How to Choose the Oil and Fluids for a Saturn VUE

The Saturn VUE compact crossover SUV, introduced in 2002, is the first vehicle to use GM's Theta platform. The exact same vehicle is sold under the names Chevrolet Captiva, GMC Terrain, Holden Captiva, Opel Antara, and Vauxhall Antara in other countries. Here's how to choose the oil and fluids for all model years of the Saturn VUE.

Instructions

1

Double-check the oil you're using in the 2.2L L4 engine to be certain it meets GM standard GM6094M and is SAE 5W-30 viscosity. In temperatures about 0 degrees Fahrenheit, 10W-30 oil is acceptable. In vehicles running the 3.5L V6 engine, SAE 5W-20 engine oil is recommended for all temperatures.

2

Replenish your clutch and brake hydraulic fluids with Delco Supreme 11 brake fluid or a DOT-3 brake fluid equivalent.

3

Use DEXRON-III automatic transmission fluid in your manual transaxle. The automatic transaxle in the 3.5L V6 requires ATF Z1 automatic transmission fluid, and the VTi variable transaxle requires DEX-CVT fluid and DEX-CVT fluid additive, part numbers 22688912 and 22697447 respectively.

4

Keep your engine running cool with a 50-50 mix of clean drinkable water and DEX-COOL coolant. Using other types of engine coolant may lead to premature corrosion of cooling system components.

5

Run VersaTrak fluid, GM part number 12378514 in the United States, in your rear drive module.

6

Drain and refill your transfer case--if you have the 3.5L V6 engine--with synthetic axle lubricant, GM part number 12378261 in the United States. If you're not running the V6 engine, you can use the same VersaTrak fluid you put in your rear drive module.