SATURN OUTLOOK · model year

2009 SATURN OUTLOOK

262 NHTSA complaints, 9 crash reports, and 7 active recalls for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2009SATURNOUTLOOK carries 262 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 9 crashes, 4 fires, 12 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2009 OUTLOOK is exterior lighting with 71 filings, followed by electrical system (42) and steering (42). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 7 active recall campaigns, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.

NHTSA currently has 14 investigation files overlapping the 2009 OUTLOOK. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

262
Complaints
9
Crashes
4
Fires
12
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

262 filings

Crashes Reported

9 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

Above median complaint volume — review patterns below.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
EXTERIOR LIGHTING71
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM42
STEERING42
POWER TRAIN19
ENGINE17
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL8
SEAT BELTS8
AIR BAGS7
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4
STRUCTURE:BODY3
SUSPENSION3
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM3
STRUCTURE2

Recalls (7)

15V41500030/06/2015

STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 2

08V61500024/11/2008

SEAT BELTS: REAR/OTHER:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

GM IS RECALLING 16,667 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, AND SATURN OUTLOOK VEHICLES FOR FAILING TO CONFORM WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 209, 'SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES.' THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A SAFETY BELT BUCKLE IN THE SECOND

14V26600020/05/2014

SEAT BELTS

General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Satu

14V11800017/03/2014

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses

10V37500012/08/2010

SEAT BELTS

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE, BUICK ENCLAVE, GMC ACADIA, AND SATURN OUTLOOK VEHICLES. THE SECOND ROW SEAT SIDE TRIM SHIELD RESTRICTS THE UPWARD ROTATION OF THE SAFETY BELT BUCKLE WHEN THE SEAT BACK IS RETURNED TO A SEATING POSITION AFTER BEING FOLDED F

09V07300006/03/2009

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT

GENERAL MOTORS IS RECALLING 276,729 MY 2009 BUICK ENCLAVE, CHEVROLET COBALT, HHR, MALIBU, TRAVERSE, GMC ACADIA, PONTIAC G5, G6 AND SATURN AURA AND OUTLOOK PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLES SAFETY STANDARD 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT POSITION SEQUENCE, STARTE

10V24000004/06/2010

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2009 BUICK, LUCERNE; CADILLAC DTS; HUMMER H2; MODEL YEAR 2008-2009 BUICK ENCLAVE; CADILLAC CTS; MODEL YEAR 2007-2009 CADILLAC ESCALADE, ESCALADE ESV, ESCALADE EXT; CHEVROLET AVALANCHE, SILVERADO, SUBURBAN, TAHOE; GMC ACADIA, SIERRA, YUKON, YUKON XL; SATURN OUT

Recent Complaints

20241007ENGINE

The contact owns a 2009 Saturn Outlook. The contact stated that stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound and stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the timing belt had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under GM Campaign Number: 10287C since the campaign had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

20231223ENGINE

I was driving and my car started to lurch and went into reduced power mode. I quickly pulled over and turned off the engine. It was towed into the shop, and we found that the timing chain had broken. We had just had our engine mounts replaced and the oil changed. The vehicle has been well maintained. I have seen the issue with the timing chain failure is a common problem in Saturns/GM from internet research. It looks like there was a service bulletin to bring the car in if Service light comes on and you “think” it’s due to premature wear of timing chain. Now we are told the engine needs to be replaced because it was damaged by the timing chain failure and it seems like a known defect that should be covered because it exceeded the value of the car to have such a fix.

20230306ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

UNKNOWN We have only had this vehicle for approximately 4 months and have had soon many issues but the electrical system has been a problem non stop

20230306ENGINE

UNKNOWN We have only had this vehicle for approximately 4 months and have had soon many issues but the electrical system has been a problem non stop

20230306VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

UNKNOWN We have only had this vehicle for approximately 4 months and have had soon many issues but the electrical system has been a problem non stop

20220730STEERING

I bought this 2009 Saturn Outlook yesterday from a used dealership they said there was nothing wrong with the car well I live over 100 miles away from where I bough it and about halfway home it’s it was dark outside I was driving on the highway going up a hill the motor was acting like it wanted to jump out f the car (I’m not sure exactly how to describe it) anyways it only did ur for just a second then stopped all went back to normal and today just died while driving and now it wont start wont even turn over

20220730ENGINE

I bought this 2009 Saturn Outlook yesterday from a used dealership they said there was nothing wrong with the car well I live over 100 miles away from where I bough it and about halfway home it’s it was dark outside I was driving on the highway going up a hill the motor was acting like it wanted to jump out f the car (I’m not sure exactly how to describe it) anyways it only did ur for just a second then stopped all went back to normal and today just died while driving and now it wont start wont even turn over

20220730UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I bought this 2009 Saturn Outlook yesterday from a used dealership they said there was nothing wrong with the car well I live over 100 miles away from where I bough it and about halfway home it’s it was dark outside I was driving on the highway going up a hill the motor was acting like it wanted to jump out f the car (I’m not sure exactly how to describe it) anyways it only did ur for just a second then stopped all went back to normal and today just died while driving and now it wont start wont even turn over

20210406ENGINE

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SLOWED DOWN REALLY SLOW I PULLED OVER AND TURNED IT OFF. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN IT BACK ON IT WOULDN'T CRANK.

Mileage: 185,000

20210406POWER TRAIN

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SLOWED DOWN REALLY SLOW I PULLED OVER AND TURNED IT OFF. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN IT BACK ON IT WOULDN'T CRANK.

Mileage: 185,000

20210406SUSPENSION

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR SLOWED DOWN REALLY SLOW I PULLED OVER AND TURNED IT OFF. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN IT BACK ON IT WOULDN'T CRANK.

Mileage: 185,000

20210101ENGINE

THE TIMING CHAIN IS GETTING STRETCHED IS WHAT THE CODES SAY AND NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED FEELS LIKE IT'S LOOSING POWER

Mileage: 180,000

20200925POWER TRAIN

I STOPPER THE VEHICLE, IN MY DRIVE WAY, WHICH HAS A VERY SLIGHT INCLINE, PLACED THE SHIFT LEVER IN PARK. EXITED AND LOCKED THE VEHICLE. AS I WAS STEPPING AWAY IT STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS. IT STOPPED ON ITS OWN AFTER ROLLING BACKWARDS SEVERAL FEET. I UNLOCKED THE VEHICLE, APPLIED THE PARKING BRAKE, STARTED THE VEHICLE, RELEASED THE PARKING BRAKE. I DROVE THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND THEN FORWARD SEVERAL FEET, PLACED THE SHIFT LEVER IN PARK, SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. I DID NOT MOVE. I PUT ON THE PARKING BREAK TO BE SAFE. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, JUST PRIOR TO THIS ISSUE, WHILE PULLING INTO THE DRIVE WAY THE BUILT-IN GARAGE DOOR OPENER STARTED TO OPEN THE DOOR, THE DOOR STOPPED AND THE OPENER WOULD NOT RESTART THE GARAGE DOOR TO OPEN/CLOSE.

Mileage: 126,000

20200817SEAT BELTS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 SATURN OUTLOOK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SECOND-ROW PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED AND CEASED AND WOULD NOT LATCH SECURELY. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE LOCAL DEALER COLE KRUM CHEVROLET LOCATED AT 12707 US-131, SCHOOLCRAFT, MI 49087 AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V375000 (SEAT BELTS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

Mileage: 130,000

20200207UNKNOWN OR OTHER

PAST 5 YEARS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. REPLACES PLUGS 3X, CONVERTERS 3X, AND EVERYTHING INCLUDING IGNITION COILS 2X, LIGHT STILL ON, STATING CONVERTERS NEED REPLACING. CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN A HOSPITAL HAS EMERGENCY ROOM PATIENTS. ENGINE LIGHT WOULD STAY OFF FOR A WEEK OR TWO, NOW ONLY FOR 30-40 MILES. EMISSIONS SAYS CAR NOT READY FOR TESTING. VEHICLE DRIVES AND RUNS PERFECTLY, PURRS LIKE A KITTEN, BUT NOW CAN'T PASS EMISSIONS. CHEVY, ACURA, REPAIR SHOPS, MUFFLER SHOPS AND ALLEY MECHANICS ALL BAFFLED. TOO MANY INVOICES TO UPLOAD, BUT I HAVE EVERY ONE OF THEM AND RECEIPTS FOR PARTS IF NEEDED. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I GOT THE CAR. CHEVY NEVER COULD FIX IT. EACH TRIP COST ME $700+, BUT NO SOLUTION, THE PROBLEM JUST KEEPS ESCALATING. OH, I NEVER PUT CHEAP GAS IN VEHICLE, AND OIL CHANGES/ TUNE- UP ARE UP TO DATE. HELP PLEASE. (SOMEONE SUGGESTED THE ECM COMPUTER IS BAD)

20200124EXTERIOR LIGHTING

MY HEADLIGHTS KEEP GOING OUT RANDOMLY AND THIS VERY UNSAFE AS I AM A SINGLE MOTHER OF 2 YOUNG CHILDREN! I HAVE HAD IT FIXED 4 TIMES! THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP, I WAS TOLD THE WIRING HARNESS KEEPS MELTING. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND MANY OTHERS ARE ALSO HAVING EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE.

Mileage: 30

20200103VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE LINKAGE SYSTEM, WHERE THE VEHICLE STILL ROLLS WHILE IN PARK. I AM HAVING THIS ISSUE AND A GRINDING SORT OF SOUND. THE VIN IS SAYING 0 UNREPAIRED RECALLS ON THE WEBSITE AND I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM OF THE PREVIOUS RECALL IN '09. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING THERE WAS THE SOUND THAT SOMETHING WAS DRAGGING, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO CHECK BUT WHILE IN PARK THE VEHICLE WOULD STILL ROLL. THE CAR HAD THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SET IN PLACE AT THIS MOMENT.

Mileage: 130,344

20200103UNKNOWN OR OTHER

THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE LINKAGE SYSTEM, WHERE THE VEHICLE STILL ROLLS WHILE IN PARK. I AM HAVING THIS ISSUE AND A GRINDING SORT OF SOUND. THE VIN IS SAYING 0 UNREPAIRED RECALLS ON THE WEBSITE AND I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM OF THE PREVIOUS RECALL IN '09. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING THERE WAS THE SOUND THAT SOMETHING WAS DRAGGING, THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO CHECK BUT WHILE IN PARK THE VEHICLE WOULD STILL ROLL. THE CAR HAD THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SET IN PLACE AT THIS MOMENT.

Mileage: 130,344

20191102ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

DRIVER HEADLIGHT HARNESS OVERHEATS, CAUSING HEADLIGHT TO GO OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES NOW IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS. I REPLACED THE CONNECTOR HARNESS AND WITHIN A FEW WEEKS IT HAD MELTED AND THE LIGHT WAS OUT AGAIN. WHEN I LOOKED UP WHAT TO DO I FOUND OUT THAT MANY OTHER SATURN OUTLOOK OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

Mileage: 150,000

20190826ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

THE HEADLIGHT WIRING HAS MELTED

Compare 2009SATURNOUTLOOK to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2009 SATURN OUTLOOK have?
The 2009 SATURN OUTLOOK has 262 NHTSA complaints, 9 crashes, 4 fires, 12 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2009 SATURN OUTLOOK?
Yes, the 2009 SATURN OUTLOOK has 7 recall(s). The most common affected component is STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2009 SATURN OUTLOOK?
The most-complained component for the 2009 SATURN OUTLOOK is EXTERIOR LIGHTING with 71 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM and STEERING.
Is the 2009 SATURN OUTLOOK safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.