So if a car company makes a car with doors that don't close and you fall out because you aren't wearing a seat belt, it's the person's fault??"
Yes? You can have perfectly functioning doors and fall out the window if you do not have the seatbelt on. Unless you are an infant, it's your fault for not belting up.
Willem B 3:35PM (6/30/2009)
"So if a car company makes a car with doors that don't close and you fall out because you aren't wearing a seat belt, it's the person's fault??"
Would the person have fallen out if he/she had been wearing a seat belt? No. Therefore, yes, it would be that person's fault. Wear a seatbelt, like the law says you should, and you won't fall out.
That doesn't mean that the door shouldn't be fixed. I'm just saying that those idiots who fell out after not wearing seatbelts have no claim to anything, they should get ticketed for being in a moving vehicle without wearing seatbelts.