2008 SATURN OUTLOOK Complaints

THE PROBLEM STARTS WITH HEAVY RAIN LEAKING THROUGH THE SUN ROOF. ACCORDING TO THE ED MORSE DEALERSHIP REPRESENTATIVE, THE SUNROOF IS PROJECTED TO PASS SOME WATER (VERY FEW) THAT WILL DRAIN THROUGH THE DRAIN TUBES LOCATED AT THE FRONT AND REAR COLUMNS (SIDES OF THE WINDSHIELD). HOWEVER, THE TUBES MAY GET CLOGGED AN THE WATER STARTS LEAKING INSIDE THE CAR THROUGH THE COLUMNS WERE AIRBAG ARE LOCATED. NEVERTHELESS, THESE TUBES ARE NOT LONG ENOUGH TO DRIVE THE WATER UNTIL THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR SO THE WATER WILL LEAK INTO THE INNER FUSE BLOCK, WILL DAMP THE CARPETS ON THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES AND MAKE MUCH MORE DAMAGE THAN YOU CAN BELIEVE. AS THE INSULATOR BETWEEN THE CARPET AND THE FLOOR IS LIKE A SPONGE, IT WILL ABSORB THE WATER AND SOAKS ALL THE CONNECTORS THAT RUN BELOW THE INSULATOR (CABLES THAT RUN FROM THE BATTERY, TO THE SEATS MOTORS AND HEATER, ETC, ETC). NOT TO MENTION THAT IT MAY DAMAGE THE AIRBAG TRIGGERS MECHANISMS LOCATED ON THE COLUMNS BESIDES THE WINDSHIELD?.BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AT THE INTERNET, WHY NOBODY HAS DONE ANYTHING YET? WHAT IF THE FRONT SIDES AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY AS EXPECTED DUE TO THIS RAIN INSIDE THE CAR????? NHTSA SHOULD SERIOUSLY INQUIRE GM FOR THAT AS IT MAY PUT MANY LIVES AT RISK. AND NOT ONLY TO SATURN OUTLOOK OWNERS. THE SAME IS HAPPENING TO GMC ACADIAS AND BUICK ENCLAVES....THERE ARE MANY FORUMS WITH SUCH COMPLAIN AT THE INTERNET AND IN ONE OF THEM A REPRESENTATIVE FROM GM ASK US TO CONTACT HER BUT I SENT HER 2 E-MAILS AND SO FAR I HAVE NO ANSWER. HER E-MAIL IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I JUST LEFT MY 2008 OUTLOOK XR AT THE DEALER. ACCORDING TO THEM THE PROBLEM ARE THE TUBES THAT DRAIN THE WATER FROM THE SUNROOF. THESE TUBES RUN INSIDE THE FRONT AND REAR COLUMNS (ON THE SIDES THE WINDSHIELD IN THE FRONT AND THE SIDE COLUMNS ON THE BACK OF THE CAR). THESE TUBES ARE NOT LONG ENOUGH TO DRIVE THE WATER UNTIL THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR SO THE WATER WILL LEAK INTO THE INNER FUSE BLOCK, WILL DAMP THE CARPETS ON THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDES AND MAKE MUCH MORE DAMAGE THAN YOU CAN BELIEVE. AS THE INSULATOR BETWEEN THE CARPET AND THE FLOOR IS LIKE A SPONGE, IT WILL ABSORB THE WATER AND SOAKS ALL THE CONNECTORS THAT RUN BELOW THE INSULATOR (CABLES THAT RUN FROM THE BATTERY, TO THE SEATS MOTORS AND HEATER, ETC, ETC). NOT TO MENTION THAT IT MAY DAMAGE THE AIRBAG TRIGGERS MECHANISMS LOCATED ON THE COLUMNS BESIDES THE WINDSHIELD?.BASED ON THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AT THE INTERNET, WHY NOBODY HAS DONE ANYTHING YET? WHAT IF THE FRONT SIDES AIRBAG DOES NOT DEPLOY AS EXPECTED DUE TO THIS RAIN INSIDE THE CAR????? NHTSA SHOULD SERIOUSLY INQUIRE GM FOR THAT AS IT MAY PUT MANY LIVES AT RISK. AND NOT ONLY TO SATURN OUTLOOK OWNERS. THE SAME IS HAPPENING TO GMC ACADIAS AND BUICK ENCLAVES.... *TR

FOUND A 4 INCH PIECE OF THE COIL SPRING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I INSPECTED THE VEHICLE DETERMINED THAT THE PIECE WAS FROM THE TOP OF THE COIL SPRING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE IN THE REAR. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS WAS A SOMEWHAT COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE GM LAMBDA TYPE VEHICLE AS THERE WERE MANY REPORTS OF COIL SPRING FAILURE AT VARIOUS MILEAGES ON THE OUTLOOK AND THE OTHER LAMBDA MODELS. ALSO SAW A FEW PICTURES POSTED THAT LOOKED EXACTLY LIKE THE PIECE THAT BROKE OFF OF OUR OUTLOOK. BELIEVE WE ARE LUCKY THAT THE COIL SPRING FAILED WHERE IT DID BECAUSE IF THE FAILURE WAS AT A LOWER POINT PN THE SPRING WHILE WE WERE DRIVING THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A LOSS OF CONTROL RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT AND SERIOUS INJURY. I HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND NO RECALL TO ADDRESS THIS PATENTLY DEFECTIVE PART. THIS MATTER SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND GM SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WITH SPRINGS MANUFACTURED OF MATERIALS THAT ARE NOT PRONE TO BREAKING. *TR

I FILED A COMPLAINT UNDER NUMBER 106110651 ON THE 15TH OF JULY, 2014. IN THIS COMPLAINT, I INADVERTENTLY SAID THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT LIGHT WENT ON. WHAT I INTENDED TO SAY WAS THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS GONE ON. PLEASE REFER TO THE AFOREMENTIONED COMPLAINT FOR ONGOING INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR GETTING BACK TO ME IN A TIMELY BASIS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME DOING 35MPH, WHEN MY CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT HOME DOING 5MPH. MY HUSBAND CAME OUT TO TAKE IT FOR A DRIVE AND WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE. WE HAD IT PUT ON THE COMPUTER AND A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT CODES SHOWED ONE OF THEM BEING P0776. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING ON LINE AND FOUND MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. I ALSO CAME ACROSS THIS: SATURN OUTLOOK TRANSMISSION FAULT AND/OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH CODE P0716, P0776, P0717, P0777, P2714, P2715, AND/OR P02723 SATURN OUTLOOK PROBLEM MODEL YEARS AFFECTED: 2007, 2008, 2009 DRIVE TRAINS AFFECTED: 2WD, 4WD AVERAGE MILEAGE: 71,429 MI (39,000 MI - 118,879 MI) VERIFIED VEHICLES WITH A 6 SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MAY DEVELOP ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING FAULTS RELATED TO A BROKEN 35R CLUTCH WAVE PLATE INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION: ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WITH CODE P0716, P0776, P0717, P0777, P2714, P2715, AND/OR P02723, LOSS OF REVERSE GEAR, SLIPPING OR HARSH 3RD OR 5TH GEAR SHIFT. REMOVAL AND DIS-ASSEMBLY OF THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE THE BROKEN 35R WAVE PLATE. IT IS ALSO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT ALL DEBRIS FROM THE FAILED PART BE CLEANED FROM THE TRANSMISSION WHILE IT IS DISASSEMBLED IN ORDER TO TRY AND PREVENT FUTURE PROBLEMS. *TR

I AM NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. HOWEVER, MY SEAT BELT (DRIVER SIDE) LIGHT HAS GONE ON AND THE DIC STATES TO CHECK THE AIR BAGS. I FIND THE NHTSA HAS A RECALL ON THIS PROBLEM, YET SATURN, AND THE DEALERSHIP SHOWS NO RECALL. THE NUMBER SHOWN IS 14V118000 WHICH SHOWS THIS VEHICLE. I DO NOT WISH TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE, YET CAN'T AFFORD AN ESTIMATED $600 TAB TO HAVE IT FIXED. WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE TO FIND AUTHORIZATION TO HAVE THIS RECALL (YET NOT SHOWN) FIXED? *TR

WE WERE ON VACATION IN THE SMOKEY MOUNTAINS HEADED UP THE WINDING ROADS TO OUR CABIN WHEN I WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE WHEEL. IT WAS EXTREMELY SCARY AS IF WE GOT 3 FOOT OFF THE ROAD WE WOULD HAVE FELL OFF THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN (AS THERE WERE NO GUARD RAILS). WE TRIED TO REVERSE, BUT THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD BARELY MOVE. MY HUSBAND REACHED OVER AND WE BOTH TRIED WITH ALL OUR MIGHT TO TURN TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE CABIN WE WERE STAYING AT. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, IT SEEMED THIS HAD HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME VEHICLE. I CALLED GM CUSTOMER SERVICE THE NEXT MORNING AS WE WERE NOT SURE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE IT DOWN THE CURVY ROADS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MOUNTAIN. NO DEALERSHIPS IN THE AREA WERE OPEN WITH IT BEING A HOLIDAY (JULY 4TH) WEEKEND. THEY CONNECTED ME WITH A DEALERSHIP IN ILLINOIS WHO GAVE SOME ADVICE. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT BUT THAT MOST VEHICLES WITH THIS ISSUE TURN EASIER WITH THE ACCELERATOR BEING PUSHED. WE DIDN'T HAVE 3 EXTRA DAYS TO SPEND WAITING FOR A GM DEALER TO TAKE A LOOK, SO WE THOUGHT WE WOULD TRY. WE STARTED OUT OK, BUT AS WE GOT FARTHER DOWN (15 MINUTE DRIVE FROM OUR CABIN TO THE BOTTOM) IT GOT VERY HARD AGAIN. WE WOULD SLOW DOWN WAY BEFORE THE CURVE SO THAT WE COULD ACCELERATE THROUGH THE CURVE AND HAVE THE ABILITY TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. WE SAFELY MADE IT OUT OF TOWN. GM CUSTOMER SERVICE LED US TO BELIEVE THEY WOULD COVER MOST OF THE $1400 IN REPAIRS AS THE PARTS MAY HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE SAME FACTORY AS OTHER VEHICLES WITH THIS TYPE OF RECALL. HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT COVER ANY OF IT AS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES WERE CAUSED BY THE PROBLEM. *TR

TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY FAILED. CAR WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. *TR

THE CAR WAS MOVING AT APPROXIMATELY 55MPH ON RT168 CHESAPEAKE EXPRESSWAY AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN A REAR-END COLLISION. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS WE EXPERIENCED HARD SHIFTS GOING INTO 3RD GEAR AND 5TH GEAR. ON 6/25/2014, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE, SO WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE PRIORITY CHEVY. WE WERE TOLD THE TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED, AND A NEW ONE WOULD NEED TO BE INSTALLED. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE, AND FOUND MANY OTHER DRIVERS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE. I ALSO CONTACTED A NATIONAL TRANSMISSION CHAIN, AND THEY ALSO REPORTED SEEING AN INCREASED NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION ISSUES WITH SATURN OUTLOOKS, SOME OF WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN CRASHES DUE TO THE HARD SHIFTING. *TR

THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INCIDENT AS OF THIS WRITING. WE TOOK OUR 2008 SATURN OUTLOOK IN FOR AN INSPECTION DUE TO THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR WAS SHOWN AS OFF. I WAS TOLD THAT IF A PERSON SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT AND AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR, THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY! I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE PASSENGER PRESENCE SENSOR AND THAT IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $1,200 TO FIX. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND JUDGING FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE, AND ON THE WEB IN GENERAL, THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED BY ANY RECALL AT THIS TIME SEEMS UNBELIEVABLE AND UNFORTUNATE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN THIS MATTER. *TR UPDATED 3/3/2015 *JS