NHTSA Complaint #10482649 — 2008 SATURN OUTLOOK

THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WENT OUT ON THE VEHICLE. I WENT TO AUTOZONE TO PURCHASE THE HEADLIGHT REPLACEMENT WHEN I WAS TOLD THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE TWO DIFFERENT HEADLIGHTS THAT I WOULD NEED TO BRING THE BROKEN ONE SO THEY CAN SELL ME A REPLACEMENT. I FOUND OUT THAT IT IS NOT VERY EASY TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT ON THIS VEHICLE AS SEVERAL OTHER PARTS HAVE TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO GET TO THE HEADLIGHT CONNECTOR. I FOUND INSTRUCTIONS AND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS FROM OWNERS INDICATING THEY HAVE REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE YEAR ONLY TO BE TOLD BY DEALERS THAT THE HARNESS/CONNECTOR ARE BURNED AND THAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. I PROCEEDED TO REMOVE THE UNDERLINER OF THE TIRE TO GET TO THE HEADLIGHT ON MY VEHICLE. AS SUSPECTED, THE CONNECTOR AND WIRE HARNESS WERE BURNED. I FOUND SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS INSTRUCTING DEALERS TO "CHECK AND REPLACE" THE HARNESS AND HEADLIGHT ON THESE VEHICLES. WHEN I CALLED SATURN I WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALERSHIP HAD REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT IN MY VEHICLE ON APRIL 2011...HOWEVER THEY NEVER INFORMED ME OF THIS CHANGE. RIGHT NOW MY WIFE IS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT A HEADLIGHT AS SATURN IS REFUSING TO REPLACE THE BURNED HARNESS THAT I FOUND ON THE CAR. THIS IS NOT ONLY A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT A FIRE HAZARD ON THE VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY RECALL BY NOW....IT IS NOT JUST HAPPENING ON SATURN OUTLOOKS, IT IS ALSO HAPPENING ON GMC ACADIAS WHICH IS EXACTLY THE SAME CAR..... *TR