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Saturn OutlookModel year report

2009 Saturn Outlook Problems

Complaints
192filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
52,854miles, 158 complaints with mileage
Recalls
7campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
19 mpgcombined, 3.6L 6-cyl FWD · 17 city / 24 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Saturn Outlook (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about headlights that quit working and connectors that show heat damage, followed by steering that gets heavy at low speed and transmission or engine faults that can leave the vehicle in limp mode or unable to move. Reported mileages swing widely, from a few thousand miles on headlight and steering squeak complaints to well past 100,000 miles on airbag, seat belt and liftgate concerns.

  1. Exterior lighting

    Headlights quit; bulb connector melted or burned

    • 62 complaints (32%)
    • median 39,000 mi at 2.2 yrs old (51 state mileage)
    • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2020

    Owners describe a low-beam headlight that goes out, sometimes after months of working intermittently and sometimes after flashing on and off. In many complaints replacing the bulb does not help; owners or mechanics find the socket or wiring harness at the bulb burned, melted or shorted, and the repair is a harness or assembly replacement. Several say the dealer replaced a harness under warranty and the same side failed again later. Commonly reported between roughly 25,000 and 55,000 miles, with some at higher mileage.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: With the engine running, check both low beams and look at the connector and socket behind each bulb for browning, melting or a loose fit. Ask whether a harness or headlamp assembly has already been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Replace drivers side headlamp november 6, 2011 it has burned out again with only 1800 more miles than first incident. So by december 16, 2011 it has burned out again. My previous vehicles I have put close to 200k miles on and never replaced one headlight, now I have 2. There is a problem with this vehicle.”

    NHTSA complaint #10441044, filed 2011-12, 36,000 miles

    “2009 Saturn Outlook - I have had to replace both headlights and harnesses, because the harness shorted out. The cost to me was approx. $600.00 to replace harness and light bulbs. I feel this is a safety issue and should be a recall. I have about 55,000 miles on my Outlook.”

    NHTSA complaint #10423057, filed 2011-09, 55,000 miles
  2. Steering

    Power steering assist cuts out or steering squeaks

    • 24 complaints (13%)
    • median 75,000 mi at 5.2 yrs old (19 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • owner-quoted repair $1,465 (median of 7 quotes)
    • filed 2012–2017

    Complaints describe the steering suddenly getting very heavy, most often during low-speed turns such as U-turns, parking lots or turning into traffic, and sometimes at highway speed. Some also report a squeak or noise from the steering column that comes back after lubrication. Dealers in the complaints replaced or quoted the power steering pump and the rack, sometimes covering one and not the other. Spread from under 15,000 miles for the squeak reports to 50,000-120,000 miles for loss of assist.

    What to check: Test the steering through full lock at parking-lot speeds and listen for squeaks; ask for service records on the power steering pump, rack and fluid.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Bought this vehicle used in november of 2012. Noticed that the steering wheel is noisy (a squeaky noise). Eventually when I do u-turns the steering wheel gets stiff but still manageable to steer the vehicle although it's totally stiff to turn. Then lately most of the time when going in and out of a parking lot it seems I totally lost the power steering or perhaps the power steering locks up because it's really hard to turn the steering wheel. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10535139, filed 2013-08, 98,800 miles

    “While making a left turn coming out of our neighborhood the steering wheel suddenly lost the ability the make a smooth turn. Not knowing what was happening, I had to force the wheel to turn left in order to make it across the street. The force on the steering wheel did not produce a full turn of movement, just enough to keep the car in the lane. Once I was in a lane I noticed that the steering wheel still had a resistant feel to it. During my drive I also needed to make a right turn and the same thing happened. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10610293, filed 2014-07, 108,000 miles
  3. Engine

    Engine stalling, limp mode or check engine light

    • 19 complaints (10%)
    • median 94,535 mi at 5.9 yrs old (16 state mileage)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2009–2024

    Complaints describe the check engine light coming on, the vehicle losing power or dropping into a reduced-power mode, and stalling or failing to restart. Dealers in the complaints pointed to fuel injectors, a throttle body, an oil pressure sending unit, timing chain codes or a fuel pump module, with several repairs not resolving the problem. Reported anywhere from about 30,000 to over 180,000 miles.

    3 related service bulletins

    What to check: Ask for any stored trouble codes and service history on injectors, throttle body and timing chain; drive long enough to reach operating temperature and watch for a check engine light or hesitation.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “When I was entering moving traffic from a completely stopped position, a car was coming faster than I realized so I floored the accelerator and this is what happened: 1.all power to my car shut off and the car rolled forward slowing down. 2.all of the dashboard lights and symbols lit up. 3.my car jolted strongly once, sputtered (many times), and hiccupped (many times). The jolt was so strong that it threw me forward and made my seatbelt catch me. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10875449, filed 2016-06, 78,700 miles

    “When driving the vehicle the low engine power light came on and car went into limp mode and would go no faster than 20 MPH. I turned around to head home and pulled over and shut it off for a few seconds. When restarted ran fine for a couple days.I took it to dealership and they said it needed a new throttle body. I asked if this is normal and the service advisor told me that GM knows about this and that it happens on cars less then one year old, but GM won't do anything about it because it is not a safety concern. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10621771, filed 2014-08, 85,000 miles
  4. Transmission and drivetrain

    Transmission slips, loses gears or a hard shift

    • 13 complaints (7%)
    • median 70,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (11 state mileage)
    • filed 2012–2020

    Owners describe the transmission slipping or failing to shift, a loud bang followed by the engine revving and the vehicle stuck in one gear, or loss of reverse and lower gears. In the complaints, dealers typically rebuild or replace the transmission and quote several thousand dollars, and some report a wave plate replaced more than once. Usually reported between about 45,000 and 90,000 miles.

    Recall 09V0730002 related service bulletins

    What to check: Drive it from a stop through several upshifts and downshifts, check that reverse and all gears engage firmly, and ask whether the transmission has been serviced or replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11361209, filed 2020-09, 126,000 miles

    “On 10/24/2014, while driving my 2009 Saturn Outlook with my children in the car, I was entering the ramp onto a major expressway, pushed down onto the gas pedal to speed up to enter the highway traffic when a loud bang was heard and I felt the vehicle rev to higher RPM and then the check engine light came on. I noticed immediately that the vehicle responded like it was stuck in 3rd gear and would not shift up or down in d . I was almost smashed by a odot dump truck but averted that by pulling to the far right lane. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10651262, filed 2014-10, 55,400 miles

Buying note. Check the lights, steering and all rear seat belts on a test drive and ask for service records on the transmission and any lighting harness repairs. Confirm which open recalls apply to the exact vehicle and whether they have been performed.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 192 consumer complaints for the 2009 Saturn Outlook. 158 of the complaints include a mileage, and 45% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 52,854 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 3 a fire, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns and 1,173 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Fuel system (5), Engine cooling (4), Equipment (4), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (4), Suspension (3), Tires (3), Brakes (2), Wheels (2), Electronic stability control (1).

Example complaints

Exterior lighting: “I have a 2009 Saturn Outlook and the front passenger headlight has gone out for the 2nd time and the vehicle has only 29900 miles on it. It was last replace when the vehicle had only 22000 miles on it. I know that multiple people have had this problem, it should be a recall due to all the issues. They say the wire harness is bad, but something is causing it to heat up too much.”

NHTSA complaint #10405530, filed 2011-06, 29,900 miles

Electrical 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.”

NHTSA complaint #11277686, filed 2019-11, 150,000 miles

Steering: “My wife was driving the vehicle was stopped at a red light when the power steering pump I will say exploded fluid everywhere and the vehicle would no longer turn at all I'm 6'1 270 athletic and could not move the steering wheel...I have read so many people having the same power steering issue and and no recall has been made...”

NHTSA complaint #11208424, filed 2019-05, 126,000 miles

Transmission and drivetrain: “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.”

NHTSA complaint #11406787, filed 2021-04, 185,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

45% of the 158 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 37,000 and 90,000 miles.

3%0–105%10–2537%25–5022%50–7511%75–10018%100–1504%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (158 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 52,854 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’10’12’1438’16’18’20’22’24
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Saturn Outlook. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Outlook · sedan FWD/AWDnot rated5 / 5——4 · 15.5% risk

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Saturn Outlook version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Outlook AWD3.6L 6-cyl6-speed automatic162319$3,550
Outlook FWD3.6L 6-cyl6-speed automatic172419$3,550

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

See all 7 recalls for the 2009 Saturn Outlook → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1,173 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 1,173 bulletins →

Other model years of the Saturn Outlook

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
20101679,2434—19—Stable
200919252,8547—19Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
200863360,0005—19Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
200751170,0005—19Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Saturn Outlook model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Saturn Outlook?

Owners of this model year most often write about headlights that quit working and connectors that show heat damage, followed by steering that gets heavy at low speed and transmission or engine faults that can leave the vehicle in limp mode or unable to move. The issues reported most often: Headlights quit; bulb connector melted or burned; Power steering assist cuts out or steering squeaks; Engine stalling, limp mode or check engine light.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Saturn Outlook have?

NHTSA recorded 192 consumer complaints for the 2009 Saturn Outlook as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Saturn Outlook is reported most often?

Exterior lighting is named most often, in 75 complaints (39% of the total), followed by electrical system with 44.

Has the 2009 Saturn Outlook been recalled?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Saturn Outlook get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Saturn Outlook (Outlook FWD, 3.6L 6-cyl) at 19 mpg combined, 17 city and 24 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,550 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Saturn Outlook reported?

Among the 158 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 52,854 miles and the middle half falls between 37,000 and 90,000 miles; 45% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.