Saturn LS Complaints

1,458 consumer complaints on file.

#10186636March 31, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I WISH TO REPORT THE SAME DEFECT ALREADY IDENTIFIED BY ACTION NUMBER PE06006 (AND SUBSEQUENTLY EA06-009). THE TIMING CHAIN DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE DUE TO VERY ROUGH IDLING, AND AFTER GETTING A FIRST OPINION FROM MY SATURN DEALERSHIP AND A SECOND OPINION FROM A LOCAL GARAGE, I PAID $820 FOR A TIMING CHANGE. SATURN REFUSED TO COVER THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185905March 22, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE CONTACT FELT A LOSS OF POWER AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE BECAME IMMOBILE ,AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE IT. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. THE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER; THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE INTAKE VALVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER, AND THE INTAKE VALVES WERE REPLACED. THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY OCCURRENCES SINCE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE INTAKE VALVES. THE CONTACT FELT THAT SATURN SHOULD HAVE REPLACED COMPONENTS LISTED ON SERVICE BULLETIN # 03-06-01-017. ALSO, THE CONTACT FILED CASE NUMBER SR1-23172743 WITH SATURN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 64000. *AK UPDATE *4/23/07 *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185674March 20, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2002 SATURN L200 WITH 111,000 MILES. I HAD A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STATE ROAD. MECHANIC SAID IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN. POSSIBLY DAMAGE THE ENGINE AS WELL . *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185221March 15, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN BROKE ON MY 2002 SATURN L200 AT 75000 MILES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10185231March 15, 2007
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG LIGHT ON WON'T GO OFF WAS IN WRECK AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY ONLY LIT UP ON DASH *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10185110March 14, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2001 SATURN L200 BROKE, WHICH CAUSED THE PISTONS TO STOP WORKING, WHICH TOTALLY RUINED MY ENGINE. I ONLY HAVE 36,000 MILES ON THE CAR! THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG, MY CAR STOPPED RUNNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT. LUCKILY I HAD NOT ENTERED THE THRUWAY YET. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED AND REPAIRED. IT COST ME $2,479.50 TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON A MORE CROWDED STREET OR THE HIGHWAY, I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT, AS WELL AS ANYONE AROUND ME. I CONTACTED SATURN BECAUSE SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT DEAL WITH CARS, SAY THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THE LOW MILEAGE. I DID CALL THE COPS BECAUSE I ENDED UP IN THE MIDDLE OF A SCHOOL ZONE IN A NO PARKING AREA. I DID CAUSE TERRIBLE TRAFFIC CONGESTION. THE TOW TRUCK CAME AND TOOK THE CAR AWAY BEFORE THE POLICE SHOWED UP.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184903March 12, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING ALONG A CITY STREET DOING NO MORE THAN 25 MILES PER HOUR WHEN MY CAR JUST SHUT DOWN. UPON TAKING IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP I WAS TOLD THAT MY TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND THAT THIS WAS VERY UNUSUAL. I NOW AM FACING 3,000-3,500 IN REPAIR COST IF I DON'T USE SATURN PARTS DOUBLE THAT IF I DO SINCE THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED. *JB..UPDATED 02/12/15*BF
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184758March 11, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
MY WIFE'S 2002 L100 SATURN SEDAN, BEGAN TO IDLE ROUGH, SO I CHANGED THE SPARK PLUGS FIGURING IT WAS A BAD PLUG (I ALWAYS KEPT UP WITH MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE, I AM A QUALIFIED AIRCRAFT MECHANIC FOR THE MILITARY, SO I AM MECHANICALLY INCLINED). THE VEHICLE RAN FINE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, THEN BECAME EXTREMELY WORSE. THE VEHICLE HAD A ROUGH IDLE, LOW POWER AND WOULD STALL. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LEXINGTON, KY. DEALERSHIP. LATER THE SERVICE REP. CALLED AND SAID I HAVE SOME BAD NEWS, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD AND THE IGNITION MODULE, YOU HAVE GONE 3,000 MILES OVER THE WARRANTY. I ASKED HOW DOES A CATALYTIC CONVERTER GO BAD IN LESS THAN 5 YRS. AND UNDER 100,000 MI.? THE REP. SAID I DON'T KNOW BUT IT IS GOING TO COST $3,000 TO REPLACE EVERYTHING. I TOLD HIM WAIT A MINUTE, YOU ALL ALREADY CHANGED THE IGNITION MODULATOR ON THE RECALL BEFORE. I CONTACTED AN OUT IN TOWN MECHANIC, WHO PROVIDED ME WITH RECALL INFO ABOUT THE BAD IGNITION MODULATOR, THAT WHEN IT FAILS IT COULD/WOULD DAMAGE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I CALLED THE DEALER BACK WITH THIS INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTATION PROVIDED TO ME FROM THE MECHANIC I SAW. REP. SAID WE HAVE CHANGED THREE MODULATORS BEFORE YOU CAME IN WITH THIS PROBLEM, THEY SEEM TO KEEP FAILING AND YOU SHOULD CALL SATURN'S CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE. I DID AND INFORMED THEM WHAT THE MECHANIC TOLD ME AND WHAT THE DEALER INFORMED ME OF. SATURN SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT ME BACK AFTER CONTACTING THEIR ENGINEERS. SATURN CALLED BACK AND SAID THEY WOULD FIX THE REPAIRS IF I PAID THE DEDUCTIBLE AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I PAID $100 AND ASKED WHAT ABOUT THIS CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION MODULE, THEY SAID WHEN IT ACTS UP AGAIN CALL US BACK. SO, SATURN IS AVOIDING THE PROBLEM AT HAND WHICH I WAS SHOCKED BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THEY ALWAYS BACK THEIR PRODUCTS AND APPRECIATE THEIR CUSTOMERS. I PLAN NOT TO PURCHASE A SATURN IN THE FUTURE AND HAVE BEEN ADVISING OTHERS NOT TO EITHER. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184543March 8, 2007
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
I HAVE A SATURN SL YEAR 2000. IT CURRENTLY HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND IT SUDDENLY STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN, I WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT BECAUSE I COULDN'T SLOW IT FAST ENOUGH. THE BRAKES WOULD SLOW IT DOWN IF I FLOORED THEM BUT NOT SLOW IT TO A STOP. THE ENGINE RPMS WERE UP TO 5 AND WOULD NOT DECREASE. I HAD TO THROUGH THE CAR IN TO NEUTRAL THEN PARK (RPMS STILL AT 5) THEN TAKE THE KEYS OUT. I HAD THE NEAREST AUTO REPAIR CHECK IT AND THEY SAID THAT AN ICE BLOCK HAD FROZE IN THE AIR INTAKE CAUSING ACCELERATOR TO FREEZE. 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED. I PROCEEDED WITH THE SAME ACTIONS TO STOP, AND WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. (THIS TIME I SMELLED AN AWFUL BURNING SMELL WHICH I ASSUME WAS EITHER FROM RIDING MY BRAKES OR FROM THE ENGINE REVVING SO HIGH) LUCKY NO RED LIGHTS THIS TIME AND NOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD AS THE FIRST TIME. I DECIDED TO USE THE SATURN DEALER SHIP TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED. THEY STATED THAT "MICE" HAD CHEWED THROUGH THE WIRES GOING TO THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR/CONTROL. THEY REPLACED THE WIRES AND SAID IT WAS FIXED. NOW 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. I CALLED THE SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY MAY HAVE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM TO DIAGNOSE IT. I EXPLAINED IT HAS OCCURRED ONLY ABOUT EVERY 2 WEEKS AND THAT I HAVE ONLY ONE VEHICLE. I THEN DECIDED TO RESEARCH THE INTERNET ABOUT THE PROBLEM. ON ONE SITE WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM I FOUND A FEW DISTURBING REPORTS/COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE (INCLUDING ONE 10 MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE). THEY DESCRIBED THE SAME PROBLEMS ( ALTHOUGH 1 WAS A SATURN 2002) AND THAT AFTER MANY INCIDENTS AND VARIOUS REPAIRS THEY HAVE NOT HAD THEIR PROBLEM RESOLVED AND THEY ARE TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLE. ONE DESCRIBED THEIR VEHICLE AS A POSSESSED DEATH TRAP WHICH IS EXACTLY HOW I AM FEELING. . I AM VERY FRIGHTENED TO EVEN DRIVE NOW. PEOPLE COULD BE KILLED BY THIS PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184547March 8, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING THE 2001 SATURN L200 AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH SHE HEARD A LOUD POPPING SOUND, AND EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE, AND A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A MECHANIC, WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THE TIMING CHAIN SHEARED OFF. THE CONTACT STATED THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN. THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY OTHER OCCURRENCES WITH THE VEHICLE SINCE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIMING CHAIN. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAD 62,000 MILES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184479March 7, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
1) ON THE EVENING OF FRIDAY, MARCH 2, 2007 MY 2002 SATURN L-100 SEDAN STALLED WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN IT SUDDENLY "DIED". I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE AUTO MECHANIC SHOP NEAR MY HOUSE. 2) THE NEXT DAY THEY CALLED TO ADVISE THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN. THE CAR HAS LESS THAN 49,000 MILES ON IT. THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE ENGINE, ABOUT $6,000 WORTH OF WORK. I CONTACTED SATURN AND THEY ADVISED I SHOULD HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO ONE OF THEIR FACILITIES, WHICH I DID THAT EVENING. THE SATURN SERVICE CENTER CONFIRMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN BUT SUGGESTED REPLACING THE HEAD WITH A REBUILT PART FROM GM, APPROXIMATELY $3,200 WORTH OF WORK. AT THIS POINT SATURN IS REQUESTING MAINTENANCE RECORDS FOR OIL CHANGES. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184302March 6, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ON FEBRUARY 24, 2007 AT ABOUT 3:30 PM, WE WERE HEADING EAST ON HIGHWAY 509 IN TACOMA, WASHINGTON WHEN THE CAR JUST LOST POWER & DIED. WE WERE COMING AROUND A CORNER AND MADE IT TO A NARROW SHOULDER & WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY SO THAT CARS COULD BARELY GO AROUND. WE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK SINCE THE SHOULDER WAS NOT VERY WIDE & WE WERE STRANDED ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A MILD CORNER. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART AND WE WAITED FOR A TOW TRUCK. WHEN WE FINELY GOT THE VEHICLE HOME, I CALLED SEVERELY LOCAL MECHANICS TO SEE IF THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. MOST TOLD ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE TIMING CHAIN & INSTRUCTED ME ON HOW TO CHECK. ONCE THE COVER WAS OFF, IT WAS CLEARLY VISIBLE THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS GONE. I WAS THEN TOLD THAT MY WHOLE ENGINE WAS NOW PROBABLY GONE. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE SITUATION FOR US TO BE IN DUE TO SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE LASTED MORE THAN 57,000 MILES, THE TIMING CHAIN. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10184009March 2, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ENGINE FAILURE, HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT SATURN. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE. THEY PUT A NEW ENGINE IN IT WHICH FAILED 60K MILES LATER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183881March 1, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE 2001 SATURN L200 AT 25 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED AND LOST POWER. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS BEFORE OR AFTER THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RESTART A FEW TIMES THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SHEARED, THERE WAS NO COMPRESSION IN TWO CYLINDERS, AND THERE WAS HIGH COMPRESSION ON THE OTHER TWO CYLINDERS. THE VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAD 77,000 MILES.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183458February 25, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
I NOTICED ABOUT ALL THE COMPLAINTS THROUGHOUT THE INTERNET AND I DECIDED TO ADD MY COMPLAINT TO THE NHTSA. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY OUT OF TOWN ON CRUISE CONTROL AT 70 MPH WHEN MY VEHICLE LOST ALL ENGINE POWER. I WAS ABLE TO GLIDE IT OFF THE ROAD. I HAD IT TAKEN TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAS BROKE ON IT. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT TIMING CHAINS SHOULD NEVER BREAK. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 110K ON IT. NOW I HAVE A BROKEN VEHICLE WITH PAYMENTS STILL AND A LARGE COST TO FIX OR REPLACE THE ENGINE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183383February 23, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN LS BROKE AND RUINED THE ENGINE. WE HAD IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HWY AND BARELY GOT OUT OF THE ROAD IN TIME. AFTER READING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT PROBLEM I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS. THEY NEED TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS, SINCE THEY WILL NOT PAY THE $3400 TO GET MY ENGINE REPLACED. THIS IS THE 3RD DEFECT ON THE CAR THAT HAS COST ME MONEY TO FIX BEFORE A RECALL. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10183050February 20, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L200. THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH AND RUINED OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE THAT REQUIRED THE ENGINE TO BE DISASSEMBLED. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY INOPERABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 65,000. SATURN AGREED TO DO A 50/50 SPLIT FOR THE REPAIRS AND SHE DID NOT AGREE THAT SHE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OF THE REPAIRS. THE MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE INCLUDED AN OIL CHANGE, REPLACING THE PCV VALVE, AND 4 NEW TIRES. THERE WERE SEVERAL RELATED COMPLAINTS ON THE WEBSITE. *AK UPDATED 03/19/07. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10182497February 13, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE ON 2002 SATURN L-SERIES VEHICLE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10182286February 12, 2007
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I WAS PULLING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY AND MY SATURN L200 ENGINE JUST DIED. UPON INSPECTION AT SATURN OF DAYTON NORTH, I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD FAILED. I HAVE CHANGED THE ENGINE WITH USED AND STILL HAVE LITTLE POWER. I AM WAITING FOR TEST RESULTS. THE REPAIR SHOP SAID THAT THE OIL WAS DIRTY, BUT THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD NOT BREAK AFTER ONLY 61,000 MILES. I ALWAYS BELIEVED THAT SATURN WAS A DIFFERENT KIND OF AUTO COMPANY. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH SATURN'S RESPONSE THAT I MUST NOT HAVE CHANGED THE OIL! I WILL NEVER BUY OR RECOMMEND A SATURN TO ANYONE, AT THIS POINT IN MY EXPERIENCE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10182124February 9, 2007
AIR BAGS
MY SATURN LW300 HAD MANY PROBLEMS WHILE I OWNED IT. ON TUESDAY I HAD A SIGNIFICANT ACCIDENT WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF MY CAR. THE IMPACT WAS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO TOTAL THE CAR BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT INFLATE. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER TOLD ME THE LIGHT WENT ON BUT THEY MALFUNCTIONED. LUCKILY I WAS NOT INJURED NOR WAS MY THREE YEAR OLD SON. *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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