We found the following complaints for SATURN SL (1997)
Read complaints for SATURN SL (1997)
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The defective air bag on the driver side failed to deploy properly in a head on collision.it only began to open about 1/4 of the way and stopped.as a result, i suffered severe injury to my liver, ribs, right leg and my head hit the windshield.
The defective air bag on the driver side failed to deploy properly in a head on collision.it only began to open about 1/4 of the way and stopped.as a result, i suffered severe injury to my liver, ribs, right leg and my head hit the windshield.
Airbag deployment caused burns to seat belt, which resulted in seat belt ripping.dup of 811097, added on 25-feb-98.
On july 23, 2014 approximately 6:35p.m. I wason my way to church along with three other passengers. My sister was in the passenger seat and my grandson and the lady that live with me was in the back seat. Without warning there was a boom or explosion that cause me to briefly lose control of the car beforecoming to a stop. The car was filled with smoke and fume from the deployed airbags. My arms were chemically burned and knuckles on left hand from holding steering wheel. The passenger in front was complaining about wrists pain, anxiety and chest pain in one of her breast. My grandson and the lady riding in the back was not hurt but was checked at the emergency for inhalation and released. We were all checked and released afterward. I later got in touch with my insurance company that told me that it was a default. Then i later contact gm, they gave claim number and took information on the incident. Later they referred claim specialist, i have not heard from claim specialist concerning what to do.
Driver went over a speed bump while turning into a parking space and hit the parking curb just slightly while braking.both driver & passenger side air bags deployed.
Abs brakes failed resulting in multiple accidents, no deployment of both air bags during collision, passenger seat collapsed during impact injuries due to failures. Yh
Vehicle crashed into a telephone pole head-on, and there was no deployment of the driver's side or passenger's side air bagsvehicle was totalled. Please provide any further information.
Vehicle was involved in a head-on collision at 35 mph, and neither air bag deployed. Dealer was contacted.
During minor impact the passenger side air bag deployed violently causing facial injury and jaw pain to passenger.nlm
Vehicle was hit from behind, and the force of the accident hit another veihcle in which neither air bag deployed.the dealer said that the air bag should of deployed.
While driving apprx. 55mph the vehicle was in a head-on collision, the air bags deployed, burned the shoulder strap of driver's side restraint belt.
During minor impact the passenger side air bag deployed violently causing facial injury and jaw pain to passenger.nlm
Consumer'swife was driving at approx 25 mph hit pothole , no damage to vehicle or wheels. Both driver's and passenger's air bags deployed, causing passenger to break his thumb.seat belts wereworn at the time.
Vehicle was in a frontal collision while driving at 25 mph. Upon impact,neither driver's sidenor passenger's side air bags deployed.consumerhad the vehicle towed to the dealership.
While driving about 20 mph on a road air bag detonated,but did not deploy.
During minor impact the passenger side air bag deployed violently causing facial injury and jaw pain to passenger.nlm
Consumer was involved in a frontal collision. Uponimpact, driver's and passenger's air bags did not deploy. Please give any further details.
Vehicle hita curve at 10 mphcausing air bags to unexpectedly deploy.please give any furtherdetails.
My car was backed into in an accident which pushed the frond end back into the radiator support and buckled the hood. The car in front of me stopped as we were going down the street at about 25 mph, then reversed at top speed into my front end. Neither airbag deployed.
The air bag warning light would illuminates at intervals,indicating that malfunction exist within the system.dealer replaced defective module sensor.please give any further details.
Vehicle's full electrical system fails while driving, clock even resets.causing car toshut off. Power steering/ brakes/ radio/ air conditioner/ headlights, etc.fail.began around 30,000 miles.battery and alternator replaced, does not fix problem.
The contact owns a 1997 saturn sl. The contact stated that the key fell out of the ignition and the vehicle continued to run. The vehicle was taken to a private mechanic where it was found that the ignition needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted about the failure. The failure mileage and vin was not available.
1997 sl2 saturn would not start.battery would not hold charge. Had early electrical system problems (accessories would not function, no dash lights).*ph
The battery tested bad under load testing.
Battery failed.
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 !
Battery failed.
Alternator mount bracket failure on 1997 saturn sl2, vin #[xxx]while driving to work, the mount bracket for my alternator snapped in half! the design flaw is that the mount bracket is actually part of the aluminum engine block. The engine heats up which causes the metal to expand and become weaker from the thermal stress. There is considerable stress from the alternator (vibration, stress loads).with the heated up metal (weakened from thermal stress) combined with the stress load from the alternator vibrations, it adds up to trouble.lucky for me i was only going about 20-30 mph when the bracket failed. This failure has caused almost $1,400 in repairs to my car which is currently @ saturn of pensacola, floridagetting repaired. I don't want to think of what would have happened if i had been on the highway at a higher rate of speed and this failure had occurred. My vehicle is 6 years old but this is something that shouldn't fail.is there any help or information that the nhtsa can provide me in this matter? please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions. Thank you very much for your help.*lainformation redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Alternator fell offbroke from engine bracket. Consumer stated the vehicle is without warranty.
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.
Serpentine belt tensionerkept tension on the belt felled. Later,alternater came on, and thenconsumerlost power steering.ifconsumer was to lose it on the highway at 70 mph, there could be a serious accident. Mechanic says belt was very poorly designed.
I purchased a used 1997 saturn sl in 2005.when i negotiated to purchase the vehicle the horn was not working.the used car dealer replaced a fuse.the horn then worked intermittently if the horn button was pushed just so. Within a week it failed to work at all.i contacted saturn (via the internet) and got no help, other than to take the dealer for repair.this car was totaled out in an accident.i liked it so much (other than the horn issue) that i bought another one - a 1996 sl.the horn on the 96 also worked intermittently.again, pushing the horn button in just the right way would activate the horn.recently it stopped working - just like the 97.i feel that this must be a pervasive issue.i have never owned any other vehicle with a horn issue.it is definitely a safety issue; one that could be very expensive to repair due to the steering wheel having an air bag.i reviewed a few web sites that described similar problems and noted a recall on a 96 saturn z model.this proves that saturn has had some horn issues before.i'd appreciate any help i can get to get saturn to repair this issue without potentially burdensome cost to me.feel free to contact me.(740-774-5237 work; 614-871-4081 home: 614-284-3554 cell.thanks!
Horn design is difficult to find in emergency situations.
Horn failed.qcaw
Horn assembly.
Horn assembly failed.yh
I was parked at a shopping center, when i turned my car on, it would not start. After trying a couple of times,it made a pop sound and smoke flooded inside the car. I turned off the key, took it to a dealer and they could not find anything wrong with it. The windows would not work as well. I replaced the fuse for the windows, and the car started, but now only the drivers side window works.
Started my car, it ran a few seconds, then died.before i could restart it, smoke started pouring out of the steering column and i smelled an electrical fire.i didn't start it again but found help to disconnect my battery.it's on it's way to the nearby saturn dealer who refuses to provide me with a loan car. I think this is a very unusual problem, and i've driven a lot of clunkers in the past without having to deal with anything like this.
Transmission--bushing went out. Spark misfire--computer module was replaced by dealer.
No prior indication of a fault. On march 26, 2005 my wife went to start the car and not only would it not start, but smoke started coming up from the dashboard. Upon having it towed to a saturn dealer, we were told that the iginition switch had failed and had burnt out the wiring harness. This car has 48849 miles on it. This just does not make any reason, as should iginition swaiches go bad on a low mileage car and cause so much additional damage?
When turning the switchto start the engine, the starter motor stopped an smoke started coming from the dashboard.the vehicle was towed to the dealership where it diagnosed that the switch had shorted out.another component failure resulted from the shortening of the switch. The ignition cylinder seems to be a problem; however, i can not find information on safey recalls. Web site http://www.alldata.com/tsb/53/975307fc.html shows what appears to be a safey recall 97-c-02 apr 97, tsb title ignition cylinder malfunction.
Saturn are an easy car to steal.saturn is aware of this issue so they replaced the ignition switch in the 2000 models.replaced ignition switch for 109.46 dollars.
Starter failure.
Spark plug wires failed.
Horn was inoperative.vehicle checked by dealer, who determined there was a wiring problem.
At start up horn sounded, then, smoke was coming from under the dash. Consumer shut off engine, and had vehicle towed to dealer. Dealer determined that wiring harness under the dash needed to be replaced.
No prior indication of a fault. On march 26, 2005 my wife went to start the car and not only would it not start, but smoke started coming up from the dashboard. Upon having it towed to a saturn dealer, we were told that the iginition switch had failed and had burnt out the wiring harness. This car has 48849 miles on it. This just does not make any reason, as should iginition swaiches go bad on a low mileage car and cause so much additional damage?
We experienced a dashboard fire in our 1997 saturn sl1 in the fall of 2003. My wife turned the key, started the car, shifted to reverse, and began backing up when the engine quit, the car jolted to a stop, and the interior immediately filled with acrid smoke. The knoxville saturn dealer replaced the ignition switch and wiring--not cheap. This is obviously a safety-related event.
Ignition switch failed to start car.after a few tries, the car finally started only to have mounds of smoke rolling out from under the dash.after turning the vehicle off, the switch worked intermittently.we removed dash covers and ignition cylinder lock, and lowered the steering wheel to find that the wiring harness leading to the ignition switch had what was a black wire that was melted bare for a couple inches, and disfigured the entire wire, and melted the insulation to other wires within the harness.judging by the damage of done to the wire, it appears that the most heat was in an area where the wire was closest to the steering column, leading one to believe that it wore through and grounded itself to the steering column, which led to the overheating of the wire and subsequent smoke/fire.
When starting the vehicle smoke was coming from underneath the dashboard.dealer stated wiring harness melted. As a result, the vehicle became inoperative.
When starting vehicle consumer noticed smoke coming from underneath the dash. Vehicle was shut off, has not been examined by dealer.
1997 saturn sl2. Started engine, it ran a few seconds, then stopped with electrical smelling smoke flowing from under dashboard into car. After it stopped, it could still be cranked over but would not fire and run.we got out of the car and pushed it into our garage, where it still sits.
Head gasket, water pump, oil pan gasket, serpentine drive belt, and coolant light on, service engine light was also on, work completed by dealer.
Consumer will provide information.
Severe rust out of the suspension sub-frame (engine cradle) along the left side, particularly at the lower control arm mount pocket.this condition was caught before the left front lower control arm broke loose due to the rusted sub-frame. Rust condition was confined to the left side of the sub-frame with no apparent issue with the right side or cross beams.brought to saturn's attention but concern was denied as the "vehicle is out of warranty".saturn never addressed the issue that the sub-frame is a component that should last the lifetime of the vehicle.
Cylinder head failure between lubrication ports and cooling system, resulting in contamination of cooling system with oil.
The whine noise was heard from the engine diagnostics indicated that the coolant pump was leaking and the serpentine belt had failed.
Defective fan belt tensioner assemblyfailed, causing a loss of power steering and abs while making u-turn.
The contact owns a 1997 saturn sl2.while driving 35 mph, the contact noticed smoke rising from the hood.he then pulled over as the smoke turned into flames.after he extinguished the fire, he restarted the vehicle and oil sprayed out from the cylinder head.the dealer has not inspected the vehicle.the current and failure mileages were 131,000.updated 01-11-08.updated 12/12/07
Engine rod bearings failed.please provide further detail.
A extreme problem with oil consumption since the time of ownership of the vehicle and the problem is getting worse with every mile driven. I am at the point now of putting/adding 2-3 quarts of oil every 300-400 miles. Engine freeze is now on the horizon due to sludge build-up. And i've been told this is what saturns do. Can this be right to the consumer.
When driving at any given time and speedvehicle will cut off withoutprior warning. Also,whenair conditioner wason high andupon depressingaccelerator pedal, there was a very slow take off.vehicle died out. Consumer has contacted dealer, dealerstated due a large amount of pressure put onair conditioner compressorproblem has occur. Please provide any further details.
Defect details: design flaw in the engine cylinder head assembly causes cracks in the cylinder head. Allows motor oil to leak into the cooling system/radiator mixing with engine coolant in the engine coolant recovery reservoir. Makes the car run hot, result in overheating with potential to result in crashes.solution: to replace cylinder head assemblygm/saturn response: complaint filed with gm on september 10, 2004 via written letter. Gm response to that letter was a courtesy call to "thank" us for our "feedback" and how it will be put in a database for their engineers to utilize in future design. What a joke. No help or resolution offered. No recall or any other notice was sent verbally or in writing to us. Refused to stand behind their defective product. Had prior knowledge of defect and failed to disclose to us. Amounts to fraudulent business and unfair trade practices.gm/saturn knew about this flaw in 1997 saturn sl-1 when they sold the car to us, but never disclosed it and never offered to fix it.refer to bulletin number 96t65 and bulletin date: november 1996 on http://www.edmunds.com. In the last 12 months, our car had to be brought to a mechanic twice due to "close to overheating". The car is 7 1/2 years old and has less than 85,000 miles on it with oil changes on time & all recommended maint. On time. Since gm/saturn dealership in reno, nevada did not offer to fix the defect, we got it fixed by another mechanic. Cost = $1827.25.we believe this is fraudulent business practice on part of gm/saturn to knowingly sell their defective car to consumers without disclosing this at the time of sale and never offering to fix the defect eventhough it may cause accidents and put safety of the occupants at risk.we are seeking for reimbursement of the cost of repairing this known defective product from gm. A copy of that request will be mailed to you separately. We hope your agency has the authority and passion to do something about it.
Vehicleis leaking oil, needed to replace the head gasket. Dealer stated never heard something like this.
Dt: the contact stated while drivingvehiclestalled intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop. They found that it was the cam shaft sensor that was defective. No repairs were made.
The consumer stated that the torque axis motor mounts had broken at 30,000 miles and at 60,000 miles.mrscc
We gotcar from saturn of warwick leased then bought outright .the service issue we are about to tell was done at the saturn of seekonk loc. It is actually closer to our house. On jan, 16, 2002 we had to bring the saturn in for service because we started that day loosing anti freeze quickly then the car began to run hot but did not over heat, meanwhile the regular heat control didnt work 3 days prior to this incident and we had it sheduled for service that coming sat.we drop it off,car running hot but never overheated the tech only put that in his report .keep in mind we had no symptoms described by dealer letting us know that we were having problems like run sluggish, not starting at all etc.we had just driven 900 miles up and back over the thanksgiving holiday absolutely no problems.the tech contacts david my husband the next day to tell him the problem .the tech states we have a cracked head and even though its out of manf. Warranty saturn would fix it under warranty suddenly i get a call at my work the service tech says found more damage underneath engine that it had been burn oil and transmission fluid together which no evidence of this existed, didnt seem right stating we really need a new engine which runsabout $3200.00 and they say they wont replace it instead rebuild it if we make a donation of $600. To saturn.we know this wasn't right from the start they could'nt tell us what caused this to happen instead blamed it on poor maint. And claimed to be doing us a favor by only charging 600.00 to rebuild engine which we know was the cost of the new head dealer covering up. This iswhy they made it look like they were doing a favor the car was maint. And engine heads just dont crack at 70,000 miles. Plant person in tenn. Just agreed with deaier. Pls check edmunds.com saturn repair compl. Plsck we arent only snow job rec. Pls. Can you help us? we want out of the car still owe $4000. Who would buy with this issue can you help solve.
The vehicle stalled without warning.
Possible design flaw is causing the steel timing chain to break resulting in engine failure.nlm
Excess oil consumption: vehicle could stop without warning as a result of engine burn-up. Saturn denies responsibility for defective engine.
Was driving approximately 50mph and was merging into traffic whentransmission locked in gear and failed to change. Consumer stated prior to purchasing vehicle she complained of a clunk noise when changed gears into reverse, also the driver side brake light is inoperable, also the right side mirror needed to be replaced, engine mounts were replaced,brakes were replaced, serpentine belt was cracked, engine overheats.
Defective engine cylinder head assembly, engine runs hot & oil mixed with coolant in engine. The consumer was not informed of the defects when purchasing the vehicle.no recall for consumer problems with vehicle.*tc
Head gasket blew at 68,00 miles in my 1997 saturn sl1. Saturn customer service told me it was not due to any negligence on my part, and they were unable to explain the reason for this defect.
Engine cylinder head had a crack, and this was causing oil to leak into radiator fluid. Consumer felt engine could burn up.
Head gasket leaking - replaced (cost about $1200).
Vehicle stalled intermittently while traveling. Vehicle been in/out of dealer shop on four occasions,anddealer was unable to duplicate the problem.
Leak discovered when getting oil changed. Took it to dealer, advised not safe to drive, replaced shift gear.. 5 months later leaks again.
Vehicle's engine continually makes noise, louder with air conditioner running, unable to determine cause.
The service engine light comes on and the vehicle loses power. Have to put the gas pedal all the way to the floor in order for the vehicle to coast off the road.consumer has contacted the dealer, and has had the problem fixed 6 times. The problem has reoccurred since having fixed.
Was driving approximately 50mph and was merging into traffic whentransmission locked in gear and failed to change. Consumer stated prior to purchasing vehicle she complained of a clunk noise when changed gears into reverse, also the driver side brake light is inoperable, also the right side mirror needed to be replaced, engine mounts were replaced,brakes were replaced, serpentine belt was cracked, engine overheats.
Vehicle seized while driving at approximately 30 mph.
This vehicle ([xxx])loses oil 1 quart per 700 miles! information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Engin burn one quart of oil every 1,000 miles
Air conditioner: foul smell like cat pee/ammonia after using a/c. Reported several times to dealer; they removed a/c parts and cleaned evaporator, etc but smell persists. Unsafe for owner's health to use a/c; odor causes headache and breathing trouble.
Approximately two quarts oil consumption every 3000 miles.problem existed in previous '92 saturn sl1 and my current car '1997 saturn sl2.
This vehicle is burning oil--i have the oil changed every 2,000 to 3,000 miles but i have had to add oil every week--there is no oil leak that is visible and on accassio i have had no oil but the day or so before it is reading that the oil is full.
Engineis burning oil. Vehicle is burning more oil than required.alsoconsumer doesn't know where oil is going ,vehicle is not leaking nor smoking.contacted dealer, and dealer did test on engine and found nothing wrong.
While driving at app. 45 mph on a city road there was a loud clunking sound in the engine followed by a continuous rattle.i pulled off the road and turned off the vehicle.the serpentine belt had come off the pulley by 3/4 inch.i proceeded to get the belt so that it would not work itself off.i promptly went to the local exxon and pulled off the belt and put the car on a lift.after inspection it was noted that the alternator bracket..an extension of the engine block, had broken off cleanly.after consulting with the mechanics there, and 2 other ase certified mechanics, it was determined that the cause was a defect in the casting of the engine block.i contacted the local saturn dealership who was of no help.i will be having the braking tig welded back on monday, then driving to the dealership with pictures and documentation asking for reimbursement of the cost.*la
Serpentine belt tensionerkept tension on the belt felled. Later,alternater came on, and thenconsumerlost power steering.ifconsumer was to lose it on the highway at 70 mph, there could be a serious accident. Mechanic says belt was very poorly designed.
Noise from engine area due to failed compressor leaking and contaminated serpentine belt.
The serpentine belt became loose and the automatic belt tensioner fell apart causing alternator, water pump and power steering inoperable.yh
The whine noise was heard from the engine diagnostics indicated that the coolant pump was leaking and the serpentine belt had failed.
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.
Noise from engine area due to failed compressor leaking and contaminated serpentine belt.
The air conditioning system malfunctioned, causing accumulationof moisture in the a/c system which resulted in amildew smell which triggered the occupant's asthma.please provide further details.
Air conditioner: foul smell like cat pee/ammonia after using a/c. Reported several times to dealer; they removed a/c parts and cleaned evaporator, etc but smell persists. Unsafe for owner's health to use a/c; odor causes headache and breathing trouble.
When driving at any given time and speedvehicle will cut off withoutprior warning. Also,whenair conditioner wason high andupon depressingaccelerator pedal, there was a very slow take off.vehicle died out. Consumer has contacted dealer, dealerstated due a large amount of pressure put onair conditioner compressorproblem has occur. Please provide any further details.
A/c system odor caused by debris in system, poor performance.
After turning vehicle on had heard a funny noise. Had a tune up done on vehicle. This noise persisted. Took vehicle back to dealer & was informed the air conditioner compressor had gone out.air conditioner would eventually freeze.
Ventilation system is designed to circulate air when the car is moving. A foul odor emits from the system due to fungus in the a/c unit (evaporator core), causing headaches, nausea, scratchy throat. Aw
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.
Was driving approximately 50mph and was merging into traffic whentransmission locked in gear and failed to change. Consumer stated prior to purchasing vehicle she complained of a clunk noise when changed gears into reverse, also the driver side brake light is inoperable, also the right side mirror needed to be replaced, engine mounts were replaced,brakes were replaced, serpentine belt was cracked, engine overheats.
The turn signal indicator sticks in the resume position intermittently.
First incident was at 3600 miles on the car.on interstate travelling at 55+ car loses power will not accelerate. Must pull off road where car stalls out. No idiot lights and at dealer no computer codes. Car returned to me dealer unable to duplicate.i get 15 miles car again has problem. Finally dealer replaces fuel pump.at 5900 miles again car has same problem 1.5 hours from home 55+mph on interstate.dealer again replaces fuel pump.at 24000 miles on interstate again same symptoms at 70+ mph.after 3 different dealerships in two different states again fuel pump is replaced.
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.
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 !
Vehicle floods and fails to start had to have vehicle towed to saturn dealership. Dealer stated it was a design feature.
There was a strong smell of fuel coming from the vehicle due to the fuel injector leaking fuel onto the engine.contacted dealer, and the dealer has solved the problem.*scc
During collesion due to poor design of gas tank assembly cap came off and rear wheel bed and tank wrapped around each other resulting in leakage. Yh
Gas guage malfunctioned.
Randomly, usually about every few months, i will start my car. It willstart, but it starts "funny." it doesn't hit the usual high rpms andwill idle low. If i attempt to drive the car, it will usually run with low rpms.when the car comes to a stop, it will idle low and sometimes stall.the problem occurs in all weather conditions and temperatures. It alsooccurs when the engine is hot or cold.sometimes it takes 5-10 tries to start the car at all.of course, mechanics are unable to reproduce the problem and say nothing is wrong with the car. I have had the car checked by saturn of gaithersburg, saturn of silver spring, and graeves auto in olney.
Fuel gauge sending unit.
I would like to report a safety issue related to my vehicle.earlier this week i purchased a used saturn from a dealership in full working condition.when i came home to show the rest of my family the vehicle, we all went for a ride.my brother in the front passenger seat, and my mother in the back seat.after arriving back to my house my brother and i exited the vehicle, while my mother struggled unsuccessfully to exit the vehicle.every time she pulled the door handle to open the door, the lock button directly above the handle would catch and remained locked.my brother and i were not able to open the vehicle doors from the outside either until about 10 minutes later after numerous unsuccessful attempts.this frightened our family quite a bit and poses a potentially lethal situation in the event of an accident.we are concerned for passengers that will not be able to exit the vehicle during an emergency.we have taken the vehicle to saturn for inspection, and they will not even look into the issue unless i agree to pay $85/door to have them take apart the door to approach the problem.i feel this is unfair and an irresponsible attempt on their part to resolve this potentially dangerous issue.thank you for your concern and let me know if you can be of any assistance in this matter.
Trunk latch failed, causingtrunk to unexpectedly slam shut on head of person while that person was using the trunk.
While opening rear trunk it will not stay up whichresulted in thetrunk falling and striking owner. The cause has not been determined.the dealer replaced the rear compartment lid torque rods and had added a third torque rod on the right side.this resulted in a vastly imnproved condition.
Parking brake out of adjustment causing brake lever to not stay up.
I have a 1997 saturn sl2.the "button" on my parking brake handle popped off the other day (03/27/2006), releasing my parking brake.luckily i was not on a steep hill and the transmission was in gear, otherwise the car would have rolled away.its hard to believe that such a tiny piece of "plastic" is all that holds the parking brake in place.once the button is broken, there is no way to engage the parking brake.i really think this warrants a recall.
I am concerned that there is latent damage to my transmission that has not been detected.
Ongoing probem with transmission not changing gears properly on any speed, and slow responding from a stop position/take off, hesitation. Also, brake pedal would intermittently go to the floor before vehicle stopped. Dealer notified on three occasions, and was informed that nothing could be found consumer is concerned that this vehicle is unsafe to operate, and will be trading it in within a few mont asking nhtsa to look into this matter before passing it on .
Defectivetransmission,whenputting vehicle into gear there was a clunking noise.an additional problem was the forward gears which failedand were not working.dealship was aware of problem.
Transmission required repair on three occasions, valve body, connector and gasket, failures causing slipping.mjs
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
Transmission has no power, the gas level is very poor on a hill, sometimes will not go up hill at all, losing rpms. Dealer contacted, and cannot remedy the problem. Problem still exists. Provide further information.
Valve body inautomatic transmission needs to be replaced.vehicle cannot be put into reverse. Contacted dealer, and the dealer was not willing to do anything.
Was driving approximately 50mph and was merging into traffic whentransmission locked in gear and failed to change. Consumer stated prior to purchasing vehicle she complained of a clunk noise when changed gears into reverse, also the driver side brake light is inoperable, also the right side mirror needed to be replaced, engine mounts were replaced,brakes were replaced, serpentine belt was cracked, engine overheats.
Transmission--bushing went out. Spark misfire--computer module was replaced by dealer.
While driving 65 mph in first gear transmission shifted tofourth gear without warning, and consumer temporarily lost control of the vehicle.consumer shiftedvehicle to neutral, then back to first gear to regain control of the vehicle.dealership mechanictried to repair the vehicle, but was unable to resolve the problem.the occupants sustained muscles pulls, bumps, and bruises.
Transmission failure.
Transmission temperature sender failed.
Leak discovered when getting oil changed. Took it to dealer, advised not safe to drive, replaced shift gear.. 5 months later leaks again.
1997 saturn sl, 4 door sedan, manual transaxle, 143000 milesat a parking lot: shifter cable plastic bushing broke locking my transaxle in reverse. Problem fixed with an aftermarket kit sold by napa auto stores.
While driving, the shifted cable bushing (which is made of plastic) broke preventing the driver from being able to shift gears.nlm
The contact owns a 1997 saturn sl1. The contact stated that whenattempting to shift from 2nd to 3rd gear the shift lever cable fractured; thus disabling the vehicle from shifting into 3rd gear. Gear failure while driving increases the risk for vehicle crash. The vehicle was taken to a dealership in which theshift cable assembly was replaced.the current and failure mileages were 102000.
On 13sep2008, at approximately 1400hrs i was operating my 1997 saturn sl2 (manual) at low speed in my driveway; when the vehicle failed to engage in gear.upon further investigation, i discovered that my shifting cable linkage had become disengaged (specifically the shifting rod and the plastic ball-joint cover).after attempting to locate the part via local auto part merchants i contacted a local saturn dealership.i spoke to a member of the service department who informed me that the disengagement of the shifting rod assembly, and concurrent damage to the plastic ball-joint cover was a common problem.when asked how much it was to buy the plastic ball-joint cover the service employee informed me it would cost $195.00; because one has to buy the entire assembly and not just the plastic ball-joint cover.at this time the vehicle has yet to be repaired.
Transmission will not lock in first gear for braking on steep mountain grades.nlm
Transmission will not lock in first gear for braking on steep mountain grades.nlm
The contact owns a 1997 saturn sl. The contact stated that he was reversing from a residential driveway when he shifted to first gear and the shifter cable became detached from the shifter lever. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer stated they had to replace two shifter cables. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The failure and current mileage was 127,000.updated 7/26/12 the consumer stated the root of the problem was the failure of a small plastic bushing used to join the shifting lever to the shifting cable in a manual transmission. When the bushing failed, the shifting cable fell off the shifting lever which left the consumer unable to shift gears.the consumer stated the failure happened while he was stopped in his driveway. The dealer would not replace the broken bushing, but instead replaced the entire cable as well as an adjoining cable.updated 08/06/12
Driving along community road and manual shift linkage became inoperative.failure was total, shifting was impossible, was lucky to be able to get to the side of the road.saturn used a plastic push-in button to retain the shift mechanism to the eyelet of the shift cable........a plastic bushing for a part of the car that is critical!a replacement was bushing fabricated out of suitable material and a tapped hole, and bolt, was added to the shifter rod so that complete failure is not possible.too bad detroit engineers seem to have forgotten their responsibilities to society, they should be ashamed to put peoples lives in such danger with such a poor design of a critical part.
Transmission will not lock in first gear for braking on steep mountain grades.nlm
The e- clip on stick shift that holds the shift cable keeps dismounting. When this happens the vehicle is not able to be put into gear. Dealer has been contacted.
I recently purchased a 1997 sl1 and on the 3rd day of owning it the shifter broke causing it to go limp. At the time i was on the 101 freeway stuck in traffic with my three children. I called my mechanic and he towed it to his shop for repairs. After making the necessary repair, he did a routine maintenance check. This was when he discovered the oil had water mixed in with it causing a white smoke escaping from the exhaust pipe. I'm certain this problem was recognized by the previous owner and most likely was the reason for selling. After reading the following complaints from car survey,i believe saturn engineered this vehicle "by design" with these problems as a forecast for revenue.
I recently purchased a 1997 sl1 and on the 3rd day of owning it the shifter broke causing it to go limp. At the time i was on the 101 freeway stuck in traffic with my three children. I called my mechanic and he towed it to his shop for repairs. After making the necessary repair, he did a routine maintenance check. This was when he discovered the oil had water mixed in with it causing a white smoke escaping from the exhaust pipe. I'm certain this problem was recognized by the previous owner and most likely was the reason for selling. After reading the following complaints from carsurvey, (complaints listed below) i believe saturn engineered this vehicle "by design" with these problems forecasting their revenue.
Seat belt would not come out of holder. This occured while on vacation dealer at my vacation location charged for repair i felt shoud have been done free.
The consumer complained about the front seat belt problem.the driver's side seat belt will not retract after use.the passenger's side seat belt will not extend out for use.the consumer took the vehicle to the dealer, and was informed that the repair will cost $900.00.*sc
Seat belt lock.belt had to be replaced.
Passenger and driver's side seat belt failed, not releasing properly.
This was the first time the passenger seatbelt assembly broke, driver's side broke on 12/30/2001 mileage 120,000.
Seat belt assembly failed.mgm
The lap and shoulder belts ondriver's side have gotten stuck, and will not come out.as a result,driver cannot wear a seatbelt. Dealer has not seen vehicle.
Consumer was at astop when another vehicle rear ended consumer's vehicle.upon impact,driver's side seatbeltbroke, and vehicle was totaled.
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.
My seat belt locks up intermittantly.it appears to happen more in bad weather.i think it is the retractor system, but i am not sure.i will contact the dealer this week.i have searched the nhtsa's consumer complaints and found 4 similar to mine.please let me know, if this is something saturn should pay for.
Driver's sideand passenger's side seat belts locked.
Seat belts are difficult to engage, the locks are not secure.
A defective latch on the front passenger seat belt is causing the seat belt to fail to lock in place, consumer requests defect be repaired by dealer. (attorney for client)
Front passenger side seatbelt failed to extend, had to be replaced, p/n 21055604, for a total repair cost of $135.
Driver's side seat belt stuck.
Front passenger's seatbelt stays retracted.seat belt would not extend completely around passenger.
The front side passenger seat/shoulder belt system would not retract or release on my 1997 saturn 4-door sedan. I was told by the dealer that the retractor had "frozen" & i needed a whole new seat belt replacement. Although there has been a recall of the '97 saturn seat belts for retractor doing the same thing in the 2 dr coupe model; i was told my model was not covered in the recall. The car has never been in a major accident and rarely does the passenger front seat have an occupant.the seat belt will be replaced as we need it to ensure safety of passengers as well as comply with the il state law.
Seat belt retractor experiencing failure.
Left front seat belt will not deploy.jams and will not extend.
Passenger's seat belt failed to retract from retractor. Dealer notified and refused to repair unless cost goes toconsumer.
Driver's sideseat belt retractorfailed. *mr
Front passenger'sseat belt will not retract.dealer has been notified.
Driver's seat belt lower retractor froze w/ seat belt in retracted position, rendering seat belt inoperable.retractor is not in a location servicable by the owner, and is currently stuck fast for no apparant reason.cost of repair not yet known.car is a very low milage vehicle, formerly owned by an elderly man.car had 10,200 miles on it in sept. 2000 when purchased directly from estate.problem first appeared on 3/9/01 after i've driven the car about 9000 miles.
The rear seat belts(outboard) do not fit a smaller adult(5 ft) properly. There is no ability to adjust them.
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.*ml
We were hit stopped in traffic and rear-ended by someone going about 45 mph.during the accident my front seats collapsed and both my fiance and i suffered from soreness and neck pain.each day we are getting better but i was concerned about the fact that the seats collapsed.
Consumer was rearended and was smashed in between tow cars.at point of impact, driver's seat collapsed backwards into back seat, causing neck injuries. Vehiclewas totaled.please provide further information.
In a rear end collision the driver's seatback broke, causing the seat to fall back and resulting ininjuries.also having problems with seat adjuster.dealer cannot determine problem.cause unknown.please provide details.
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.
The vehicle was rear ended which caused both front seats to break from the frame. Both seats went back into the rear seat because of the front seats broke from the frame.
I was involved in a rear-end collision where a suv hit me while i was stopped. The force of the impact forced me into the car in front causing major front and rear damage to my car. The driver's seat collapsed during the rear impact causing me to be thrown to the back seat and causing abdominal and back injuries. I was wearing my seat belt at the time of the accident.
Consumer states whenvehicle was hit from the back the driver side seat back reclined backward.driver was unable to reach brake pedal,causing vehicle to slam into vehicle in front of them.resulting in back injuries. Mr
Manual seat track will not locking for several months take off and braking would cause it to lock in place.i was adjusting it the other day before driving and it broke. Now it cannot be adjusted at all.
Both bucket seats went to a full reclining position when vehicle was rear ended.
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.*ml
The submarine seating makes it difficult to properly install car seats.manuals do not give suggestions or number to contact to have seat installed properly.also, for smaller adults, the rear seats are dipped so that the seat belts don't give a proper fit.
The back of the rear seat collapsed forward after a sudden stop.
Abs brakes failed resulting in multiple accidents, no deployment of both air bags during collision, passenger seat collapsed during impact injuries due to failures. Yh
I was struck in the rear of my car which caused both front bucket seats to snap to a full recline position.as a result of laying flat on my back i could not take any evasive action.both front airbags deployed upon impact.i have suffered severe back injuries.
At a dead stop another vehicle hit from the rear, and both front seatbacks collapsed.contacted dealer and manufacturer.
In a rear end collision the driver's seatback broke, causing the seat to fall back and resulting ininjuries.also having problems with seat adjuster.dealer cannot determine problem.cause unknown.please provide details.
Seat back failed in rear end collision passenger seat reclined into rear passenger compartment.
Seatback failed, causing driver to be put in the reclineposition/ unable to control car.
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.
While driving vehicle w/emergency brakes on of had no knowledge.was coming off freeway & was applying brakes, vehicle failed to slow down or stop. Started to suddenly accelerate. Turned vehicle off. Had it towed to dealer & found back brakes burnt out. Orginial brakes checked & was not burnt out. Owner has brake parts.
Defective fan belt tensioner assemblyfailed, causing a loss of power steering and abs while making u-turn.
I bought a new 1997 saturn , paid cash and 2 months after purchase, i had brake problems.put brakes on, could not stop the car (6/7/97).saturn did nothing regarding this.they said i was not use to the brakes.tapped the back of a van.2.)had grand child in car, backing into garage brakes did not hold again.hit sand bags husband had in garage that stopped car.some nut came from another state, sisn't drive even 2 miles and saidm there was nothing wrong with the brakes!!!!!i worked in a vocational high school (c.v.s.) in chicago, il, they told me that the inspection was not right.wrote to everbody, not help from nobody!!!!!i would never recommend a saturn to anyone!!!they are lemons!!!i put a sign in my car saying don't buy a saturn, you'll get a lemon like mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ongoing probem with transmission not changing gears properly on any speed, and slow responding from a stop position/take off, hesitation. Also, brake pedal would intermittently go to the floor before vehicle stopped. Dealer notified on three occasions, and was informed that nothing could be found consumer is concerned that this vehicle is unsafe to operate, and will be trading it in within a few mont asking nhtsa to look into this matter before passing it on .
Abs brakes failed resulting in multiple accidents, no deployment of both air bags during collision, passenger seat collapsed during impact injuries due to failures. Yh
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.
I had to have constant servicing done w/car in shop over a 1 yr period for up to 1 wk @ a time w/ failure in systems listed brakes & tires not covered w/warranty though only 4 months after purchase anothe dealer serviced car orig. Dealer would not.(tiresize: 175-75-14)( dot number:tire size: 175-75-14 )
Brakes continually make noise.
Brakes continually experience noise and require excessive force to engage.
Brake failure, causing accident.
Warped rotor after 6 months of ownership was replaced by dealer, all brakes replaced in june 2000
Exiting street from dead end where consumer lived 11 years, attempted to slowly stop, brakes rejected, then slammed on brake pedal vehicle did not respond.made a sharp right turn, a car crashed into her vehicle,continued to move then suddenly the brakes grabbed.
Erratic problem with brake grinding / squeaking when brakes are applied. Vehicle taken to dealer shop three times, and informed consumer that nothing was wrong, and that was normal. Consumer knew this was not normal.asking nhtsa to lookinto this matter and provide additional information.
Was driving approximately 50mph and was merging into traffic whentransmission locked in gear and failed to change. Consumer stated prior to purchasing vehicle she complained of a clunk noise when changed gears into reverse, also the driver side brake light is inoperable, also the right side mirror needed to be replaced, engine mounts were replaced,brakes were replaced, serpentine belt was cracked, engine overheats.
I purchased my car brand new in 1996.since then, it has had numerous electrical problems all of which i am told if they can't find it they can't fix it.i stopped taking my car to them becasue that was what they told me - i have logged complaints to the saturn customer service center online and they told me i can not have copies of those records - recently, i was left stranded again and when i took my car to the shop they told me i needed a new $3800.00 engine, my husband went and got the car - it works fine!!!!!!!!! no new engine needed.when i sopke to the service manger and owner they said oops bda diagnosis - what id i had paid that money to have my engine repaired?they still say there isn't an electrical short in my car and if i want i can bring it up whenever the electrical guy is there next.i know several other people who have electrical problems with their saturns and they have been told the same thing.i beleive they are hiding the fact that there is a defect in this car and by "not finding it" they don't have to fix it.this is a hazardous situation when your car dies for no reason while you are driving down the frreeway - or your brakes come on for no reason while you are moving, windshield wipers work when they want....... - i am scared to drive my car.
While driving along on a damp drawbridge, proceeded to put on brakes then the car plowed into the vehicle in frontbetween 50 to 60 feet stopping distance.dealer and manufacturer have been notified.
Brakes failed several times resulting in damages to vehicle.
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.
Due to designrear disc brakesmalfunctioned,causing corrosion. This, in return,resulted inextended stopping distance which could causea crash. The calipers on the rear disc brakes corrode reducing the effectiveness of the rear brakes.
Front brake pads wore out prematurely because rear brakes won't adjust.
Since 1999 the rotors on front have been turned and then replaced twice, along with 3 sets of new brakes that were bad when taken off, along with that tire replacement was done twice. Now there is a severe vibration then followed by a loss in power and rpm's go continuously up and down and the brake pedal hardens up.
Warped rotor after 6 months of ownership was replaced by dealer, all brakes replaced in june 2000
All hydraulic pressure disappeared because of failure of master cylinder.
Brakes,master cylinder; driving approximately 73mphwith cruise control set, car crossed interstate going slowely, tapped brakes and nothing happened. The cruise control did not disengage, pumped brakes several times and nothing happened. By this time vehicle was going in and out of traffic because c ouldn't get vehicle to stop. Trying to gear car down to reduce the speed, got over on right hand shoulder of road and brakes caught.
Traveling about 5 mphthere was total loss of steering, resulting in steering lock up diagnosis,the retaining clip omitted during assembly.
There isalot of play in steering, and theres avery loudpoping noise when turningwheel.
Steering wheel came completely apart while she was driving.
While driving vehicle consumer heard a clicking noise then pulled vehicle ihnto aparking lot.consumer had no control of steering,and steering wheel had no connection to column. Vehicle has never been in an accident.
While driving on rough roads or making a turnaround acorner consumer heard a clunking noise or somethingloose. Took to dealer , and they could not remedy the problem..
Defective fan belt tensioner assemblyfailed, causing a loss of power steering and abs while making u-turn.
Power steering pump failure.
When traveling 35 mph and when attempting to make a turn, consumer noticed the vehicle became very difficult to operate due to the power steering pump which went out and needed replacing. Consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has replaced parts. Please provide any further details.
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.
The design of the vehicle has raised rear structure causing poor visibilty through back window.yh
On 13sep2008, at approximately 1400hrs i was operating my 1997 saturn sl2 (manual) at low speed in my driveway; when the vehicle failed to engage in gear.upon further investigation, i discovered that my shifting cable linkage had become disengaged (specifically the shifting rod and the plastic ball-joint cover).after attempting to locate the part via local auto part merchants i contacted a local saturn dealership.i spoke to a member of the service department who informed me that the disengagement of the shifting rod assembly, and concurrent damage to the plastic ball-joint cover was a common problem.when asked how much it was to buy the plastic ball-joint cover the service employee informed me it would cost $195.00; because one has to buy the entire assembly and not just the plastic ball-joint cover.at this time the vehicle has yet to be repaired.
Torque axis mount replaced by dealer.
Sunvisor cracked.
The trunklid 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.
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.
When closing the back doors, the handles stick which causes the doors not to latch. On two different occasions the doors have come open while driving the vehicle. Vehicle will be seen by the dealership.
The trunklid 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.
Trunk lid springs are not sufficient to hold lid, resulting in lid falling on consumer.
Trunk lid fails to stay open, falls on heads and necks..
The contact owns a 1997 saturn sl2.the contact stated that the subframe rotted out along the driver's side of the vehicle, mainly at the lower control arm pocket.the dealer replaced the subframe at the cost of $1,179.the manufacturer would not provide reimbursement because the vehicle was out of warranty.the failure mileage was 48,736.
During oil change discovered that front subframe was rusted through at control arm attachment point, drivers side.car was removed from service as this is a major safety issue affecting suspension and steering.tried to find a used subframe but all in local auto parts recyclers were just as badly rusted.
During oil change discovered that front subframe was rusted through at control arm attachment point, drivers side.car was removed from service as this is a major safety issue affecting suspension and steering.tried to find a used subframe but all in local auto parts recyclers were just as badly rusted.
Severe rust out of the suspension sub-frame (engine cradle) along the left side, particularly at the lower control arm mount pocket.this condition was caught before the left front lower control arm broke loose due to the rusted sub-frame. Rust condition was confined to the left side of the sub-frame with no apparent issue with the right side or cross beams.brought to saturn's attention but concern was denied as the "vehicle is out of warranty".saturn never addressed the issue that the sub-frame is a component that should last the lifetime of the vehicle.
During oil change discovered that front subframe was rusted through at control arm attachment point, drivers side.car was removed from service as this is a major safety issue affecting suspension and steering.tried to find a used subframe but all in local auto parts recyclers were just as badly rusted.
During oil change discovered that front subframe was rusted through at control arm attachment point, drivers side.car was removed from service as this is a major safety issue affecting suspension and steering.tried to find a used subframe but all in local auto parts recyclers were just as badly rusted.
Severe rust out of the suspension sub-frame (engine cradle) along the left side, particularly at the lower control arm mount pocket.this condition was caught before the left front lower control arm broke loose due to the rusted sub-frame. Rust condition was confined to the left side of the sub-frame with no apparent issue with the right side or cross beams.brought to saturn's attention but concern was denied as the "vehicle is out of warranty".saturn never addressed the issue that the sub-frame is a component that should last the lifetime of the vehicle.
Vehicle collision resulting in turnover and fire.
Consumer states that when driving the consumer can feel the bumps on the road way to hard and that when hitting a pot hole the vehicle jump into the other lane and almost hit on coming traffic. Contacted dealer.nlm
Misalignment in suspension causing tire wear and drifting.
While driving home car started to pull to right side ,and steering wheel started to shake when stepping on brakes. Consumer took car to sears to check tires sizep18565r15, dot# not available.tires were rotated. Car was taken to dealer to findproblem in tires.dealer rotated tires again. Vehicle started doing the same thing. Dealer stated left front tire had a defect. Consumer contacted sears, and sears rotated tires again, and couldnot find anything wrong. Would not replace tire.they replaced the tire the next day.
Tires were sold as replacements for firestone afnty trgt1 tublps 18565r15 tires.the tires were sold by rust tires, llc d/b/a austin bluffs big o, 4496 austin bluffs parkway, colorado springs, co 80918, telephone #: 719-599-4555. I requested similar quality in an all-weather radial tire to the tires being replaced.the products sold do not perform safely in any amount of snow at any speed. At appropriately slow rates of speed, the tires tend to lose traction whenever the clutch is put in and when braking.the car begins to slide at those times and when starting from a complete stop.tires do not seem to gain any traction until car is in third gear. I have never had this type of problem with any other all-weather tires i've had over the years. These tires had approximately 5,500 miles on them when the problem first occurred with snow on the ground.while it was very icy on12/11/00, i had never experienced that degree of sliding in over 30 years of driving in winter conditions.with a child in the car, i had numerous "minor" slides and three very close calls where there was nearly property damage and/or injury.during a subsequent snow at christmas time, i again experienced unusual sliding.the most recent occurrences have been during and following a snow storm on 1/16/01.your database only lists 2 types of nankang tires and i cannot determine whether the ones on my car are either one. I suspect not. (tiresize: 1956015)( dot number:tire size: 1956015 )
While driving, tire blewout and caused damage to rear of vehicle, firestone affinity, 15 inch tire, claim 18-0556-875.
While driving, tire blewout and caused damage to rear of vehicle, firestone affinity, 15 inch tire, claim 18-0556-875.
I took my saturn for it's yearly inspection at my local saturn dealer. They told me my driverside front tire was worn, but not due to normal wear, the treads were ready to peel off. They told me the car would not pass inspection as is because of the tire and i had them put a new firestone tire on. I then brought the bad tire to firestone and told them what happened.they said they could only replace the tire and not give a refund on the tire. I feel firestone should give me a refund on the tire because the tire was'nt worn out normaly and the car needed that tire to pass inspection. I also called firestone and they told me the same thing as the manager at there store told me that they could'nt give me a refund. (tiresize: 17570r14)( dot number:tire size: 17570r14 )
I had to have constant servicing done w/car in shop over a 1 yr period for up to 1 wk @ a time w/ failure in systems listed brakes & tires not covered w/warranty though only 4 months after purchase anothe dealer serviced car orig. Dealer would not.(tiresize: 175-75-14)( dot number:tire size: 175-75-14 )
Firestone tire blew out.yh
Two tires worn prematurely, firestone fr680p175/70r1.yh
Going about 30 miles an hour the rear tire separated from the car causing a crash.the car was declared totalled by the insurance company.dt
Firestone fr680 tires(175 70 r14)experienced blowout.
Two replacement tires in the front of a 1997 saturn sl, fr480, p175/or14-845, dot hyep,tread is separating at 28,000 miles. Consumer took vehicle to mech. He tooktires off and saidinside was worse than the outside, and tread was getting ready to separate from the sidewall.
Traveling east on i-75 between naples, florida and ft. Lauderdale, florida at approximately 6:00 p.m. I heard a strange noise coming from under the car.immediately the car began pulling to the right.i looked in my rearview mirror to see tread flying up from under the car.i pulled over and saw my front left tire's tread separated completely.i could even see the steel radials exposed. (dot number: w2epbca466tiresize: 175/70 r14)
Pe00020; original tire equipment on a 1997 saturn sl2, tire size p18565r15, and dot number not available. Tires only had under 27 thousand miles on them.when driving onhighway at 65 mph driver's side rear tire tread separated, tread pealed off, and came into contact withfuel pump wiring harness which caused loss of all power.engine came to a complete stop due to the fuel not capable ofreachingengine.consumer contacted the dealer, dealer replaced the tires
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
While driving (vehicle in motion) the vehicle shuts down completely. At times when the key is turned in the ignition switch nothing happens; no electrical power but battery is fine and everything else checks out ok except the ignition switch. It has all the characteristics of gm vehicles that experienced fatalities with faulty ignition switches. This has occurred on several occasions the last instance was on may 10, 2016.
I have a 1997 saturn sl2.it has apx 78k miles.my car has been going thru alot of oil.i took it in to the dealership and was told that the problem had something to do with the motor and was going to cost apx 4k to fix.
Fabric oninstrument panel next to speakers burned out. Left car parked for a couple of days and back deck panel burned right through. Took vehicle to dealer, anddealer said that consumer is doing something to cause the fabric to burn.consumer states sun is burning the fabric.
Consumer requesting that an on/off switch be added to the front passenger air bag.
Engine service indicator failed.yh
Consumer was traveling about 55mph onhighway andhad cruise control on, cruisecontrol wouldn't let up.she turnedcruise control off, and she applied brakes.it tookten minutes to stop.
Faulty cruise control module caused the cruise control to re-engage after the cruise control switch was moved to the off position.nlm
Vehicle parked over night. Got in & started vehicle. The throttle opened wide. Had not shifted into gear. The rpms revved up high. Throttle did not shut down after depressing accelerator pedal. Had to turn vehicle off.
While driving in a parking space the car suddenly accelerated and went onto the sidewalk and bent the rim . Please describe .
The vehicle suddenly accelerated without warning.*nlm
While driving vehicle and approaching an intersection vehicle commenced to accelerate. Consumer had to do some tricky driving to avoid hitting other vehicles. Vehiclewas traveling approximately one mile or more before consumer was able to get it under control. Also no brakes were available at that time. Forgot to ask if speed control was engaged. Please respond to that question.. Dealer/ mfr. Were not notified at that time. Can nhtsa help in this matter.
While driving vehicle w/emergency brakes on of had no knowledge.was coming off freeway & was applying brakes, vehicle failed to slow down or stop. Started to suddenly accelerate. Turned vehicle off. Had it towed to dealer & found back brakes burnt out. Orginial brakes checked & was not burnt out. Owner has brake parts.
For approx. 7 month period, cruise control erratic.when on highway, with cruise power on, and press set speed, car rapidly accelerates to approx. 72+ mph and cruise would disengage spontaneously.after each incident like this, cruise would not function at all until car is turned off and on again.typical behavior: get on highway, get to 60 - 65 mph, turn cruise control power on, press to set speed, and car accelerates rapidly.all this behavior stopped spontaneously in december, and now cruise functions normally.i am worried that behavior, which lasted 7 months, will re-occur in the future.
With the cruise control in the off position, the cruise control engaged and went to full throttle. When the clutch pedal was depressed the cruise control dis-engaged. This happened five times, the cruise control unit has since been disabled.
When defrosting windshield glass fogs thicker.
Air conditioner: foul smell like cat pee/ammonia after using a/c. Reported several times to dealer; they removed a/c parts and cleaned evaporator, etc but smell persists. Unsafe for owner's health to use a/c; odor causes headache and breathing trouble.
Extremely foul order from the ventilation system in the car, on order when car is stopped, repeatedly failed to correct problem, found fungus (mold, mildew,bacteria) in a/c unit.
We gotcar from saturn of warwick leased then bought outright .the service issue we are about to tell was done at the saturn of seekonk loc. It is actually closer to our house. On jan, 16, 2002 we had to bring the saturn in for service because we started that day loosing anti freeze quickly then the car began to run hot but did not over heat, meanwhile the regular heat control didnt work 3 days prior to this incident and we had it sheduled for service that coming sat.we drop it off,car running hot but never overheated the tech only put that in his report .keep in mind we had no symptoms described by dealer letting us know that we were having problems like run sluggish, not starting at all etc.we had just driven 900 miles up and back over the thanksgiving holiday absolutely no problems.the tech contacts david my husband the next day to tell him the problem .the tech states we have a cracked head and even though its out of manf. Warranty saturn would fix it under warranty suddenly i get a call at my work the service tech says found more damage underneath engine that it had been burn oil and transmission fluid together which no evidence of this existed, didnt seem right stating we really need a new engine which runsabout $3200.00 and they say they wont replace it instead rebuild it if we make a donation of $600. To saturn.we know this wasn't right from the start they could'nt tell us what caused this to happen instead blamed it on poor maint. And claimed to be doing us a favor by only charging 600.00 to rebuild engine which we know was the cost of the new head dealer covering up. This iswhy they made it look like they were doing a favor the car was maint. And engine heads just dont crack at 70,000 miles. Plant person in tenn. Just agreed with deaier. Pls check edmunds.com saturn repair compl. Plsck we arent only snow job rec. Pls. Can you help us? we want out of the car still owe $4000. Who would buy with this issue can you help solve.
Driving vehicle during the rainy weather rear windowwould be distorted or wavy, visibility would be very poor; took to dealership who called it "the christmas tree effect."saturn has pin-stripped the orange defroster lines block.this eliminated "the christmas tree effect," but darkened the interior of vehicle.
Was driving approximately 50mph and was merging into traffic whentransmission locked in gear and failed to change. Consumer stated prior to purchasing vehicle she complained of a clunk noise when changed gears into reverse, also the driver side brake light is inoperable, also the right side mirror needed to be replaced, engine mounts were replaced,brakes were replaced, serpentine belt was cracked, engine overheats.
Owner states that when looking into rearview mirror at night she sees 24 lights from vehicle behind her and also from the reflection of the lights on defroster panel in her own vehicle.
While driving at 65 mph on interstate, driver's window shattered into small pieces, cause unknown. Contacted saturn company, and it will get back to consumer. Please add additional information.
Windshield glass defective causing poor visibility due to film coating.
While driving in rainy weather conditionswindshield wipers become inoperable. Cause unknown.pleasegive any further details.
Windsheild wipers will not clean the windows in wet weather, causing visual problems.
Windshield wipers on my 1997 saturn sl stopped as i was driving in the rain.ad to to an emergencypull over while not being able to see anything out my window.lucky to find a spot while not being hit by rush hour traffic.
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