2010 Saturn Outlook

On August 31, 2020, the Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) opened Engineering Analysis (EA) EA20002, as an upgrade of Recall Query (RQ) RQ19003. This investigation, related to recall 14V-266, was opened to investigate instances of detachment of the flexible steel seat belt anchor cable attached to the outboard side of the front seats in vehicles manufactured by General Motors (GM). The subject vehicles included model year (MY) 2009 through 2014 GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, and Chevrolet Traverse SUVs as well as MY 2009 through 2010 Saturn Outlook SUVs. These vehicles were previously repaired for this defect under recall 14V-266. The subject vehicle population is approximately 1.3 million vehicles. Special Coverage N192219480, issued in June 2019, addressed the subject defect in vehicles that previously received the recall remedy repair for subject recall 14V-266. The Special Coverage allows for component replacement for 12 years or 180,000 miles from the initial sale date, whichever comes first. Special Coverage N192219480 instructed service technicians to inspect the driver’s seat belt anchor cable for any damage to the protective sleeve and if damage was observed, the cable was replaced with a new sleeve as well as a new closeout piece that relocated the cable to mitigate the subject condition. In view of the Special Coverage conducted by General Motors, the high detectability of the subject failure, and the low rate of occurrence, this Engineering Analysis is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov. Please see the attached document “EA20-002 Detailed Closing Summary” for more a detailed closing resume summary.

On May 19, 2014, General Motors LLC (GM) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that it would conduct Safety Recall 14V266 to address fatigue and separation of the flexible steel cable that connects the front outboard seat belts to the seat-mounted belt pre-tensioner in 1.4 million model year (MY) 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook, 2009-2014 Buick Enclave, GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse (Lambda Platform) vehicles.The remedy was to inspect for signs of damage and replace pre-tensioner anchor cables as needed. Re-work was conducted to relocate the pre-tensioner anchor cable out of the occupant entry path. ODI has subsequently received four (4) Vehicle Owners Questionnaires (VOQ) reporting anchor cable separations with no apparent warning in covered vehicles after the Recall 14V266 remedy had been applied.ODI opened RQ19-003 to assess the effectiveness of the actions GM took in Recall 14V266 and review the full warranty and complaint data related to seat belt anchor cable separations and replacements. ODI continues to receive occasional cable failure complaints both for the subject vehicles and other GM models and model years that have also been previously recalled addressing this condition.Although the cable separation complaint rate is very low, over the past three years ODI has received two (2) additional VOQ?s citing belt cable separations for Lambda platform vehicles outside the scope of recall 14V266, (11217092, 11118075) and complaints for other GM models covered in a number of similar Safety Recalls:* 15V269, 2011-12 Chevrolet Malibu (11181115, 11288168); * 16V209, 2014-15 Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500 (11254364, 10935183, 10953851, 11025376, 11282043, 11288701, 11309884); and * 16V518 2014-16 Caprice Police Pursuit, SS (10905644, 10990669, 11340893).ODI's review of GM's data confirms the low potential failure rate for the vehicles covered by recall 14V266. However, ODI believes that complainants may not recognize accumulating cable fatigue damage from the visual cues available in routine vehicle use.ODI is upgrading RQ19-003 to an Engineering Analysis to more closely assess seat belt conditions and strength levels in the field. This work will include the collection of seat belt samples from a wider range of recalled and peer vehicles for detailed analysis and testing.The ODI reports (VOQs) associated with this RQ19-003 can be viewed at NHTSA.gov under the following reference numbers: 11144704, 11076704, 11185619, 11151922, 11164011, 10967518, 11113486, 11115648

INTERMITTENT LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TRYING TO PARK IN A SPACE IN A PARKING GARAGE. IT ALSO HAPPENED WHEN TURNING IN MOTION INTO A STREET OFF A HIGHWAY WHILE BRAKING. POWER STEERING FLUID LEVELS WERE FULL BOTH TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11246016

Incident

Aug 20, 2019

Mileage

70,000 mi

MY 2010 SATURN OUTLOOK HAS 124,XXX MILES ON IT. I'VE OWNED IT SINCE JANUARY OF 2017. 2 OR 3 MONTHS AGO MY PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WENT OUT. I DECIDED THAT DUE TO HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE WHEEL WELL TO GET TO THE BULBS, I WOULD JUST CHANGE ALL 4 WHILE I WAS IN THERE. EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE FOR ABOUT A MONTH. THEN I NOTICED IT FLICKERING ON AND OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. OR WHEN I UNLOCKED THE CAR IT WOULDN'T TURN ON. SO I BOUGHT ANOTHER BULB AND CHANGED IT AND IT STILL DIDN'T WORK. TOOK IT ALL APART AGAIN ONLY TO FIND OUT MY HEADLIGHT SOCKET HAD MELTED. SO I BOUGHT A REPLACEMENT, INSTALLED IT AND EVERYTHING WAS GREAT. EXCEPT FOR NOW, A WEEK LATER, MY BULB QUIT AGAIN. THIS IS NOT SAFE. I CAN'T DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD AND QUESTION WHETHER OR NOT MY HEADLIGHTS ARE GOING TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. I HAVE READ AND THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS OR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AT ONE TIME. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I AM NOT GOING TO BE HAPPY IF I HAVE TO SPEND TIME AND MONEY TAKING THIS TO THE SHOP TO GET SOMETHING SO SIMPLE FIXED.

NHTSA ID

11012725

Incident

Aug 3, 2017

Mileage

124,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 SATURN OUTLOOK. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. OCASSIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD ABNORMALLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT THE PEDAL BEING ENGAGED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,243.

NHTSA ID

10956453

Incident

Feb 23, 2017

Mileage

79,243 mi

ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON & OFF. AFTER A COUPLE DAYS, THE OUTLOOK HAD A LOSS OF POWER. HAD IT CHECKED & WAS TOLD WE HAD A TIMING ISSUE WITH THE 3 TIMING CHAINS. THE CHAINS WERE STRETCHED & ONE OF THE TIMING CHAIN GEARS WAS ONE TOOTH OFF. THEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2007-2009 SATURN OUTLOOKS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM BUT THE 2010 MODELS WERE NOT INCLUDED. WHY WOULDN'T THE 2010 MODELS BE INCLUDED? THE LOSS OF POWER HAPPENED ON 9/30/16. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS COMING ON & OFF JUST A COUPLE DAYS PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF POWER.

NHTSA ID

10917699

Incident

Sep 30, 2016

Mileage

109,761 mi

HEADLIGHTS WIRE HARNESSES BURNT

NHTSA ID

10914376

Incident

Oct 5, 2016

Mileage

11,500 mi

WHEN TURNING RIGHT OR LEFT, TYPICALLY AT LOWER SPEEDS, THE STEERING NEARLY FREEZES UP MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE SHOP - CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS, AND I HAVE CALLED MY DEALER - SAYS IT'S NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AND NO RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS TYPE OF THING SO I WOULD BE WASTING MY TIME TO BRING IT IN. THE CAR IS ONLY AT 90,000 MILES AND I'M AFRAID THIS ISSUE MAY RESULT IN A CRASH AND OR INJURY TO MY FAMILY AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO. THERE IS NO LEAKING FROM ANY AREAS INCLUDING THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK AND PINION.

NHTSA ID

10875348

Incident

May 21, 2016

Mileage

90,000 mi

MELTED LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS. BULBS HAVE BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES AND NOW THERE IS NO LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS AT ALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10683207

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

84,170 mi

WHEN DRIVING SLOW FORWARD OR BACK, WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL, IT LOCKS UP THEN WILL COME LOOSE, LETTING YOU TURN THE WHEEL. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST GM BY THE CHEVY TRAVERSE OWNERS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. CASE NUMBER IS [XXX], FILED 3/12/13. SINCE I HAVE A SATURN, THAT IS A TWIN TO THE CHEVROLET TRAVERSE AND GM ACADIA. I THINK I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THEY ARE HAVING IN THE STEERING. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10639959

Incident

Aug 13, 2014

Mileage

80,000 mi

This preliminary information communicates information about how to determine if a wheel and tires size change is available.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

This Preliminary information communicates the steps on how to save a GDS2 Session Log and upload to a Technical Assistance Case in CX Connect.

This preliminary information advises a dealer on how to email GDS2 session logs into Technical Assistance.

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicles that have had multiple repair attempts that are being performed on customer’s vehicles that exhibit vibration conditions without utilizing the support of General Motors Technical Assistance Center. If valid vibration frequency or Road Force Variation data has been collected and a repair attempt does not correct the customer complaint, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support. For any vehicles that remains unrepaired after being at the dealer for three days or more and a related bulletin or PI is not found, contact General Motors Technical Assistance Center for further support.

New Vehicle Monitoring Programs Section in IVH