Saturn SL Complaints (1999)

178 consumer complaints on file.

#10054792January 24, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
ENGINE SPEED DOES NOT RETURN TO IDLE WHEN REMOVING FOOT FROM THROTTLE MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10054721January 23, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
A MIXTURE OF OIL AND ANTI-FREEZE WERE NOTED. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE HEAD WAS CRACKED DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THEY REPLACED THE HEAD AND COOLING SYSTEM HOSES ONLY. NOW 10,000 MILES LATER I AM HEARING A KNOCKING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC WHERE HE INFORMED ME THAT THE BOTTOM HALF OF THE ENGINE IS GONE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. HE STATED THAT THE DEALER (SATURN OF MORRISTOWN, NJ) SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE ENTIRE ENGINE INSTEAD OF JUST THE TOP HALF. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10069202January 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
AIR CONDITIONING FAILED AT 4 YEARS, 4 MONTHS. NEW COMPRESSOR NEEDED, ACCORDING TO BOTH SATURN DEALERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT GARAGE. NOT YET REPLACED. WAITING TO SEE IF THERE IS A HIDDEN SERVICE BULLETIN BY WHICH SATURN WILL REPLACE AT REDUCED COST.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10052540January 6, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
I PURCHASED A 1999 SATURN SL2 W/ 23,000MI. AT 60,000MI I BEGAN TO FEEL A JUDDER/VIBRATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK IT TO A SATURN DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WE'RE WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WENT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD NON-OEM BRAKE ROTORS INSTALLED AND AFTER APPROXIAMETELY 65,000MI, BEGAN TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER LEAVING THE CAR WITH THE REPAIR SHOP, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, BUT MY ROTORS KEEP WARPING. THE REPAIR SHOP CUT THE ROTORS "SLIGHTLY" AND NOW AT 70,000MI I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS DEFINIETLY WRONG WITH THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT ROTORS DO WARP BUT THEY SHOULD LAST FOR APPROX. 70,000MI, AND I SHOULD NOT BE FEELING THE JUDDER/VIBRATION IN MY STEERING WHEEL.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10049961December 3, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH ENGINE WAS VERY LOUD, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, WHO FOUND NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THREE QUARTS WERE ADDED, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT. TWO DAYS LATER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKED, AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OVER HEATING. THE CONSUMER ADDED COOLANT, BUT DRIVING UNDER THREE MILES VEHICLE OVERHEATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT OIL AND COOLANT WERE MIXING TOGETHER IN THE ENGINE. A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045067October 30, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE IGNITION CYLINDER IN THE STEERING COLUMN JAMMED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT REQUIRED THE CAR TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP; THE ENTIRE IGNITION CYLINDER/LOCK ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR WAS ONLY 47,616 MILES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10045073October 30, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ONE OF THE ENGINE MOUNTS HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 50587 MILES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10043484October 23, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
COOLANT MIXING WITH OIL
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10043934October 22, 2003
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATING.*MR THE CONSUMERS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING IN THE DASH. WHEN TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER THEY DETERMINED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONTAL DEVELOPMENT LOOP HAD LOW RESISTANCE AND THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS WOULD HAVE TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE AS TO WHY THE LIGHT CONTINUE TO FLASH ON AND OFF. *CB *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10042848October 14, 2003
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED WAS HEARING POWER STEERING 'WHINING'. WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL TO RIGHT IT DID NOT RESPOND, NOR DID IT TURN TO THE LEFT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10042451October 1, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
FAULTY CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. *PH. LAST FEBRUARY THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE AND FINALLY HAD IT TOWED, WHERE THE DEALER REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10034379September 23, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE FAILED. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED; HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE OF THE REMEDY SCOPE. *AK AFTER THREE ATTEMPTS TO KEEP THE "SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT" FROM ILLUMINATING, THE MECHANIC FINALLY REPLACED THE FAULTY IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. CONSUMER FELT THE RECALL SHOULD GO BACK A FEW MORE YEARS. *PH *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10040051September 16, 2003
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP MOTOR REVVED, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033634September 12, 2003
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR, CHILD SEAT:SHELL:BOOSTER
COSCO MODEL 02-452 WAL, MANUFACTURING DATE UNKNOWN. WHEN THE BOOSTER SEAT WAS INSTALLED USING THE VEHICLE SEAT BELTS, THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT. THE BELT WAS STUCK. THE CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. *AK THE SHOULDER BELT WOULD GO INTO THE BELT POSITIONER TO BUCKLE THE CHILD TIGHT, BUT IF THE CHILD MOVED, THE SEAT BELT SHOULDER MOVED AND REMAINED LOOSE, WHICH CAUSED THE SHOULDER BELT TO NOT RETRACT. *SCC *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10038638September 10, 2003
AIR BAGS
THERE WAS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE "CHECK AIR BAG LIGHT" ON THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WANTED $66.50 AN HOUR TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10037541September 9, 2003
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
BAD BEARING IN MANUAL TRANSMISSION- ESTIMATE AROUND $1000-OPTIONS: TAKE TIS ONE APART OR BUY USED TRANSMISSION- THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN IN A CAR THIS NEW- CAR DOESN'T EVEN HAVE 48000 MILES YET. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10001528September 2, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 30MPH, STARTING HEAR A NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS TOOK IMMEDIATELY TO THE MECHANIC AND FOUND PROBLEM WITH DEFECTED FRONT AXLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS CONSUMER WAS TOLD HUMAN ERROR, SEAL WASN'T PACKED WITH ENOUGH GREASE AT THE FACTORY. CONSUMER FELT THAT SHE SHOULD'VE BEEN REIMBURSED FOR HALF OF THE OUT OF POCKET REPAIRS WHICH TOTALED $240.30. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THIS FAILURE IS REAR AND HAPPENS IN OLDER MODEL VEHICLES AND EVEN THAT IS REAR. *PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10036732August 27, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
AFTER BOTH MY CHILDREN AT DIFFERENT TIMES TOLD ME THAT I HAD AN EXHAUST LEAK BECAUSE I AM EXPERIENCING INCRESASED EXHAUST NOISE (I HAD IT CHECKED), I RAN ACROSS AN ARTICLE IN "HIGHWAYS" MAGAZINE (GOOD SAM CLUB) THAT STATED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2000-2003 SATURN L-SERIES. I OWN A 1999 SATURN L-SERIES AND IT IS SHOWING ALL THE SIGNS OF THE SAME PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V231000. THE CAR HAS BEEN SLUGGISH AND VERY HARD TO START ALONG WITH THE INCREASED EXHAUST NOISE. THIS MODEL/YEAR SATURN SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL...THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH IT ALSO! WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO THE SERVICE DEALER IN MARCH, 2001, THEY SAID IT WAS THE BATTERY AND THEY INSTALLED A NEW ONE BUT IT DID NOT IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAR. IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM AND IT IS GETTING WORSE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10034453August 25, 2003
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING FOURTH GEAR ON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION DOESN'T ENGAGE PROPERLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10033444August 25, 2003
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB
THIS VEHICLE, WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, WAS DIAGNOSED BY DEALER AS HAVING TWO "WARPED" FRONT WHEEL HUBS AFTER COMPLAINTS OF INTERMITTENT STEERING WHEEL SHAKE AT 65 MPH. DEALER SAID IT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE HUBS BEING INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. SATURN CUST SVC REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY MFG DEFECT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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