Saturn SL Complaints (1997)

227 consumer complaints on file.

#725335July 12, 2000
STEERING:RACK AND PINION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
AS OF TODAY'S DATE, 7/12/00 THE SATURN AUTO IS WITH THE DEALER IN SANTA ANA, CA. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#725124July 8, 2000
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
THE SATURN WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR IN THE MERGE LANE WHILE PREPARING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO FUNCTION RESULTING IN DRIVER STRIKING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER FACE. LACERATIONS, STITCHES, BROKEN NOSE RESULTED. PASSENGER SEAT BELT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY.*AK
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
2
Deaths:
0
#864785July 5, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
ALL HYDRAULIC PRESSURE DISAPPEARED BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF MASTER CYLINDER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#864027June 22, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
DUE TO DESIGN REAR DISC BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING CORROSION. THIS, IN RETURN, RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH. *AK THE CALIPERS ON THE REAR DISC BRAKES CORRODE REDUCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REAR BRAKES. *YH
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#863333June 9, 2000
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE DRIVING ON ROUGH ROADS OR MAKING A TURN AROUND A CORNER CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE OR SOMETHING LOOSE. TOOK TO DEALER , AND THEY COULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#723639June 6, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
EXHAUST SYSTEM RUSTED OUT IN 3 YEARS--HAD TO REPLACE. CAR WAS NEVER DRIVEN IN WINTER, WAS WASHED EACH WEEK, WAS PARKED OFF-STREET. CLEARLY, INFERIOR PARTS WERE INSTALLED BY SATURN.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#862841May 31, 2000
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH ON A ROAD AIR BAG DETONATED, BUT DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#722797May 17, 2000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
I HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER, NO START CONDITIONS,AND LONG PERIODS OF CRANK TIME,EVEN KILLING A BATTERY THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR! NOTIFIED MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IF THEY---DETERMINED IT WASN'T THE FUEL PUMP, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A SERVICE CHARGE !---AND I HAVE THE BEST EXTENDED WARRANTY THEY HAVE !
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#721458April 14, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:TRUNK LID, STRUCTURE:BODY
THE TRUNK LID WILL SELDOM REMAIN IN THE UP POSITION WHEN PLACING ITEMS IN THE TRUNK. THE TRUNK STARTS TO CLOSE, STRIKING THE PERSON. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN THE LEVEL POSITION. SATURN OF DATONA HAS REPLACED THE TRUNK LID SPRINGS, AND ASSURED THEY ARE ADJUSTED CORRECTLY FOR A SATURN WITH A FACTORY INSTALLED SPOILER. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SATURN CORP., THROUGH THEIR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER, RECOMMENDS THE REMOVAL OF THE SPOILER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO REMOVE A FACTORY PROVIDED ITEM AND CHANGE THE VEHICLE EXTERIOR CONFIGURATION TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. IF THIS IS THE SOLUTION, HOW CAN SATURN CONTINUE TO SELL VEHICLES IN THIS CONFIGURATION? I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND COULD REPRESENT A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, I.E., WOMAN BEING STRUCK IN THE HEAD, A CHILD BEING INADVERTENTLY LOCKED IN THE TRUNK. WOULD LIKE SATURN TO PRVIDE A RESONABLE SOLUTION WHICH WOULD NOT RESULT IN CHANGING THE EXTERIOR VEHICLE CONFIGURATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#721409April 13, 2000
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
RRED ONE YEAR AGO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HE FIXED IT. NOW IT IS FALLING AGAIN. IT SEEMS THAT IT IS MORE LIKELY TO FAIL WHEN HEADLAMP IS OFF. IN ADDITION, I ALSO SAW OTHER CARS OF SAME MODEL HAD THE SIMILAR FAILURES. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#860230April 12, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#721241April 10, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THIS VEHICLE ([XXX])LOSES OIL 1 QUART PER 700 MILES! *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#721095April 5, 2000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
DURING A LEFT TURN DRIVING AT 15 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR, ATTEMPTING TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED ITS ENTIRE RANGE WITHOUT SLOWING OR STOPPING THE CAR. THE BRAKES WHERE THEN PUMPED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS, THE CAR WAS EVENTUALLY STOPPED BY USE OF THE PARKING BRAKE. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719341February 27, 2000
STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS
2 OCCURRENCES OF FRONT BUMPER CATCHING ON GROUND OBJECTS AND CRACKING GRILL AND WHEEL WELLS. I OWN A 1996 SL2 AND A 1997 SL2. BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE SUFFERED THIS SAME OCCURANCE. (WE ARE BOTH NEAR 50 YEARS OLD AND HAVE NO PREVIOUS INSTANCES OF SUCH OCCURANCES. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TWICE; ONCE TO HER, ONCE TO ME. THE AIR DAM IS HINGED AND FLEXES BUT DOESN'T BREAK. THE BUMPER HOWEVER, IS LOW SET, HAS A BOTTOM EDGE THAT IS ABRUPT, AND CATCHES EASILY ON LOW-LYING OR LOW-SETTING GROUND OBJECTS. IT CATCHES ON THINGS INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO 'ROLL OVER' OR 'FLEX OVER'. THE RESULTING 'PULL' PULLS THE BUMPER AWAY (IN A FORWARD DIRECTION) FROM THE CAR, BREAKING THE LOWER GRILL AND INNER WHEEL WELLS. THE FIRST TIME THE DAMAGE WASN'T NOTICED UNTIL A DAY LATER; AND MANY MILES HAD BEEN DRIVEN. I BELIEVE THE CONDITION OF THE FRONT BUMPER ASSEMBLY BEING LOOSE, HANGING, AND DROOPING AS IT DID, PROVIDED A DEFINITE SAFETY PROBLEM (THE COMPONENTS COULD HAVE IMPAIRED STEERING AND/OR BRAKING. THE SECOND OCCURENCE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS SIGNIFICANT. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857388February 23, 2000
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
WHEN TURNING IGNITION VEHICLE WOULD TURN OVER, BUT IT WOULDN'T START. OWNER HAS TO START VEHICLE A NUMBER OF TIMES TO IN ORDER TO RUN. DEALER SAYS ITS DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#719126February 23, 2000
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I RECENTLY HAD A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE IN MY SATURN, ONLY TO BE HUMILIATED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AND OWNER OF THE TORRANCE DEALERSHIP. SUNDAY NIGHT- I LEFT MY FRIENDS HOUSE TO GO HOME. UP UNTIL NOW MY SATURN ALWAYS RAN PERFECTLY AND I TOOK IT IN TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. AS SOON AS I STARTED DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE STREET I HEARD A LOUD METAL BANG UNDER MY CAR. IT WAS INCREDIBLY FRIGHTENING - I THOUGHT I RAN OVER A BOMB. THEN I WANTED TO PULL OVER SO I CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE. THE CLUTCH WENT INTO FIRST AND THEN SECOND, THEN THE CAR STARTED TO DRIFT, I PUT IT BACK IN FIRST ONLY TO FIND IT STARTED PULLING BACKWARDS ALL ON ITS OWN. I WAS SCARRED OUT OF MY MIND AT THIS POINT. I COULD HAVE HIT OR KILLED SOMEONE -- THANK GOD IT WASN'T ON A FREEWAY - THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND CALLED AAA TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE SATURN OF TORRANCE DEALER. MY REGULAR SERVICE DEALER AS WELL AS THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM. NEXT MORNING, BORA CUMMINGS, THE SERVICE REP CALLED ME AT 7:30 AM TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A CLUTCH OR GEAR PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS "STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY" (THE CAR IS LESS THAN 3 YRS OLD AND ONLY HAS 27,690 MI ON IT) SHE THEN CALLED ME BACK 1 HOUR LATER AND TOLD ME THAT HER MANAGER SAID, "IT WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE COVERED AS THIS IS NORMAL WEAR, BUT THEY WOULD CALL ME AT 4 PM AND LET ME KNOW - SHE ALSO SAID THAT SHE DIDN'T THINK THE CAR COULD BE FIXED TODAY ANYWAY AS IT TAKES QUITE A NUMBER OF HOURS TO DO THIS. THEY NEVER CALLED. BY 5 PM I WAS WORRIED. I WAS AT LEAST GOING TO NEED A RENTAL FOR THE NEXT DAYS WORK IF THE CAR WASN'T GOING TO BE DONE. BORA TOLD ME SHE RESERVED A RENTAL CAR AND TO COME AND GET IT. WHEN I GOT TO THE STATION -- 5:45 PM I WAS TOLD, LO AND BEHOLD THAT MY CAR WAS ALMOST READY AND IF I COULD COME BACK IN HALF AND HOUR I COULD HAVE IT. I ASKED IF THEY KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS YET. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857359February 22, 2000
SEATS
WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS ADJUSTED THE RIGHT SIDE DOES NOT LOCK. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS APPLIED THE SEAT WILL JERK . MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857260February 18, 2000
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT FROM RETRACTOR. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#857060February 16, 2000
SEATS, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATS AND SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT LOCK UP, AND ALLOW OCCUPANTS TO MOVE FORWARD EXCESSIVELY. BACK SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. MECHANIC HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK *ML
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#550874February 10, 2000
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW IS CAUSING THE STEEL TIMING CHAIN TO BREAK RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. NLM
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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