Saturn LS Complaints

1,458 consumer complaints on file.

#10166882August 29, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ON THE 27TH OF MAY I HAD MY SATURN LS SERVICED DUE TO A TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. AFTER SPENDING 3K IN REPAIRS I NOTICE A OIL LEAK APPROX. 3 MONTHS LATER. 3 MONTHS TO THE DAY OF HAVING THE REPAIR WORK DONE MY ENGINE LOST POWER AGAIN. THE SERVICE TECH QUOTED ANOTHER 2K REPAIR COST TO GET THE CAR BACK UP AND RUNNING. THE FAULT WAS DUE TO LOW OIL PRESSURE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. MY RESPONSE TO THAT IS WHEN I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED AND SERVICED I SHOULD HAVE LEFT WITH AN ENGINE IN GOOD REPAIR AND A CAR FULL OF OIL. I HAVE PURCHASED 3 SATURNS AND AFTER THIS INCIDENT I CAN GUARANTEE I WON'T EVEN CONSIDER ANOTHER SATURN OR GM CAR. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10167008August 29, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CAR IS A 2001 SATURN LW 200 STATION WAGON, WHICH HAD BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY WITH THE DEALER (LAST DATE OF SERVICE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 1/2 TO 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO INCIDENT). VEHICLE'S TIMING BELT FAILED DURING SHORT LOCAL TRIP (2 MILES FROM HOME) UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. TIMING BELT FAILURE RESULTED IN ADDITIONAL ENGINE DAMAGE INCLUDING DENTED VALVES. DRIVER HAD NO WARNING OF IMPENDING FAILURE: ENGINE SIMPLY STALLED OUT AND NEVER STARTED AGAIN. CAR HAD BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY WITH DEALER AND DEALER NEVER INDICATED THAT TIMING BELT WAS WORN OR REQUIRED SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. CAR IS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES ON IT. CAR WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP FOR EVALUATION OF PROBLEM. FIRST REPAIR SHOP BELIEVED PROBLEM WAS TIMING BELT BUT WAS NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM; RECOMMENDED DEALER SERVICE. DEALER ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS AT $2300. OWNERS DECIDED TO DELAY REPAIR PENDING POTENTIAL SALE OR DONATION OF THE DAMAGED VEHICLE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166722August 28, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENTIRE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY DETACHED, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO HAVE TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE DOWN THE RIGHT GUARDRAIL WITH THE BRAKE DEPRESSED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL. ALSO, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENTIRE TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN SMOOTHLY SHEARED OFF. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE IMMEDIATELY. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED, AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO INFORMED.*AK UPDATED 10/25/2006 - *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166814August 28, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
WE PURCHASED A 2001 SATURN L200 FROM A SATURN DEALER IN 2002 WITH 14,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WE HAD THE VEHICLE PROPERLY MAINTAINED BY A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP MECHANIC. THE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAD TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AT 57,000 MILES RESULTING IN SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE CYLINDER HEAD HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2,348.00. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166625August 26, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
1) MY CAR WAS OPERATING NORMALLY UNTIL 8/26/06, WHEN I NOTICED AN OIL LEAK. I DISCOVERED A 3" FISSURE IN THE VALVE COVER, OVER THE TIMING CHAIN. 2) I REMOVED THE VALVE COVER AND DISCOVERED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD GROUND AWAY THE UPPER GUIDE AND WAS WORKING ON "CHEWING THROUGH" THE VALVE COVER. THE TIMING CHAIN HAD NOT YET BROKEN, BUT HAD IT DONE SO, I WOULD BE LOOKING AT OVER $2000 OF ENGINE DAMAGE. I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL I REPAIRED THE TIMING CHAIN ISSUE. 3) ACCORDING TO A SATURN TSB 03-06-01-017, THE ORIGINAL DESIGN OF THE OILIER FOR THE TIMING CHAIN WAS INEFFECTIVE. I HAVE BOUGHT A "NEW DESIGN" TIMING CHAIN KIT FROM THE DEALER AND INSTALLED IT MYSELF. I WILL KEEP ALL THE OLD PARTS (GUIDES, VALVE COVER, CHAIN, TENSIONER, ETC. FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS IF THE NHTSA WANTS THEM. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166508August 25, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I OWN A 2002 SATURN L100. ABOUT A MONTH AGO THE AUTOMOBILE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN STARTING. IT TURNS OUT, AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO SATURN THE PROBLEM WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE(BCM). REPLACEMENT COST APPROX. $550.00. I HAVE TWO ISSUES. 1. BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD START AFTER MAKING A NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS, IT WAS DRIVABLE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE AIRBAG SENSOR WAS TRIPPED WHICH COULD CAUSE THE AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY(ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL) CAUSING AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. 2. MY RESEARCH ON VARIOUS ON-LINE SITES SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT A VAST NUMBER OF SATURN CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM,I.E. BCM FAILURE. CONSEQUENTLY, I BELIEVE THAT THIS BCM HAS BEEN POORLY MANUFACTURED AND SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REPLACED AT NO CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166300August 23, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20MPH, THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THAT UPON THE INITIAL FRACTURE OF THE TIMING CHAIN, THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED, AND BOTH COMPONENTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166307August 23, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN WAS WORN AND NEEDED REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 11/21/2006- WHEN THE CONSUMER STARTED THE VEHICLE A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHILE DRIVING HTH NOISE BECAME LOUDER. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED EH MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE FAULTY TIMING CHAIN BUT THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10166179August 21, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
AT 62000 MILES, TIMING CHAIN BROKE IN ENGINE - NO WARNING, CAR JUST STOPPED THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VALVES AND PISTONS. 2001 SATURN L-200 2.2 L ENGINE, 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165948August 18, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I WAS RESPONDING TO AN EMERGENCY CALL WITH MY LOCAL FIRE DEPT WHEN MY 2002 SATURN L SERIES MOTOR QUIT RUNNING ON THE MAIN HIGHWAY. IT TURNED OUT THAT I AM ONE OF MANY THAT HAD THE TIMING BELT BREAK WITHOUT ANY WARNING SIGNS. NO ROUGH IDLE OR HESITATIONS, PIFF IT WAS DEAD. THE MOTOR HAS ONLY 75000 MILES. I CAN NOT AFFORD TO HAVE SATURN FIX IT NOR WANT TO GIVE THEM THE FUNDS SO I AM HAVING ANOTHER MECHANIC FIX IT WITH STILL SOME HIGH EXPENDITURES. LUCKILY I WAS NOT LIKE SOME WHO HAD TO REPLACE VALVES AND SUCH. THE CHAIN FELL TO THE LOWER AREA. THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. LOOKS AS IF ENGINEERING OR QUALITY MATERIALS ARE AN ISSUE, NOT OIL CHANGES AS IT APPEARS SATURN IS USING AS AN EXCUSE TO AVOID THE ISSUE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165579August 15, 2006
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HAZARD FLASHING WARNING LIGHTS:SWITCH
FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVE NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL (BURNING) ODOR WHILE OPERATING MY VEHICLE. THE MULTI-FUNCTION TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IS VERY HOT ALL THE TIME AND WHEN I REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, IT TOO IS VERY HOT, TO THE POINT OF IT BURNING MY LEG THROUGH MY PANTS POCKET. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASE IT FROM FOR ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION AND ADVISED THE SERVICE TECH OF THIS. HE LATER CALLED TO ADVISED ME THAT THE TURN SIGNALS HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND THE SWITCH WAS SMOKING DURING THEIR TEST. HE ADVISED ME THAT THE SWITCH NEED REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $117. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD WITH 59,000 MILES ON IT. I FEEL THAT THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY/FIRE HAZARD AND THAT THESE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCHES ARE DEFECTIVE AND WEAR PREMATURELY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10165466August 14, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
DRIVING AT 30 MILES PER HOUR MY 2002 SATURN L200 LOST ALL POWER. I WAS IN TRAFFIC AND FORTUNATELY HAD ENOUGH STRENGTH TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL,WHICH HAD NO POWER, TO WHERE I COULD SAFELY PULL OFF THE ROAD. I HAD 3 CHILDREN IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SATURN DEALERSHIP AND FOUND IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN THAT BROKE CAUSING VALVE DAMAGE. THE COST TO REPAIR IS $3019.I WOULD LIKE TO ADD MY COMPLAINT TO THE MANY ON FILE AND HOPE SATURN WILL RECALL AS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. SATURN HAS OFFERED ME 2 YEARS OF FREE OIL CHANGES IF I REPAIR IT,HARDLEY SEEMS TO WARRANT WHAT COULD CAUSE DEATH. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165330August 12, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DRIVING ON HIGHWAY I 293,AND MY ENGINE BLEW IT GOT TOWED TO SATURN OF NASHUA (OFFERED ME $200 ON A TRADE IN FOR IT OR OTHER WISE 3600 TO FIX).MY IGNITION MODULE S#%T THE BED (A RECALLED PART) SATURN OF NASHUA ONCE AGAIN COULD NOT HELP ME BECAUSE THEY REPLACED IT FOR THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND THEY WOULD HAVE REPLACED IT FOR ME IF IT WENT 1600 MI AGO (DIDN'T HELP AT ALL).THE TENTIONER SPRING WENT THREW THE SIDE OF THE HOUSING,02 CENSOR BROKE,LIGHTS DIM WHEN ROLLING UP & DOWN THE WINDOWS,LOOSE POWER WHEN THE AC IS ON,USE LIGHTER IN CAR ONCE THEN FUSE NEEDS REPLACING,CV JOINTS WENT,MY BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT LIKE CRAZY AND I REPLACE THEM LIKE CRAZY AND GET PULLED OVER FOR IT TOO, WHAT ELSE OH YAGH! I DRIVE 61 MILES TO THEN FROM WORK 5 TO 6 DAYS A WEEK .AND DO ALL MY REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND THEN SOME AND STILL OWE 4 MORE YEARS ON THIS CAR SUCKS HUGE I AM ONLY SUCKERED ONCE SATURN AND SATURN OF NASHUA HAS LOST MY BUSINESS FOR GOOD! BUT THEY DID COVER THE COST OF PUTTING MY CAR ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE $96.00 WHEN MY ENGINE BLEW BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO LEAVE IT THERE THANKS SATURN FOR ALL THE PEOPLE YOU RIPPED OFF. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165157August 10, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND TURNING A CORNER THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO TWO CYLINDER HEADS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN AND CYLINDER HEADS. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 09/13/06.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165194August 10, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, MY 2002 SATURN L100 LOCKED UP AND QUIT WORKING. AFTER GETTING IT TOWED TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND THE HEAD WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED, RESULTING IN A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2,150, PLUS $190 IN TOWING CHARGES. ALTHOUGH THIS CAR IS 4 YEARS OLD AND OUT OF WARRANTY, I FEEL THIS IS STILL A NEW ENOUGH CAR THAT A COSTLY REPAIR AS THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I FOUND THAT THERE IS A PATTERN OF TIMING CHAINS BREAKING ON THE L SERIES CARS. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10165078August 9, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ON AUGUST 4, 2006 MY 2001 SATURN L SERIES SEDAN DID NOT START. AS THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IS 20 MILES AWAY, I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN ON THE VEHICLE AND GEARS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC AND MYSELF THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD AS THE CAR HAS ONLY 49,145 MILES ON IT. LUCKILY, I WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED, ALTHOUGH I COULD HAVE BEEN. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THERE IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM IN MY TYPE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED SATURN AND WAS TOLD THERE WOULD BE NO REIMBURSEMENT AS THIS WAS NOT AN OPEN RECALL FOR MY CAR. THE COST TO REPAIR THIS DEFECTIVE PART WAS $940. I HAVE HAD THE GEARS AND TIMING CHAIN REPLACED AND STILL HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10164804August 7, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN LS1 (WITH 80,000 MILES) FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT FULL SPEED (55 MPH) ON THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND I HAD TO PULL OFF THE HIGHWAY. NO WARNING OR PREVIOUS VEHICLE MALFUNCTION POINTED TO A NEED FOR MAINTENANCE. THE TIME CHAIN FAILURE CAN CAUSE SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE AND REQUIRE COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. MY VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY BEING LOOKED AT TO DETERMINE THE FULL EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. AT A MINIMUM, THE TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT WILL BE $600. COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACEMENT COULD BE IN THE RANGE OF $3-4,000. IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR SEVERAL SATURN MODELS AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE AND MAY BE DUE TO POOR DESIGN ON THE CHAIN LUBRICATION SYSTEM. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10164667August 6, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE CAR WOULD START ROCKING WHEN WAITING FOR A LIGHT. IT WOULD LOOSE POWER AT LOW RPMS AND EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE HEAD HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE SATURN SERVICE CENTER IN CLARENCE DID NOT TELL US TO CHECK THE TIMING CHAIN. TYPICALLY I TRAVEL ON EXPRESSWAYS AND A BLOWN ENGINE COULD HAVE CAUSED A MULTIPLE CAR CRASH. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10163971July 31, 2006
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED, WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH., THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND, FAILED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL MANY TIMES, THE BRAKES RESPONDED AND SLOWED THE VEHICLE. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN ALERTED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10163610July 27, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
JULY 4, 2006, SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER JUST HAVING NEW COMPUTER INSTALLED ON MY 2001 SATURN L-SERIES 200, I WAS DRIVING WITH MY MOTHER AND TWO SISTERS WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER INCLUDING STEERING AND BRAKING CAPABILITY. THE ENGINE DIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, I WAS TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED ROUNDING A RATHER INNOCUOUS BEND. BUT HAD THIS TAKEN PLACE UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THE CASUALTY LOSS, BOTH PROPERTY AND PERSONAL, COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE NEXT DAY A MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN THAT BROKE. PROCEEDED TO CALL SATURN, THEY SAID IT WOULD BE ROUGHLY THREE-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FIX. THE CAR IS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY, BUT I WAS STILL MAKING PAYMENTS. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY A CAR IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE, SHOULD NOT BE WARRANTED AGAINST AN UNREASONABLE DANGEROUS DEFECT SUCH AS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE SATURN L-SERIES 200. PLEASE HELP WITH CONTACTING SATURN AND SEEING ABOUT A REPLACEMENT TO COVER MY LOSS. THANK YOU. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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