Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2009 Saturn Outlook owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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.
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.
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
Takata recall I bought my vehicle at the end of May, 2018. My engine light came on at the begining of October, 2018. I had got in my vehicle and stayed the engine amd it came on. I immediately took it to advance auto to get them to hook the hand held computer to the vehicle to see what was wrong. It coded 2 codes. One was for the timing chain and the other for the catalyst. They said I should take it to a big car shop so they could put it om the better computer. It codes the same codes. The mechanic said this is an issue with these GM engins. However, they are not on recall. I still owe around 9,000 dollars on this vehicle. I am not in a situation that I can spend over. $2,000 on this vehicle. In listening to the mechanic and doing my own research, I have found this to be a real problem. I believe it needs to be fixed at the cost of the manufacturer.
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. 4.at the same time as # 3, the GPS rebooted itself 3 times in a row and all of the car door locks unlocked and locked themselves 3 times in a row. 5.I gently pressed the accelerator and the car accelerated but the car felt weak and I felt uncertain. I was not sure what would happen if I tried to accelerate normally so I put on my emergency blinkers and slowly drove home.
We always change our oil on time. Took it to the oil change place he said there was barely any oil in it , we still had 200 mile before recommend oil change. Then the while driving the engine light went on, we took it and my mechanic said that's this motor is burning oil. And can affect engine timing chain.the mechanic said to start putting synthetic oil in per GM. We we're never notified about oil issues or changing what type of oil to use. Now we are going to need an engine timing chain which is extremely costly. We haven't begun this process yet. But from what's I understand GM USB having tons of issues with motor. And we haven't never been notified about any preventive maintenance or care.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 Saturn Outlook. While placing the vehicle in park position, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the air conditioning and heating vents. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the evaporation core needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,603. ...updated 03-10-16
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
In 2016, I purchased a 2009 Saturn Outlook from a dealer, with 90,000 miles on it. Two months later, "transmission overheating, let engine idle" indicator came on, and the Saturn shut itself down as I drove down I-35! Mechanic said they couldn't find anything wrong. They reset my codes, and all seemed okay. This happened a few more times, but know one could tell me what was wrong other that bank 1 low. For the most part it drove without problems. Regular service maintenance, and oil changes consistent with the manual. I rarely drove it after the second year of owning it. On way home to oregon (purchased Outlook in iowa), I continuously lost power going up the passes. Semi trucks were passing me, as if I were sitting still. With new air-filter system, maf sensor, coils, boots, and spark plugs installed I continued at a snail pace all the way to oregon. A two day trip took me seven days. …
The engine on this vehicle has issues with the cylinders and misfires. This issue first started last year and was taken into the dealer for service at about 45,000 miles. The dealer could replicate the issue at speeds of about 55 MPH where the engine would misfire and cause a lack of power. However due to a lack of engine codes they could not begin to solve the issue as to why this was happening. Last week the issue became worse and resulted in a loss of power on the highway. Fortunately there is now a code for the engine issue so we know that there are cylinder misfires and it can now be fixed. This is a dangerous issue for drivers as there can be a discernible engine problem that can not be diagnosed by GM's diagnostic equipment until there such a loss of power resulting in a safety issue.
Engine complaints in other Outlook years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2009 Saturn Outlook?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2009 Saturn Outlook, 11% of the model year's 192 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2009 Saturn Outlook engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2009 Saturn Outlook, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2009 Saturn Outlook engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 78,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.