2008 SATURN OUTLOOK Complaints

SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILURE, LOSS OF POWER AND FAILURE TO UPSHIFT WHILE ACCELERATING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. HAD TO PULL INTO CENTER LANE TO AVOID INTERFERING WITH TRAFFIC NEARLY CAUSING COLLISION WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC PREPARING TO TURN. WAS NOTIFIED BY DEALERSHIP THAT IT IS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. AWAITING ESTIMATE FOR REPAIRS. FIRST TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 42K MILES SECOND FAILURE AT 86K MILES. OTHER VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE HAD EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS TYPE PROBLEM BUT FOR SOME REASON, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED

MY 2008 SATURN OUTLOOK RECENTLY STARTED LEAKING WATER. I FIRST NOTICED THAT MY FRONT PASSENGER FLOORBOARD WAS WET, IN DECEMBER 2015. AFTER NOTICING THIS I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTINUALLY GOING, I COULD NOT TURN IT OFF. I THEN STARTED HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE RADIO STAYING ON WHEN I EXITED THE VEHICLE. WITHIN A COUPLE OF DAYS MY CAR BATTERY DIED AND I FIGURED THIS IS WHY I WAS HAVING THOSE ISSUES. I REPLACED THE BATTERY WITH A BRAND NEW ONE. ON JAN 19, 2016 I GOT INTO MY CAR ON AN EXTREMELY RAINY DAY AND NOTICED A HUGE PUDDLE OF WATER ON THE FRONT PASSENGER FLOORBOARD. I LOOKED ALL AROUND THE CAR AND COULD NOT FIND ANY LEAKS, NOTHING FROM WINDSHIELD, SUNROOF OR DAMAGED WEATHER STRIPPING. I TOOK OUT THE MATS AND THE CAR DRIED OUT. ON JAN 31, 2016 THERE WAS ANOTHER EXTREMELY WET AND RAINY DAY AND ONCE AGAIN WATER WAS POOLED UP IN FRONT PASSENGER FLOORBOARD. AS I DROVER CAR AWAY WATER STARTED POURING INTO THE VEHICLE FROM ALL OPENINGS, IE SEATBELT HARNESS, WINDSHIELD, FROM BELOW DASH, VENTS, EVERYWHERE. ALL OF THE PASSENGERS IN CAR WERE GETTING WET. ONCE HOME I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND I TOOK OUT FLOOR MATS AND OPENED UP WINDOWS FOR CAR TO DRY OUT. AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER STARTED GOING OFF REPEATEDLY ON IT'S OWN, LIKE BEFORE. I COULD NOT TURN IT OFF, ONCE AGAIN. THEN THE RADIO CONTINUED TO STAY ON ONCE THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF, KEY REMOVED AND DRIVER DOOR OPENED. I LAST DROVE THE CAR ON WED NIGHT 2/3 AND PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT. WHEN I WENT TO GET IN CAR THE NEXT MORNING IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. NO POWER AT ALL, BRAND NEW BATTERY. THEN THE KEY GOT STUCK IN THE IGNITION AND CAR WAS STUCK IN GARAGE. I HAD TO HAVE TOW COMPANY COME AND TOW CAR OFF TO DEALERSHIP. I FILED COMPLAINT WITH GM. I SEE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR OTHERS AS WELL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN OUTLOOK. WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN, THE VEHICLE COLLECTED WATER WITHIN THE WEDGING OF THE SUN ROOF AND HEADLINER AND BEGAN LEAKING FROM ANY OPENING WITHIN THE VEHICLE (DOORS, VENTS, ETC). WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND/ OR STOPPED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCUMULATE WATER ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

MY CAR HAS PROBLEMS WITH THE PROP ROD RECOVERY SYSTEM. THE BACK HATCH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO RAISE AND LOWER. IT HAS FALLEN ON ME WHEN I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CARRY IN GROCERIES AND IT ALMOST CAME DOWN ON MY GRANDSON'S HEAD WHEN HE WAS STANDING NEXT TO ME TO HELP CARRY IN THE GROCERIES. WHEN I READ AN ARTICLE IN THE BUSINESS SECTION OF OUR LOCAL PAPER ABOUT A RECALL ON 2007-2010 SATURN OUTLOOKS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM I ASSUMED MY CAR WAS RECALLED. AT MY LAST SERVICE AT THE GM DEALERSHIP I ASKED ABOUT THIS RECALL. THEY LOOKED IT UP AND SAID MINE WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $180-200 TO FIX IT. I CALLED THE SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE TO DOUBLE CHECK WHETHER MY CAR WAS ON THE LIST. I WAS ADVISED TO MAKE A FORMAL COMPLAINT TO NHTSA TO HOPEFULLY HAVE GM OR WHOMEVER TO EXTEND THE RECALL TO MY MODEL SINCE IT CLEARLY HAS THE SAME ISSUE. THANK YOU

MY SATURN OUTLOOK BECAME EXTREMELY HOT BY MY FOOT DUE TO THIS FAULTY ISSUE (DESIGN FLAW) WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY [XXX] YEAR OLD SON...THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER..IF YOU GOOGLE THIS YOU WILL FIND THAT THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN ALL LAMBDA FRAME VEHICLES IN THE EARLY YEARS...I HAD IT REPLACED AS THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER AND COST ME $900. THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW BY GM AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT AS THE CAR WILL BECOME LOW ON BRAKE FLUID...MY CAR INDICITATED THIS BY STATING ON THE DASH "PARKING BRAKE WAS ON, SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM, AND TRACTION CONTROL OFF" UPON A GOOGLE SEARCH OF THIS I REALIZED THAT IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY OTHER LAMBDA FRAME VEHICLE IN THE EARLY YEARS OF PRODUCTION EXPERIENCE THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS A DESIGN FLAW. PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*CC

MY SERVICE AIR BAG LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AFTER HAVING BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THE RECENT AIR BAG RECALL. I THINK IT STARTED AFTER THEY DID THE LAST RECALL ON THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTORS. NOW, I AM TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL, BUT THAT THE PASSENGER PRESENCE MODULE MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. CODE B0081. THE COST TO REPAIR/REPLACE IS $780. I HAVE SEEN MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE OF THIS SAME PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECT AND AN IMPORTANT SAFETY CONCERN. I WAS ADVISED THE PASSENGER AIR BAG MAY OR MAY NOT DEPLOY.

WARNING LIGHT SAYS 'SERVICE AIR BAG'. THIS IS A GM RECALL ITEM SINCE 2014. THIS LIGHT JUST STARTED ON MY CAR. GM WILL NOT SERVICE MY CAR AS IT SAYS IT IS NOT AN OPEN RECALL ITEM FOR MY VIN. PLEASE HELP.

OCTOBER 16, 2014 TRANSMISSION 6T75 AWD FAILED. INTO SHOP 10/17/14. COST $4281.45 FOR TRANSMISSION PLUS $366.53 FOR CAR RENTAL. [HAVE BILLS] TRANSMISSION WENT INTO "LIMP" MODE DUE TO LOSS OF ALL GEARS EXCEPT 6TH GEAR. MARCH 2015 RECEIVED LETTER FROM GM STATING "THIS LETTER IS INTENDED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT SOME 2008 MODEL YEAR SATURN OUTLOOK VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A CRACKED OR FRACTURED WAVE PLATE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF 3RD, 5TH AND REVERSE GEARS. THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ARE ALL EQUIPPED WITH A 6T70 OR 6T75 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AND FWD OR AWD." THE LETTER WENT ON TO SAY "IF YOU HAVE PAID FOR REPAIRS FOR THE CONDITION DESCRIBED IN THIS LETTER, PLEASE COMPLETE THE ENCLOSED REIMBURSEMENT FORM AND PRESENT IT TO YOUR DEALER WITH ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS. IF THIS IS NOT CONVENIENT, YOU MAY MAIL THE COMPLETED REIMBURSEMENT FORM AND ALL REQUIRED DOCUMENTS TO REIMBURSEMENT DEPARTMENT, PO BOX 33170, DETROIT, MI 48232. I SUBMITTED TWO FORMS ON APRIL 11, 2015, ONE FOR THE TRANSMISSION [$4281.45 & ONE FOR THE RENTAL CAR WHILE SATURN BEING REPAIRED [$366.53]. MAY 22, 2015 BOTH CLAIMS WERE REJECTED BY GM. REASON GIVEN: "THE VEHICLE IS OUTSIDE THE TIME AND MILEAGE PARAMETERS OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE ACTION PROGRAM. TO ME THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE. TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY AND/OR HIGHWAY AND SUDDENLY LOOSING YOUR TRANSMISSION [MOMENTUM/VEHICLE SPEED] CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD FOR BOTH THE DRIVER AND OTHER VEHICLES IN CLOSE PROXIMATELY. THERE SHOULD NOT BE "TIME AND MILEAGE PARAMETER" THAT HAS BEEN SUBJECTIVELY IMPOSED BY GM IN ORDER TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY FOR POOR ENGINEERING.

WATER LEAKING FROM BLOCKED DRAINS IN SUNROOF, NOW HAVE TO REPLACE FUSE BOX MODULE. WHEN IT RAINS WATER COMES FROM AIRBAG ON BOTH FARMS BY WINDSHIELD, WATER COLLECTS AT BASE OF DASH BOARD ON BOTH DRIVER & PASSENGER SIDES. WHEN PULLING OUT KEY FROM IGNITION, KEY WOULDN'T RELEASE. BATTERY DEAD EVERY MORNING DUE TO CAR "THINKING" IT WAS ON ALL NIGHT. DASHBOARD LIGHT ISSUES & WARNINGS FOR AIRBAGS & STABILTRACK SYSTEM. REPLACED BATTERY BEFORE FINALLY HAVING ISSUES DIAGNOSED CORRECTLY AS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. LOOKS LIKE I'M BY FAR NOT THE FIRST TO REPORT THIS "KNOWN" ISSUE.

A FEW MONTHS AGO READING OUTLOOK FORUMS I CAME ACROSS A THREAD WHERE FOLKS WERE TALKING ABOUT WATER LEAKS. SPECIFICALLY VIA THEIR SUNROOF. MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL DAMAGE TO THEIR VEHICLES BECAUSE OF WATER THAT HAD LEAKED INTO AREAS WHERE ELECTRICAL CURRENTS ARE CONSTANT WHILE THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING. SINCE THE RAINS HAVE COME BACK TO CALIFORNIA I NOW FIND THAT I AM EXPERIENCING THIS LEAK. I CANNOT TELL WHERE IT'S ENTERING AND HOW IT'S CHANNELED BUT I NOW HAVE A SMALL PUDDLE RESIDING ON MY RUBBER FLOOR MAT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND TODAY SAW WATER DRIPPING FROM THE EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL. A SHORT TIME AGO I WATCHED A VIDEO ON YOUTUBE OF A GENTLEMAN DESCRIBING AND SHOWING WHAT LEAKING WATER DID TO HIS HEATER OR DEFROST MOTOR. YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE THE MOTOR HAD BEEN SUBMERGED LONG ENOUGH TO CORRODE IT CAUSING IT TO EVENTUALLY FAIL. I AM HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTAND THAT AFTER ALL THE STORIES I HAVE READ IN THE OUTLOOK FORUMS AND SUCH THAT THIS ISSUE IS NOT WORTHY OF A RECALL. IN MY OPINION THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. A FEW MINUTES AGO I WENT ONLINE TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT WITH MY LOCAL GM SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I AM ALREADY ASSUMING I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PAY FOR POSSIBLE WATER DAMAGE AND/OR RUST ACCUMULATION FROM THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. A PROBLEM THAT GM SHOULD HAVE ADDRESSED AND TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY FOR YEARS AGO. WHERE IS CRAFTSMANSHIP? WHERE IS PRIDE IN WHAT AMERICA BUILDS? AND WHERE IS QUALITY CONTROL?