2008 Saturn Outlook Problems and Recalls (630 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2008 Saturn Outlook is Lights (34% of 630 owner reports). There are 5 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Lights — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 630 complaints · 5 recalls

What problems show up on the 2008 Saturn Outlook?

215 of 630 filings named Lights (34% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Transmission / driveline (103 reports).

There are 5 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Glass / wipers / cameras, Airbags, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2007 has 504 reports on file; this year has 630. Older years collect more reports just by being on the road longer. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2008 Saturn Outlook

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 5 campaigns on file below.
  2. Lights. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working.
  3. Transmission / driveline. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Lights. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Lights 215 complaints · 34.1% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 6
  • Fires 19
  • Injuries 7
  • Deaths 0
All Saturn Outlook years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) appears in 215 of 630 owner complaints (34.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING): 215 complaints, 34.1% of reports Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 1 crash reports 11 fire reports 215 · 34.1% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 103 complaints, 16.4% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 103 · 16.4% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 72 complaints, 11.4% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 3 fire reports 72 · 11.4% Airbags (AIR BAGS): 66 complaints, 10.5% of reports Airbags (AIR BAGS) 2 crash reports 66 · 10.5% Steering (STEERING): 33 complaints, 5.2% of reports Steering (STEERING) 33 · 5.2% Engine (ENGINE): 31 complaints, 4.9% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 3 fire reports 31 · 4.9% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 25 complaints, 4.0% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 25 · 4.0% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 23 complaints, 3.7% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 23 · 3.7% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 8 complaints, 1.3% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 8 · 1.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 96 complaints, 15.2% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 2 crash reports 3 fire reports 96 · 15.2% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) 215 34.1% 1 crashes · 11 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 103 16.4% 1 crashes · 1 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 72 11.4% 0 crashes · 3 fires
Airbags (AIR BAGS) 66 10.5% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 33 5.2% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 31 4.9% 0 crashes · 3 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 25 4.0% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 23 3.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 8 1.3% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 96 15.2% 2 crashes · 3 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2007; the first recall shown was reported in Aug 2008. 2007-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2008-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2009-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q1: 19 owner reports 19 2010-Q2: 19 owner reports 19 2010-Q3: 36 owner reports 36 2010-Q4: 36 owner reports 36 2011-Q1: 37 owner reports 37 2011-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2011-Q3: 32 owner reports 32 2011-Q4: 38 owner reports 38 2012-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2012-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2012-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2013-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2013-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2013-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2013-Q4: 19 owner reports 19 2014-Q1: 15 owner reports 15 2014-Q2: 31 owner reports 31 2014-Q3: 29 owner reports 29 2014-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2015-Q1: 23 owner reports 23 2015-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2015-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2016-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2016-Q2: 9 owner reports 9 2016-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2016-Q4: 10 owner reports 10 2017-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2017-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2018-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2018-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2018-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2018-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q2: 5 owner reports 5 2019-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2019-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2020-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2020-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2021-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2022-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2022-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2024-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 2007 Oct 2024 Recall campaign 08V410000 ◆ Recall campaign 08V410000 Recall campaign 08V441000 ◆ Recall campaign 08V441000 Recall campaign 10V240000 ◆ Recall campaign 10V240000 Recall campaign 14V118000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V118000 Recall campaign 15V415000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V415000 Investigation EA08010 ● Investigation EA08010 Investigation DP12003 ● Investigation DP12003
  • Campaign 08V410000 was reported 99 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V118000 was reported 2,287 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V415000 was reported 2,265 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2007-Q4 Owner reports 1
2008-Q1 Owner reports 1
2008-Q2 Owner reports 3
2008-Q4 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 4
2009-Q3 Owner reports 3
2009-Q4 Owner reports 1
2010-Q1 Owner reports 19
2010-Q2 Owner reports 19
2010-Q3 Owner reports 36
2010-Q4 Owner reports 36
2011-Q1 Owner reports 37
2011-Q2 Owner reports 25
2011-Q3 Owner reports 32
2011-Q4 Owner reports 38
2012-Q1 Owner reports 7
2012-Q2 Owner reports 6
2012-Q3 Owner reports 6
2012-Q4 Owner reports 18
2013-Q1 Owner reports 14
2013-Q2 Owner reports 18
2013-Q3 Owner reports 23
2013-Q4 Owner reports 19
2014-Q1 Owner reports 15
2014-Q2 Owner reports 31
2014-Q3 Owner reports 29
2014-Q4 Owner reports 12
2015-Q1 Owner reports 23
2015-Q2 Owner reports 11
2015-Q3 Owner reports 8
2015-Q4 Owner reports 9
2016-Q1 Owner reports 12
2016-Q2 Owner reports 9
2016-Q3 Owner reports 6
2016-Q4 Owner reports 10
2017-Q1 Owner reports 9
2017-Q2 Owner reports 6
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q4 Owner reports 8
2018-Q1 Owner reports 4
2018-Q2 Owner reports 7
2018-Q3 Owner reports 6
2018-Q4 Owner reports 5
2019-Q1 Owner reports 4
2019-Q2 Owner reports 5
2019-Q3 Owner reports 3
2019-Q4 Owner reports 4
2020-Q1 Owner reports 5
2020-Q2 Owner reports 3
2020-Q3 Owner reports 4
2020-Q4 Owner reports 2
2021-Q2 Owner reports 1
2021-Q3 Owner reports 5
2022-Q1 Owner reports 1
2022-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q4 Owner reports 2
2024-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 08V410000
Recall campaign 1 08V441000
Recall campaign 1 10V240000
Recall campaign 1 14V118000
Recall campaign 1 15V415000
Defect investigation 1 EA08010
Defect investigation 1 DP12003
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (5)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Glass / wipers / cameras, Airbags, and Body / frame.

  1. Recall campaign 08V410000

    Glass / wipers / cameras

    Report date
    Component:
    Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
    Consequence:
    IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR, DRIVER VISIBILITY COULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW WIPER CRANK ARM, DRIVER'S SIDE LINK, AND A CRANK ARM NUT. THE RECALL BEGAN O OCTOBER 13, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 08V441000

    Safety recall 08V441000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THIS MAY CAUSE OTHER ELECTRICAL FEATURES TO MALFUNCTION, CREATE AN ODOR, OR CAUSE SMOKE INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WIRE HARNESS WITH AN IN-LINE FUSE FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080; CADILLAC AT 1-800-982-2339 OR HTTP://WWW.CADILLAC.COM; CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438; SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876 OR HTTP://WWW.SATURN.COM, GMC AT 1-866-996-9436; OR HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493; OR THROUGH THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 10V240000

    Safety recall 10V240000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE HEATED WASHER MODULE TO IGNITE AND A FIRE MAY OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL PERMANENTLY DISABLE AND REMOVE THE HEATED WASHER FLUID MODULE. AN UPDATED PAGE FOR THE OWNER MANUAL WILL BE PROVIDED AND INSERTED IN THE OWNER MANUAL TO DOCUMENT THAT THE FEATURE HAS BEEN PERMANENTLY DISABLED AND REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT BUICK AT 1-866-608-8080, CADILLAC AT 1-866-982-2339, CHEVROLET AT 1-800-630-2438, SATURN AT 1-800-972-8876, GMC AT 1-866-996-9463 AND HUMMER AT 1-800-732-5493 OR AT THE OWNER CENTER AT WWW.GMOWNERCENTER.COM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Recall campaign 14V118000

    Airbags

    Report date
    Component:
    Airbags (AIR BAGS)
    Consequence:
    Failure of the side impact air bags and seat belt pretensioners to deploy in a crash increase the risk of injury to the driver and front seat occupant.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014. Buick owners may contact the owner center at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet owners at 1-866-694-6546, Saturn at 1-800-553-6000, and GMC owners at 1-866-996-9463. GM's number for this recall is 14030. Note: Vehicles repaired as part of Customer Satisfaction Campaign 10085 and special coverage 10335 have already had the subject condition repaired and therefore are not included in the safety recall.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 15V415000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    If the open liftgate unexpectedly falls, it may strike a person, increasing their risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge. The recall began on November 15, 2016. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782, and Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 15240.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 630 complaints · page 1 of 26
2024-10-30Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11622653
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Transmission is failing. Reverse is slipping. Low torque trying back up inclines. Known problem with 2008 Acadia, Enclave, Traverse & Outlook per transmission shop who test drove and scanned. No code via dashboard, but scan tools and professional diagnostics verify failure. Techem has been replaced in February 2019, by GM service @ owners expense when forward drive failed.
2023-11-14Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11555105
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Over this summer I went to start my truck and all the airbags pop out expect for the steering wheel air bag and dashboard air bag
2023-10-03Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
NHTSA ODI 11548011
CrashFireInjuryDeath
This has been a big problem for all Saturn owners. The transmissions are always going out in them. This transmission is starting to slip. I’m surprised there is no recalls. Very disappointed.
2022-04-26Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11462196
CrashFireInjuryDeath
airbag sensor on passenger seat stays off even when passenger is in seat. I have read many complaints from same vehicle since they were new. Also has electrical issues intermittently possibly from water leaking thru sunroof
2022-02-09Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
NHTSA ODI 11451200
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Outlook. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front windshield wiper failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with windshield wiper motor failure. The contact was informed that the windshield wiper motor cover assembly needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V609000 (Visibility) however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was 197,357.
2021-09-25Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11434345
CrashFireInjuryDeath
UNKNOWN
2021-08-31Airbags (AIR BAGS)
NHTSA ODI 11431261
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Outlook. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the airbag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the MDS was not communicating with the airbags. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
2021-08-23Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
NHTSA ODI 11430215
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My low beam headlight started to intermittently go out for a while. Then it went out completely. I go to replace the bulb only to find that the bulb wasn’t the actual issue. The harness, wires, and socket to the bulb were blackened, burnt and melted. So now it all needs to be replaced. I’ve seen on several forums that has happened to so many people that have a car manufactured by GM. The original wiring is not quality enough for the heat and current that goes through there.
2021-07-21Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11425827
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2008 Saturn Outlook. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The contact pulled over however, the steering functionality did not return. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.
2021-07-15Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11425053
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Multiple time my vehicle became wet in the inside due to a sun roof drainage tube issue. My vehicle stopped while in motion and there was a burning smell. Now none of my windows will go up and the car no longer starts. I have a loud knocking sound coming from the dash when I turn the heater or AC on. Now my dash shows service theft deterrent system. The first time I thought maybe the tube was clogged. I now come to find out that is was/is a on going issue with GM. I could've lost my life or been possibly rear-ended at highway speed due to GM not knowing how to make a sunroof.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2008 Saturn Outlook?

Owners named Lights most often — 215 of 630 reports (34%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2008 Saturn Outlook?

NHTSA lists 5 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Glass / wipers / cameras, Airbags, and Body / frame. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2008 Saturn Outlook?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Walk around the vehicle: headlights, brake lights and turn signals all working. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources