2008 Saturn Outlook: hesitation when accelerating

Filed May 24, 2019 · Airbags, Engine · TX

Power steering randomly goes out and returns causing jerky lurching turns couple years now since reaching over 100k mileage, have 173k miles currently. Is now leaking fluid. Pcv valve replaced twice, not recalled but mechanics have said it's common for my vehicle, causes hesitation while idling like it's trying to stall out. Have had to put foot on brake and rev gas at stoplights. Airbag light has been on for years, passenger side doesn't detect. Although recall, dealership wants to charge diagnostic fees even when I had done for free at local parts store and gave them code, they say have to do their own. Passenger window does not roll down, but does roll up, with driver's side controls, does work with passenger side controls. Sometimes driver's side window sticks too either up/down have to bang on door for it to engage. Speakers haven't worked properly in years either.

Filed Jul 31, 2018 · Transmission · 75,000 miles · GA

In my saturn outlook. The transmission is faulty. Ive talked to many people who have experienced the same issues with saturn outlook. Also talk to service managers at a couple different gm dealerships. To which they have all said that the transmission is those vehicles are very bad designed and are not built to last. They have replaced a bunch of these transmissions. Problem : starting out on take off. The transmission will hesitate and jerk the car. Potentially putting you and others in a bad situation if there are other vehicles. And once you are going it will do the same thing. To me its a serious issue that gm shoupd address and fix.

Filed Aug 16, 2016 · Engine · 78,000 miles · NY

Driving on a small highway and the stabili rak light blinked and a chime rang. Error message came on to service stabilitrak while car began to buck and lose power. Had trouble getting car to accelerate - car kept bucking and it was very dangerous and I was afraid of getting hit from behind since I couldn't maintain speed. After a few minutes, the error light went off and everything seemed fine. In the years I have had the car, I had three incidents where the light would go on and the chime would ring with the same error message. However, in those cases, the car hesitated briefly but maintained a more normal speed. I brought my car to a gm dealer and it was a timing chain problem. The saturn outlook for 2007 and 2009 have special warranties for this problem but not the 2008 model. Gm doesn't want to acknowledge the issue exists on this model year - but I have found other complaints here on your site. This needs to be addressed and gm needs to take responsibility.

Filed May 13, 2015 · Transmission · 120,000 miles · TX

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 saturn outlook. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated to shift gears and jerked forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and it was determined that the 35r wave plate failed. As a result, the entire transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

Filed Feb 24, 2015 · Acceleration, Engine · 53,000 miles · OH

Driver was on their way to dr appt with small child when the car revved very hard & jerked & making loud noises. I then was able to get it back to parking, onstar was called and diagnosing it as the exhaust system was throwing codes. A tow truck came and took the car into cavender in san antonio.they found the catalytic convertors failed. They found the water pump was failing as well and replaced it as well. The next incident occurred in may of 2012, my husband was being discharged from the army & we were advised after we got settled back in ohio to have it serviced. In which we did, to have found the engine block had a small leak. We took it to gm dealership don's automotive as we had a family member who worked there. They supposedly fixed it, then not even a month went by we found it was leaking. We then decided to take it to dave white chevrolet to have it repaired, they explained that it was not repaired right. They then fixed it. We then had it fixed and were back on the road. Then we began to notice the revving again and it would hesitate when driving causing panic in high traffic areas for my husband and I. We then took it back to dave white to find there was a speed control sensor that was failing. We then had to have that replaced. Not too long after, we began to notice pink fluid on the drive, we immediate took it back to dave white, they explained it was leaking transmission fluid, but the coupling was not covered by power train. We contacted gm because this should be a covered part as it could cause failure. They agreed to help with paying for it, but dave white was very unprofessional. Then in november of 2013, putting in reverse would cause it to hesitate, transmission was out. We then had to have it rebuilt. Then feb 2015, check engine light came on as driving and would not pass 1st gear on busy road. It was towed 2/23/15 to dealership mcneils.

Filed Feb 4, 2015 · Transmission · 57,000 miles · WA

The day before when my wife was pulling out of the garage, we heard a popping sound. We just kind of gave each other a look, not sure what it was. She noticed some hesitation in acceleration that day. 2 days later, while she was driving the kids to school, the car started to make a revving sound, like what kids would make while pretending to drive. Then when she turned and tried to accelerate, the engine RPM's would go up but the car wouldn't move. She turned it off and then back on and limped home. Tried to reverse into garage but the car wouldn't go in reverse. Now it's sitting on the street in front of the house.

Filed Dec 6, 2013 · Transmission · 60,365 miles · OH

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 saturn outlook. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the transmission began to slip gears with severe hesitation without warning. The vehicle failed to accelerate over 35 MPH. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who recommended that the transmission be rebuilt. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 60,365. Updated 2/11/14*cn according to the invoice, the reverse waveplate was broken. Updated 02/18/14

Filed Dec 10, 2012 · Transmission · 33,530 miles · NC

The vehicle was in an accident before, but only body damage, I bought it at 33254 miles, it is driving fine, but having hesitation issues, looks like the transmission is having a problem, I have read others with the same problem. Apparently this is a huge issue with many saturn 2008 owners this car has a salvage title but only because of the body damage accident, not engine, all otherwise is running perfectly fine.

Filed Mar 15, 2010 · Electrical, Engine · 39,000 miles · NY

I purchased this 2008 vehicle in july 2008, used but "new" with a bit over 16,000 miles on it from a dealership in syracuse that is no longer active. My vehicle has always been well cared for and serviced accordingly. Starting jan. 31, 2010, the engine began to make a loud knock. It did not matter if I warmed the vehicle, or if it was warm weather or cold. On some instances it seemed to not accelerate on the highway as it should. Often hesitating to "go". It has been into the dealership four different occasions, for a total of 21 days out-of-service cumulatively, soon to be more. The first time they gave it back the next day as they stated they could not duplicate the noise. Three days later the knock was back. The second time it went in they had for 7 days, could not duplicate. 2 days later back again...the third time the dealership locally here put a new timing chain in. They said it was "slack". However, this did not fix the issue. It was supposed to go back in for the same engine knocking, etc. Before it could go in I was driving at night with small children in the car on a highway and had no headlights. After taking it to the dealership they say the wiring harness melted and they have no idea why. They take the vehicle in again for a fourth time. Tell me its fixed. New wiring harness. Pick up vehicle..same engine knock present. They now say maybe its a lifter? Cam? Don't have parts. Give me this same vehicle to continue to drive. Something is fishy here. How many vehicles does it take for a safety recall or investigation????? Does someone have to die?! Headlights going out at night on highway, engine not accelerating....major safety issues. Multiple complaints. I'd rather not have someone called to the scene of my death or the deaths of my children because of a known defect that is not being addressed! Also, another 2008 saturn outlook is at the same dealership for similar problems...