Saturn LS Complaints

1,458 consumer complaints on file.

#10259631February 23, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. WHEN HE INSPECTED THE VALVE COVER, HE NOTICED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 104,321. UPDATED 03/18/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/19/19. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258900February 17, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
2002 SATURN L200 LEAKING GAS DUE TO FAULTY FUEL PUMP. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTED INCIDENTS AND I CAN IMAGINE THE NUMBER OF OWNERS THAT DID NOT COMPLAIN. SATURN HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND IT CONTINUED ON TO THE 2003 MODELS. SATURN SAID YOUR ORGANIZATIONS IS THE ONLY AUTHORITY TO ISSUE RECALLS. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE FOR A RECALL TO BE MANDATED, OR DOES IT TAKE A FATALITY FOR THIS TO OCCUR. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10259103February 17, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, EQUIPMENT
I HAVE A 2001 L200 SATURN. MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY MAYBE 120,000 MILES ON IT. I WENT TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THE TIMING CHAIN IS MESSED UP. I CONTACTED ANOTHER MECHANIC TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE PRICE. HE TOLD THE PRICE RANGES FROM 1000-1500 DOLLARS. TODAY I DECIDED TO SEE IF I COULD FIND SOMEONE TO REPAIR THIS CAR AT A MUCH CHEAPER RATE UNTIL I CAME ACROSS ALL THESE ISSUES PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH THEIR SATURN TIMING CHAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258574February 13, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CAR STOPPED RUNNING WOULD NOT RESTART. SATURN DEALER SAID TIMING CHAINS FAILED CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE. REPLACED ENGINE AT MY COST APPROX 1 YEAR AGO. ON 2-11-09 THE SAME [XXX] THING HAPPENED. *TR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258180February 10, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN LS1 BROKE WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH. CAR GLIDED TO A CONTROLLED STOP. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST $2800 DUE TO BENT VALVES AS A RESULT OF THE TIMING CHAIN. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NCCC HAS PREVIOUSLY REQUESTED NHTSA TO EXPAND RECALL TO INCLUDE EARLIER MODEL YEARS ON THIS KNOWN SATURN DEFECT. IS THERE A STATUS UPDATE? *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258269February 10, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FUEL SMELL AND SMALL LEAK. DEALER SAYS FUEL TANK IS LEAKING AT SEAM OF VENT COVER PLATE OF FUEL TANK. ALSO, FUEL PUMP OUTPUT FITTINGS ARE PLASTIC AND "BECOME BRITTLE" AND ARE LEAKING. "BECOME BRITTLE" IS THE DEALER SERVICE WRITER'S WORDS. I GOOGLED THIS AND FOUND AT LEAST TWO MORE INSTANCES IN A 5 MINUTE SEARCH. OTHER INSTANCES FROM GOOGLE WERE VERY RECENT ALSO! NOVEMBER 2008. THIS MIGHT BE A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. PLEASE CATCH IT EARLY! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10258004February 9, 2009
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH MY 5 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE, TRANSITIONING FROM ONE HWY 24 TO I-80 IN THE EMERYVILLLE / BERKELEY AREA IN CALIFORNIA, OUR SATURN 2000 LW WAGON SUDDENLY LOST POWER. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER BUT COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR. I WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN AND TOLD ME THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE AND THAT OTHER YEARS OF THIS MODEL HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS REASON. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257595February 5, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2000 SATURN L-SERIES TIMMING CHAIN BROKE ENGINE NO GOOD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257596February 5, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TIMING CHAIN FAILED ON 2002 L200 WITH 111K MILES ON IT. CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED WITH NO MAJOR DEFECTS OR COMPLAINTS. THIS WAS A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION AS THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER INTO A PARKING LOT SAFELY WITHOUT INVOLVING ANY OTHER VEHICLES OR PEDESTRIANS. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR REPAIR AND IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT NOT ONLY DID THE TIMING CHAIN FAIL BUT THE HYDRAULIC TENSIONER HAS COMPLETELY COME LOOSE AND ENDED UP IN THE OIL PAN. SO FAR THE REPAIR, INCLUDING THE LABOR AND CHAIN KIT, WILL RUN AROUND $1500 IF THERE IS NO OTHER DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE FAILURE. I AM HAVING MECHANIC KEEP OLD PARTS SINCE THERE IS CURRENTLY A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION UNDERWAY. I WANT MY PARTS AVAILABLE SHOULD THEY BE NEEDED. SINCE THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2001 MODEL WITH THE SAME ENGINE AND TIMING CHAIN COMPONENT I FEEL THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ONE ON ALL MODELS WITH THIS SAME ENGINE/CHAIN COMBINATION! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257617February 5, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
IGNITION MODULE WILL NOT RELEASE THE KEY. IT REMOVES PART WAY BUT APPEARS TO BE STUCK. TRIED OBVIOUS REMEDIES LIKE LUBRICATION WITH NO POSITIVE RESULT. CURRENTLY I CANNOT REMOVE THE KEY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257379February 4, 2009
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
ELECTRICAL ISSUES - ISSUES BEGAN WITH DIMMING DASHBOARD AND CONTINUED TO WORSEN. USING POWER WINDOW ONE MORNING EVERYTHING BEGAN FLICKERING ON THE DASH BOARD INCLUDING ALL MSG LIGHTS AND BACK OFF AGAIN. THE CAR SEEMED TO RUN FINE AND THE RADIO DIDN'T DIE. INITIAL THOUGHT WAS ALTERNATOR WAS TELLING ME THAT I WAS ABOUT TO BE STRANDED 175 MILES FROM HOME. DRIVING FURTHER ANY BLINKER I HIT WOULD CREATE SAME REACTION, THE LAST TIME THE CAR SEEMED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE WHILE TRAVELING AT 65MPH. PARKED CAR AT MY ENDING DESTINATION AND TOOK TWO TIMES TO START BACK UP. BCM SEEMS TO BE THE CULPRIT AS I'VE SEEN ABOUT 1000 POSTS FROM L200 OWNERS WITH SAME ISSUE AND COSTING 400-600. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH SATURN WOULD NOT OR SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO CHARGE FOR THIS ISSUE IF THIS IS ONE OF THE MANY ON THE LIST OF PROBLEMS. THIS IS NOT ETHICAL AND IN THIS TIME, VERY UNFORTUNATE THEY WOULD TREAT CUSTOMERS LIKE THIS AND GENERATE REVENUE FROM A FAULTY CAR TO BEGIN WITH. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257468February 4, 2009
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND OBSERVED FUEL SPILLAGE ON THE GROUND. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND CRACKED FUEL LINE WAS DISCOVERED. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL PUMP EXHIBITED CRACKS THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,140.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257284February 3, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
1. EVENTS LEADING UP TO FAILURE, NONE 2. THE FAILURE, TIMING CHAIN LINK SEPARATES WHILE CAR RUNNING, AND WILL NOT RESTART. 3. HAVE TO REPLACE TIMING CHAIN. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257255February 2, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE TIMING BELT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 117,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10257039January 31, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TIMING CHAIN BROKE. ENGINE IS FREEWHEELING, INTERFERENCE MOTOR, CYLINDER HEAD DAMAGE. A NEW MOTOR WAS NEEDED. I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 45 MPH. WHEN IT HAPPENED. I WAS LUCK THERE WAS A TURN OUT. IT WAS A TWO LANE, CURVY ROAD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256920January 30, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 120,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256966January 30, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED WORKING. THE CONTACT TOOK HER VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY NOTIFIED HER OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). SHE WAS INFORMED TO CALL THE SATURN MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256582January 28, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A STRANGE NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND THE TIMING CHAIN WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE. THROUGH RESEARCH, THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE AUTHORIZED DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256329January 26, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. AAA ARRIVED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A TIMING CHANGE FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER INFORMED THEM TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR A DIAGNOSIS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT RELY ON AAA'S INFORMATION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE DEALER'S DIAGNOSTIC IF IT WILL BE THE SAME INFORMATION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,343.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10256377January 26, 2009
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT BUDGE. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO BODY SHOP. THE TIMING CHAIN WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 117,887.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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