Saturn SL Complaints

2,218 consumer complaints on file.

#10118424April 25, 2005
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
FREQUENTLY WHEN THE FRONT SEAT BELTS ARE BUCKLED THEY APPEAR TO BE SECURED, BUT ARE NOT AND COME UNDONE. THIS IS THE ONLU CAR I HAVE EVER DRIVEN THAT YOU ARE NOT LOCKED INTO YOUR SEAT BELT WHEN YOU THINK YOU ARE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10118425April 25, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
1997 SATURN SL2. STARTED ENGINE, IT RAN A FEW SECONDS, THEN STOPPED WITH ELECTRICAL SMELLING SMOKE FLOWING FROM UNDER DASHBOARD INTO CAR. AFTER IT STOPPED, IT COULD STILL BE CRANKED OVER BUT WOULD NOT FIRE AND RUN. WE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND PUSHED IT INTO OUR GARAGE, WHERE IT STILL SITS.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10118242April 21, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
AT ABOUT 81200 MILES, THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. UPON REFILLING THE RESERVOIR, I NOTICED THAT THE COOLANT WAS DISCOLORED. I CHECKED THE OIL AND IT WAS CONTAMINATED (MILKY COLORED). I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THE HEAD WAS CRACKED. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THIS IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH SATURN SOHC ENGINES AND THAT I SHOULD TRY TO GET SATURN TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. AFTER DOING MY OWN RESEARCH, I FOUND THIS TO BE TRUE. I CALLED SATURN, AT SPRING HILL AND WAS TOLD THAT "SINCE I HADN'T TAKEN THE CAR BACK TO SATURN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET, FOR REPAIRS." I DO ALL MY PM'S AND HAVE RECEIPTS AND MILEAGE RECORDS TO PROVE IT. I WAS TOLD, WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR THAT "THAT WOULD BE FINE." ALL SATURN HAS DONE SO FAR, IS GIVE ME A CASE NUMBER (1-5883104). MY PROBLEM IS, I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T WANT TO DRIVE THE CAR TO SATURN AND COMPOUND THE PROBLEM, YET SATURN WON'T PAY FOR A TOW AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, REGARDING THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM, WITH OTHER SATURN OWNERS, ONCE THEY HAVE YOUR CAR, YOU HAVE TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL TO GET THEM TO PAY FOR THE JOB AND IN SOME CASES, THEY SIMPLY WONT. I REALIZE THAT MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT THIS SEEMS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING SATURN HAS KNOWN ABOUT FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND DID NOTHING TO CORRECT IT. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10117588April 6, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2002 SATURN SL2 STALLED THEN VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *MR THE VEHICLE BEGUN TO SMOKE THEN IGNITED. *SC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10116118March 30, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
2000 SATURN SL-2 WITH 021500 MILES; ANTI-FREEZE LEAK FROM INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET. THIS WILL CAUSE A PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSIONS SYSTEM.THIS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT,CAUSING A BURDEN ONTO THE CONSUMER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10116044March 29, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
NO PRIOR INDICATION OF A FAULT. ON MARCH 26, 2005 MY WIFE WENT TO START THE CAR AND NOT ONLY WOULD IT NOT START, BUT SMOKE STARTED COMING UP FROM THE DASHBOARD. UPON HAVING IT TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THAT THE IGINITION SWITCH HAD FAILED AND HAD BURNT OUT THE WIRING HARNESS. THIS CAR HAS 48849 MILES ON IT. THIS JUST DOES NOT MAKE ANY REASON, AS SHOULD IGINITION SWAICHES GO BAD ON A LOW MILEAGE CAR AND CAUSE SO MUCH ADDITIONAL DAMAGE?
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10111466March 18, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION FAILED WITH NO WARNING. *AK WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN OVERHEATED AND STALLED. THE CONSUMERS MECHANIC TOLD HER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10115199March 15, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON ITS ON. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO STOP BY TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES, THEN RESTARTED IT AND DROVE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT ABS CONTROL UNIT SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10111513March 15, 2005
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
UPON SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BACK RECLINED COMPLETELY. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK *NM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10112483March 3, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE ENGINE SEEMS TO CONSUME EXCESSIVE QUANTITIES OF OIL BETWEEN CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE. THE AVERAGE CONSUMPTION (THAT WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE >1 QT EVERY 3000MI) SO I'M TOLD... I'M CONSUMING APPROXIMATELY 1 QT EVERY 250 MI OR MORE! WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT THIS? HAS THERE BEEN ANY RECALLS ON THE ENGINE OF THE 1995 SATURN SL2 LINE? I HAVE BEEN LEAKING OIL AT AN ALARMING RATE ALSO. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112407March 2, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
IN JAN. 1998 MY TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND CRACKED MY ENGINE AND VALVE COVER. PRIOR TO THIS I DID TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALER WHO STATES TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT OR NEW ENGINE IF TIMING CHAIN BREAKS. BEING THAT MY SATURN SL2 WAS A 1994 IT WAS FUNNY THAT SO SOON TIMING CHAIN PROBLEMS OCCURRED. MY TIMING CHAIN DID BREAK, AND I WAS UNABLE TO GET IT REPAIRED INTIL 2001 BY THE LOCAL DEALER WITH A USED ENGINE THAT LEAKED OIL EVERY WHERE I PARKED, MY COMPLAINTS YIELDED NO RESULTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE CAR WHICH BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, COOLING FAN FAILED AND IN AUGUST 2004, THE TIMING CHAIN ON THE OTHER USED ENGINE STARTED TO RATTLE AND ALSO BROKE, SO TODAY I AM CARLESS AND DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE SATURN TIMING CHAINS. IS THERE AN INVESTIGATION ONGOING?*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112206February 26, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 65 MPH AND CRUISE CONTROL JUST SPEED UP ABOUT 10 MPH OUT OF THE BLUE. CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK AND RPMS TO JUMP. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10112990February 23, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHEN BRAKES APPLIED THE BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO COME ON, THE BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER DROVE TO THE DEALER AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE CONNECTING FROM THE STEERING HARNESS. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10111764February 18, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10110630February 16, 2005
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
VEHICLE WAS LOSING POWER. FOUND POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL ON ORIGINAL AC DELCO BATTERY LEAKING AND CORRODING THE BATTERY CABLE. REPLACEMENT BATTERY CORRECTED PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10115235February 7, 2005
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
1995 SATURN SL2, INCOMPLETE DEPLOYMENT OF PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG IN MODERATE FRONTAL COLLISION. *BF PORTIONS OF THE AIR BAG FABRIC MELTED THE INTERNAL COMPONETS OF THE MODULE. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10110019February 7, 2005
SEAT BELTS
I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THAT TOTALED MY CAR. I WAS ONLY TRAVELING 15-20 MPH WHEN I HIT A CAR WITH NO LIGHTS ON. I HAD TWO PASSENGERS IN MY CAR. ALL OF US SUSTAINED INJURY BECAUSE THE SEATBELTS DID NOT LOCK UP AND HOLD US. MY BACK SET PASSENGER WAS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND SHE WAS RUSHED TO THE HOSPITAL WITH FACIAL INJURIES THAT LEFT A GASH UNDER HER LEFT EYE AND RUN BURN ALL OVER HER FACE. MY FRONT PASSENGER WENT FLYING INTO THE FROM WIDSHIELD AND HIS HEAD HIT AT THE TOP RIGHT CORNER. THE BELT RESTRAINED HIM INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS IT STAYED CONNECTED TO THE CAR BUT MY FRONT PASSENGER ONLY STOPED AS SOON AS THE SEATBELT EXTENDED AS FAR AS IT COULD. I WAS DRIVING AND WAS PUSED DOWN INTO THE AIRBAG BY MY PASSENGER SITTING BEHIND ME. I SUSTANINED A SMALL FRACURE THAT LOOSENED MY TWO FRONT TEETH. MY BACK PASSENGER IS THE ONLY ONE TO SUSTAIN DAMAGE FROM THE ACTUAL SEATBELT AND IT WAS AROUUND HER STOMACH, WHICH SEE WAS 7 MONTHES PREGNAT AT THE TIME. THE BABY IS OK AND SHE WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL THE NEXT MORNING. *JB
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
3
Deaths:
0
#10108486February 3, 2005
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY
WHILE PARKING MY 1898 SATURN SL IN A HOSPITAL GARAGE, THE SHIFT LEVER WENT LIMP WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO WAY TO OPERATE THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN I REMOVED THE CONSOLE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PLASTIC BUSHING THAT CONNECTS THE MANUAL SHIFT LEVER TO THE SHIFT CABLE WAS MISSING. THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SHIFT LEVER AND THE CABLE TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE ENTIRE SHIFT CABLE ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SATURN TOLD ME THAT THE BUSHING IS MADE ONTO THE CABLE RATHER THAN BEING AVAILABLE AS A SEPARATE PART. IF THIS BUSHING HAD FAILED IN A TRAFFIC SITUATION IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE BUSHING SHOULD BE DESIGNED SUCH THAT IF IT BRAKES; THE SHIFT LEVER WILL REMAIN CONNECTED TO THE SHIFT CABLE AND JUST CAUSE SLOPPY SHIFTING THEREBY WARNING THE DRIVER THAT REPAIR IS REQUIRED. I STILL HAVE THE OLD SHIFT CABLE ASSEMBLY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10109502February 1, 2005
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DO SO. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10108875January 25, 2005
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PADS WEAR PREMATURELY. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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