2008 Saturn Outlook Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 127 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2008 Saturn Outlook, 20% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 79,796 miles. The words owners use most often: “wave plate” (17% of reports).
- 127power train complaints
- 79,796median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $5,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 39%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Wave plate: mentioned in 21 of 127 complaints (17%)
- Transmission fluid: mentioned in 7 of 127 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2008 Saturn Outlook at $5,150, and half of them between $4,900 and $5,800.
Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2013–2016), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 117 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 127 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
Saturn Outlook power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 Outlook | 19 | 10% | 78,700 |
| 2008 Outlook | 127 | 20% | 79,796 |
| 2007 Outlook | 128 | 25% | 78,900 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2008 Saturn Outlook. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Transmission is failing. Reverse is slipping. Low torque trying back up inclines. Known problem with 2008 Acadia, Enclave, Traverse & Outlook per transmission shop who test drove and scanned. No code via dashboard, but scan tools and professional diagnostics verify failure. Techem has been replaced…
This has been a big problem for all Saturn owners. The transmissions are always going out in them. This transmission is starting to slip. Iâm surprised there is no recalls. Very disappointed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 saturn outlook. The contact stated that the vehicle leaked transmission fluid. There was no warning. The vehicle was taken to all star chevrolet located at (9352 plank rd, baton rouge, la 70811) where the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. The failure…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Saturn Outlooks have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 127 owner complaints about power train for the 2008 Saturn Outlook (20% of the 633 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Saturn Outlook power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 79,796 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2008 Saturn Outlook?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,150 (half paid between $4,900 and $5,800), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2008 Saturn Outlook?
The most frequent phrase is “wave plate”, in 21 of 127 complaints, followed by “transmission fluid” (7).
Other 2008 Saturn Outlook problems
See all 2008 Saturn Outlook problems or power train problems across all Outlook years.