Saturn LS Complaints

1,458 consumer complaints on file.

#10302878January 27, 2010
EXTERIOR LIGHTING, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES, INTERIOR LIGHTING, VISIBILITY
2002 SATURN L100, 148000 MILES, PRIMARY SAFETY CONCERN IS HEADLIGHTS WILL SHUT OFF SPONTANEOUSLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. OTHER ISSUES INCLUDE SPONTANEOUS/ERRATIC ACTUATION OF WIPERS, DOME LIGHT, AND DOOR LOCKS, AS WELL AS FLASHING OF HIGH BEAMS AND DRL LAMPS. ALSO ERRATIC INSTRUMENTATION ANOMALIES, E.G. "SECURITY" LAMP ILLUMINATES AND SHUTS OFF, "CHANGE OIL SOON" LAMP FLASHES, ALL GAGES FLICK FROM ZERO TO NORMAL, ETC. *CN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10302065January 24, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I WENT OUTSIDE TO GET IN MY CAR THIS MORNING WHICH STARTED RIGHT AWAY. AFTER SHIFTING INTO FIRST I BEGAN TO TAKE OFF WHEN THE CAR STALLED ONLY GETTING ABOUT 2 FEET FORWARD. PUSH CAR BACK TOWARD THE CURB AND ATTEMPTED TO JUMP THE CAR WITH MY SISTERS. THEN TRIED TO CHARGE THE BATTERY, AFTER ALL OF THIS FAILED, WE CALLED THE LOCAL MECHANIC OVER AND SAID THE TIMING CHAIN HAD SNAPPED.. 3200 REPAIR. I'M NOT READY TO SEARCH FOR A NEW CAR BUT LATELY IT'S BEEN ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER WITH THIS CAR I USED TO LOVE. AT THIS POINT NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED!!!!!!!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10301893January 22, 2010
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 2002 SATURN L300 REAR TAILLIGHTS ARE MELTING AND FAILING OFTEN. A RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED 4 YEARS AGO AND IT IS INEFFECTIVE. SATURN IS UNWILLING TO RE-EVALUATE THE MATTER. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10301794January 21, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TODAY, WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH (ON CRUISE CONTROL) ON A BUSY INTERSTATE, MY 2002 SATURN L200 (WITH 75,000 MILES) STARTED LOSING ALL POWER, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE CAR. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE MEDIAN AND WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK. THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS SHOWING OIL AND BATTERY WERE LIT UP BEFORE TURNING THE CAR OFF. NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS WRONG, I TRIED STARTING THE CAR TWICE, BOTH TIMES RESULTING IN THE CAR NOT TURNING OVER. AFTER RUNNING DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ON THE CAR, AAA FOUND OUT THE TIMING CHAIN SNAPPED. AT THIS POINT, NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE, AS I AM WAITING ON QUOTES FROM VARIOUS MECHANICS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10300065January 17, 2010
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I STARTED THE CAR AND BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN A PUT IT IN FORWARD IT STALLED. IT STARTED AGAIN AND I DROVE TO MY DESTINATION. IT ALSO STARTED AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME. WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO AND FROM MY APPOINTMENT I COULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED GOING UP HILLS ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I WENT TO START THE CAR THE NEXT DAY IT TURNED OVER BUT DID NOT START. FROM THERE ON IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. MY MECHANIC SAYS THERE NO COMPRESSION ON ANY OF THE CYLINDERS AND IT IS MOST LIKELY THE TIMING CHAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10300023January 16, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE ON INTERSTATE WITHOUT WARNING. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10299779January 14, 2010
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I OWN A 2001 SATURN L200, ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO I REPLACED MY ENGINE DUE TO MY TIMING CHAIN BREAKING AND CAUSING INTERNAL DAMAGE. I RECENTLY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPEN AND NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AGAIN. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM I FOUND THAT THEIR ARE MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. IF SATURN KNOWS THIS SITUATION IS SUCH A BIG PROBLEM WHY CANT THEY BE MADE RESPONSIBLE? I JUST DON'T THINK ITS RIGHT THAT SO MANY INCIDENTS ARE GOING UNANSWERED.. THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE FOR OUR PROBLEM TO BE HEARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10299635January 13, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2001 SATURN L-200 HAD THE TIMING CHAIN BREAK (WITH ONLY 52,000 MILES ON IT). WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, CAR WAS ACTING ERRATIC. MADE ME NERVOUS SO I GOT OUT OF HEAVY TRAFFIC AND ONTO A SIDE STREET. CAR QUIT IN THE CENTER OF AN INTERSECTION WHILE MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN. FORTUNATELY, THIS HAPPENED IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE OTHER CARS WERE ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND GET AROUND ME WITH NO PROBLEM. AS SO MANY OTHERS HAVE STATED, SATURN SAYS MY CAR WAS NOT ONE OF THE ONES INCLUDED IN THEIR PREMATURE TIMING BELT FAILURE RECALL; THEY'D BE HAPPY TO FIX IT, BUT AT MY EXPENSE. I KNOW SATURN IS ON ITS WAY OUT, BUT HOPEFULLY OTHER SATURN OWNERS CAN BE MADE AWARE OF THIS SO THEY CAN HAVE THEIR TIMING CHAINS CHECKED OUT BEFORE THEIR CAR CONKS OUT AND SOMEONE GETS HURT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10298548January 7, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN OF SATURN L200 FAILED A SECOND TIME WITHIN 35,000 MILES OF FIRST REPAIR LEAVING THE CAR STRANDED ON THE ROADSIDE AGAIN. THE CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, BUT THE TIMING CHAIN IN THIS MODEL SEEMS TO BE POORLY DESIGNED LEADING TO FAILURE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10298033January 4, 2010
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TIMING CHAIN SLIPPED AND ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10297543December 30, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2002 SATURN L200 SUDDENLY DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. IT WAS DARK OUT AND A LOT OF TRAFFIC. DIDN'T FEEL SAFE WAITING IN CAR FOR TOW TRUCK. HAD TO STAND ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN THE DARK IN 10 DEGREE WEATHER. TIMING CHAIN BROKE, DAMAGED VALVES. GETTING A USED ENGINE = $2,000+. SATURN SAID MY VIN # WASN'T LISTED AS BEING A PART OF THE RECALL ON THE TIMING CHAINS. DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THAT SOME VIN #S WEREN'T INCLUDED WITH THE THOUSANDS THAT WERE RECALLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296525December 21, 2009
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
SATURN L200 SERIES HAS A RECALL 06074A FOR A FAULTY TIMING CHAIN. THEY FAILED TO NOTIFY ME. MY TIMING CHAIN FAILED LATE ONE DARK NIGHT ON A BUSY INTERSTATE LEAVING ME AND MY FAMILY STRANDED IN THE COLD. MY VIN NUMBER FALLS IN THE RANGE OF THE RECALL FOR MENTIONED. SATURN ADMITS THAT MY VIN FALLS IN THE RECALL RANGE BUT CLAIMS MY VIN IS SOMEHOW EXCLUDED. SATURN WILL NOT PROVIDE A LIST OF INCLUDED VIN NUMBERS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ALL SATURNS IN THE VIN RANGE OF THIS RECALL. (1Y504884 ' 1Y559453). IT SHOULD BE INCLUDED AND REPAIRED WITH THIS RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296626December 21, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I REPLACED THE HEATER CONTROL SWITCH, BLOWER MOTOR, AND RESISTOR DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE HEATER BLOWER WOULD NOT WORK. AFTER DOING ALL THE ABOVE, THE HEATER STILL DID NOT WORK. IT APPEARS THAT THE WIRING HARNESS BEHIND THE HEATER CONTROL WAS THE PROBLEM. TWO OF THE PRONGS IN THE WHITE PLUG WERE BURNT AND DID NOT ALLOW THE DC ELECTRIC CURRENT TO GO INTO THE HEATER CONTROL UNIT. IT IS LUCKY THAT THE FAN WENT OUT BEFORE IT HAD CAUGHT FIRE. THERE ARE TWO CHILDREN WHO RIDE IN THE CAR, ONE 5 YEARS OLD AND ONE 9 YEARS OLD. I WAS SURPRISED THAT THE 40 AMP FUSE DID NOT BLOW EVEN THOUGH THE CIRCUIT KEPT COMING ON AND OFF. WE HAD ALREADY CHANGED THE ENGINE 3-4 YEARS AGO BECAUSE THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND SATURN WOULD NOT FIX. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10296152December 16, 2009
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
MY 2001 SATURN L-SERIES 2.2L HAD THE TIMING CHAIN BREAK. THIS WAS IN A PARKING LOT. I HAD STARTED THE CAR AND BACKED OUT. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE. DIDN'T TOUCH THE GAS PEDAL AND THE CAR QUIT. I WAS LEFT CROSSWISE THE DRIVE LANE AND BLOCKING TRAFFIC. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, I PROBABLY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR MORE LIKELY HAVE BEEN KILLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10295670December 14, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT 55 MILES PER HOUR, MY CAR SUDDENLY DECREASED SPEED TO 20MPH. MY CAR CONTINUED TO LIMIT IT'S SPEED TO 30MPH FOR ONE HOUR. AFTER AN HOUR I WAS ABLE TO REGAIN SPEED. I LATER TOOK MY CAR INTO A SHOP WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT MY TIMING CHAIN GUIDE HAD RUBBED UP AGAINST A CYLINDER CAUSE IT TO CRACK THUS LEAKING COOLANT INTO THE ENGINE. MY CAR HAS 102,000 AND NOW REQUIRES A NEW ENGINE. IN 2007 I HAD ALL THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKETS REPLACED AND HEAD BOLT SET REPLACED BECAUSE MY INTAKE VALVES WAS LEAKING AND THE HEAD THE GASKETS WERE ALL BLOWN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10294764December 7, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENGINE BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10294605December 5, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2001 SATURN SL200 HAD EXTREME VIBRATION AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WHILE ON A LONG TRIP OUT OF STATE. THIS CAR IS DRIVEN BY MY COLLEGE AGE STUDENT. CAR ENGINE WAS JUMPING, IDLING VERY ROUGH, AND LOSING POWER. FORTUNATELY, SHE DID MADE IT BACK TO COLLEGE SAFELY. THE CAR WAS BROUGHT TO SATURN OF MANCHESTER, NEW HAMPSHIRE AND PLUGS, WIRES AND SPARK PLUG CASSETTE WERE REPLACED DUE TO A MISFIRING DIAGNOSIS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP, IT STILL RAN ROUGH. I RETURNED TO DEALER AND THEY SAID VALVE COVER AND ENGINE WERE DIRTY. ALSO, THEY SAID TIMING CHAIN SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS SLIPPING. I WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS AUTOMOBILE. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT THE SATURN TIMING CHAIN RECALL, THEY STATED THIS CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. TO ME, DRIVING THE CAR, IT SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE A TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM. SATURN CHARGED ME AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT TO DO ALL THE ABOVE WORK (OVER $900.00). I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THIS CAR SHOULD BE ON THE RECALL LIST, SINCE SATURN CONTINUED TO MAKE CARS WITH THE EXACT DESIGN AFTER FEBRUARY 2001. I BELIEVE THAT GM IS TRYING TO GET OUT OF REPAIRING AN EXTREME SAFETY ISSUE FOR THIS CAR. THIS CAR IS A POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP. THE FIRST IN SERVICE DATE OF THIS VEHICLE WAS JUNE 2001, SO I CAN ALMOST CONCLUDE THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED DURING THE RECALL TIME FRAME. IF NOT, SHORTLY THEREAFTER. I AM SURE THERE WERE ADDITIONAL CARS MADE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AFTER GM'S CUTOFF OF PROBLEM VIN NUMBERS. MY CAR NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10294338December 3, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V245000. COMPONENT: EXTERIOR LIGHTING BRAKE LIGHTS. I HAD MY RECALL SERVICE DONE ON DEC. 26 2005. ON NOV. 27TH 2009. I GOT PULLED OVER BY THE POLICE. MY REAR RUNNING AND BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OUT. NO TICKET BECAUSE I WAS CLOSE TO HOME. TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY TO FIND OUT THAT BOTH LIGHT BULBS WERE BROKE. PLASTIC MELTED DOWN AND HIT THE BULBS. TRIED TO REPLACE BULBS BUT THE MELTED PLASTIC WAS IN THE WAY. I TOOK PICTURES OF THE MELTED PLASTIC. WENT TO SATURN DEALER TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT AND THEY SAID THAT A FRONT DRIVER SIDE PARKING LIGHT WAS OUT AND IT HAD CONDENSATION UNDER THE LENS. THEY SAID THAT SHORTED THE REAR LIGHTS. THEY REPLACED THE BULBS BY GRINDING THE MELTED PLASTIC OUT OF THE WAY. THEY SAID THEY DID NOT BUT THERE WAS NO WAY TO GET THE BULB PAST THE MELTED PLASTIC. I TOOK MORE PICTURES. SO THE LIGHTS WORK FOR NOW. BUT IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE THE PLASTIC MELTS DOWN ONTO THE BULBS AGAIN. I DO BELIEVE THIS HAS TO DO WITH THE RECALL. IT READS-ON CERTAIN SEDANS AND WAGONS, THE PLASTIC HOUSING IN THE REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY CAN BECOME DISTORTED IF THE BRAKE LAMPS REMAIN ON FOR AN EXTENDED TIME. NOT A BURNED OUT PARKING LIGHT WITH CONDENSATION UNDER THE LENS. THIS COULD BECOME VERY DANGEROUS. NO TAIL OR BRAKE LIGHTS! TAILGAITERS! I NOW CARRY EXTRA LIGHT BULBS AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT MELT DOWN. SATURN HAS BEEN NO HELP. JUST A BANDAID. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10293772November 28, 2009
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
BRAKE LIGHTS IN THE VEHICLE FAIL TO WORK, CHECKED BOTH THE BULBS AND THE FUSES AND BOTH ARE FINE. I BELIEVE IT CAUSED BY THE DISTORTED SOCKETS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10292697November 18, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
SATURN 2000 LS! STARTING DEFECT. THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES PREVENTS THE VEHICLE FROM STARTING. THE VEHICLE OWNER MUST WAIT TEN MINUTES FOR THE SECURITY LIGHT TO STOP FLASHING BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAN BE STARTED. GM WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE LATE AT NIGHT WHEN MY WIFE IS STUCK IN A DARK PARKING LOT WAITING FOR THE SECURITY LIGHT TO RESET. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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