Saturn SL Complaints

2,218 consumer complaints on file.

#10246930October 28, 2008
SEATS
VEHICLE DRIVER SEAT SLIPS BACKWARDS WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. IT IS THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS THE FOLLOWING RECALL 99V045000, YET DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10246332October 22, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ONE EVENING LAST WEEK I NOTICED THAT WHEN I WOULD SHIFT GEARS AFTER BEING PARKED, IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING DROPPED UNDER MY CAR. THE SAME NIGHT, I WOULD BE DRIVING ABOUT 35-40 MILES AND HOUR IN THE 1-2 RPM RANGE, ALL OF A SUDDEN THE GAUGE WOULD QUICKLY JUMP TO 3 RPMS AND THEN DROP BACK DOWN. IT DID THIS CONSISTENTLY EVERY 2-3 MINUTES. I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP THE NEXT MORNING BECAUSE I FELT THAT IT WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. THE BODY VALVE WAS DAMAGED WHICH WAS THE MAIN PROBLEM. THAT WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH A FEW OTHER PARTS. WHEN I WAS PAYING ($2895) THE MAN THAT HAD BEEN HELPING ME INFORMED ME THAT HIS SHOP HAD ENCOUNTERED MANY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY MODEL CAR (2002 SATURN SL1) AND THAT THEY CHECKED IN TO ANY KIND OF RECALL OR BULLETINS. HE SAID THAT HE FELT THAT GM WOULD BE ISSUING A BULLETIN RELATIVELY SOON. I DID MY OWN RESEARCH AND FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT SATURN TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, IN PARTICULAR THE BODY VALVE. WHEN MY FATHER ORIGINALLY PURCHASED THE NEW VEHICLE, HE HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SHIFTING OF THE CAR AND GONE TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP TO COMPLAIN A FEW TIMES, AND HE WAS TOLD, "OH, THAT'S JUST THE WAY CAR IS." I FEEL THAT THIS CAR HAD A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IN THE BEGINNING THAT WAS BRUSHED UNDER THE RUG, AND HAS CREATED A ALMOST $3000 PROBLEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243285September 24, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
WHEN PRESSING BRAKE AND COMING TO A STOP, THE CAR ACCELERATES AND PUSHES FORWARD. YOU ARE FORCED TO BRAKE HARDER AND DIFFICULT TO STOP. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242812September 18, 2008
POWER TRAIN
ON HIS WAY TO WORK ON SEPT. 16, 2008, MY BOYFRIEND HEARD A STRANGE SOUND AND THEN LOST USE OF 2,4,R GEARS. IN MORNING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON US 1, HE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE USE OF 1,3 GEARS. WE TROUBLESHOOT ONLINE AND THROUGH FRIENDS WITH MECHANICAL EXPERIENCE AND TEMPORARILY USED A ZIP TIE CONFIRMING THAT THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS THE SHIFT CABLE BUSHING. LOCAL STORES DO NOT CARRY THE PART AS IT IS CARRIED BY DEALER ONLY. SATURN DOES NOT SELL THE PART WITHOUT THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY (MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE BUSHING WITH CLIP PART # 14043) AND HAS PRICED WITHOUT INSTALLATION AT $198.00. THE PARTS MANAGER DID NOT EVEN ASK ME FOR THE MODEL, SAID HE HAS PLENTY IN STOCK AND THAT THERE IS A MINIMUM 3 HOUR INSTALLATION WITH LABOR PRICED AT $95/HR. HE ALSO STATED THAT AS THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT HE HAS KNOWN OF PEOPLE TO USE ZIP TIES AND THEIR OWN NUT/BOLT SYSTEM TO REMEDY. UPON FURTHER INTERNET RESEARCH I HAVE FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM, SOME OWNERS WITH UNFORTUNATE OUTCOMES. IT IS A BLESSING THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING THAT DAY WITH MY 2 YOUNG CHILDREN, AS I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE! IT IS AMAZING TO ME THAT SATURN HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO SELL SUCH DANGEROUS VEHICLES WITH NO RECALL! MORE HORRIFYING IS THAT I FOUND THE PART AT NAPA AUTO PARTS FOR $19.95 AND SATURN INSISTS ON SELLING THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO JUST DON'T KNOW BETTER. THIS REEKS OF SCAM TO THE CRIMINAL LEVEL!!!!!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242685September 17, 2008
STRUCTURE, POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
ON 13SEP2008, AT APPROXIMATELY 1400HRS I WAS OPERATING MY 1997 SATURN SL2 (MANUAL) AT LOW SPEED IN MY DRIVEWAY; WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ENGAGE IN GEAR. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT MY SHIFTING CABLE LINKAGE HAD BECOME DISENGAGED (SPECIFICALLY THE SHIFTING ROD AND THE PLASTIC BALL-JOINT COVER). AFTER ATTEMPTING TO LOCATE THE PART VIA LOCAL AUTO PART MERCHANTS I CONTACTED A LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP. I SPOKE TO A MEMBER OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE DISENGAGEMENT OF THE SHIFTING ROD ASSEMBLY, AND CONCURRENT DAMAGE TO THE PLASTIC BALL-JOINT COVER WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHEN ASKED HOW MUCH IT WAS TO BUY THE PLASTIC BALL-JOINT COVER THE SERVICE EMPLOYEE INFORMED ME IT WOULD COST $195.00; BECAUSE ONE HAS TO BUY THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY AND NOT JUST THE PLASTIC BALL-JOINT COVER. AT THIS TIME THE VEHICLE HAS YET TO BE REPAIRED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242594September 11, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
LTR FROM SENATOR BINGAMAN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, RE FRONT SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT IN HER 2001 SATURN SL1. *NJ THE AIR BAD DEPLOYED WHEN THE CONSUMER SON EXITED THE VEHICLE AFTER FIRMLY CLOSING THE DOOR. THE CONSUMER HAD AN OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR INSPECT THE VEHICLE, AND HE STATED THE VEHICLES COMPUTER REGISTERED AN EVENT THAT OCCURRED PRIOR TO THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240971September 4, 2008
TIRES, TIRES:VALVE
DRIVING MY 1995 SATURN SL1 AT 65MPH, MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE IMMEDIATELY WENT FLAT. I WAS ABLE TO GUIDE THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER IN LESS THAN 200 YARDS AND CHANGE THE TIRE. THE LOCAL SHOP SAID THE VALVE STEM WAS "DRY ROTTED" AND SO THEY REPLACED IT. VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE OTHER TIRE VALVE STEMS SHOWS CRACKS. THE TIRES WERE INSTALLED AT WAL MART IN SUMMER 2007. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240797September 3, 2008
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING, MY GEAR SHIFTER JUST WENT "LOOSE" AND THE CAR WAS STUCK IN GEAR WITHOUT ANY ABILITY TO SHIFT. FORTUNATELY, I WASN'T HIT AS I WAS CROSSING THE ROAD AT 6:19 IN THE AM AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER SAFELY INTO THE EMERGENCY LANE. THE FAILURE WAS THE SHIFT CABLE BUSHING HAD BROKEN. HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_80337.HTML WILL SHOW MORE DETAILED COMMENTS FROM OTHER CONSUMERS. SHOULDN'T SOMETHING THAT CAN CAUSE SUCH A LOSS OF CONTROL BE MADE OUT OF SOMETHING A BIT MORE DURABLE THAN PLASTIC AND ALSO BE SOLD AS AN INDIVIDUAL PART AND NOT A $250 ASSEMBLY THAT COSTS ANOTHER $250 TO INSTALL? THE PART WAS ORDERED FROM SATURN AND WILL BE INSTALLED BY A LOCAL AAMCCO TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP THAT WAS THE CLOSEST PLACE TO MY HOME. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 1 MILE AWAY FROM MY HOUSE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10240697September 2, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN L BROKE. I ONLY HAVE 83,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE READ A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRING CONSISTENTLY WITH GM CARS, ESPECIALLY SATURNS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10239160August 21, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
MY 2001 SATURN SL2 HAS HAD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IGNITION LOCK ON DISCUSSION BOARDS. I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT FOR ABOUT A YEAR, BUT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO JIGGLE IT TO START. I'VE BEEN LUCKY. IF THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A PROBLEM WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL RATHER THAN ALL THE FALSE CHARGES AND REPAIRS PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO PAY? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10238598August 17, 2008
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION, LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
SHIFT CABLE LINKAGE BROKE AT SHIFTER WHILE SHIFTING DURING ACCELERATION ,MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO NO POWER AT WHEELS NEAR MISS OF BIG RIG. HAD TO DRIVE ON SIDEWALK-AND LAWN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10238397August 15, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT'S FATHER OWNS A 1995 SATURN SL2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTING TO REMOVE THE KEY, THE KEY WOULD NOT GO BACK TO THE LOCK POSITION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 118,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10238268August 14, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
MALFUNCTION OF PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG ON 2001 SATURN SL1. *NJ THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHEN THE CONSUMER'S SON EXITED THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP WITH THE ENGINE IDLING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10237493August 8, 2008
TIRES
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN SL1. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-75 MPH, BOTH DRIVER'S SIDE TIRES BLEW OUT. TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FAILURES, THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED TO FIND OUT IF IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE LONG DISTANCES. THE VEHICLE PASSED INSPECTION AND THE DEALER WAS UNAWARE OF THE FAULTY VALVE STEMS. AAA INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VALVE STEMS ON THE TIRES WERE FAULTY. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 17,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10237300August 6, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, TIRES:SIDEWALL
SIDEWALL EXPLODED WHILE ENTERING A DRIVEWAY. BOUGHT THE SAME TIRE AS A REPLACEMENT AND IT DEVELOPED A GIANT SIDEWALL BUBBLE IN A FEW THOUSAND MILES THAT JUST RUPTURED...THE TWO TIRES BOTH WENT BAD IN ONLY 11333 MILES...ABOUT 5666 MILES EACH!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10236878August 4, 2008
SUSPENSION
SATURN IS RIPPING PEOPLE OFF BY MAKING THEM BUY A $250 PART JUST TO GET A $5 BUSHING. I THINK THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE WHERE WE GET TO DECIDED WHAT WE REPLACE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10236351July 30, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
OIL KEEPS COLLECTING IN THE WATER RESERVOIR SEEMS TO HAVE DEVELOPED THE PROBLEM VERY SUDDENLY TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THE HEAD MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SATURNS SO I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS SOMETHING OF A DESIGN FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED,AND THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT. WONDER IF THERE IS A MANUFACTURER FIX FOR THE PROBLEM? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10235733July 25, 2008
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
I HAVE A SATURN SL2 AND EVERYTIME I TRY TO START THE CAR, THE KEY GETS STUCK AND I HAVE TO JIGGLE AND PUSH AND SHOVE AND SIT IN THE HOT CAR FOR OVER 15 MINUTES IN THE SUMMER HEAT TO START THE CAR. THIS IS AFTER I PAID TO HAVE TWO NEW KEYS MADE THINKING THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I DID SOME RESEARCH AFTER BEING TOLD I NEED A NEW IGNITION BARREL AND SAW THAT MANY MANY MANY SATURN VEHICLE OWNERS GO THROUGH THE SAME THING... WHY HASN'T THIS ISSUE BEEN ADDRESSED BY SATURN??? WE MUST WE SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON A FAULTY ITEM? LIFE AND GAS IS SO EXPENSIVE TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH A FAULTY CAR THAT THIS DEALERSHIP KEEPS SELLING. PLEASE HELP US! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10234119July 13, 2008
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION 1999 SATURN SL2 1.8 LTR SOHC WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE SHIFTER WENT LIMP. I WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND. I FOUND IT WAS THE CHEAP PLASTIC SHIFTER BUSHING WHICH ATTACHES THE SHIFT CABLE TO THE STICK. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THE ENTIRE CABLE, SATURN DOES NOT SELL THE BUSHING ONLY, WENT TO A JUNK YARD AND GOT THE PART FOR A DOLLAR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10233997July 11, 2008
SEATS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SATURN SL2. WHILE CHANGING LANES AT 10 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND CAUSED HER TO CRASH INTO A POLE. UPON IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SEAT RETRACTED BACKWARDS TOWARDS THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES TO HER BACK, NECK, AND SHOULDERS. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. SHE HAS ALL THE DOCUMENTS PERTAINING TO THE FAILURE, AND A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT. THE MANUFACTURER DENIED ALL RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V045000 (SEATS). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 107,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0

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