2001 Saturn LS complaints

I HAVE A REAR FACING INFANT SEAT IN THE BACK OF MY CAR. I HAD THE INSTALLATION CHECKED MY LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT. WHEN I MAKE A RIGHT OR LEFT HAND TURN, THE INFANT SEAT TIPS ONTO ITS SIDE. I CONTACTED SATURN MANY TIMES ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THEY OFFERED ME A COUPLE OF IDEAS TO TRY, BUT NONE WORKED. THEY TOLD ME THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO TELL ME. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THEY HAVE HAD THIS COMPLAINT BEFORE AND THAT THERE CARS ARE NOT CRASH TESTED WITH INFANT SEATS IN THEM. DT

LOWER RADIATOR GASKET HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES AND REINSTALLED 3 TIMES. THE ENGING COOLANT LEAKAGE HAPPENED 2 TIMES WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF PURCHASE. THE LIGHT/TURN INDICATOR BROKE OFF WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. BATTERY ACID WAS LEAKING WHICH WAS CAUSED BY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND OVERCHARGING THE BATTERY. AND SOMEHOW THE SERPENTINE BELT IS NOW DAMAGED. THE DEALERSHIP IS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE STARTER NOT WANTING TO TURN OFF AND ARE GOING TO REPLACE IT IN HOPES THIS CURES THE PROBLEM. DT

WHILE DRIVING BATERY AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT APPEARED ON DASHBOARD. VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND PULLED OUT ON ROAD. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIRES WERE WORN PREMATURELY, THE LEFT SIDE BRAKE BULB WAS REPLACED, THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*JB

ON JUNE 11, 2001 I PURCHASED A NEW (2001) SATURN L-200 4-DOOR SEDAN AT SATURN OF CERRITOS, 18400 STUDEBAKER ROAD, CERRITOS, CA 90703. THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS HAVE OCCURRED: ON 6-16-02, I WAS TRAVELING NORTH ON THE 405 FREEWAY TO WOODLAND HILLS, CA. THE CLUTCH BEGAN TO FAIL. I WAS ABLE TO 'LIMP' TO MY DESTINATION AND THEREAFTER HAD MY CAR TOWED TO SATURN OF THE VALLEY, 15421 ROSCOE BLVD. SEPULVEDA, CA 91343 818-895-3800, WHERE THEY INSPECTED THE PROBLEM AND THEREAFTER REPLACED THE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER ON 6-17-02. THEREAFTER, ON 7-14-02, AGAIN ON THE 405 FWY., THE CLUTCH COMPLETELY FAILED AGAIN. I PUMPED THE CLUTCH MANY, MANY TIMES AND THE CLUTCH BEGAN TO PERFORM NORMALLY. THE CAR PERFORMED NORMALLY UNTIL (FOR THE 3RD TIME) ON8-3-02, UPON EXITING THE FWY., THE CLUTCH FAILED AGAIN. AFTER PUMPING THE CLUTCH SEVERAL TIMES IT BEGAN TO PERFORM NORMALLY AGAIN. (NOTE: MY CAR WAS SERVICED ON 8-2-02 AT SATURN OF CERRITOS AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND.) THEN ON 8-25-02, WHILE EXITING A FREEWAY, I TRIED TO DOWNSHIFT GEARS, HOWEVER IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE SINCE MY CLUTCH WAS NOT WORKING AT ALL! I HAD TO GRIND THE GEARS, AFTER PUMPING THE CLUTCH REPEATEDLY, IT REGAINED 'LIFE', UNTIL 9-6-02,FRIDAY, ON MY HOME FROM WORK WHILE ON THE FREEWAY, I PUSHED THE CLUTCH IN AND THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY ZERO CLUTCH, I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE HOME IN 3RD GEAR, I MADE IT, FROM THERE I ARRANGED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO SATURN OF CERRITOS WHERE IT CURRENTLY IS. THEY TOLD ME THEY ONLY MAKE 1 OUT OF EVERY 500 L-200'S WITH A

TIRES ARE WEARING UNEVENLY, ALL TIRES WERE REPLACED BY DEALER AT 234 MILES. AT THIS TIME TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. AFFINITY AP, P205/65R15.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY AND NOISE FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION CAN BE HEARD. THE STEERING IS MISALIGNED. ALSO THERE IS EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR. DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR 3 TIMES. *TT

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE WILL MAKE A WHINING NOISE WHEN TURNING LEFT. POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKS OUT OF THE STEERING RACK. THREE RACKS WERE INSTALLED AS ORIGINAL. THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED AT ABOUT 12000 MILES.

CONSUMER STATES STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND VIBRATES CONTINUOUSLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST LOOKED AT WITH NO SUCCESS AT FIXING IT. AFTER THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE SHAKING AND VIBRATING WAS COMMON AND THAT MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER CLAIM THE FUEL INJECTOR SENSOR HAD FAILED. CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE NOW RUNS BADLY THEN BEFORE. *TT

WHILE DRIVING ROTORS WILL WARP, CAUSING FRONT END TO VIBRATE END WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. HAD ROTORS REPLACED 3TIMES; HOWEVER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK

VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED MASSIVE VIBRATION WITH CAUSE STILL UNKNOWN .AFTER SEVERAL TIRE CHANGES AND PARTS, SUCH AS BUSHINGS AND STEERING ROD. THIS VIBRATION REOCCURS ALWAYS AFTER EACH ADDITIONAL 500 MILES. FIRESTONE TIRES, SIZE 5519515. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS CONTINUE TO WARP. I HAVE HAD THE CAR TO 2 DIFFERENT SATURN DEALERS ON 3 OCCASIONS. THE FIRST DEALERSHIP TURNED THE ROTORS AND THEN A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER REPLACED THEM. I RETURNED TO THE FIRST DEALER A FEW THOUSAND MILES LATER AFTER THE PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN AND WAS ADVISED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I TOOK THE CAR TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED THE ROTORS WERE WARPED AND AGAIN TURNED THE ROTORS. THE ROTORS ARE AGAIN STARTING TO WARP. I GET THE SAME PULSATION IN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SERIOUS VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE STOPPING. WHEN THE ROADS ARE WET, THE REAR BRAKES WILL LOCK UP SUDDENLY, WHILE MAKING A MODERATE STOP. WHEN THE BRAKES LOCK UP, IT IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE.*AK

HEADLIGHTS AND DASHLIGHTS CONSTANTLY DIM BRIEFLY WHILE DRIVING AT A CONSTANT SPEED. OTHER DRIVERS THINK THAT I AM FLASHING MY LIGHTS AT THEM. I HAVE HAD THE SATURN DEALER LOOK AT THE CAR 2 TIMES. THEY CLAIM EVERYTHING IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. IN MY 15 MINUTE DRIVE TO WORK, LIGHTS DIM OUT APPROXIMATELY 20 TIMES.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN SNOW OR ICE BRAKES LOCKS UP, AND SPEEDOMETER DROPS TO ZERO. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES, CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK

RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT FAILS REPEATEDLY. REPLACED WITH OEM BULBS. BRAKE LIGHT CONTINUES TO FAIL AND/OR FLICKER AFTER REPLACEMENT.*AK

4 SETS OF TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP DUE TO ROAD NOISE AND THUMPING. ALIGNMENT WAS DONE, BUT DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. FIRESTONE INFINITY P195/55R15. 1 SET OF TIRES LASTS ABOUT 4000 MILES.*AK

CLUTCH / ENGINE VIBRATIONS FELT IN CLUTCH. *AK

ON TWO OCCASIONS, VEHICLE LOST BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. VEHICLE AT THE DEALER SHOP AT THIS PRESENT TIME. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE COMPUTER HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES DUE TO THE MANY FAILURES INCLUDING INOPERATIVE LOCKS, TRANSMISSION, IGNITION, AND LIGHTS. *JB

UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. VEHICLE AT DEALER SHOP FOR REPAIRS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS MATTER. *AK

DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY BETWEEN 60 AND 65 MILES PER HOUR THE ENGINE JUST QUIT RUNNING. THERE WHERE NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO UNUSUAL SOUNDS, ETC. UPON STOPING THE CAR I TRIED TO RESTART IT TO NO AVAIL. CAR TOWED INTO SATURN DEALER. IT SEEMS THE CAMS FROZE WHICH BROKE THE TIMING CHAIN WHICH CAUSED THE VALVES TO HIT THE PISTORNS... THUS NEW MOTOR IS NEEDED. DEALER CHECKED OIL IT WAS CLEAN AND FOUND NO PROBLEMS. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED ON A REGULAR BASIS. COST TO REPAIR $5,000.00. CAR IS LESS THAN ONE YEAR OLD. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH THE DEALER WHO HAS BEEN TALKING TO SATURN. SATURN STATES THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING. THEY DID SAY THEY WOULD OFFER TO CONRIBUTE 50% OR 2,500 TOWARD REPLACING THE ENGINE. I STATED THAT THEY NEED TO DO BETTER THAN THAT. I FOLLOWED BASIC MAINTENANCE AND DROVE THE CAR IN A PRUDENT FASHION - HIGHWAY MILES TO AND FROM THE OFFICE FROM HOME. CAR IS AT THE DEALER AT THIS POINT. I AM UNDECIDED ON WHAT I WILL DO NEXT. THANK YOU, [XXX] PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

WINDSHIELD WIPERS CHATTER AND HOP ACROSS WINDSHIELD, LEAVING UNWIPED AREAS. BLADES WERE REPLACED YET PROBLEM PERSISTS.*AK

WHILE ACCELERATING TRANSMISSION IS HARSH OR FAILS TO SHIFT IMMEDIATELY, RESULTING IN CAR SURGING FORWARD. DEALER HAS REPLACED SEALS AND PROBLEM DIMINISHED SOME. PROBLEM THEN CAME BACK TO PRE-REPAIR STATE- TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM CANNOT BE IDENTIFIED.

WHEN ATTEMPTING TO BLOW HORN, HORN SENSOR IS DIFFICULT TO LOCATE AND VERY HARD TO PRESS. EXTREME FORCE IS NEEDED TO GET HORN TO SOUND. APPARENTLY THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON, THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS DIM FOR NO KNOWN REASON, EITHER WITH OR WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL GETTING THE SAME RESULT. WAS TOLD BY SATURN DEALER THAT THIS WAS COMMON AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I WOULD THINK THAT VOLTAGE REGULATION WOULD BE A SIMPLE THING TO FIX.

HORN SENSOR IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO LOCATE AND VERY HARD TO DEPRESS IN A EMERGENCY SITUATION. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

POSSIBLE CHECK VALVE STICKING ON THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM LINE CAUSING LOSS OF POWER ASSIST WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. NLM

AFTER BEING DRIVENVEHICLE STOPPED, AND FLAMES WERE COMING FROM ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALER'S TECHNICIAN DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WHEN SHE SLAMMED ON BRAKES, AND FRONT OF VEHICLE IMPACTED A TREE. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, FRONTAL, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. RATE OF INCLINE AND LOCATION OF SENSORS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN FAILURE OF AIR BAG TO DEPLOY. *AK

THE USER'S MANUAL INDICATES THAT I SHOULD HAVE A LOCKING GAS DOOR. REPEATED CONTACTS WITH SATURN LED TO BEING TOLD THE LOCKING DOOR HAD BEEN ELIMINATED AS A COST SAVINGS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 2001 MODEL YEAR. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT REMOVED FROM THE USERS MANUAL, THE COST OF RETROFITTING MY 2001 MODEL WAS TOO GREAT TO BE FEASIBLE AND THEY CONSIDERED IT A MISPRINT AFTER I BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION. INSTEAD, THEY OFFERED A LOCKING GAS CAP WHICH AFTER TWO MONTHS THEY COULD NOT LOCATE. SINCE THE LOCKING GAS CAP WOULD COST SOMEWHERE IN THE $20 RANGE THEY SAID THEY WERE OFFERING A "FREE" LUBRICATION AND OIL CHANGE. I TOLD THEM THAT WAS AN INSULT TO MY INTELLIGENCE SINCE THE RETROFIT WOULD OBVIOUSLY COST CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN $20 AND I WOULD NOT ACCEPT THEIR OFFER. I FURTHER SAID I WOULD RATHER WAIT FOR SOMEONE WITH THE WHEREWITHAL TO FILE A CLASS ACTION SUIT ON BEHALF OF THOSE BUYERS WHO WERE MISLED TO BELIEVE THEY HAD PURCHASED A CAR WITH A LOCKING GAS DOOR. THEY TOLD ME MY FILE WAS MARKED AS CLOSED SINCE I DID NOT ACCEPT THEIR OFFER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON A CLEAR LEVEL ROAD THE LEFT REAR TIRE RUPTURED AT THE SIDEWALL FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE VEERED HEAVILY TO THE RIGHT UNDER ACCELERATION. I THEN CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE ON ALL FOUR WHEELS AND FOUND THEM TO BE NORMAL PRIOR TO THE TIRE RUPTURING. I THEN RETURNED TO THE DEALER WITH THE TIRE AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I ALSO COMPLAINED TO THE SERVICE MANAGER STEVE ABOUT THE CAR VEERING HEAVILY TO THE RIGHT. I THEN EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I DIDN'T FEEL SAFE WITH THE TIRES THAT ARE ON THE CAR AND REQUESTED THAT THEY BE REPLACED WITH GOODYEAR EQUIVALENTS. THE DEALERSHIP AGREED AND REPLACED THE FIRESTONE TIRES WITH GOODYEAR INTEGRITY TIRES. I WAS THEN ADVISED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE VEERING HEAVILY TO THE RIGHT UNDER ACCLERATION AND THAT NOTHING HAD BEEN DONE TO THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN REPLACE THE TIRES. SINCE REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRES THE VEHICLE HAS PERFORMED WELL WITHOUT THE VEERING TO THE RIGHT. I NOTICED THAT THE RENTAL VEHICLE HAD THE SAME FIRESTONE TIRE AND FOUND THE SIDEWALLS TO BE SOFT.THIS AFTER CHECKING THAT THE AIR PRESSURE HAD BEEN NORMAL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE.*AK (TIRESIZE: 205/65R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 205/65R15 )

WHILE AT DEALER, NOTICED THAT THERE WERE ALL LAP AND SHOULDER SEATBELTS WERE INOPERATIVE WHILE DRIVING CHILD IN CCS, SEAT TILTED OVER WHENEVER TURNING A CORNER. FELT WAS DUE TO DESIGN OF THE SEATBELTS. *AK WHEN THE TETHER STRAP WAS INSTALLED THE SEAT DID NOT TIP OVER. *YH

TIRE VIBRATION AT 70+ MPH. TIRES REPLACE DUE TO SQUARE TIRES. NEW TIRES HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK (TIRESIZE: P195/65R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/65R15 )