Saturn SL Complaints

2,218 consumer complaints on file.

#10025328July 2, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN FEBRUARY 2001, IN JANUARY 2002, FEBRUARY 2002, JANUARY 2003 AND JUNE 2003, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. SATURN CHANGED THE BATTERY IN JANUARY 2003 AND IN ALL OTHER OCCASIONS THE CAR NEEDED JUMP START. WHEN I CONTACTED SATURN, THEY SAID EVERYTHING IS FINE. SINCE ALL OF THEM WERE IDENTICAL PROBLEMS, SATURN WOULD NOT TREAT THESE AS REPAIRS AS JUMP STARTS DO NOT COUNT AS REPAIRS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023914June 27, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY 1995 SATURN SL1 OVERHEATED IN NOVEMBER 2002 DUE TO A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. THERE WERE 56,686 MILES ON THE CAR. WHILE THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICES BULLETIN RELATED TO THIS PROBLEM STATING THAT SATURNS BUILT BETWEEN 1994 AND 1996 MAY DEVELOP CRACKS AND OFFERING COMPENSATION IF HIS OCCURS WITHIN 6 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES, MY CAR WAS OVER THE 6 YEARS THAT THE WARRANTY COVERED. IN RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON EXPERIENCE FOR SATURN OWNERS AND FEEL THAT A RECALL OF THE CYLINDER HEADS IS NECESSARY AND/OR THAT SATURN NEEDS TO COMPENSATE OWNERS BEYOND THE 6 YEAR LIMIT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023831June 26, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
STEERING WHEEL SHAKES WHEN BRAKING, ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE DEALER REPORTS THIS IS DUE TO WARPED ROTORS DUE TO "EXTERNAL FORCES" AND NOT A WARRANTY PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS 30,000 MILES AND LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD. DRIVEN MOSTLY HIGHWAY TO AND FROM WORK, 35 MILES ONE WAY EACH DAY. SEEMS MORE LIKE A DEFECTIVE PART OR ENGINEERING.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10025027June 26, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE IGNITION MODULE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED THAT THEY HAVE A RECALL OUT, BUT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023765June 25, 2003
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
DRIVER SEAT LATCH BROKE WHEN REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER CAR WHILE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT CAUSING THE SEAT TO RECLINE. IN THE LOWERED POSITION MY WIFE,WHO WAS IN THE BACK SEAT,WAS FORCED FORWARD BY THE IMPACT RESULTING IN A HEAD INJURY ON THE HEADREST EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD HER SEAT BELT FASTEN. *NLM
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#10024818June 24, 2003
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
CONSUMER WILL ELABORATE ON A COMPLAIN ABOUT STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024819June 24, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN VEHICLE IS ENGAGED IN REVERSE IT MAKES A TERRIBLE NOISE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023712June 24, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
LEAKING EXHAUST FAILURE OF THE RESONATOR INCREASED EXHAUST NOISE. REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS FOUND CODES: P0133 AND P0301 SLOW RESPONSE FROM 02 SENSOR AND MISFIRE IN CYLINDER 1 AND BAD CHECK VALVE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024477June 19, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FELL OFF BROKE FROM ENGINE BRACKET. CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IS WITHOUT WARRANTY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023280June 18, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1996 SATURN SL1'S HAVE A PROBLEM REFERRED TO AS "DELAYED ENGAGEMENT IN REVERSE. WHEN YOU PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE IT WILL NOT MOVE, CAUSING POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. THIS IS DUE TO THE VALVE BODY ON THE TRANSMISSION WEARING EXCESSIVELY, ALLOWING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID TO FLOW AROUND A POPPET BEFORE ENGAGING. SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SO ARE THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR PLACES. SATURN REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS PROBLEM THOUGH THEY HAVE ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN FOR THE PROBLEM AND AT ABOUT $1000 PER REPAIR PER VEHICLE SATURN HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN NOT ACKNOWLEDGING THE PROBLEM. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10023314June 18, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
RESONATOR TUBE HAS A CRACK IN IT. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10024545June 13, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE, EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
DEFECTIVE BRAKE ROTORS ON 2001 SATURN SL. *MR FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED 4 TIMES. INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE BUCKED AND STALLED AT IDLE. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN ON ROAD TEST. RADIO LIGHT INOPERATIVE. RADIO ASSEMBLY REPLACED. *TT *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022594June 6, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY ENGINE IS LEAKING OIL FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020861June 1, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
TEMPERATURE SENSOR AND TOP MOTOR MOUNT BOTH CRACKED. *TT
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020256May 21, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE WAS UNKNOWN. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10020119May 19, 2003
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING THE HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO FLICKER THEN SUDDENLY WENT DIM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO A TECHNICIAN 13 TIMES FOR THE LIGHT SENSOR BRAIN CONTROL SWITCH. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018766May 15, 2003
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MANUAL TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR, AT TIMES IT MUST BE SHOVED TO GO IN TO AND OUT OF REVERSE, FIRST, AND THIRD GEARS. THIS PROBLEM IS BECOMING WORSE AND IS AT LEAST REMOTELY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT CAN TAKE AS MUCH AS 30 SECONDS OR SO TO SHIFT GEARS. THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AFFECTED BY ANY EXTERNAL SOURCE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10022184May 13, 2003
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
DEFECTIVE BRAKES DUE TO BRAKE CYLINDER LEAKAGE, AND ENGINE STALLED. PH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10018432May 8, 2003
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WE BROUGHT OUR SATURN INTO THE OAKLAND, CA DEALER FOR A TRANSMISSION DIAGNOSIS. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS DEVELOPED SOME LEAKS AND CLUTCH / GEAR ASSEMBLY PROBLEMS. INITIAL QUOTE FROM THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER FOR REPAIR IS $2600.00+. EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED 12/31/02, AND THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE 94,904 MILE MARK. AT THE 91,328 MILEAGE MARK, THE DEALER PERFORMED AN "87,000 MILE" SERVICE, NOT A "90,000 MILE" SERVICE. WHY DIDN'T THE SERVICE ADVISOR INFORM MY DAUGHTER THAT THE "90,000 MILE" SERVICE WAS DUE, WHICH INCLUDED A TRANSMISSION SERVICE? FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THIS APPEARS TO BE A CASE OF THIS DEALERSHIP NOT TRAINING THEIR SERVICE ADVISORS PROPERLY TO ADVISE A CUSTOMER REGARDING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE 94,904 MILE MARK, AND IT SEEMS REASONABLE THAT IF THE DEALER HAD PERFORMED THE "90,000 MILE" SERVICE WHEN THE CAR WAS AT THE 91,328 MILEAGE MARK AND INSPECTED THE TRANSMISSION THESE PROBLEMS WOULD HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND REPAIRED WHILE THE CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY. SATURN HAS ISSUED AT LEAST ONE DOZEN SERVICE BULLETINS REGARDING MAINTENANCE OF THIS TRANSMISSION SEVERAL TARGETED TO THE SPECIFIC ISSUE OF TRANSMISSION LEAKS AND REPAIRS. DOES THIS SATURN DEALER HAVE A PATTERN OF NOT INFORMING FEMALE CUSTOMERS ABOUT RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE? IS THIS AN ISSUE AT OTHER SATURN DEALERS? IS THIS A CASE OF GENDER BIAS SINCE THE MALE SERVICE ADVISOR DID NOT COMMUNICATE THE FACTORY RECOMMENDATIONS TO A FEMALE CUSTOMER? MAINTENANCE WORK BY THE SATURN OAKLAND (CA)DEALER:FUEL PUMP REPLACED, WATER PUMP REPLACED, WINDOW MECHANISMS REPLACED, DRIVE BELT REPLACED, IDLER PULLEY REPLACED, MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED, ALTERNATOR REPLACED, THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED. WE DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THEY COULD HAVE INSPECTED/DIAGNOSED/REPAIRED ALL THESE ITEMS AND NOT HAVE INCLUDED THE TRANSMISSION MAINTENANCE AT KEY MILEAGE MILESTONES. *NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10019532May 8, 2003
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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