NHTSA — Electrical System Problems

2008 Saturn Outlook (Page 7 of 8)

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 9
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
61,782 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Saturn Outlook electrical problems

electrical problem

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2008 Saturn Outlook Owner Comments (Page 7 of 8)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #38

Jan 212011

Outlook 6-cyl

  • 51,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Upon noticing a headlight out on my wife's 2008 Saturn Outlook, it was noted upon disassembly of the headlight that there was significant melting damage to the electrical wiring harness to the passenger side hid headlight fixture. The wiring harness was charred and blackened in the area of the headlight connector assembly. It appears there was significant heat/arcing during the failure event. The damaged wiring harness caused the passenger side headlight to become non functional. The vehicle has approximately 50000 miles on it. This is the first such failure for this vehicle, however, upon reading various online postings about this matter, it appears to be a very common failure mode in these model vehicles. The headlight wiring harness assembly has been replaced, along with the headlight assembly due to heat damage to the headlight lamp wiring connector. Old parts are not available due to being thrown away.

- Odell, IL, USA

problem #37

Jan 082011

Outlook 6-cyl

  • 36,555 miles
Overheating of low beam headlamp wiring causing melting of plastic components. Headlamps will loose electrical connection and all lamp light will be lost.

- Eldersburg, MD, USA

problem #36

Nov 102010

Outlook 6-cyl

  • 41,000 miles
Passenger side headlight became inoperative, wire harness replaced due to repair description of "melting". no incident for approx 9 months. Driver side headlight becomes inoperative intermittently during driving. Hand adjustment of wire harness temporarily allows headlight to function. Passenger side headlight begins to fail in same intermittent way as driver side headlight. Loss of headlight while driving, driving becomes hazardous.

- Birmingham, MI, USA

problem #35

Jul 202010

Outlook 6-cyl

  • 52,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2008 Saturn Outlook wiring harness on headlight overheated and headlight no longer works. Already had at service center twice. Paid for replacement headlight which went out a day or two later; then paid for a diagnosis. Already pulled over twice by law enforcement for having headlight out.

- Thompson, ND, USA

problem #34

Nov 132010

Outlook 6-cyl

  • 41,000 miles
Passenger side headlight out on the 2008 Saturn Outlook. Went out one day, a few days later started working again. Now is out for good on "low beam" will work for "high beams".

- Fremont , MI, USA

problem #33

Dec 212010

Outlook 6-cyl

  • 61,163 miles
Our 2008 Saturn just had to have the driver's side low lamp headlight fixed. Melted harness piece. We had to pay for this one because we are out of warranty time (60K miles). The passenger side lamp went out while under warranty. It's ridiculous that we just spent $279 to have a light repaired that seems to be a recurring problem with Saturn... before that we had the whole passenger side airbag light problem. The car doesn't sense when someone is sitting in the front passenger seat. Dealership said car is out of warranty and it will cost us because it's probably a faulty sensor. This is our second Outlook. Lemon-lawed the 2007 and thought we'd give them another chance. Not smart on our part in retrospect!

- Round Rock, TX, USA

problem #32

Jan 152010

Outlook

  • 42,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Driver's side headlight went out. Replaced bulb. Approximately 3 months later, same headlight went out again. Replaced bulb. Same headlight went out again in July 2010. Replaced a 3rd time. Bulb went out again in Nov 2010. Informed wiring had melted and harness/connector needs to be replaced. Yesterday 12/21/2010 passenger side headlight went out and same problem.

- Crestview, FL, USA

problem #31

Nov 282010

Outlook

  • 40,000 miles
The passenger headlamp stopped working. We found out that this is because the wire and socket melted and burned. I'm relieved that it has not caused a major vehicle fire. 40,000 miles.

- Yardley, PA, USA

problem #30

Nov 122010

Outlook 6-cyl

  • 56,000 miles
My passenger headlight turned off around 11/12/10, the bulb was replaced. Two weeks later the same headlight turned off again. I took it back to the Chevrolet dealer and they want me to pay $285 to fix the problem. I don't think that its right to make us pay for something that is completely faulty. This is really serious and can cause and accident.

- Burke, VA, USA

problem #29

Nov 162010

Outlook

  • 46,600 miles
Drivers side light bulb burned out. After investigation, the wire bundle to the light overheated/burnt and melted, resulting in the halogen bulb failure. Unbelievable amount of online complaints involving the same issue, which repeats itself, even after the dealer replaces the wiring harness. The wiring harness is plastic, under-engineered and repeatedly fails. This item needs to be recalled and repaced with a metal wiring harness. Reference Saturn' S tsb #09-08-42-004. This is a known problem and a serious safety issue.

- Sylvania , OH, USA

problem #28

Oct 142010

Outlook

  • 80,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2008 Saturn Outlook xe. Harness to both headlights (low beam) has melted which now I have no headlights.

- Spruce Grove Ab, 00, USA

problem #27

Nov 152010

Outlook

  • 60,000 miles
Driver's side wiring harness melted on headlight, Saturn Outlook 2008.

- Temep, AZ, USA

problem #26

Oct 012010

Outlook

  • 40,000 miles
My husband and I will be taking our 2008 Saturn Outlook in for the 5th time, yes I said 5th time, to get the headlight fixed. The drivers side has had a bulb replaced as well as the wiring harness replaced...same with the passenger side. It only has 40,000 miles on it and we have owned it less than a year. We are lucky that our dealership is taking pity on us, and fixing it for free because our warranty just expired. Please recall this. This is a dangerous defect that needs to be fixed!

- Wichita, KS, USA

problem #25

Oct 122010

Outlook

  • 40,000 miles
The headlight harness attachment to the light bulb has burned on both sides of my vehicle. This caused the light to go out and melt the insulation near the coupling.

- Smithville, MO, USA

problem #24

Oct 222010

Outlook 6-cyl

  • 36,000 miles
One evening while driving my children home from an event, we smelled a toxic burning type smell. When we arrived home, I saw that the front headlamp was out (a bit surprising for a 2 year old vehicle). The dealer discovered that the wiring harness connector was burned. A bit frightening and not tro mention costly. Although the car was 2 years old, it has just above 36,000 miles and thus out of warranty. My fault for not getting to the dealer immediately when the mileage would have been just below the 36,000 mile mark.

- Freehold, NJ, USA

problem #23

Nov 032010

Outlook

  • 57,000 miles
My passenger headlight turned off at about 30,000 miles, the bulb was replaced. Two weeks later the same headlight turned off again. I took it back to the dealer when they told me it was under warranty and would replace the faulty wire harness. Now my car is at about 57,000 miles, no warranty and my driver side headlight keeps turning off. I called the Chevrolet dealer and they want me to pay $100 just to look at it and then pay for whatever needs to be done to fix the problem. I don't think that its right to make us pay for something that is completely faulty. This is really serious and can cause and accident.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #22

Sep 102010

Outlook

  • 55,253 miles
1. passenger side low beam went out. 2. replaced it thinking the bulb was dead. 3. 2 days later, the new bulb was out. 4. went digging back under the wheel well and through some funky arm bending and twisting of the neck I could see that one of the female lugs on the connector was burnt. 5. used electrical tape to temp fix the light. It went out 1 day later and not even driving the vehicle for that 2 day period. 6. went in and started an internet search and discovered I am not the only one with this major GM problem. I have already got a warning for the police to fix the headlight out. I shouldn't have to worry when it will go out again and hopefully not get a ticket or even worse. A crash.

- Ruskin, FL, USA

problem #21

Oct 142010

Outlook 6-cyl

  • 25,083 miles
2008 Saturn Outlook driver side low beam headlight went dark due to exposed wires in the wire harness near the bulb socket.

- Huntington Beach, CA, USA

problem #20

Sep 102010

Outlook

  • 10,000 miles
The wiring harness on the passengers side low beam has melted twice. It was last replaced two weeks ago, and has since gone out again, I suspect that it has melted again but will not know for sure until I take the car back to the shop. Why are these harness melting and why hasn't GM made a recommendation to fix this problem.

- Odessa, TX, USA

problem #19

Sep 152010

Outlook

  • 31,700 miles
2008 Outlook had a burned out low beam on the driver side at 31,750 miles. Dealer confirmed that the wiring harness was melted causing the failure and need replacing. GM needs to recall both wiring harnesses as I am sure the next one will go and it will be past the warranty. This is clearly a safety defect having a lights wiring harness melt. Apparently, this is a common problem with '08 Outlooks. Please issue a recall!

- West Bloomfield, MI, USA

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