Transmission Slip Out Of Gear Problems of Saturn Outlook

I have a 2007 Saturn Outlook. Wife drives this vehicle every day until it stopped shifting out of second gear! she would stop at the end of our road and go to take off and then the check engine light would come on and then would not change out of 2nd gear. I was told by my mechanic that this is a common problem with this make. I think gm should do a recall on these vehicles. Thanks.

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Transmission valve body failed. Car was unable to shift out of first gear.

See all problems of the 2008 Saturn Outlook 🔎.

While driving my 2007 Saturn Outlook the engine stalled and came right back on. The engine light came on and the transmission would not shift out of 2 nd gear. I pull over put it in park sat there for a few minutes. I put it in drive and it went into gear. I'm very upset to learn it will cost me 6000. 00 to repair the transmission and timing chain which is a problem gm is very aware of. I think they should take care of the problem due to many people having the same issues with this type of vehicle. I have only owned this vehicle for just over a year. And paid good money for the vehicle. So if they know there is a problem they should fix it.

Transmission began slipping during long interstate trip. After a rest stop, transmission would not shift out of a low gear on freeway even when traveling at 60-70 mph. Warning light (transmission overheat) came on and we were able to make it to the next exit. Power train completely failed and we had to have the car towed and find a hotel to stay at overnight. Gm dealer found 35r wave plate broken and sever metal debris throughout transmission. Transmission needed to be replaced at our expense.

On November 28, 2013 we experienced our first symptom that something was not quite right on our 2008 Saturn Outlook. Upon acceleration our car started to rev excessively at around 35-40 mph. We were able to continue to drive and the vehicle seemed to switch gears ok in every other gear. . . But really struggled when in the lower gears. We brought it into to see if possibly it just needed to have the transmission flushed and were advised against doing that. Instead, they topped of the transmission fluid and our vehicle seemed to run smoothly for exactly one week. And than boom, we had the exact same symptom where the vehicle could not shift out of lower gears and this time it had a burning type smell. I went online and, to my surprise, found page and page of discussions surrounding transmission issues with the 2007 and 2008 Saturn Outlook. In all cases, the symptoms were identical. In all cases, complete transmission rebuilds were the only solution. Most vehicles were just outside of their warranty, but in some cases, the mileage was as low as 30,000. Gm is fully aware of the situation, yet is doing nothing to rectify the matter. They know that they have a faulty "wave plate" in these cars that is causing the transmissions to completely break down. If you google "2008 Saturn transmissions" you will find all of the evidence you want to support the need to investigate a possible recall. This is both dangerous and incredibly costly and something that gm needs to accept and step up and repair. Our vehicle has only 72,000 miles on it and we are looking at a minimum of $3,400 in repairs. The mechanic that is fixing our vehicle has had six Outlooks in his shop alone. When I spoke to the customer service agent, [xxx] at gm 866-790-5700 ext [xxx], she freely and readily admitted that they were fully aware of the problem. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Without warning, I left a parking lot and my car seemed very sluggish. I noticed that it would not shift out of 1st gear. The check engine light came on, so I pulled over and killed the engine. I let it sit a few minutes and started the engine again. I had the same problem as I accelerated to go down the road. I didn't know what to do, so we called a wrecker and had it hauled to the transmission place. They called and told me the transmission would have to be rebuilt and the computer inside the transmission replaced and programmed. These repairs totaled just over $3,000. I am so angry because I have read on a Saturn forum that this is a pretty common problem. I don't understand why gm won't do the right thing and recall the transmission. This is ridiculous to have this type problem on a 5-6 year old vehicle.

After having stopped at a store, and putting my car into drive, it would not shift out of 1st gear / maybe 2nd and the check engine light came on. There is approximately 85,000 miles on the car and the transmission is gone! I have looked online and it appears to be a major problem with this vehicle.

As I was driving with my daughter, all of a sudden the check engine light came on and an error came across the dash stating the transmission was hot, idle engine. So, I pulled over to the side of the road and let the car sit for a few minutes. Started car back up and all was fine. This has happened several times over the last year. Not always getting the error message, because I think I have learned when transmission is not shifting properly. Vehicle's rmp's will go high, but never shift back down into gear while driving on highway. Once it does this, I have to pull over and turn the car off. Once I start back driving, it shifts properly again. Until I have to go up a hill, and I give it more gas to get up the hill and it will shift out of gear again, and not ever go back. This is dangerous because at times it makes the car drop in speed suddenly on the highway !!!!.

Vehicle transmission failed while on 500 mile trip home to dallas. After pulling off the freeway in wichita for dinner, the vehicle wouldn't accelerate and slipped out of gear at about 30 mph. Had to tow it to a dealer. Was told the transmission had "fallen apart" and needed to be rebuilt or replaced at a cost of about $3,600. I have done some research and found this to be a rather common problem.

As I was pulling away from a stop light, the car would not shift out of second gear. Made it home at a speed of 25-30 mph. My check engine came on. After taking it to the dealership, I was told that the transmission needed to be torn down and repaired for possible broken 3-5-r wave plate. Car is 5 years 10 months in service with roughly 65,000 miles on it. The cost of the repair or transmission replacement will be $3000-$4000. Timing chains were just replaced in March of 2013. I found a service bulletin dated 1/12/2010 that stated new plate should be installed when transmission is disassembled for any reason. Gm knows it's a problem and isn't doing anything about it.

Transmission started shifting hard but was not doing it all the time, I took a friend home backed out of his driveway and the vehicle started bucking and jumping and not shifting when I got about a block down the road the check engine light come on and it would not shift out of 1st gear, I took it to a parts store and had the scanner put on it and it come up with the code po796 which is the 3-5 pressure plate, this SUV has never pulled or towed anything so there should be no reason why it went out. My previous SUV was a Saturn Outlook 2007 and the 3-5 wave plate went out of it, it is pretty clear that there is a defect from the factory on these plates and they are unsafe this repair has cost me 3400. 00 and I just bought the SUV in July, this is something that needs to be looked into and investigated because it is pretty clear that the plates are defective and gm needs to stand behind these with a recall.

In may, the vehicle began shuttering and lost all power. The vehicle was towed to a dealership and they said that the wave plate had broken. In December 2012, the transmission displayed an overheating warning, but dealership said no problems noted (approx 110000 miles) then in Jan 2013 (113000) miles the transmission would not shift out of 2nd gear. Dealership said that it was now a broken pressure switch and not covered under the previous repair warranty.