2000 Saturn LS complaints

2000 LS1 WITH APPROX 75000 MILES STARTED MAKING A PUTTING/FLUTTERING NOISE. TOOK TO DEALER WHO STATED TIMING CHAIN COVER HAD A HOLE FROM THE TIMING CHAIN DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER FAILING. REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN, CHAIN COVER, AND TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER. WORK DONE ACCORDING TO STATEMENT... CHAIN, CAMSHAFT TIMING - REPLACE... CHAIN PKG, GASKET-EN,SEAL ASM, COVER ASM, OIL CHANGE. LOOKED UP INFO ON INTERNET AFTER FRIEND STATED UNUSUAL THAT TIMING CHAIN WOULD FAIL UNDER 100,000 MILES. *TR

2000 SATURN LS1 TIMING CHAIN FAILED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SPOUSE WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ONTO THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE SHUT COMPLETELY OFF AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN SNAPPED AND BENT THE VALVES AND THE HEAD. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V579000 (POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT) WAS REFERENCED FOR THE 2001 SATURN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/15/08 *JB

2000 SATURN WITH BROKEN TIMING CHAIN CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKING CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. SHE STATES THAT UPON HER RESEARCH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SATURN VEHICLES. *KB CONSUMER WROTE IN ON BEHALF OF HER FATHER-IN-LAW. *JB

I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MY RELIABLE, CARING MECHANIC THAT MY TIMING CHAIN IS ABOUT TO GO OUT AND NOT TO DRIVE ANY DISTANCES OR IT COULD BE DANGEROUS. I HAVE TAKEN PROPER CARE OF MY CAR WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES. THIS PART SHOULD LAST THE LIFETIME OF MY CAR. I CANNOT AFFORD TO FIX IT AND FEAR THE DANGER OF DRIVING IT. *TR

CAR STOPPED BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AT MY HOME - WOULD NOT RESTART - BATTERY OK. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP IN OAK LAWN IL -- ADVISED $2,500.00 REPAIR TO SNAPPED TIMING CHAIN AND RELATED ENGINE DAMAGE. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2000 SATURN LS 1 FROM CARMAX WITH 63,000 MILES ON IT IN SEPTEMBER, 2007. SINCE FEBRUARY, 2008, I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $2,600 IN REPAIRS ON THE CAR; $1,600 WAS THE TIMING CHAIN WHICH BROKE WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAD 73,000 MILES ON IT! I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT A TYPICAL PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS EARLY FOR IT TO HAVE BROKEN. I SEE THROUGH MY RESEARCH THAT THIS IS NOT UNTYPICAL AND IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM. *TR

AT AROUND 52,000 MILES I HAD TO HAVE MY TIMING CHAIN REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS DUE TO ME NOT HAVING OIL IN THE ENGINE, HOWEVER THE OIL WAS CHANGED AT 3,000 MILE INTERVALS WITH AN OCCASIONAL 6,000 MILE INTERVAL. CHANGING OIL THIS OFTEN I WOULD NOT EXPECT A PROBLEM AND IN ADDITION MY OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. HOWEVER, EVER SINCE I HAD THE TIMING CHAIN REPLACED I AM NOTICING THAT I AM USING AROUND THREE QUARTS OF OIL PER MONTH. I HAVE 73,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND FEEL THAT THIS IS EXCESSIVE. I HAVE READ WHERE OTHERS HAVE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR TIMING CHAIN AND I WONDER IF THIS HAS CAUSED THE EXCESSIVE BURNING OF OIL OR VICE VERSA. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, AND NO PREVIOUS SIGNS OF A POSSIBLE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, NO MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 87,000.

WAS DRIVING CAR LOSS POWER.. ONCE PARKED CAR WOULD NOT START.. BROUGHT TO SERVICE CENTER THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN AND THERE IS ENGINE DAMAGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. AS A RESULT, HER FOOT SLIGHTLY TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WHICH CAUSED HER TO CRASH INTO A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MODERATE DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED, BUT A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 77,000.

WHILE DRIVING HER 2000 SATURN LS2 3.0 MY DAUGHTERS CAR SUDDENLY DIED ON HER. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A HOTEL PARKING LOT OFF THE INTERSTATE. AFTER TOWING IT TO TWO INDEPENDENT CAR REPAIR SHOPS, THEY BOTH REFUSED TO WORK ON IT. AFTER TOWING IT TO SATURN, THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE ISSUE WITH THE TIMING BELT. THEY CLAIM THAT THIS CAR IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL BUT THAT DOES NOT MITIGATE THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE A HUGE FAILURE RATE WITH THEIR TIMING BELTS. WHY IS THIS ONE NOT COVERED UNDER THE SAME RECALL AS THE NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA06009? THERE IS A GREATER PROBLEM THEN THEY ARE LETTING ON TO IF YOU READ THE INTERNET PAGES ABOUT THE 2000 LS2. THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. *TR

TIMING CHAIN BROKE, TIMING CHAIN COVER AND VALVE COVER GASKET ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED. CAR ONLY HAS 45,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

MY 2000 SATURN LW1 HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING A NEW TIMING CHAIN. SATURN SERVICE HAS INDICATED THAT THE 2001 VERSION OF MY CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NOT MINE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LW1. THE TIMING CHAIN COMPLETELY SEPARATED. AS A RESULT, THE PISTONS JAMMED THE VALVES AND CAUSED THEM TO FAIL. THE TIMING CHAIN PULLED THE SPROCKETS APART, WHICH CAUSED THE HEADS AND VALVES TO FAIL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS UNDER RECALL AND WOULD CHARGE $2,200 FOR A NEW HEAD AND TIMING CHAIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 94,000.

BROKEN TIMING CHAIN ON 2000 SATURN LS. RECALL DOES NOT COVER MY VEHICLE BUT COVERS THE SAME EXACT 2001 MODEL WITH THE SAME EXACT ENGINE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGWAY AT 65MPH AND THE ENGINE QUIT I COASTED TO THE SHOULDER ANDS HAD THE CAR TOWED TO SATURN DEALER THEY SAID THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND CAUSED ENGINE DAMAGE SATURN SAID I WILL NEED A NEW ENGINE. *TR

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE ON A 2000 LW1 STATION WAGON. ENGINE MUST NOW BE REPLACED WITH AN ESTIMATED REPLACEMENT COST OF $2500. *TR

CAR STARTED TO MAKE LOUD RATTLING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE...I SAW A SMALL CRACK ON THE TOP OF THE CAM COVER ABOUT 4 IN. LONG. I WENT TO A REPAIR SHOP THAT I HAVE USED BEFORE AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN HITTING THE COVER!! THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPENED TO A CAR WITH 61,000 MILES ON IT ! I CALLED AND WROTE TO THE MFG. IN TN. AND TALKED TO THE AREA MGR.AND SHE ADVISED BRING THE CAR TO THE DEALER. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN AND THE SERVICE MGR. SAID THE CHAIN TENSIONER FAILED AND THAT CAUSED THE CHAIN TO HIT THE COVER. THE TIMING CHAIN AND ALL PARTS MUST BE REPLACED $985.00 + TAX. THE AREA MGR. SAID THERE WAS NOTHING SHE COULD DO FOR THE REPAIR COST THAT IS A MECHANICAL PART AND IT JUST FAILED! I TOLD HER THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE 2001 YR. BUT MINE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *TR

I OWN A 2000 SATURN LS2. THERE HAVE BEEN 2 RECALLS ON THE "L" SERIES VEHICLES. ALTHOUGH MY MODEL IS CONSIDERED THE LS SERIES, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS WITH MY VEHICLE AS DESCRIBED WITH THE L SERIES RECALL. THE MOST RECENT WAS THE REPLACEMENT OF ALL FOUR OF THE OXYGEN SENSORS IN MY VEHICLE WHICH I BELIEVE TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED WITH THE L SERIES VEHICLE AND ATTRIBUTED TO THE SATURN PART KNOWN AS THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. OVER A PERIOD OF ABOUT 2 MONTHS I NOTICED: 1. A DETERIORATION IN IDLE QUALITY 2. A REDUCTION IN OVERALL ENGINE POWER 3. THE ENGINE WAS HARD TO START THESE ARE EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED WITH THE ICM RECALL ON THE "L" SERIES. I HAD TO REPLACE, AT MY OWN EXPENSE, ALL 4 OF THE OXYGEN SENSORS FOR THIS VEHICLE. AFTER CONTACTING SATURN, THEY INSISTED, BASED ON MY VIN #, THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. IT SEEMS RATHER COINCIDENTAL THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SAME SYMPTOMS AS 2 RECALLS ON THE SAME MODEL YEAR CAR FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURER. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE RECALLS SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER THE LS SERIES VEHICLES AS WELL. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 SATURN LS 2.2 THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. *TR

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AROUND 55 M.P.H IN MY 2000 L-SEIZE SATURN WHEN ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUTS DOWN. COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AFTER NEARLY BEING REARENDED HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A MECHANIC. WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKE DESTROYING THE ENGINE. WAS ALSO TOLD BY MECHANIC THIS WAS VERY COMMON FOR SATURNS AS THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE OILING SYSTEM CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR IN THE TIMING CHAIN. CONTACTED LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP THEY ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM AND COULD INSTALL A NEW ENGINE FOR AROUND 10,000.00$. CURRENTLY CAR IS STILL BROKE DUE TO SHORTAGE OF THIS ENGINE. NO SURPRISE WITH ALL OF THEM BREAKING. VERY LUCKY WITH NO POWER STEERING,NO BRAKES, AND NO POWER TO MAKE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. *TR

MY 2000 SATURN LS1'S TIMING CHAIN BROKE WITH NO WARNING AND AS A RESULT, VALVES IN THE ENGINE WERE BENT. MY MECHANIC IS IN THE PROCESS OF PLACING A USED MOTOR IN THE CAR. I RECENTLY WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF OTHER SATURN OWNERS WERE HAVING SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I WAS AMAZED TO FIND THAT THIS IS A CONTINUAL PROBLEM WITH SATURNS FROM THE 2000-2003 TIME FRAME AND THAT IN FACT, A RECALL WAS INSTITUTED FOR SOME. ALTHOUGH MY CAR WAS NOT AMONG THOSE RECALLED, I AM WILLING TO BET THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND BY ENTERING MY COMPLAINT, I'M HOPING TO SAVE OTHER SATURN OWNERS FROM THE HEADACHES THAT I HAVE HAD. *TR

ACCORDING TO THE SATURN SERVICE ADVISOR, SATURN RECOMMENDS REPLACING THE TIMING CHAIN AT 100,000 MILES. AFTER PERFORMING $1500 WORTH OF REPAIRS (A/C, AXLE, OIL PAN DENT, TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK, AND AIR FILTERS), THE MECHANIC STARTED TO TAKE IT FOR A TEST DRIVE, AND THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE - AT JUST UNDER 89,000 MILES. SINCE THEY DIDN'T THINK THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED, I AUTHORIZED THEM TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN FOR $800. A FEW DAYS LATER, I LEARNED THAT THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED - $1500. I CHOSE NOT TO DO THIS AND DONATED THE CAR TO THE SALVATION ARMY. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WITH THE CRUISE ON. I THOUGHT THE CAR DID SOMETHING FUNNY, MAYBE IT SLOWED DOWN SO I LOOKED DOWN AT MY SPEEDOMETER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING, I TAPPED MY BRAKES. THEN MORE LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING AND THE CAR WAS JUST SLOWING DOWN. I THOUGHT I SHOULD START PULLING OVER TO STOP SO I TAPPED MY BRAKES AND IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING FLEW OFF MY CAR. I SLOWLY COASTED TO A STOP. I PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND IT WASN'T RUNNING. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND LIGHTS AND CALLED MY HUSBAND. IT WAS REALLY SCARY TO HAVE THE CAR JUST STOP ON YOU WHILE YOU WERE DRIVING AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN GOOD IF PEOPLE WERE AROUND. MY HUSBAND CAME TO SEE IF HE COULD GET THE CAR RUNNING AND WHEN HE TURNED THE KEY IT JUST SOUNDED LIKE METAL SCRAPING ON METAL. IT WAS A HORRIBLE NOISE I HAVE NEVER HEARD BEFORE. WE TOWED THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT TO THE CLOSEST TOWN AND IN THE MORNING FOUND OUT THEY DID NOT FIX SATURNS. ANOTHER PLACE IN TOWN, WHEN OUR CAR BROKE DOWN 2 MONTHS AGO, COULD NOT EVEN FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT AND RECOMMENDED WE BRING IT TO A SATURN DEALER (NO ONE CLOSER THAN 250 MILES). WE HAULED OUR CAR TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC WHO HAD WORKED ON IT IN 2005 WHEN THE WATER PUMP BROKE WHILE WE WERE DRIVING IT. HE HAS STATED THAT THE TIMING BELT BROKE. IT WILL BE AT LEAST $1500 AND THAT'S IF IT DIDN'T WRECK THE ENGINE. WE AREN'T SURE IF WE ARE GOING TO FIX IT BECAUSE WE ARE STILL PAYING ON THE CAR ITSELF. AND WE JUST PUT ABOUT $1200 INTO IT IN SEPTEMB

MY CAR WAS PAID OFF IN MAY 2007 AND THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE IN NOVEMBER 2007. I BROUGHT IT INTO THE DEALER ABOUT A YEAR AGO WITH POOR FUEL ECONOMY, ROUGH IDLE IN THE MORNING, OXYGEN SENSOR FAILURE AND RANDOM CYLINDER MISFIRE. THE DEALER COULD NOT ISOLATE THE PROBLEM. THEY PRESSURIZED THE FUEL SYSTEM TO CHECK FOR LEAKS. CLEANED THE INJECTORS AND CHARGED ME 150$... DID NOT HELP. THEY SAID IT WAS PROBABLY A BAD INJECTOR... HAD THE INJECTORS CHECKED AND THEY WERE FINE. HAD THE OXYGEN SENSOR REPLACED 3 TIMES. NOTHING HELPED. TURNS OUT THE TENSIONER ON THE TIMING CHAIN WAS FAILING. THE DEALERSHIP NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS EVEN THOUGH IT IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MOTOR. WELL THE PROBLEM PERSISTED UNTIL THE CHAIN JUMPED AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. 1250$ IS THE ESTIMATE TO INSTALL THE UPDATED TIMING CHAIN KIT NOT TO MENTION THE COST OF A RENTAL CAR, THE TIME AND AGGRAVATION CAUSED BY A SATURN DESIGN FLAW. PS. MY CAR HAS 83,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND THEN DECELERATED. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 108,700.

2000 SATURN L SERIES TIMING CHAIN FAILURE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I WAS NOT INJURED BUT HAVE CONCERN THAT SOMEONE COULD BE. THIS IS A COSTLY CATASTROPHIC AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS FAILURE THAT GM HAS SEEMED TO KNOW ABOUT FOR SOME TIME AS EVIDENCE SHOWS THEY RELEASED AN UPGRADE TIMING CHAIN KIT. THE COST FROM $2700 TO OVER $4000 TO REPAIR. THE REPAIR COST COULD EXCEED THE VALUE OF THE CAR. *JB

AT 104,000 MILES, OUR SATURN LW2 WAGON'S TIMING CHAIN SUFFERED COMPLETE FAILURE WHILE I WAS TRAVELING WITH MY WIFE AND INFANT SON. WHEN THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED, IT DESTROYED THE VALVES ON ITS ENGINE, REQUIRING THE COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENGINE. THE REPLACEMENT COST HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT $6,000. *JB

WAS DRIVING DOWN A BUSY INTERSTATE AT 70MPH WHEN I STARTED TO HEAR A LOUD NOISE (WHILE PRESSING THE GAS DOWN) AND LOST POWER. WHEN I HAD THE CAR LOOKED OUT I WAS TOLD THE TIMING BELT HAD BROKE AND PROBABLY CAUSED FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. NEW ENGINE WAS QUOTED AT $3,000.

THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN LS (80,000 MILES) HAS SLIPPED, AND IT'S BEING RECOMMENDED BY MY SATURN DEALER THAT I REPLACE NOT ONLY THE TIMING CHAIN, BUT ALSO THE HEAD ASSEMBLY, AS WHEN THE TIMING CHAIN GOES, IT USUALLY ENDS UP IMPACTING THE VALVES, AS WELL. *TR

MY 2000 SATURN LS1 WAS WORKING JUST FINE UNTIL ALL OF THE SUDDEN I LOST ALL POWER TO THE CAR. THE CAR DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT 45 MPH IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY ROAD. I HAD BOTH OF MY CHILDREN IN THE CAR, ONE OF WHO IS 10 MONTHS OLD, AND LUCKILY I WAS NOT HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP AND THEY SAID MY TIMING CHAIN WAS BROKEN AND IT CAUSED TWO VALVES TO BECOME BENT AND THE MOTOR HEAD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *JB

2000 SATURN LS1 WITH SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN**CC THE DEALER STATED THE REASON FOR THE SMOKE WAS BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAD SHORTED OUT. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE TAIL LIGHTS WERE SHORTENING OUT. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL WOULD ACTIVATE, BUT THEN DEACTIVATE. ON OCCASION, THE TURN SIGNAL WOULD FAIL TO ACTIVATE COMPLETELY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL # 99V199000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH). THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 67,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,500.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LW2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SECURITY LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATES WHILE DRIVING OR AT A STOP LIGHT. THE FAILURE OCCURS SPORADICALLY. OCCASIONALLY, THE VEHICLE FAILS TO START. HE HAS NOTIFIED SATURN AND THEY ARE AWARE THAT THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART. HOWEVER, THE REPLACEMENT THAT IS BEING USED FOR THE COMPUTER MODULE IS ALSO DEFECTIVE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 177,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I OWN A 2000 SATURN LS2. I BOUGHT IT IN 2005 AT 26,00 MILES. IT CURRENTLY HAS 74,000 MILES ON IT. THERE WAS NO RATTLE OR WARNING, BUT MY TIMING BELT BROKE 6/7/07 AND NOW MY CAR ENGINE IS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER IS CURRENTLY REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 51,300.

CUSTOMER HAS SEVERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT HIS SATURN INCLUDING IGNITION AND TIRE REPLACEMENT**CC THE CRANK SENSOR WAS REPLACED, THE SHIFT LIGHT INDICATOR IN THE DRIVE POSITION WENT OUT WHILE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE ON. THE AC WAS NOT COOLING WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN IDLE. THE TIRES HAD SEVER CUPPING FOLLOWING FOUR CROSS ROTATIONS DUE TO A BAD REAR WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THE IGNITION WOULD NOT UNLOCK. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN AND PERFORMED THE REPAIR. APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS LATER, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED AGAIN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 82,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

RECENTLY MY INFANT DAUGHTER JUST BARELY AVOIDED BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED WHEN THE REAR WINDOW BRAKE LIGHT ON THE 2000 LS1 SUDDENLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY DETACHED AND FELL WHILE DRIVING. WE HAD CHECKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP, WHO TOLD ME THAT NO RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND THE TECHNICIAN COULD FIND NO REASON WHY IT SHOULD HAVE FALLEN. HIS SOLUTION WAS TO HAVE US ORDER A NEW PART AND PAY A LARGE SUM OF MONEY FOR THE PART AND LABOR TO INSTALL IT. A CHECK WITH THE NHTSA INFORMED US THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 2000 L-SERIES SEDANS. THE NHTSA REPRESENTATIVE TOLD US THAT THIS WAS DUE TO ELECTRONICS WHICH MAY SHIFT OVER TIME. FURTHERMORE, IT APPEARED THAT THIS I WAS DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN ,AND REPLACED THE BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY .WOULD DO NOTHING TO PREVENT FURTHER DANGEROUS INCIDENTS. SATURN OFFERED TO PAY $55 TOWARD THE COST OF REPLACING THE PART. A REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT ISSUE ANY RECALLS OR TAKE ANY ACTIONS UNTIL FORCED TO DO SO BY NHTSA. THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY NUMBERS REGARDING THE SIZE OF THE CLASS, SUCH AS NUMBER OF REGISTERED OWNERS OF 2000 L-SERIES SEDANS.*AK

KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN WHEN STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. I HAD THIS LOOKED AT BY MY MECHANIC, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN LEADING TO ITS LINKAGE. HE TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS DEFINITELY A POTENTIAL LIFE RISKING PROBLEM. A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED BECAUSE THE PART IN QUESTION WAS NOT ONE THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO UNDERGO WEAR. IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE GOOD FOR LIFE! ONE MAY NOT GET A SECOND CHANCE IF THE STEERING FAILED WHILE DRIVING, ESPECIALLY ON HIGHWAYS. *AK

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE ON 2000 SATURN LS1 @ 80,000 MILES. NOTICED NHTSA INVESTIGATION IS STILL ACTIVE ON THIS PROBLEM. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO SERVICE STATION WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT, BUT AM CONCERNED THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS CAR SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. SURPRISED TO LEARN NOW THAT GM HAS A TSB OUT FOR THIS ISSUE, KNOWING THE TIMING CHAIN DOES NOT GET ENOUGH OIL. THIS CAR IS IN BEING SERVICED NOW. *JB

I WISH TO REPORT THE SAME DEFECT ALREADY IDENTIFIED BY ACTION NUMBER PE06006 (AND SUBSEQUENTLY EA06-009). THE TIMING CHAIN DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE DUE TO VERY ROUGH IDLING, AND AFTER GETTING A FIRST OPINION FROM MY SATURN DEALERSHIP AND A SECOND OPINION FROM A LOCAL GARAGE, I PAID $820 FOR A TIMING CHANGE. SATURN REFUSED TO COVER THIS OBVIOUS DEFECT UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

I HAVE A SATURN SL YEAR 2000. IT CURRENTLY HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND IT SUDDENLY STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN, I WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT BECAUSE I COULDN'T SLOW IT FAST ENOUGH. THE BRAKES WOULD SLOW IT DOWN IF I FLOORED THEM BUT NOT SLOW IT TO A STOP. THE ENGINE RPMS WERE UP TO 5 AND WOULD NOT DECREASE. I HAD TO THROUGH THE CAR IN TO NEUTRAL THEN PARK (RPMS STILL AT 5) THEN TAKE THE KEYS OUT. I HAD THE NEAREST AUTO REPAIR CHECK IT AND THEY SAID THAT AN ICE BLOCK HAD FROZE IN THE AIR INTAKE CAUSING ACCELERATOR TO FREEZE. 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED. I PROCEEDED WITH THE SAME ACTIONS TO STOP, AND WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. (THIS TIME I SMELLED AN AWFUL BURNING SMELL WHICH I ASSUME WAS EITHER FROM RIDING MY BRAKES OR FROM THE ENGINE REVVING SO HIGH) LUCKY NO RED LIGHTS THIS TIME AND NOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD AS THE FIRST TIME. I DECIDED TO USE THE SATURN DEALER SHIP TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED. THEY STATED THAT "MICE" HAD CHEWED THROUGH THE WIRES GOING TO THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR/CONTROL. THEY REPLACED THE WIRES AND SAID IT WAS FIXED. NOW 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. I CALLED THE SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY MAY HAVE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM TO DIAGNOSE IT. I EXPLAINED IT HAS OCCURRED ONLY ABOUT EVERY 2 WEEKS AND THAT I HAVE ONLY ONE VEHICLE. I THEN DECIDED TO RESEARCH THE INTERNET ABOUT THE PROBLEM. ON ONE SITE WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM I FOUND A FEW DISTURBIN

ENGINE FAILURE, HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT SATURN. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED DUE TO POOR MAINTENANCE. THEY PUT A NEW ENGINE IN IT WHICH FAILED 60K MILES LATER WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN LS BROKE AND RUINED THE ENGINE. WE HAD IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HWY AND BARELY GOT OUT OF THE ROAD IN TIME. AFTER READING NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT PROBLEM I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS. THEY NEED TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS, SINCE THEY WILL NOT PAY THE $3400 TO GET MY ENGINE REPLACED. THIS IS THE 3RD DEFECT ON THE CAR THAT HAS COST ME MONEY TO FIX BEFORE A RECALL. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON DECEMBER 10, 2006 WHEN HE WENT TO GET HIS 2000 SATURN LS 122216 INSPECTED THE VEHICLE FAILED THE INSPECTION DUE TO THE FUEL SYSTEM GASOLINE; STORAGE TANK ASSEMBLY LEAK. THE CONTACT PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS CAR WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS AS CAMPAIGN NUMBER 99V197. THE CONTACT REQUESTS TO GET REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIRS BECAUSE OF DENIED REIMBURSEMENT FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *NM UPDATED 2/22/2007 - COOLANT WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE LEAKING*NM

MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 2000 SATURN LS1 IN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE, KY ON 12/19/06. THE CAR DIED AS SHE WAS DRIVING. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHE WAS CARRYING TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. AFTER ANALYSIS BY A MECHANIC IT WAS FOUND THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND RUINED THE ENGINE. ESTIMATED REPAIR COST IS $4000. I AM TURNING THE CAR IN FOR SALVAGE. *NM

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS ON NHTSA WEBSITE AND FOUND THAT HER 2000 SATURN L SERIES HAD BEEN RECALLED DUE TO THE IGNITION MODULE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL ON THE WEBSITE WAS IN AUGUST 2003. SHE HAS ALREADY HAD THIS REPAIR DONE, AND STILL HAVE THE REPAIR ORDER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE DID GET A RECALL ON THE SAME VEHICLE FOR HER BRAKE LIGHT BUT NOT FOR THIS RECALL. THE RECALL STATED THAT PROBLEMS WITH IGNITION MODULE MAY CAUSE PROBLEMS WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND CONTACT HAS HAD THIS REPAIR DONE ON VEHICLE ALSO. TELESIS WILL CALL THE CONTACT AND GIVE HER THE INFORMATION IN THE FAQ. UPDATED 2/22/2007 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE, AND TURNING THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN. A FUSE WAS PULLED TO STOP THE ENGINE. IT STARTED ON ITS OWN ONE HALF HOUR AFTER THE FUSE WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER WAS ALERTED.