2008 Saturn
SKYProblems & recalls

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has completed its review of a Defect Petition received December 12, 2019 requesting an investigation into the possibility of passenger compartment fires attributed to overheating HVAC blower motor connectors in Model Years (MY) 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky vehicles.An analysis of General Motors (GM) complaint data and information in NHTSA?s databases identified thirteen unique vehicle identification numbers (VINs) with reported incidents that could pertain to blower motor overheating, smoking, or melting in the 90,938 MY2006-2010 Saturn Sky and Pontiac Solstice vehicles produced. Two of the thirteen cited incidents reported smoke and thermal damage that may be attributed to the HVAC blower motor although neither incident was confirmed through vehicle inspection. One incident, a MY2008 Saturn Sky with substantial field exposure from a frontal collision, could not have the root cause identified. The other, a MY2007 Pontiac Solstice, did not inform the manufacturer nor take the vehicle to a dealer for evaluation.Most of the 13 incidents reported an overheated or discolored connector with attendant loss of HVAC blower fan function. GM reported 354 warranty claims with the subject components for the Sky and Solstice, none of which included a report of fire and only one report of smoke. Over a period of ten to fourteen years in service, there are two reports of smoke or thermal damage.While the subject Sky and Solstice vehicles and the recalled Hummer H3 and H3T vehicles do share common components, the Sky and Solstice vehicles have demonstrated very different behavior and their HVAC system has a lower power draw than the recalled Hummer H3 and H3T vehicles. The recalled H3 and H3T vehicles generate over triple the failure rate of the Sky and Solstice vehicles. GM suggested in its response to the ODI?s information request that this difference was due to the larger interior volume of a recalled Hummer vehicle imposing a heavier electrical load and duty cycle on its HVAC blower. The duty cycle is defined as how long it takes for the vehicle to cool down enough before the HVAC blower motor fan speed is lowered or turned off completely.Additionally, due to the size differential between the Sky and Solstice vehicles and the recalled Hummer H3 and H3T vehicles, the parts have a different power draw. The Sky and Solstice vehicles, due to their smaller size, draw less wattage, which reduces the likelihood of a thermal event. This condition in the Sky and Solstice vehicles typically leads to an inoperable HVAC blower motor as opposed to a thermal event.Despite the commonality of parts in the Sky and Solstice vehicles with those that were the basis of a safety recall, the subject vehicles have not demonstrated a safety defect trend that would likely lead to a safety recall or merit further investigation by the ODI. The subject vehicles have a low rate of reported thermal events over the ten to fourteen years they have been in service with the most recent occurring in 2017 with no confirmed fires. The HVAC blower motor was not confirmed to be the root cause for either thermal event cited above.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in NHTSA?s possession, information submitted by GM in response to an information request, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner?s allegation, NHTSA does not believe that the petition warrants a formal investigation at this time. Consequently, the petition is denied.The entire petition denial can be viewed in the October 14, 2022 Federal Register under DP20-002.(https://www.f

Recorded closure: Oct 27, 2022

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition requesting the opening of an investigation into the air bag system on model year 2006-2010 Pontiac Solstice and 2007-2010 Saturn Sky, the subject vehicles.The petitioner raised the issue of failure of the Passenger Sensing System for the front passenger seating position.On January 26, 2017, General Motors filed a defect information report recalling the subject vehicles to address the issue raised by the petition.In view of the recall, ODI considers the petition moot and is closing the action.The closing of the petition does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.

Recorded closure: Apr 24, 2017

Campaign reference in the source: 17V061000

IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007, PONTIAC SOLSTICE AND SATURN SKY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.0L TURBOCHARGED ENGINE USED AN AUXILIARY VACUUM PUMP TO SUPPLEMENT THE ENGINE AS A SOURCE OF VACUUM TO THE BRAKE BOOSTER DURING LOW VACUUM CONDITIONS, SUCH AS IMMEDIATELY AFTER A COLD START.THE VACUUM PUMP OPERATION WAS CONTROLLED BY SWITCHES THAT SENSED BOOSTER VACUUM, TURNING THE PUMP ON WHEN BOOSTER VACUUM DROPPED BELOW A SPECIFIED LEVEL.IN THE MY 2008 SOLSTICE AND SKY VEHICLES (THE SUBJECT VEHICLES), GENERAL MOTORS (GM) ELIMINATED THE AUXILIARY VACUUM PUMP AND REPLACED IT WITH THE OPTIMIZED HYDRAULIC BRAKING (OHB) SYSTEM.THE DESIGN INTENT OF OHB IS TO SUPPLEMENT ENGINE VACUUM, IN CONDITIONS WHERE LOW VACUUM IS GENERATED BY THE ENGINE, WITH HYDRAULIC PRESSURE GENERATED BY THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM PUMP CONTROLLED BY THE ELECTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE (EBCM). FOR UP TO ABOUT AMINUTE AFTER A COLD START, WHEN THE SYSTEM IS IN OHB ASSIST MODE, THE DRIVER MUST PRESS HARDER ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ACHIEVE DESIRED DECELERATION.ALSO, WHEN THE OHB MODE IS ACTIVATED, THE DRIVER CAN HEAR AND FEEL, THROUGH BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATION, THE STABILITY CONTROL SYSTEM PUMP OPERATION.STARTING IN LATE APRIL 2008, GM CHANGED FROM THE OHB SYSTEM BACK TO THE VACUUM PUMP SYSTEM DESIGN.ODI IS AWARE OF 264 NON-DUPLICATIVE COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND GM ALLEGING INADEQUATE BRAKE POWER ASSIST IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES JUST AFTER A COLD START, INCLUDING ONE INCIDENT INVOLVING A CRASH INTO A TREE DURING A DRIVEWAY MANEUVER.TO ADDRESS THESE CONCERNS BY CONSUMERS, GM HAS ISSUED THREETECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS.ON JUNE 4, 2007, GM RELEASED AN INFORMATIONAL BULLETIN (NO PART REPLACEMENT OR SOFTWARE UPDATES), BULLETIN# 07-05-22-002, TO DEALERS EXPLAINING THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE OHB SYSTEM.ON NOVEMBER 29, 2007, GM RELEASED A SERVICE BULLETIN, BULLETIN# 07-05-22-007, WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO RECALIBRATE THE EBCM WITH REVISED SOFTWARE TO MAKE OHB OPERATION FEEL MORE LIKE A NORMAL VACUUM ASSIST SYSTEM.TO IMPROVE COLD START BRAKING PERFORMANCE COMPARABLE TO MY 2007 VEHICLES, GM RELEASED A THIRD SERVICE BULLETIN IN TWO PARTS, BULLETINS 07-05-25-007A (APRIL 29, 2008) AND 07-05-25-007B (MAY 16, 2008), FOR AUTOMATIC AND MANUAL TRANSMISSION VEHICLES RESPECTIVELY.THESE BULLETINS RELEASED NEW ENGINE CONTROL SOFTWARE TO CHANGE THE IDLE STRATEGY AFTER A COLD START SO THAT MORE VACUUM IS AVAILABLE FOR BRAKE POWER ASSIST.BEGINNING THE WEEK OF JUNE 23, 2008, GM WILL BEGIN SENDING LETTERS TO CONSUMERS TO MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE AVAILABILITY OF MOST RECENT CALIBRATION.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.

Recorded closure: Jun 24, 2008