Saturn SL Complaints

2,218 consumer complaints on file.

#10047770April 29, 2004
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, A "POP" NOISE WAS HEARD AND THE DRIVER COULD NOT STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RACK AND PINION MUST BE REPLACED. *PH CONSUMER SAID THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VECIDLE, BUT VEHICLE WASN'T WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068684April 22, 2004
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
WHILE ACCELERATING TO 40 MPH CONSUMER SHIFTED FROM SECOND TO THIRD GEAR AND FLOOR SHIFTER FAILED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10068577April 20, 2004
TIRES
CONSUMER WANTED TO REPLACED THE TIRES DUE TO THE RECALL. *PH *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10067513April 20, 2004
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SEAT SLID BACKWARDS. THE SEAT DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE, AND LOCK SYSTEM FAILED INTERMITTENTLY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10059765April 20, 2004
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING/PARKING SEAT BELT LATCH UNLOCKED FROM THE BELT BUCKLE. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO WEAR SEAT BELT CORRECTLY. *AK LEFT FRONT SEAT BUCKLE WERE REPLACED ON CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. DEALER WASN'T ABLE TO EXPLAIN THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10059156April 20, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE CENTER OF THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE FAULTY. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK *SC
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10067250April 15, 2004
CHILD SEAT, CHILD SEAT:HANDLE (INFANT)
WHILE REMOVING THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT FROM THE BASE THE HANDLE CAME APART FROM THE CSS, AND CONNECTING BRACKET DISCONNECTED FROM THE BODY OF THE SEAT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10066764April 7, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
VEHICLE WAS PARKED ABOUT 20 MINUTES WHEN IT SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DETERMINED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10066630April 6, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE OWNER STATES THAT,' THE GEARSHIFT CAN ENGAGE WITHOUT THE KEY BEING IN THE IGNITION SWITCH.' THIS CAUSED THE GEARSHIFT TO FAIL. THE CONSUMER HAS MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEALER. *MR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10066678April 6, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE VEHICLE'S HEAD GASKET CRACKED CAUSING THE OIL FROM THE ENGINE TO POURS INTO THE RADIATOR COOLANT. THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO OVER HEAT. *MR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065665April 6, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY WIFE AND I OWN A 1996 SATURN SL1 WITH 69001 MILES ON IT. I NOTICE THAT OIL WAS IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. CONTACTED SATURN OF CORPUS CHRISTI AND ASKED IF THEY HAD AN IDEA OF THE PROBLEM. MAYBE A BAD HEAD GASKET AND GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $840 PLUS $2.30/MILE TO TOW IT IN. LIVING OUTSIDE OF BEEVILLE 65 MILES AWAY A TOTAL OF 13O MILES. CONTACTED MY MECHANIC TOLD HIM THE PROBLEM AND HE GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $900 SAVING ON TOWING FEE, I WENT TO HIM. HE LOOKED AT IT AND TOLD ME THAT MY CYLINDER HEAD WAS ALSO CRACKED. HE THEN SHOWED ME A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN #96-T-65B THAT SATURN SENT OUT IN MAY 1999 DOCUMENTING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CYLINDER HEADS CRACKING. HE THEN SHOWED ME THAT MY CYLINDER HEAD WAS CRACKED JUST LIKE THE DIAGRAMS ON PAGE 2 OF THE BULLETIN SHOWED. I CONTACTED SATURN IN TENNESSEE TALKED TO CHAD OF CUSTOMER SERVICE, HIS SUPERVISOR MS. RAMIREZ, HER SUPERVISOR BRENDA SALSBERRY, HER SUPERVISOR JOEY FITZGERALD AND ALL GAVE ME THE SAME ANSWER THAT OUR CAR WAS OVER 6 YEARS OLD. THEY SAID THAT THEY'LL SENT OUT TO ALL SATURN OWNERS SPECIAL POLICY#99-P-01 IN JUNE 1999 EXTENDING OUR WARRANTY FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM FOR 6 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY EXTENSION POLICY FROM SATURN FOR US TO BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. AFTER THEM KNOWING AND DOCUMENTING PROBLEMS WITH CYLINDER HEADS DOES THIS NOT MAKE IT A DEFECTIVE OR FLAWED PART, AND THERE IS NO WARRANTY TIME ON DEFECTIVE PARTS. I'M ASKING YOU TO INVESTIGATE THIS FOR US INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GETTING NO WHERE WITH SATURN. I DON'T THINK THAT IT IS JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT MY CYLINDER HEAD CRACK JUST AS THEY DREW UP ON PAGE 2 OF BULLETIN 96-T-65B. HELP! *LA
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10064554April 5, 2004
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
SHIFTER ARM CLUTCH LINKAGE BUSHING BROKE WHILE SHIFTING GEAR. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065530April 5, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. THE DRIVER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC THE MECHANIC RESET THE COMPUTER SYSTEM. *AK THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL ON CERTAIN 2000-2003 L-SERIES SATURNS REGARDING THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE, SO THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS NOT WIDESPREAD. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE PROBLEM HE EXPERIENCED WITH HIS CAR WAS STATED IN THE RECALL. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065408April 1, 2004
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR-ENDED IT, CAUSING THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10065427April 1, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE DASHBOARD. DEALER STATED WIRING HARNESS MELTED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10064068March 29, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I HAVE BEEN ADDING COOLANT CONSTANTLY. I TOOK CAR FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THE WATER PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I REPLACED THE WATER PUMP AND STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM WITH OVERHEATING. SATURN ISSUED A BULLETIN 01-T-07 THAT TALKS ABOUT THE SENSOR PROBLEM. THEY WILL ONLY REIMBURSE THE CUSTOMER IF IT'S STILL UNDER WARRANTY. I AM UPSET BECAUSE I CONTINUE TO PAY FOR ITEMS THAT I PROBABLY DON'T NEED BECAUSE THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10064044March 28, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
SATURN WAS LEAKING OIL INTO THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK AND WATER IN THE OIL. OVER HEATING REALLY BAD THAT THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN AND NOT START UNTIL COOL, AND IT BOILS OVER IN THE RADIATOR EXPANSION TANK. OCTOBER '03 HAD HEAD GASKETS REPLACED, AND THE HEADS SENT OFF FOR SERVICE, ONE MONTH LATER, ITS BACK TO LEAKING OIL IN THE COOLANT AND WATER IN THE OIL. OXYGEN SENSOR WENT OUT, AND HAS BEEN REPLACED AND SO DID THE IGNITION MODULAR, WHICH HAS BEEN REPLACED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10064002March 27, 2004
TIRES
THE RIGHT REAR TIRE SEPARATED AT THE SIDEWALL, CAUSING THE CAR TO SWERVE VIOLENTLY INTO THE NEXT LANE, STRIKING A TRACTOR TRAILER AND TOTALING THE CAR.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10063984March 26, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
BATTERY ACID LEAK ON POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL (SATURN 2001 SL2). ON 3/13/04 AT NIGHT TRIED TO START MY SATURN AND COULDN'T START IT. CALLED SATURN ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR A JUMP (CAR STARTED). *AK ON THE DRIVE HOME CAR LOST ALL POWER COMING OFF THE FREEWAY AFTER PUSHING THE CAR TO A GAS STATION I FOUND THE POSITIVE BATTERY WAS CORRODED. I ATTEMPTED TO CLEAN THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL AND THE BATTERY TERMINAL WITH THE CABLE FELL OUT OF THE BATTERY. CALLED SATURN ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR A TOW TO SATURN OF TORRANCE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. 3/15/04 SATURN OF TORRANCE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOOK THE CAN IN FOR REPAIR. AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING: POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL OUT OF BATTERY POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE CORRODED CLEANED AFFECTED AREA I WAS CHARGED $127.57 FOR A REPLACEMENT BATTERY THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE CORRODED WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY (NO CHARGE) NOTE: BATTERY WAS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD AND HAD GREEN INDICATOR LIGHT SHOWING THE BATTERY WAS STILL GOOD. I AM NOT HAPPY WITH BEING CHARGE FOR A REPLACEMENT BATTERY FOR A NEW CAR, AFTER LEARNING THAT QUITE A FEW OTHER PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT SATURN SERVICE BULLETIN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE (SERVICE BULLETIN 01-T-26) NOTE: (STATEMENT POSTED ON THE INTERNET SAME PROBLEM) YES THIS IS A WELL-KNOWN CONDITION. THIS PROBLEM IS BASICALLY CAUSED BY SOMEONE OVER-TORQUING THE CABLE MOUNTING BOLTS. THERE IS ACTUALLY A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE PROBLEM (NOT A RECALL OR CAMPAIGN) )1-T-26 .THE CONDITION CAN OCCUR ON ANY YEAR AND MODEL SATURN OR OTHERWISE WITH A SIDE POST BATTERY. BUT FOR WHAT-EVER REASON THE BULLETIN SPECIFIES ONLY 2000-2001 S-SERIES. (OVER-TORQUED AT FACTORY??) HTTP://WWW.SATURNFANS.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP3?S=D24372B7D0378A6EBF7DB656F9578E7E&THREADID=26203&HIGHLIGHT=SATURN+BATTERY+LEAK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10063100March 12, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING THEN A BANG NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. THIS OCCURRED WHILE GOING UP AN INCLINE AT 30 MPH. THE NOISE WAS FOLLOWED BY SMOKE. THE CONSUMER THEN PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND WITHIN SECONDS THE ENGINE WAS IN FLAMES. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT THERE WAS KNOCKING IN THE ENGINE, AND DEALERSHIP REPLACED A CYLINDER BECAUSE IT WAS BAD.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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