Saturn VUE under Investigation for Suspension Problems

NHTSA “Fishhook” Tests Resulted in Suspension Failure of FWD and AWD VUEs

Recent years have been rough on Saturn. Harsh words have been said by auto journalists about the ION sedan and Quad Coupe, the cancellation of the L-series midsize model has left them without a stake in the family-sedan segment, but at least the brand had the VUE SUV to keep morale positive. With its robust plastic body panels and the recent introduction of a Honda-designed 250 horsepower V6 motor, things appeared to look up. That is, until yesterday when federal regulators at the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began an investigation on the compact SUVs rear suspension due to failures in rollover tests.

Starting this year, the NHTSA has begun testing the rollover factor of sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks and vans; all vehicles that have a high center of gravity. This test is performed by a standard “fishhook” maneuver which simulates a driver rapidly turning left, and then right while driving at 45 mph. The “fishhook” test is an industry standard, and is used by many magazines including Consumer Reports. While performing the test on a VUE equipped with four-wheel drive, the rear suspension failed, causing the rear wheels to collapse under the vehicle. The same test, when conducted on a two-wheel drive model yielded the same results.

To further exacerbate the issue, the VUE is also under investigation for a complaint issued earlier this year that relates to the suspensions failure. In early 2004, a customer complained that his 2003 model VUEs rear wheel bent under sharp maneuvering at freeway speeds, after which the vehicle left the road. The result was a rollover.

From its launch in 2002 through to the present General Motors states that it has sold around 230,000 of the compact sport utilities. GM spokesperson Jim Schell commented on the issue stating, “We are cooperating with NHTSA on the investigation,” however he also stated that he had not heard of any comments or problems relating to the VUE in internal company testing. NHTSA probings such as this can sometimes lead to recalls, but at this point the investigation is still in its early stages - too early to determine whether or not the VUE is dangerous and must be recalled.

The decision to implement an active rollover test with a moving vehicle comes at a time when SUVs make up a great portion of vehicles sold in North America. Prior to the moving test, the NHTSA calculated a vehicles rollover propensity via a mathematical formula based on the height and width of the vehicle. Using the old formula, the 2002 and 2003 model VUE are rated three stars out of five for rollover resistance. Due to the ongoing investigation, the 2004 model VUE has yet to be rated. The issue of the VUE should raise some questions about other vehicles that are based on its platform, namely the Chevrolet Equinox and upcoming 2006 Pontiac Torrent.