Saturn SL Complaints (1995)

355 consumer complaints on file.

#727690August 12, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
EXCESSIVE USE OF OIL FOR LIFE OF CAR. HEAD GASKET HAS NOW BLOWN
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#866937August 7, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN ATTEMPTING TO START VEHICLE IT WOULD NOT START. ALL ELECTRICAL DOORS LOCKED IN POSITIONS, OCCUPANT COULD NOT EXIT VEHICLE/DOORS COULD NOT BE MANUALLY OPENED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER IN REFERENCE TO OTHER PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725921July 24, 2000
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS THE VEHICLE ABRUPTLY LOST STEERING, I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE MAIN ROAD BY COASTING. LUCKILY THERE WERE NO CARS AROUND MINE AT THE TIME. THE STEERING WAS NON- EXISTENT AT THAT TIME. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM AT $465.00. I LOOKED ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE AND FOUND A RECALL RELATIVE TO MY SITUATION. NHTSA ID# 94V170000, COMPONENT STEERING MANUAL GEARBOX, MFG CAMPAIGN# 95C01 1995 SATURN SL. THE NOTE ON THIS RECALL IS THAT THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S MANUAL STEERING ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE DEALER WAS EXTREMELY UNCOOPERATIVE AND STATED THEY DON'T HAVE A RECALL FOR MY CAR AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY. THEY SAID THEY DON'T CARE WHAT NHTSA SAYS ABOUT THIS RECALL IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR THE SUDDEN FAILURE OF THE STEERING. PLEASE ASSIST ME IN THIS MATTER. I HAVE REQUESTED THE OLD STEERING PART. I WILL HOLD ON TO IT ONCE RECIEVED. I WANT MY MONEY BACK FROM SATURN AND OTHERS TO BE SAFE WITH SIMILAR SAFETY THREATENING ISSUES WITH THE 1995 SATURN SL SEDAN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#865808July 21, 2000
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
REAR WINDOW SHATTERED BY ITSELF, THROWING GLASS BOTH INWARD AND OUTWARD OF VEHICLE WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. REAR WINDOW WAS NOT TAMPERED WITH AND NO DEFROSTER/ HEATER OR AIR CONDITIONER WAS BEING USED AT THE TIME. CONSUMER STATED THAT IT ALMOST FELT LIKE IT EXPLODED.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#864758July 5, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ALL OF SUDDEN HEARD A BANG AND VEHICLE LOST POWER. PULLED OVER. BLACK SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONTACTED DEALER. ALTHOUGH EXACT CAUSE WAS UNDETERMINED, FIRE DEPT BELIEVES THAT IT WAS ELECTRICAL, AND MAINTENANCE RELATED. *AK *ML
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#724265June 20, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
JUST BOUGHT CAR FROM MAJOR DEALERSHIP 5 DAYS AGO. ENGINE TICKING AND OIL LEVEL LOW. I ONLY PUT 175 MILES ON CAR AND ITS IN THE SHOP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#552658June 15, 2000
SEATS
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE PASSENGER SEAT, AS STATED IN A SATURN RECALL, HOWEVER VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#863539June 13, 2000
SEATS
INSIDE DRIVER'S SEAT MATERIAL WOULD SHIFT UNEXPECTEDLY, NOT STATIONERY. THIS CAUSED PROBLEMS WHILE DRIVING. DRIVER'S SEAT WOULD BE TILTED TO THE RIGHT SIDE, AND IT WAS VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#723136May 24, 2000
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
SPARK PLUGS FAILED AT 30000 MILES. REPLACED PISTON RINGS. NOW AT 70000 MILES, SAME PROBLEM. REPAIRED AT SATURN OF RENTON, NOT BELLEVUE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#720750March 29, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE RUNNING LOUD WHEN OIL CHECKED IT WAS VERY LOW HAD JUST GOTTEN OIL CHANGE. GOT ANOTHER OIL CHANGE TO BE ON SAFE SIDE. ABOUT 2000 MILES AFTER THAT OIL CHANGE THERE WAS ALMOST NO OIL LEFT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#859069March 23, 2000
STEERING, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE, AND PROCEEDING THROUGH TRAFFIC, TOOK EYES OFF THE ROAD AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#858665March 16, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CONSUMER NOTICED AN OIL LEAK AT THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD. ALSO, ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD WAS CRACKED. A TSB WAS ISSUED ON THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *AK *ML
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#858305March 10, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING, WITHOUT WARNING, ENGINE CUTS OFF. THIS CAUSES A LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN THE VEHICLE. ALSO, VEHICLE HAS TO BE TURNED OFF AND STARTED BACK UP. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND CAN'T FIND CAUSE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719895March 9, 2000
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER'S SEAT BACK RECLINER GEAR TEETH ARE WORN EXCESSIVELY AND THE SEAT-BACK SLIPS REARWARD WHEN MINOR FORCE IS APPLIED. I CONTACTED SATURN (ROBERT HALL) REGARDING REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM UNDER THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 99V045000. HE STATED THAT BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL RECALL, THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT AT THEIR COST. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE COMPANY'S POSITION IS THAT THE SEAT-BACK RECLINER MECHANISM IS A "WEAR PART" AND THAT BECAUSE MY CAR IS 5-YEARS OLD, THIS KIND OF WEAR IS EXPECTED. I DISAGREE. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN 11/94. THE ORIGINAL RECALL COVERED VEHICLES MANUFACTURED 1/94 -8/94. IF ANYTHING, MY CAR IS NEWER AND THE MECHANISM SHOULD HAVE LESS WEAR. MR HALL FURTHER STATED THAT THE HIGH MILES INDICATED THAT THE PART WOULD BE EXPECTED TO FAIL. AGAIN, I DISAGREE. THE SEAT-BACK MECHANISM IS GENERALLY ADJUSTED ONLY ONCE EACH TRIP (OFTEN NOT AT ALL). UNLESS THE PART IS DESIGNED TO FAIL THROUGH NORMAL WEAR, IT SHOULD NOT FAIL SIMPLY BECAUSE THE AVERAGE TRIP LENGTH IS LONGER, AS OCCURS ON THE RELETIVELY LONG COMMUTES IN ALASKA. MR HALL STATED THAT THE PROBLEM "LOT" OF FAULTY SEAT-BACK MECHANISMS WAS FOUND AND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FIXED AT THE FACTORY ON MY CAR. ONE MORE TIME, I DISAGREE. I BELIEVE THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER CONTINUED TO INSTALL FAULTY SEAT-BACK RECLINER MECHANISMS AFTER AUGUST 1994. I REQUEST THAT THE ORIGINAL RECALL BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MY VEHICLE AND ANY OTHER THAT SUFFER FROM THE SAME SAFETY DEFECT AND THAT THIS SAFETY DEFECT BE REPAIRE AT NO COST TO ME.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#858033March 6, 2000
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE IDLING IN PARK POSITION ENGINE BEGAN RACING ON ITS OWN ACCORD. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. WHILE PULLING INTO THE DEALERSHIP ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE. PUT IT IN PARK AND GOT THE SERVICE MANAGER TO OBSERVE. HE HAD NO EXPLANATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857681March 1, 2000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHEN VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MPH, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. NOT SURE OF THE DAMAGES OR IF THE VEHICLE WILL BE TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#719396February 28, 2000
SEATS, SEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD SEAT
ON FEB. 24, I WAS REAR-ENDED WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE IMPACT PUSHED MY CAR INTO THE INTERSECTION AHEAD OF ME. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES. HOWEVER, MY DRIVER'S SEAT WAS FORCED INTO THE FULLY RECLINING POSITION AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT. THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE - NOT EVEN A SCRATCH. MY 2-YEAR DAUGHTER WAS SEATED IN HER CAR SEAT, LOCATED IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. IF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED, OR IF THE CHILD CAR SEAT WAS POSITIONED BEHIND THE DRIVERS SEAT, SHE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED BY THE FORCE OF THE FRONT SEAT SUDDENLY AND FORCEFULLY RECLINING ONTO HER LEGS. I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF TRANSPORTING MY DAUGHTER IN MY SATURN. AS A RESULT OF THIS EXPERIENCE, I HAVE MOVED THE CAR SEAT TO THE CENTER POSITION. BUT THE SEAT DOES NOT FIT TIGHTLY THERE - IT MOVES FROM SIDE TO SIDE. EVEN IN THE CENTER POSITION, BOTH FRONT SEAT BACKS HIT THE EDGES OF THE CAR SEAT WHEN THEY ARE RECLINED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857251February 18, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. THEN, VEHICLE STALLED. IT WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHERE TECHNICIAN TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS DUE TO A ENGINE PISTON WEARING OUT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#718740February 14, 2000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, HEARD A LOUD NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE AND LOST POWER. PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO FIND TRANSMISSION FLUID AND PARTS OF THE HOUSING ON THE HIGHWAY.ALSO FOUND VARIOUS OTHER TRANSMISION PARTS FARTHER UP THE ROAD. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#856535February 8, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE IS BURNING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL WHICH HAS CAUSED ENGINE TO LOCK UP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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