Saturn SL Complaints

2,218 consumer complaints on file.

#843097July 23, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
BRAKE LINES EXPLODED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 40 MPH, CAUSING COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE CONSUMER HAD TO PULL EMERGENCY BRAKE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#708872July 21, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#708919July 21, 1999
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
THERE IS A RECALL IN EFFECT FOR THE SEAT RECLINER FAILURE IN 1994, 1995 AND SOME 1993 SATURNS. MY SEAT RECLINER FAILED IN 1995, BUT MY VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHEN IT IS A FAILED PART FROM THE SAME RECLINER MANUFACTURER. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT IT A COUPLE OF TIMES AND CHOSE NOT TO GET IT FIXED BECAUSE IT COST $250. RECENTLY I HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL AND THOUGHT THAT FINALLY THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. BUT MY CAR ISN'T INCLUDED. WHY? *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#547402July 20, 1999
CHILD SEAT:HANDLE (INFANT)
LOCKING MECHANISM NOT HOLDING ROD ON BACK OF CAR SEAT. *YC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#842280July 14, 1999
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS WOULD FLIP OVER WHEN RETRACTING. WOULD JAM IN TOP GUIDE. THIS CAUSES THE BELTS TO GET CAUGHT IN THE DOOR FRAME. THE BELTS WOULD ALSO BE TWISTED WHEN RETRACTING OUT TO BE USED. POOR DESIGN. A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER WHO HAS NO CORRECTIVE SOLUTION TO PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#841772July 7, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
VEHICLE RUNS HOT AND NEEDS A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1K MILES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#841838July 7, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE USED TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#546458July 6, 1999
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE, SUSPENSION:FRONT
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULDER HARNESS (SHOULDER BOLT) FELL OFF, POSSIBLE ERROR IN ASSEMBLY, WAS NOT TIGHTENED PROPERLY WHEN MANUFACTURED. *YC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#708257July 6, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
COMPLETE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE, CREATING UNSTABLE CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO RADICAL VIBRATIONS THROUGH STEERING SYSTEM. DEALER SOLUTION AND MANUFACTURER'S "BAND-AID" SOLUTION - CHANGING ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS WITH INFERIOR PARTS THAT CONTINUE TO FAIL (4 TIMES FRONT, 2 TIMES REAR; MOST RECENT - FRONT ROTORS CUT). MANUFACTURER'S EXPLANATION OF FAILURE ON 2 OCCASIONS: CAR IS NOT SUITABLE FOR NORTHEAST, CAR IS USED FOR LONG TRIPS TOO OFTEN (84 MILE ROUND-TRIP COMMUTE), AND DRIVER USING BRAKES TOO MUCH, CAUSING THE FAILURE IN MANUFACTURER'S EQUIPMENT. SUMMARY: FEAR OF LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO SOFT BRAKING SYSTEM/NO BRAKES, INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO RADICAL PULSATION IN STEERING SYSTEM WHILE TRYING TO BRAKE, & FINANCIAL BURDEN ONCE BRAKES ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#708078June 30, 1999
STEERING:GEAR BOX:SHAFT SECTOR
THIS DEFECT MATCHES NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #:99V045000. THE DRIVER-SIDE SEAT SLIPS BACKWARD WHEN YOU LEAN BACK ON IT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#841322June 29, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
ENGINE MOUNTS HAVE WORN OUT. DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE MOUNTS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#546416June 25, 1999
STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION), STEERING:RACK AND PINION, STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
POWER STEERING GEAR BOX WORN CAUSING IT TO MAKE NOISE WHILE TURNING. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#707881June 24, 1999
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
I WISH THE STATE HAD MORE STRINGENT LEMON LAWS. I WILL HAVE HAD TO BRING MY CAR IN FOR REPAIRS 5 TIMES NOW, AND I FEEL THAT IS RIDICULOUS FOR A CAR IVE ONLY HAD FOR 6 MONTHS. THERE ARE PROBLEMS THAT EXIST NOW AND HAVE REOCCURRED OR PROBABLY WILL. SATURN SHOULD DEFINITELY PRODUCE BUT BETTER CARS IF THEY WANT PEOPLE TO BUY THEM... I CERTAINLY WON'T BUY ANOTHER ONE OR ANY GM PRODUCT. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED SATURN DIRECTLY BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AS I HAD DEALINGS WITH ANOTHER SATURN. FURTHERMORE, BRINGING THE CAR TO THE DEALER SEEMS TO BE A HASSLE. I HAVE TO GO OUT OF MY WAY TO GET MY "LEMON CAR" FIXED REPEATEDLY FOR MINOR PROBLEMS WHICH ARE REALLY ANNOYANCES. NO DEFECT MENTIONED IN SUMMARY.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#707814June 23, 1999
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
ON 6/17/99 AT 6;30PM I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM RTE 73S TO ATCO JUGHANDLE. ONCE I MADE THE TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN PLACE AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. THE CAR SHUTTERED AND CRASHED INTO THE CURB. MY SPEED WAS 20MPH AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE DRIZZLING. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#707767June 22, 1999
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR, SEAT BELTS:FRONT
SEAT BELTS CONSTANTLY TRY TO FLIP OVER WHEN RETRACTING. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THEY CATCH IN THE DOORS AND CAN BE EASILY DAMAGED. WHEN THEY FLIP OVER, THEY THEN FIL OVER THE OCCUPANT TWISTED UNTIL THE SIDE PILLAR IS OPENED TO STRAIGHTEN THE FABRIC AT THE RETRACTOR. EVEN WHEN NOT FLIPPED, THE FRONT BELTS TEND TO COME TWISTED OVER YOUR BODY. I'VE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE WHERE YOU MUST PAY SO MUCH ATTENTION TO HOW YOU PUT ON AND TAKE OFF THE BELTS TO AVOID TWISTING THEM. IT'S A POOR DESIGN, AND MY 1996 & 1997 SATURNS DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER OFFER NO SOLUTION SINCE THE REDESIGN OF THE FRONT BELTS ALLOWING VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT CREATED THE PROBLEM. MANY CUSTOMERS WILL WEAKEN THE BELTS BY CATCHING THEM IN THE DOORS OVER AND OVER. I DON'T THINK TOO MANY WILL PAY TO REPLACE THEM. IF THE TOP BELT CLIP WERE REDESIGNED, THE TENDENCY TO TWIST MIGHT BE REDUCED. I HOPE YOU CAN CONVINCE THE MANUFACTURER TO PROVIDE A FIX FOR THIS ISSUE. IT'S NOT ONLY ME. ALL USERS OF MY VEHICLE HAVE THE SAME COMPLAINT ABOUT THE BELTS IN FRONT. THANK YOU. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#546218June 21, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
HEAD GASKET CRACKED CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE COMPONENTS. MJS
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#707746June 21, 1999
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CRACKED HEAD CYLINDER AT 16K MILES WITHOUT ANY UNUSUAL OR HARSH DRIVING. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER. NO OIL WAS LEFT IN THE CAR -- IT WAS IN AN "UNDRIVEABLE" CONDITION. THE SERVICE DEPT WAS SHOCKED THIS HAPPENED ON A TWIN OVERHEAD CAM ENGINE & THUS DIDN'T EVEN STOCK THE PART TO FIX THE CAR. DEALER ALSO SAID THERE WAS NO ENGINE DAMAGE, ALTHOUGH I FIND THAT HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE THE CAR WAS DRIVEN FOR SOME TIME WITHOUT REALIZING THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#840434June 18, 1999
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN CONSUMER SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WITHOUT WARNING AND HIT A CURB, REASON UNKNOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#840273June 17, 1999
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED WHILE WAITING ON TRAFFIC LIGHT TO CHANGE ;CAUSES DRIVER SEAT TO FALL BACKWARD AND INJURY CONSUMER BACK. DEALER/MFR. NOTIFIED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#839926June 16, 1999
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. UPON COMING TO A STOP, DRIVER'S SEAT JUST BROKE LIKE A RECLINER, AND A PIECE OF MEDAL CAME THROUGH THE SEAT. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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