Most common 2010 Saturn Outlook problems
Share of the 16 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Saturn Outlook complaints by model year
Best Outlook years: 2010, 2009. Years to avoid: 2008, 2007. Compare all years →
2010 Saturn Outlook recalls (4)
Structure › Body › Hatchback/liftgate
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured January 3, 2007, to February 29, 2012, 2009-2012 Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured July 6, 2008, to March 9, 2012, 2007-2012 GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured September 15, 2006, to February 29, 2012, and 2007-2010 Saturn…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will update the software for the power liftgate actuator motor control unit so that the motor will prevent the rapid closing of the lift gate, free of charge.
Seat belts
General Motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2014 Buick Enclave vehicles manufactured April 14, 2008, through May 14, 2014, Chevrolet Traverse vehicles manufactured June 6, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and GMC Acadia vehicles manufactured April 9, 2008, through May 14, 2014, and 2009-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles…
Remedy: General Motors will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, repair and replace the lap pretensioner, free of charge. Parts are not currently available.
Air bags › Side/window
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2013 Buick Enclave and GMC Acadia and 2009-2013 Chevrolet Traverse and 2008-2010 Saturn Outlook vehicles. In the affected vehicles, increased resistance in the driver and passenger seat mounted side impact air bag (SIAB) wiring harnesses may result in the SIAB and…
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected harness connections with soldered connections, free of charge. The recall began on June 16, 2014.
Seat belts
General motors is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 Chevrolet traverse, Buick enclave, GMC acadia, and Saturn outlook vehicles. The second row seat side trim shield restricts the upward rotation of the safety belt buckle when the seat back is returned to a seating position after being folded flat.
Remedy: Dealers will modify the second row seat side trim shields. If a safety belt buckle is damaged, dealers will replace it free of charge. The safety recall began on August 18, 2010.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2010 Saturn Outlook:
Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
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)…
Outboard Front Seat Belt Anchor Cable Failure
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).
What 2010 Saturn Outlook owners say
Steering
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.
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.
Lights
My 2010 Saturn Outlook has 124,[redacted] 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. …
Recently my headlights have been burning out regularly. I have one go out each month while driving on the highway. This creates a persistent safety problem and is expensive to repair. The 2010 Outlook requires the removal of the front wheels and wheel wells to replace the bulb. I understand from some research that there is a general problem with the wiring harness.
Electrical system
Tl* the contact owns a 2010 Saturn Outlook. The contact stated that the ignition module failed, causing the vehicle to stall sporadically and without warning on multiple occasions. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after multiple attempts however, each time the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was to be inspected and diagnosed by an authorized dealer. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 10V073000 (steering) but experienced the same failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 108000.
Recently my headlights have been burning out regularly. I have one go out each month while driving on the highway. This creates a persistent safety problem and is expensive to repair. The 2010 Outlook requires the removal of the front wheels and wheel wells to replace the bulb. I understand from some research that there is a general problem with the wiring harness.
2010 Saturn Outlook engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 17 / 24 / 19 |
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | AWD | 16 / 23 / 19 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2010 Saturn Outlook a good car?
Based on 16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 Outlook rates better than average: 96% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Outlook at the same age. It is one of the best Outlook years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2010 Saturn Outlook?
The steering — 7 complaints, 44% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the lights (6) and electrical system (5).
How many recalls does the 2010 Saturn Outlook have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2010 Saturn Outlook, the most recent from June 30, 2015 (hatchback/liftgate). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Saturn Outlook?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008 and 2007. See the full Saturn Outlook years comparison.
At what mileage do 2010 Saturn Outlook problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 79,000 miles; 20% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 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.