Saturn L300 Complaints (2004)

61 consumer complaints on file.

#10176559December 19, 2006
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
2004 VUE PURCHASED NEW, LATE 2004; CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 16,000 MILES, SERVICED BY THE DEALER. FOR THE PAST EST OF 2000 MILES IT WILL DEVOID ITSELF OF POWER WHILE MAKING TURNS AND GOING FORWARD. IT WILL NOT BUCK, BUT REDUCE THE POWER. KEEP ROLLING AND THEN VERY GRADUALLY PICK UP SPEED. DEALER INFORMED AT LAST OIL CHANGE, I WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN FOR A DAY TO BE CHECKED. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED FOR LONER CAR, I CANNOT SIT AND WAIT ALL DAY. CAR IS NECESSARY FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR WIFE WHO WORKS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD ANYTIME THE CAR IS MOVING FORWARD. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10157810May 18, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MULTIPLE EPISODES OF CAR NOT STARTING AND STALLING. CAR ACTUALLY LOST ALL POWER AND STOPPED RUNNING WHILE I WAS DRIVING. CARS WERE ABLE TO SWERVE AROUND ME AND AN ACCIDENT WAS AVOIDED. I AM PURSUING LEMON LAW. AM VERY AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR!*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10139063October 7, 2005
TIRES
I HAVE A 2004 SATURN L300. AROUND 34,000 I NOTICED NOISES COMING FROM MY TIRES. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER, WHICH IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND FOUR NEW TIRES. THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE FACTORY BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY AND WOULD COST ME OVER 700.00. I NEVER HAD TO GET A FOUR WHEEL ALIGNMENT THIS EARLY ON A CAR AND I TAKE CAR OF MY CARS. I THINK THIS IS INSANE, I CALLED SATURN IN TENNESSEE COMPLAINED, THEY STATED THAT TIRES AND ALIGNMENTS ARE PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE. WELL HOW ABOUT THAT. I EVEN PAID THE EXTRA FEES, INCLUDED IN MY PAYMENTS TO COVER OIL CHANGES AND ALIGNMENTS. IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEY SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT WHEN THE CAR WAS BEING SERVICED. ANYWAY, WHILE DOING RESEARCH ONLINE, THERE ARE OTHER CASES OF THIS OUT THERE, LOTS OF THEM. CHECK OUT WWW.SATURNFANS.COM, WWW.AUTOMOTIVEFORUMS.COM AND EVEN THIS SITE, WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV. SO MUCH FOR PEOPLE FIRST. I PLAN TO POST THIS INFORMATION ON OTHER FORUMS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. [email protected] *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10124867June 9, 2005
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
CAR WILL HESITATE AND STALL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON THE CAR WILL AT TIMES NOT BE ABLE TO BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILING AND CLOGGING THE EXHAUST SYSTEM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10117736April 11, 2005
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BUMPER FELL OFF. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A COLLISION. DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT LOOSENED AND WAS TAPED TO THE VEHICLE.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10110932February 7, 2005
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY 70 MPH ACCELERATION WILL DROP DOWN TO 5 MPH. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH COMPUTER THAT THREW THE VEHICLE INTO IDLE MODE. THIS PROBLEM ALSO OCCURRED IN THE OWNER'S PREVIOUS SATURN MODEL L200 2002. THE CAUSE WAS STILL UNDETERMINED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10104115December 20, 2004
TIRES
RECENTLY PRURCHASED A NEW SATURN L300 WAGON WITH FIRESTONE FIREHAWK GTX TIRES (STANDARD). THE ROAD VIBRATION FROM THESE TIRES IS CONCERNING, IT CAN BE FELT THROUGH THE BODY OF THE CAR AND STEERING WHEEL PARTICULIARLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. OCCASIONALLY A TIRE MAY ALSO FEEL AS THOUGH IT HAS A FLAT AND RIDES ROUGH, UPON INSPECTION IT IS FINE. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER THREE TIMES, THEY HAVE BEEN BALANCED TWICE, AND TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THESE TIRES. THEY HAVE EVEN STATED PER THEIR DISTRICT MANAGER THAT OTHER SATURN'S ARE EVEN WORSE THAN MINE!!!! I GIVE UP. I HAVE ALSO SENT AN E-MAIL TO FIRESTONE WITH NO RESPONSE!!!!! ALL I WANT IS RESOLUTION SO I CAN FEEL I AM DRIVING A SAFE CAR WITH MY CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEAT.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10105058December 20, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH
WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS FLASHED FROM BRIGHT TO DIM. THIS OCCURRED EVERY 30 SECONDS. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH THE HEADLIGHTS WAS NORMAL. CONSUMER LATER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY ALSO SAID THAT WHAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXPERIENCING WAS NORMAL. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10099704November 9, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WHEN PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE VEHICLE WILL NOT START. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10095901October 17, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
PURCHASED ON 9/17/04. AFTER 1 1/2 WEEKS, NOTICED THAT HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY DIM ON & OFF EVERY 1/2 TO 1 MILE. TOOK TO SATURN, WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC, THEY CHANGED SUN SENSOR THOUGHT TO BE THE PROBLEM. THIS DID NOT FIX MY PROBLEM AND IT APPEARS THAT THE PROBLEM HAS WORSENED. THE SATURN CORPORATION HAS MAINTAINED THAT THIS IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC IN THIS CAR AND REFUSED TO DO ANY FURTHER REPAIRS. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT BE NOTICEABLE TO ANY TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. HOWEVER DUE TO MY EXPERIENCES AND OTHERS I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET, THAT THIS IS NOT TRUE AND COULD POTENTIALLY BECOME AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LETHAL SITUATION. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT, ANY SATURN WITH THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY TAKEN OFF THE HIGHWAYS UNTIL THIS SITUATION IS REPAIRED. IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION NOW THAT SATURN OF HARTFORD HAD IN ITS POSSESSION NOTIFICATION SINCE JANUARY 2004 FROM SATURN CORPORATION THAT THE L300 SERIES VEHICLE COULD HAVE THIS FLAW AND THAT SATURN REFUSES TO REPAIR IT. I AM EXTREMELY UPSET THAT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THIS SITUATION PRIOR TO BUYING THE CAR BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE CHANGED MY MIND AS TO WHICH VEHICLE I WOULD HAVE PURCHASED. I AM NOW SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE AT NIGHT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10094022October 15, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. *AK *SC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10092927September 21, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH THE HEADLIGHTSON THEY WILL CUT ON OFF FOR A LENGTH OF TIME OF 20 TO 30 SECONDS, LEAVING CONSUMER WITHOUT VISION OF THE ROAD. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND STATED WE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH PROBLEM, CALL NHTSA. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10090471September 5, 2004
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
SPEED MAY WITHOUT WARNING, SUDDENLY AND RAPIDLY INCREASE WHILE USE OF CRUISE CONTROL ON SHORT MODERATE TO STEEP INCLINES. SPEED JUMPS UP IN AN UNSAFE FASHION. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10090301September 2, 2004
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND FRONT BRAKES PULSATED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10086911August 15, 2004
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE CAR HAS CONTINUED TO FAIL TO START. IT DOES NOT CATCH ON THE FIRST TRY. TODAY IT TOOK FOUR ATTEMPTS TO START. THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY KEEP TELLING US THEY CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING. THE LAST TIME, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED FOR OVER 2 HOURS. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER THEY KEPT SEVERAL DAYS AND FOUND NOTHING. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS CAR. I'M HOPING IT WILL NOT TAKE MY DEATH OR THE DEATH OF SOMEONE ELSE TO FIND THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM . *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10083597July 26, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT TIME BOTH HEADLIGHTS GLAZED OVER, ALMOST OPAQUE, RESULTING IN EXTREMELY REDUCED HEADLIGHT VISIBILITY DURING THE NIGHT. THUS, OBSTRUCTING CONSUMER'S VIEW. DEALERSHIP INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER THAT HEADLIGHTS OPERATED AS DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER, NOTHING THEY COULD DO.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10076170July 19, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTSBLINK ON AND OFF. THE LIGHTS WOULD STAY OFF FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN COME BACK ON AGAIN. THE DEALER CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS PERFECTLY NORMAL. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS. *AK THE CONSUMER INDICATED THA THE VEHICLKE ALSO LOST POWER WHILE DRIVNG. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10078476June 19, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WE HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED AN 04 L300 AND HAVE STATED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS HAVE GONE OFF AND COME BACK ON. ON ONE SUCH OCCASSION, A TRACTOR TRAILER PULLED OVER ON US THINKING WE HAD NOTIFIED HIM TO DO SO. IT WAS JUST BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE WERE NOT CRUSHED. LATER THAT SAME NIGHT, A POLICE OFFICER PULLED US OVER WANTING TO KNOW WHY WE WERE BLINKING OUR HEAD LIGHTS AT HIM. WE EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM AND WERE TOLD THAT HE COULD RIGHT US A TICKET BUT WOULD NOT THIS TIME AND TO GET THE PROBLEMS CORRECTED. AFTER TAKING THIS ISSUE TO OUR SATURN DEALERSHIP, WE WERE TOLD THAT ACCORDING TO A MEMO DATED FEBRUARY 2004 THAT "THIS IS NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC" FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP AND CORP. HAVE REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING TO ASSIST WITH CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR IS ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD AND STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT THEY SUGGESTED THAT WE PAY $450 FOR A NEW ALTERNATOR AND PURCHASE ANOTHER EXTENDED BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. ALL STATING THAT THIS MAY NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS GOING TO RESULT IN SOMEONES DEATH IF NOT CORRECTED. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET THIS HANDLED? PLEASE ADVISE WITH ASSISTANCE IN PURSUING A RECALL OR HAVING MY CAR DECLARED A LEMON.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10073115May 25, 2004
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTING
WE JUST RECENTLY PURCHASHED OUR NEW CAR. WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. THE LIGHTS (HEAD LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS) KEPT GETTING DIM ALMOST AS IF THEY WERE GOING TO GO OUT. WE THOUGHT MAYBE WE HAD A WIRE THAT HAD NOT BEEN TIGHTENED OR THAT HAD COME LOSE. OTHER CARS THINK WE ARE BLINKING OUR LIGHTS AT THEM. WHAT HAPPENS IF A BIG TRUCK THINKS WE ARE GIVING HIM THE "ALL CLEAR TO COME OVER IN FRONT OF ME"? THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN TO THE SERVICE DEPT AND WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS "INTERMITTENT DIMMING (FLICKERING) OF HEADLAMPS AND/OR INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING-NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC. THIS MAY OCCUR BECAUSE OF TRANSIENT CURRENT LOADS ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DURING NORMAL VEHICLE OPERATION" PER THE TSB (TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN). WHY WERENT WE TOLD ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE PURCHASED THE CAR?? THE LIGHTS DONT "FLICKER" THEY GET DIM TO THE POINT THEY ARE ALMOST GOING OUT! SO HOW CAN THIS PROBLEM BE CONSIDERED "NORMAL"? SO MUCH FOR A NEW CAR!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10062722March 21, 2004
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS DIM ALMOST ALL THE WAY OUT UNPREDICTABLY. THE DASH LIGHT DIMMING DRAWS THE DRIVER'S ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE ROAD, WHILE THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMING DRAWS THE ATTENTION OF OTHER DRIVERS AND THE POLICE. MANY DRIVERS THINK THAT YOU ARE SIGNALING THEM AND THIS CAN LEAD TO ROAD RAGE INCIDENTS. ALSO, IN MANY STATES SIGNALING OTHER DRIVERS OF A POLICE PRESENCE IS AGAINST THE LAW. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS ON MANY OCCASIONS I HAVE LOST SIGHT OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING. IT IS ONLY BLIND LUCK THAT PREVENTED ME FROM BEING INVOLVED IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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