2008 Saturn Outlook Exterior lighting Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

11430215

Incident

Jun 26, 2021

WHEN IT RAINS WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE VEHICLE & THROUGHOUT THE 2 YEARS I'VE OWNED IT THE RAIN HAS LEAKED IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS DESPITE HAVING IT FIXED & CAUSES THE WIRING, LIGHTING & DETRIMENTAL/SAFETY SENSORS & ELECTRICAL PARTS TO BE DAMAGED. I BECAME ESPECIALLY WORRIED WHEN I LEARNED A FRIEND WITH A 2008 GMC ACADIA (IDENTICAL VEHICLE TO SATURN OUTLOOK) IS HAVING THE EXACT SAME WATER ISSUES. WITHIN A MONTH OR 2 OF HAVING THE LEAKING AND DAMAGED FIXED NEW SENSORS GET WET & ISSUES ARISE DUE TO LEAKING IN NEW/DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. I FIRST NOTICED IT LEAKING IN THE FRONT BY THE WINDOWS & SUNROOF & CAUSING THE RADIO SPEAKERS TO QUIT. WITHIN A SHORT WHILE AFTER FIXING IT THE HEADLIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS & AIR CONDITIONING THEN STARTED CUTTING OUT & NOT WORKING. ONCE AGAIN I HAD THE ISSUE FIXED BUT NOW IT IS LEAKING IN THE DASH WHERE WATER CAN BE HEARD SLOSHING AROUND WHEN TURNING & OCCASIONALLY LEAKS INTO THE FRONT FLOOR BOARD. NOW THE 'STABILITRAK' & TRACTION CONTROL ARE ALL HAVING ISSUES AS WELL AS TRANSMISSION SENSORS MAKING MY CAR UNDRIVABLE AND UNABLE TO SHIFT FROM SECOND GEAR UNTIL THE CAR SITS IN THE SUN OR DRIES OUT FOR A FEW DAYS. THE SPEAKERS ARE ALSO NOT WORKING MAKING THE BACK UP CAM, AND EVEN THE WARNING DASH LIGHTS HAVE NO SOUND. ** AS MENTIONED BEFORE THERE ARE MANY ONLINE FORUMS THAT TALK ABOUT THIS LEAKING ISSUE IN BOTH THE SATURN OUTLOOK & GMC ACADIA'S. IT IS VERY WORRISOME THAT THINGS WILL SEEM TO WORK & SUDDENLY STOP WORKING DUE TO WATER LOG DAMAGE & WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT & HEADLIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS FLICKER OR QUIT IT IS VERY SCARY & DANGEROUS. THE SERIOUS ISSUES WITH SENSORS (TRANSMISSION SENSORS & STABILITY) JUST BEGAN ON MY CAR RECENTLY & SINCE I'VE HAD THIS ISSUE FIXED SO MANY TIMES IT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.

NHTSA ID

11338895

Incident

Jul 10, 2020

Mileage

160,000 mi

WATER STARTED DRIPPING DOWN INTO THE GLOVEBOX, EVERY TIME IT RAINS IT GETS SOAKING WET AND THERE'S SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL PANEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

11326271

Incident

May 13, 2020

DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS AND PLUG HAVE MELTED AND I HAVE HAD REPLACED AND IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, SAYING SERVICE AIRBAGS NOW. ALL THE SPEAKERS IN THE CAR HAVE QUIT WORKING, BUT IF YOU OPEN AND CLOSE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR THEY WILL WORK UNTIL YOU HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD.

NHTSA ID

11298859

Incident

Jan 10, 2020

RIGHT HEADLIGHT DOESN'T WORK. MECHANIC WENT TO REPLACE A PART AND THE WHOLE HARNESS WAS MELTED.

NHTSA ID

11297457

Incident

Dec 16, 2019

Mileage

176,000 mi

[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11282589

Incident

Sep 12, 2019

Mileage

99,865 mi

HEADLIGHT BULB KEEPS BLOWING OUT AND SOMETIMES WHEN CHANGED COMES ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. HAVE CHANGED BULBS NUMEROUS TIMES BUT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. BULBS SEEM EXTREMELY HOT WHEN THEY BLOW. WE HAVE HAD IT REWIRED NUMEROUS TIMES BUT LOOKS LIKE WIRES FROM HARNESS ARE DIFFERENT GAUGES THAN REPLACEMENTS. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN I WILL BE WITHOUT A HEADLIGHT. THEY ARE DIM AND EVEN WHEN REPLACED BY SILVERSTAR ULTRA, THEY REMAIN DIMMER THAN MOST VEHICLES. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I CAN SEE THEIR HEADLIGHTS MORE THAN MINE WHEN THEY ARE BEHIND ME. I CANNOT SEE THE ROAD HARDLY AT ALL WHEN DRIVING WITH ONE HEADLIGHT.

NHTSA ID

11216956

Incident

May 23, 2019

Mileage

100,000 mi

I HAVE REPLACE LIGHT BULBS IN THE HEADLIGHTS AND IT WILL WORK TO SECONDS THAN GO OUT AGAIN I DON'T WHAT THE ISSUE IS I BOUGHT THE 6 DIFFERENCE BULBS IT'S STILL NOT WORKING

NHTSA ID

11097145

Incident

May 7, 2018

THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. MY WIFE NORMALLY DRIVES THIS VEHICLE AND TOLD ME ABOUT IT THIS WEEK. I UNDERSTAND THE HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS ARE TOO SMALL AND NEED TO CHANGED OUT TO A BIGGER GAUGE WIRE.

NHTSA ID

11057027

Incident

Dec 27, 2017

Mileage

152,000 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" FRONT HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS HAS MELTED AT THE PLUG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM. DONE RESEARCH AND IT IS TO SMALL OF A WIRING HARNESS. I HAVE CHANGED THIS HEADLIGHT 2 TIMES PRIOR TO THE HARNESS MELTING.

NHTSA ID

11046502

Incident

Oct 1, 2017

Mileage

75,000 mi

PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT SUFFERS FROM INTERMITTENT OPERATION EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE HEADLIGHT BULB WITH A NEW BULB. WHEN IT DOES WORK, THE HEADLIGHT ONLY ILLUMINATES ON THE AUTO SETTING. IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL IF I TRY TO MANUALLY TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS. I CANNOT FIND A RECORD OF A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE ON MY SPECIFIC VEHICLE BASED ON A VIN NUMBER SEARCH, BUT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR LIGHTING ISSUES ON OTHER OUTLOOK MODELS. AS OF 10/29/2017, THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT HAS STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR APPROXIMATELY 60 DAYS

NHTSA ID

11040887

Incident

Aug 20, 2017

Mileage

125,000 mi

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL ISSUES SINCE DAY ONE TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 40K MILES THEY ONLY REBUILT SO HAVE HAD ISSUES EVER SINCE STILL HAVING ISSUES EVER SINCE MAJOR ELECTRICAL DASHBOARD GOES DARK WHEN DRIVING FLASHES AFTER IT RAINS I LOOSE POWER STEERING WHEN DRIVING FOR LITERALLY A MINUTE SUNROOF LEAKS THROUGH AIRBAGS SERVICE HAS BEEN CHECKING FOR OVER 3 YEARS NOW OTHER ISSUES I HAD PRIOR TO YOUR EXTENDED WARRANTIES HOWEVER NO IM OVER THE 120K MILE LIMIT THIS VEHICLE HAS CONTINUAL DANGEROUS ISSUES AND NOW THAT YOU NO LONGER MANUFACTURER I FEEL GMAC DOESN'T CARE AND THE COST TO FIX WHEN REPAIS ARE NEEDED ARE OUTRAGEOUS I AM NOW AT 200K MILES HOWEVER THIS ALL STARTED FROM THE BEGINNING THROUGH WARRANTY AND WITH THE BULK ONCE WARRANTY EXPIRED THIS IS A DANGEROUS VEHICLE THE STEERING AND ELECTRICAL ALONE

NHTSA ID

10993373

Incident

Jun 6, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE GO OUT AT THE DROP OF A HAT WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A VERY BIG SAFETY HAZARD FOR MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS.PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BUT I AM GOING TO PUT THE MOST RECENT DATE.

NHTSA ID

10967096

Incident

Mar 18, 2017

Mileage

97,000 mi

LOW BEAN HEADLIGHTS ARE GETTING SO HOT THEY STARTED MELTING THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING.

NHTSA ID

10965914

Incident

Mar 10, 2017

Mileage

90,000 mi

IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DRIVER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT 3 TIMES. IT WENT OUT AGAIN A FEW WEEKS AGO AND I COULDN'T FIND ANYONE TO REPLACE IT FOR ME AT THAT TIME SO I HAD TO DRIVE IT WITHOUT THE LOW BEAM UNTIL TODAY. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY A MECHANIC FEE TO HAVE IT DONE AND CANNOT DO IT MYSELF. A FRIEND OF MINE SAID HE COULD FIX IT TODAY SO THAT I COULD GO GET THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. ONCE HE WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE BULB AND BEGAN TO TRY TO GET IT OUT THE LIGHT CAME ON. WE WERE SURPRISED BUT DECIDED TO REPLACE IT WITH THE NEW ONE ANYWAY. SO ONCE THE NEW BULB WAS IN I DROVE IT TO A NEARBY INSPECTION SIGHT TO GET THE INSPECTION DONE. I PASSED INSPECTION AND CONTINUED ABOUT MY DAY. WHEN LEAVING WORK TONIGHT I REALIZED THAT THE HEADLIGHT IS OUT AGAIN. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR COSTLY REPAIRS OR TICKETS OVER THIS MATTER AND DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO IF THERE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE HEADLIGHTS OR RELATED ITEMS. CHANGING THE LIGHT BULB IS CHALLENGING AND ESPECIALLY FRUSTRATING WHEN IT GOES OUT THE DAY IT WAS CHANGED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10949178

Incident

Feb 2, 2017

DRIVING LATE ONE NIGHT WHEN MY LOW BEAM LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING, I WAS LEFT WITH MY HIGH BEAM LIGHTS AND MY FOG LIGHTS ONLY. ENDED UP GETTING PULLED OVER BY A POLICE OFFICER ON MY WAY HOME, WHO ADVISED THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING IN SIMILAR VEHICLES.AFTER WRITING ME A WARNING, I WENT HOME WITH LITTLE LIGHT FOR DRIVING. WOKE UP THIS MORNING, ATTEMPTED TO CHECK FUSES AND BULBS, NO ISSUES NOTED. CAN SMELL A BURNT WIRE SMELL NEAR HEADLIGHT. DID MY RESEARCH AND APPARENTLY IS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM INDEED. PLEASE RECALL HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESSES.

NHTSA ID

10891946

Incident

Jun 20, 2016

WHEN IT RAINS, THE HEADLINER GETS SOAKED. THE WATER RUNS DOWN ARM GOING DOWN IN THE FRONT THAT CONNECTS THE ROOF AND DASHBOARD AND FLOODS THE DRIVER SIDE DEAD PEDAL AND FLOOR BOARD. WATER ALSO LEAKS FROM REAR SUNROOF GLASS AND DRIPS FROM THE REAR DOME LIGHT AND LEAKS TO THE 3RD ROW SEATS/REAR COMPARTMENT.

NHTSA ID

10864778

Incident

May 11, 2016

Mileage

73,000 mi

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS CONTINUE TO GO OUT AFTER REPLACING WITH NEW ONES. HAS HAPPENED PARKED ONCE BUT USUALLY OCCURES ACCELERATING AFTER BEING STOPPED OR AFTER DRIVING DISTANCES MORE THAN 30 MILES. THIS STARTED BACK IN EARLY 2014 AND HAS CONTINUALLY GOTTEN MORE AND MORE FREQUENT. OTHER VARIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS KEEP OCCURING SUCH AS LIGHTS DIMMING WHILE DRIVING (INTERIOR DASH) AND CLIMATE CONTROL SETTING CHANGING TO WHAT I CAN PRESUME ARE DEFAULT SETTINGS (74 DEG FOR BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TURNING ON)

NHTSA ID

10816230

Incident

Jan 1, 2014

Mileage

40,000 mi

PASSENGER HEADLIGHT CONTINUALLY BURNS OUT. WE HAVE REPLACED THE BULB SEVERAL TIMES. I HAVE DONE THIS MYSELF AS WELL AS HAD IT PROFESSIONALLY REPLACED AT THE DEALER AND THE BULB CONTINUES TO BURN OUT AFTER JUST A FEW WEEKS.. THERE HAS TO BE A SHORT IN THE WIRING CAUSING THIS. I HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE AND IT LOOKS LIKE I AM NOT ALONE AND THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10763598

Incident

Jul 1, 2014

Mileage

50,000 mi

DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMP DID NOT WORK ON MANY OCCASIONS OVER 1 1/2 YEARS. DEALER REPLACED BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER BULBS BUT DRIVERS SIDE WENT OUT AND DID NOT COME BACK ON. AN INSPECTION REVEALED A BURNT / MELTED CONNECTION AT THE BULB. *TR

NHTSA ID

10626133

Incident

Mar 12, 2014

Mileage

57,000 mi

RECENTLY HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT. WHEN I TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER TO BE LOOKED AT I WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED. TO REPLACE IT WILL COST AN UPWARD OF $400. ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLES STEERING CONSTANTLY SQUEALING, NOT SURE WHAT IS GOING ON. AND WHEN GOING AROUND TURNS THE STABILITY CONTROL MAKES A LOUD ABRUPT NOISE ALMOST STOPPING THE VEHICLE. I JUST CAN'T BELIEVE ALL THE PROBLEMS I'VE BEEN HAVING WITH THIS VEHICLE IN SUCH THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME I'VE OWNED IT. I AM A PREGNANT MOTHER WITH 2 CHILDREN ALREADY AND I DO NOT TRUST THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10592777

Incident

Apr 28, 2014

NEAR THE END OF MAY 2012, I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY WHICH SLOPES SLIGHTLY DOWNWARD, AND SUDDENLY WATER STARTED COMING OUT OF THE REAR OVERHEAD LIGHTS. WHEN THE CAR REACHED LEVEL GROUND THE WATER THEN CAME OUT OF THE PASSENGER-SIDE WINDSHIELD PILLAR AND THE SUNROOF AS WELL. I BROUGHT IT TO A GM DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THE SUNROOF DRAIN TUBES WERE CLOGGED. IT COST ME $90.00 TO HAVE THEM CLEAN IT OUT. THE CAR IS NORMALLY GARAGED, HOWEVER WE HAD DRIVEN IT DURING A RAINSTORM THE DAY BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. AFTERWARDS WE STARTED NOTICING SOME CRAZY THINGS HAPPENING TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF THE CAR. SOMETIMES THE RADIO WOULD STAY ON EVEN AFTER THE KEY WAS REMOVED AND OPENING THE DOORS (WHICH NORMALLY WOULD SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN.) SOMETIMES THE FRONT DOOR PANEL SPEAKERS WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL, OR ONE WOULD WORK OR BOTH WOULD WORK. RIGHT NOW THE DRIVERS SIDE IS NOT WORKING. THEN THE DAY AFTER THE CAR WAS OUT IN A TORRENTIAL RAIN STORM SOMETIME NEAR THE END OF FEBRUARY 2014, IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD AND I HAD TO CALL AAA TO GET IT STARTED. THE AAA GUY SAID TO CHECK THIS CAR OUT ONLINE FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, WHICH I DID AND FOUND VOLUMES OF COMPLAINTS STEMMING FROM THIS ISSUE, AS WELL AS SEVERAL GM TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS OR TSB'S AS THEY ARE REFERRED TO. I ONCE AGAIN BROUGHT IT TO THE GM DEALERSHIP WHICH KNEW ABOUT THE ISSUE AND REPAIRED IT AT A COST TO ME OF $810.39. GM HAS NOT ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE DIRECTLY, NOR HAS COMPENSATED ANY OF THE CONSUMERS WHO OWN THE VEHICLES THAT ALL HAVE THIS PROBLEM, NAMELY SATURN OUTLOOK, GMC ACADIA AND BUICK ENCLAVE FROM 2008 - 2010. I FEEL THAT IT IS IRRESPONSIBLE AND UNETHICAL FOR THEM TO PASS THIS PROBLEM OFF TO THE CONSUMER. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE AND I WANT TO BE REIMBURSED, AND I'D LIKE THEM TO INSPECT AND REPAIR FOR FREE THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AS WELL FOR OTHER DAMAGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10574115

Incident

May 28, 2013

Mileage

45,740 mi

APRIL 2010, PASSENGER LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. WAS PULLED OVER AND TOLD TO GET IT FIXED. WENT IN TO CHANGE THE LIGHT, BUT FOUND THE HARNESS WAS MELTED AND WIRES WERE FRAYED AND SHOWED SIGNS OF ARCING. I REPLACED THE HARNESS AND BULB. JAN 2014, TAKE CAR TO GET SAFETY INSPECTED AND GET TOLD THAT PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM IS OUT AND FAILED INSPECTION. FOUND EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS IN APRIL 2010, FRAYED WIRES AND SIGNS OF ELECTRICAL ARCING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10561842

Incident

Apr 7, 2010

Mileage

57,000 mi

DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT STOPPED WORKING. GOT PULLED OVER AND WAS GIVEN A FIX IT TICKET. REPLACING THE BULB DIDN'T FIX IT. I'VE READ THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE WITH THE WIRING HARNESS DUE TO MANUFACTURER DEFECT OR FAULTY EQUIPMENT WHICH SHOULDN'T BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER TO PAY TO FIX. DRIVING IN THE DARK WITHOUT A WORKING DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IN THE WINTER WHICH IS WHEN THIS HAPPENED TO ME. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BECAUSE THIS CAUSES A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10558311

Incident

Dec 27, 2013

Mileage

85,000 mi

LOW BEAM PASSENGER SIDE LIGHT WENT OUT AND I REPLACED THE LIGHT. TWO WEEKS LATER THE LIGHT WENT OUT AGAIN, I MOVED THE CONNECTOR AND THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. THE LIGHT WORKED FOR TWO WEEKS AND IT WENT OUT AGAIN. I WENT TO CHANGE THE BULB AND IT SMELLED LINE BURNT PLASTIC. I REMOVED THE BULB AND THE CONNECTOR WAS BURNT ON ONE OF THE SIDES. THE WIRE WAS BARELY HANGING ON THE SIDE THE CONNECTOR WAS BURNT. THE WIRE HARNESS SEEMS VERY FLIMSY AND VERY POOR QUALITY. I'M VERY SURPRISED AND DISAPPOINTED OF THE POOR QUALITY OF THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS CAN ALSO POSSIBLY BE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10556152

Incident

Nov 7, 2013