Saturn LS Complaints

1,458 consumer complaints on file.

#10152855March 16, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THERE HAD BEEN NO PRIOR PROBLEMS AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 04/06/06. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152873March 16, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A BROKEN TIMING BELT. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIMING BELT AND THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152744March 15, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO DEALER 3 TIMES CONCERNING OVER A YEAR WITH A "NO START" AFTER DRIVING SUCH AS TO A STORE & VEHICLE WILL NOT START. TURNS OVER BUT WILL NOT START. THE SECURITY LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING WHEN TRYING TO START. AFTER APPROX. 15 MINUTES TO ONE HOUR WAIT THE CAR WILL START. DEALER CAN NOT DUPLICATE AND STATES PASS SYSTEM IS NOT AT FAULT. WITH MY WIFE DRIVING ONE EVENING LAST WEEK SHE STOPPED TO GET GAS AND CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. SHE BECAME FEARFUL OF HER SAFETY AT NIGHT AFTER A FEW SHADY PERSONS KEPT APPROACHING HER TO ASSIST. OVER THE PAST 3 DAYS, THE CAR FAILED TO START 4 TIMES BUT AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME IT WILL START. THIS SITUATION IS GETTING SERIOUS BUT DO NOT HAVE A SOLUTION TO RESOLVE. NOT BEING ABLE TO START A CAR IS STARTING TO BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE FOR BOTH MY WIFE AND GRANDCHILDREN. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152815March 15, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 SATURN L200 HOME FROM BOSTON ON 3-12-06 APPROX. 6:00 PM WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME AND CONTACTED SATURN. AFTER THEY EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, THEY CAME UP WITH THE DIAGNOSIS OF A FAILED TIMING CHAIN AND ENGINE FAILURE. I ASKED THE TECHNICIAN IF THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD THAT IT WASN'T. I GOOGLED COMMON PROBLEMS FOR THE SATURN L200 AND BROKEN TIMING CHAINS ARE VERY COMMON WITH MANY SATURNS. GMAC EVEN WENT AS FAR AS TO ISSUE TECH. BULLETINS ABOUT TIMING CHAIN ISSUES. GMAC KNOWS ABOUT THE HIGH FAILURE RATE OF THESE TIMING CHAINS AND HAS NOT TAKEN APPROPRIATE MEASURES TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION AND ARE TRYING TO PASS THE COST OF REPAIRING THIS DEFECT ON TO THEIR CONSUMERS.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152561March 13, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
MY CAR SIMPLY WOULD NOT START. IT IS A 2001 SATURN L200 WITH 31,000 MILES. VIN [XXX]. I HAD IT TOWED TO A GM GARAGE IN TOWN. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE THE TIMING CHAIN. IT HAD COME LOOSE AND MOVED 2 LINKS, SO THE ENGINE HAD NO COMPRESSION AND COULD NOT START. THE TIMING CHAIN AND GEAR WERE REPLACED, OIL AND COOLANT REPLACED. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $1,104. WITH ONLY 31,000 MILES, THIS FAILURE OF THE TIMING CHAIN IS VERY PREMATURE AND UNEXPECTED. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152344March 9, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
I PURCHASED A 2001 SATURN L200 IN OCTOBER 2004. IT HAD ROUGHLY 64000 MILES ON IT. THIS PAST OCTOBER MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THE CAR SLOWED TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A SERVICE STATION AND THE NEXT DAY I WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS BROKE. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP : SATURN OF SAGINAW. AFTER I EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED ,THEY MADE IT SOUND LIKE IT WAS MY FAULT . THEY CLAIMED THAT I WAS NEGLIGENT WITH MY OIL CHANGES. I TOLD THEM THAT I HAD EVERY OIL CHANGE RECEIPT AND THAT THEY WERE ALWAYS AROUND THE 3000 MILE LIMIT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD COST $2500 FOR A NEW CHAIN AND REPAIRS(BENT VALVES) OR $ 4000 FOR A NEW ENGINE. THEY CLAIMED THAT I SHOULD EXPECT NO HELP FROM SATURN. SO I HAD THE ENGINE REPAIRED FOR $1700 FROM THE STATION THAT INITIALLY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. SINCE THE REPAIRS, THE CAR IS RUNNING FINE, I READ ON THE WEB ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS MYSELF. MY CAR HAD 71000 MILES ON IT WHEN IT FAILED. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152180March 8, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
ON THE 22ND OF FEBRUARY OF 2006, MY 2002 SATURN L-200 ENGINE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING, DIED. THE CAR, LUCKILY, WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH. IT WAS TOWED TO A REPUTABLE REPAIR SHOP AND DIAGNOSED WITH TIMING CHAIN FAILURE WITH POSSIBLE REPAIR COSTS STARTING AT $ 2,800.00. MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED SO I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER TO SEE IF ANYTHING COULD BE DONE TO HELP SAVE MONEY. THE SATURN DEALER RECOMMENDED A FULL ENGINE REPLACEMENT FOR $2,130.00. I CONTACTED CORPORATE SATURN TO SEE IF MORE COULD BE DONE TO HELP WITH COSTS AT WHICH TIME I QUOTED TO THEM THE INFORMATION I HAD FOUND ONLINE ABOUT THE NHTSA INVESTIGATION GOING ON REGARDING THE L-SERIES AND THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. THE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT SHE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE INVESTIGATION. THEY DECLINE TO ASSIST ME AT THAT TIME. THE CAR IS NOW GETTING A NEW USED ENGINE THE 580,000 MILES ON IT WITH A 12 MONTH/12,000 MILE WARRANTY. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152200March 8, 2006
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH SOMETHING WAS NOTICED THROUGH THE REAR VIEW MIRROR COMING OFF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS PULLED OVER AND UPON INSPECTION THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD SEPARATED. THE SPARE TIRE WAS PUT ON THE VEHICLE THEN IT WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS ALSO SEPARATING AND THE LEFT REAR TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 05/04/06
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152132March 7, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
I HAVE A SATURN L200, 2001 WITH 54,790 AND THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND BENT THE VALVES. SATURN SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10152045March 6, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
2002 SATURN LW300 WITH APPROXIMATELY 40K MILES (BOUGHT NEW). POSITIVE TERMINAL OF AC DELCO BATTERY FOUND LEAKING. I REPLACED IT WITH A SEARS DIEHARD. AFTERWARDS CAR WOULD NOT START AND WAS LOCKED IN PARK GEAR. DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY ACTIVATED THE ANTI-THIEF SYSTEM WHICH I COULD NOT RESET PER OWNERS MANUAL. DEALER SAID IT MUST COME IN FOR REPROGRAMMING. AT DEALER I WAS TOLD THAT THE BCM UNIT WAS BAD AND WOULD COST $600 TO REPLACE. I DID NOTHING WRONG WHEN CHANGING THE BATTERY, AND THE CAR WAS FINE BEFORE. AC DELCO 78-6YR (FALSE LABELING) IS OWNED BY GM AND THEIR LEAKY SIDE-TERMINAL BATTERIES ARE A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THESE BATTERIES AND SATURN'S BCM UNITS ARE DESIGNED TO FAIL AND GENERATE PROFIT. AS AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER, I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW CHANGING A BATTERY CAN KILL A MODULE LIKE THIS. I AM 56 AND HAVE REPLACED MANY BATTERIES, ALL CORRECTLY. I HAVE FOUND MANY CASES LIKE THIS ON THE INTERNET. IN SOME CASES THE CARS STOP DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS DUE TO AC DELCO SIDE-TERMINAL BATTERIES. I AM AMAZED AT HOW MANY DEALER TRY TO IMMEDIATELY BLAME THE CUSTOMER FOR DOING SOMETHING WRONG (AS I WAS BY SATURN). *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10151774March 4, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
SUDDEN CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE TIMING BELT ON START-UP ONE VERY COLD MORNING(15 DEGREE.) SERVICE MGR. AT DEALERSHIP LATER EXPLAINED THAT WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING ONTO BELT AND FROZEN COOLANT MAY HAVE FORCED THE BREAK. DEALER REPLACED BELT AND PUMP AT MY EXPENSE ($1100). ONLY "WARNING" I HAD WAS LOW COOLANT WARNING LIGHT THAT CAME ON BRIEFLY DAILY AT STARTUP BEGINNING 1 WEEK BEFORE FAILURE. NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF WATER LEAKING ON ENGINE NOR ANY PUDDLING UNDER THE CAR BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10151679March 3, 2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHEN BREAK AND CLUTCH ARE APPLIED. THEY ALSO FLICKER WHEN JUST NORMAL DRIVING. THIS IS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10151450February 28, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN ROUGH AT ANY SPEED. THIS FIRST HAPPENED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE THIRD CYLINDER WAS NOT FIRING AND REPLACED THE SPARK PLUG AND COIL PACK. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AGAIN AND THE DEALERSHIP DETERMINED THE PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10150535February 17, 2006
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR, AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT THE DRIVER'S SEATBELT DID NOT HOLD CAUSING THE OCCUPANT TO HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE DASH BOARD CAME FORWARD ONTO THE OCCUPANT AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE OCCUPANT SUSTAINED HEAD, BACK, NECK AND RIGHT HIP INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHICH REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BODY DAMAGES. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, NO OTHER REPAIRS WERE MADE.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10150245February 14, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:FAN/MOTOR
I HAVE HAD ONGOING PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN 2003. I PURCHASE THIS CAR IN AUGUST 2003. IN OCTOBER 2003, THE CAR WOULD NOT START. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE WRONG TYPE BOLT WAS IN THE BATTERY CAUSING THE CAR NOT TO START. I PURCHASED THE BOLT AT THE DEALERSHIP HAD IT INSTALLED. IN OCTOBER 2004, THE CAR STARTED SHIFTING HARD. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED SOME TYPE OF VALVE AND THAT WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. AGAIN, THE DEALERSHIP INSTALLED THIS VALVE AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NOVEMBER 2005, THE BLOWER FOR THE HEATING AND DEFOGGER ONLY WORKS WHEN THE CAR HAS SAT OUT IN THE SUN FOR A WHILE. IT DOES NOT WORK IN THE MORNING WHEN THE CAR IS INITIALLY STARTED IN THE MORNINGS. THREE DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2005, WITH ONLY APPROXIMATELY 68,000 MILES ON THIS CAR, THE TIMING BELT BROKE. IT DID NOT DAMAGE THE MOTOR AND I HAD IT REPAIRED AT A COST OF AROUND $900.00. THIS TIME I DID NOT HAVE THE DEALERSHIP DO THE REPAIRS BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY INCONVENIENT AND EXPENSIVE FOR ME TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED THE DEALERSHIP FROM WHERE IT BROKE DOWN. WHILE LOOKING THROUGH MY OWNERS MANUAL, I NOTICED THAT IT STATED THAT MY TIMING BELT SHOULD LAST AT LEAST TO 100,000 MILES (MY THIRTEEN YEAR OLD NISSAN'S TIMING BELT LASTED UNTIL 120,000 MILES). WHEN I ADDRESSED THIS WITH YOUR CUSTOMER CARE LINE, I WAS TOLD THAT THE 100,000 MILES WAS JUST A SUGGESTION AND THAT THE BELT COULD ACTUALLY GO AT ANY TIME. I GUESS MAYBE THE WORD SUGGESTION/SUGGESTED SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUT IN THE OWNERS MANUAL BECAUSE THAT IS NOT HOW I UNDERSTOOD IT WHEN I READ IT AS PRINTED. JANUARY 2006, THE CAR STARTS HARD SHIFTING AGAIN AND AGAIN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION CAN'T SEEM TO FIGURE OUT THE SPEED OF THE CAR AND IT WOULD COST AN ADDITIONAL $80.00 FOR THEM TO TRACK IT DOWN. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10149692February 8, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2000 SATURN LS200 V6 ENGINE, 28,500 APPROX. MILEAGE. I WAS COMING OFF THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR DIED. NO WARNING, NO IDIOT LIGHTS, IT JUST COMPLETELY DIED. I HAD ENOUGH SPEED TO GET OVER TO THE SIDE OUT OF TRAFFIC, BUT IT WAS INCREDIBLY HARD TO STEER. IT WOULD NOT START. MY HUSBAND CAME AFTER ABOUT 20 MIN. IT STARTED. I THOUGHT IT WAS BAD GAS, BUT IT DIED AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES, NO WARNING, JUST COMPLETELY DIED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID IT WAS THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. $260 TO FIX. I WENT BACK AND ASKED THEM WHY SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD GO OUT WITH SO LITTLE MILEAGE, THEY SAID BECAUSE THE CAR HADN'T BEEN DRIVEN VERY MUCH. I CONTACTED SATURN CORPORATE. NO ANSWERS THERE EITHER. HOWEVER, THE DEALER THINKS IF ANYTHING ELSE GOES OUT, THERE WILL BE SOME WARNING. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10149469February 5, 2006
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
DEFECTIVE AIR BAG SENSOR MODULE. I WAS LUCKY THAT MY EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERED THIS. SHOULD BE COVERED FOR MORE THAN 3 THREE YEARS. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10149376February 3, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AT 33,000 MILES. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10149274February 2, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
1) THE CAR WAS DRIVEN TWO BLOCKS FROM HOME TO BRING A FAMILY MEMBER TO WORK. THE CAR STARTED NORMALLY, DROVE FINE AND GAVE NO WARNING OF ANYTHING GOING WRONG. THERE WERE NO STRANGE NOISES OR ANYTHING. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON EITHER! 2) WITH A LOAD BANGING NOISE, THE TIMING CHAIN INSIDE THE ENGINE BROKE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP. ALL POWER ASSISTED STEERING AND BRAKING WENT OUT AND THE CAR COASTED TO A STOP. IT WAS NAVIGATED THROUGH TRAFFIC TO PULL INTO A STORE PARKING LOT NARROWLY AVOIDING BEING HIT BY OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. IT WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. 3) THE ENGINE WAS FULLY DISASSEMBLED TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN, RELATED TENSIONER(S) AND 6 BENT VALVES. SEVERAL GASKETS AND OTHER MISCELLANEOUS PARTS AND KITS WERE USED TO REASSEMBLE THE ENGINE. *NM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10148563January 25, 2006
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
2001 L300 SATURN HAS BEEN TO DEALER FOR CONTINUING REPAIRS. CAR BUCKS WHEN SHIFTING FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR AND WRENCH LIGHT OR SES LIGHT WILL COME ON. DEALERS SERVICE PERSONNEL DOCUMENT THEY CANNOT SEE LIGHT ON DIAGNOSTICS, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES INTERMITTENTLY. CAR FAILED COMPLETELY ON INTERSTATE IN COMMUTER TRAFFIC. STATE POLICE ASSISTED OWNER. CAR EXITED INTERSTATE. CAR FAILED AGAIN. CAR TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP FOR A BATTERY WHICH HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER A MONTH EARLIER. CAR DRIVEN FROM REPAIR SHOP AND FAILED FOR THIRD TIME SAME DAY. CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. CAR FIXED AND CUSTOMER CHARGED. COMPLAINT FILED WITH SATURN CORPORATE. CAR BUCKING AND SHIFTING RETURNED IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS. LIGHTS UP INTERMITTENTLY. CAR UNSAFE! SATURN CORPORATE SAYS DEALER WILL OFFER A DISCOUNTED REPAIR. CUSTOMER NO LONGER TRUSTS DEALER OR CORPORATION DUE TO REPEATED REPAIRS FOR SAME ISSUES. CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED BY SELLING DEALER EXCEPT FOR SINGLE TOW DAY OF FAILURE. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION AND COMPLETE REPAIR HISTORY AVAILABLE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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