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2008 Saturn VUE FWD

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 VUE FWD.

Body SUV

The 2008 Saturn VUE, a front‑wheel‑drive compact SUV, rests on a well‑balanced chassis designed for urban versatility. Its engine requires a modest 4‑quart fill of 5W‑20 API‑rated oil, reflecting its relatively mild powertrain demands. With 406 total owner complaints—chiefly centered on the power train—and three manufacturer recalls, this model year sits toward the lower end of the VUE’s reliability spectrum, signaling that maintenance vigilance is warranted for long‑term owners.

Model year20092008200720062005200420032002

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 47 · 650 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12690386. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 47 · 650 CCAOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12690386 alt 12731179
Engine air filter96815102
Spark plug12681662 alt 19300872
Battery88866291 alt 88866309
Front wiper blades95479597 alt 95479599
Serpentine belt12577770 alt 12584310
Thermostat12591881 alt 12622410
Cabin air filter20901295

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length180.3 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height66.9 in
Wheelbase106.7 in
Curb weight3825 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 22.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity6.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantDEX-COOL OR EQUIVALENT
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts10 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug22.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts100 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub151 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub151 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Spark Plug ManufacturerAC Delco
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque13.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.26 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number47
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca
Standard BCI Group Number48

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)50-60
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)56-62
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)56-62
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 @ 50-90 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 @ 50-90 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance11-14 @ 50-90 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression100
Engine Compression100

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle136 ft-lbs / 89 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.080 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.020 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.001 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.002 in
Rotor Discard at or Under1.079 in / 0.724 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
174 ft. lbs., step 2: 12574 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
1Installation pass old bolt. Step 292 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2155 degrees.155 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
1Tighten in sequence shown22 ft. lbs
2In sequence shown155 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages
144 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
2140 degrees.; Do not re-use old bolts.140 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 2 stages

Prep M11 Bolts:

122 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
2150 degrees.; M8 Bolts 9-10:150 degrees
111 ft. lbs.11 ft. lbs
275 degrees.; Do not reuse cylinder head bolts. Do not allow oil on cylinder head, head bolt bosses.75 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 25,000 miExhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect)
Every 50,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Transfer Case Assembly (drain & refill)
At 100,000 miTransfer Case Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 150,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Owner complaints about the 2008 Saturn VUE FWD lead in one area — the power train, 75 of 406 reports (18%), well ahead of the next concern. That matters, because the power train are also the target of recall 08V-470 on this vehicle — so the single most useful check before buying or servicing one is confirming it was actually performed. 16 of the reports describe a crash and 11 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the power train pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
966
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
406
Owner complaints
16 involved a crash · 11 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 406 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train75
Steering61
Electrical System36
Air Bags19
Unknown Or Other17
Visibility11
Engine10
Engine & Engine Cooling10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09V233000Latches/Locks/Linkages:Doors:LatchReported 25/06/2009

GM IS RECALLING 44,451 MY 2008 SATURN VUE VEHICLES WITH BODY COLOR OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES. THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES MAY STICK OR BIND. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THE DOOR MAY NOT LATCH WHEN CLOSED. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES WITH CHROME DOOR HANDLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE AUGUST 18, 2009. OWNER MAY CONTACT SATURN AT…

08V470000Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And ConnectionsReported 17/09/2008

GM IS RECALLING 42,408 MY 2008-2009 SATURN VUE VEHICLES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE A CONDITION IN WHICH THE NUT SECURING THE POWER STEERING LINE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP MAY LOOSEN. IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, THERE MAY… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE NUT SECURING THE POWER STEERING LINE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP. IF THERE ARE NO SIGNS OF A FLUID LEAK, DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE NUT. IF A FLUID LEAK IS…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 966 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
135982025-09-09Unknown Or OtherNew Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH
PIC5650M2025-08-06Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIP5601C2025-07-18Unknown Or OtherThis PI communicates the requirement to provide a pico file to receive diagnostic…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…
PIT5074R2025-05-30Unknown Or OtherThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific VUE FWD. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 47 batteryVehicles taking 4 qtEngine oil filter 12690386Engine air filter 96815102Spark plug 12681662Battery 88866291

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 VUE FWD take?

4 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 VUE FWD have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.