2001 Saturn LS complaints

2001 SATURN L-200 TIMING CHAIN FAILURE WITH ONLY 70K MILES SEEMS TO BE A REAL PROBLEM THAT SATURN WILL NOT ADMIT. *NM

I BOUGHT MY CAR WITH 36,000 MILES ON IT AND SPENT $8000. LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS LATER, I HAD TO SPEND ALMOST $2000 TO FIX A TIMING CHAIN. THEN WHEN IT HAD 61,000 MILES ON IT, I HAD TO HAVE A FUEL PUMP FIXED. I HAVE FOUND OUT THIS IS SUCH A COMMON PROBLEM, THERE IS A FIX IT KIT FOR IT. THEY REFUSE TO ASSIST ME IN GETTING IT FIXED BECAUSE I WILL NOT PAY FOR A SECOND TOW TO TAKE IT TO THEIR RETAILER TO HAVE IT DIAGNOSED BECAUSE MY CERTIFIED MECHANIC LETS ME MAKE PAYMENTS. THEY ALSO REFUSE TO RECALL THE DEFECTIVE PART. *NM

2001 SATURN 200L KEY WOULD NOT TURN IN ENGINE, STEERING SHOOK VIGOROUSLY WHILE DRIVING. *TS WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, ON THE DAY THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, THE VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND PULL TO THE RIGHT. THERE WAS ALSO A NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONSUMER ASSUMER THE PROBLEM WOULD RESOLVE ITSELF BUT IT DIDN'T. TWO WEEKS LATER THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WA TAKEN TOT HE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WHEEL BALANCING. THE ADJUSTMENT WERE MADE AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TOT HE CONSUMER. ABOUT A MONTH LATER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER WHO EXPLAINED THAT THIS WAS A SAFETY FEATURE. SEVERAL MONTHS WENT BY AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR. SOMEONE SUGGESTED TOT HE CONSUMER THAT SHE NEEDED A NEW STARTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE CONSUMER . ONCE AGAIN THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO NOT START. THE DEALER FINALLY REPLACED THE STARTER. THE VEHICLE TIE ROD EVENTUALLY HAD TO BE REPLACED. THAT WAS THE NOISE THE CONSUMER HEARD WHEN SHE FIRST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. ON DAY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SUDDEN LOST ALL POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE'S TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN. NONE OF THESE FAILURES WERE COVERED BY THE VEHICLE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED YHE MANUFACTURER BUT THEY PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. *NM

I PURCHASED A 2001 SATURN LW200 NEW FROM SATURN OF GREENVILLE, SC. MY TIRE DEALER UPON CHECKING ALIGNMENT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR CAMBER (WHICH IS NOT ADJUSTABLE) WAS OUT OF SPEC. I HAD THE SATURN DEALER CHECK THIS & THEY VERIFIED IT. I THINK THIS IS AN ASSEMBLY OR DESIGN DEFECT. HOWEVER, THE SATURN DEALER WANTED APPROXIMATELY $500 TO RETROFIT A KIT THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. OBVIOUSLY, SATURN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT WILL NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DEALING WITH IT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, GAS FUMES WERE NOTICED AND THE GAS GAUGE DROPPED AT AN ACCELERATED RATE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR A FEW MONTHS. ONCE WHILE PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY A LEAK WAS OBSERVED UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE FUEL LINE CLIP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

WIFE'S CAR...SHE NOTICED A NOISE,TOOK TO MECHANIC...TIMING CHAIN BROKE. DAMAGE TO PISTONS....REPORTED TO (GEICO MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN INSURANCE) INSPECTOR CAME OUT SAID LACK OF OIL CHANGES. WANTED RECORDS...I DO ALL OIL CHANGES. MANY INCIDENTS REPORTED ON INTERNET. TECH SERVICE BULLETIN 03-06-01-017. SATURN SAYS ONLY FOR DEALERSHIPS TO READ ... SATURN L200 WITH 63000 MILES. *JB

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AT LOW SPEED RESULTING IN STALL. CAR RESTARTED AFTER A FEW TRIES AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN ABOUT 2 BLOCKS HOME WITH VERY POOR PERFORMANCE. AFTER TURNING OFF ENGINE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. *NM

ODOMETER SUDDENLY BEGAN DISPLAYING ONLY MILEAGE 694978 WITH NO MILES REGISTERED UNDER THE TRIP ODOMETER. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE HAS FAILED. (THIS FOLLOWS HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE DUE TO THE FAILED TIMING CHAIN WITH ONLY 48000 MILES ON THE ENGINE.) THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 51300 MILES, SINCE I CANNOT READ THE ACTUAL MILEAGE AT THIS POINT. *NM

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 SATURN L-100 WEST BOUND ON I-70 TRAVELING AT APPROX 65 MPH. WHEN SHE BEGAN DECELERATING WHILE APPROACHING THE EXIT RAMP FOR US 33 SOUTH THE ENGINE QUIT. FORTUNATELY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND SHE WAS ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE CAR TO AS SAFE STOP ON THE BERM OF THE EXIT RAMP. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE SATURN DEALER, WE WERE IN FORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD STRETCHED AND SKIPPED A TOOTH CAUSING THIS ZERO CLEARANCE ENGINE TO REQUIRE A REBUILD COSTING NEARLY $3000. THE DEALER TOLD ME THIS WAS PROBABLY DUE TO INSUFFICIENT OIL CHANGES ON MY PART. I CHANGE THE OIL IN THIS CAR EVERY 5000 TO 6000 MILES. SINCE THIS INCIDENT I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF OTHER SATURN L-SERIES OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME FAILURE, MANY WITH LESS MILES THAN MY CAR. FORTUNATELY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN DURING A HIGH TRAFFIC TIME OF DAY WHILE DRIVING IN A MIDDLE OR LEFT LANE ORE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MERGE IN A HIGH TRAFFIC SITUATION. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH ON A CITY STREET, THE TIMING BELT FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING AND THERE WAS A LOSS OF ALL VEHICLE POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED WHEN THE TIMING BELT FRACTURED. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED REPLACING THE ENGINE AS WELL AS THE TIMING BELT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

MY 2001 L-SERIES SATURN DEVELOPED A LOW SPEED MISS, WAS DIAGNOSED AS A STICKING VALVE AT SATURN OF FREDERICK, MD. THREE DAYS LATER ON A NARROW ROAD MY TIMING CHAIN BROKE AT 55 MPH. CAUSING A SUDDEN SHUT DOWN OF THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO DRIFT THE VEHICLE OVER TO A VERY NARROW SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP. DIAGNOSIS WAS MADE AS BROKEN TIMING CHAIN WHICH ALSO CAUSED BENT VALVES IN THE CYLINDER HEAD. NEW TIMING CHAIN KIT WAS INSTALLED AND THE HEAD WAS RE-DONE WITH NEW VALVES AND GASKETS. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE NEW TIMING CHAIN KIT WAS AND UPDATED KIT CORRECT EARLY DESIGN PROBLEMS WITH AN OILIER NOZZLE. *JB

CAR IS A 2001 SATURN LW 200 STATION WAGON, WHICH HAD BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY WITH THE DEALER (LAST DATE OF SERVICE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3 1/2 TO 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO INCIDENT). VEHICLE'S TIMING BELT FAILED DURING SHORT LOCAL TRIP (2 MILES FROM HOME) UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. TIMING BELT FAILURE RESULTED IN ADDITIONAL ENGINE DAMAGE INCLUDING DENTED VALVES. DRIVER HAD NO WARNING OF IMPENDING FAILURE: ENGINE SIMPLY STALLED OUT AND NEVER STARTED AGAIN. CAR HAD BEEN MAINTAINED REGULARLY WITH DEALER AND DEALER NEVER INDICATED THAT TIMING BELT WAS WORN OR REQUIRED SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. CAR IS ONLY FIVE YEARS OLD AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 60,000 MILES ON IT. CAR WAS TOWED TO REPAIR SHOP FOR EVALUATION OF PROBLEM. FIRST REPAIR SHOP BELIEVED PROBLEM WAS TIMING BELT BUT WAS NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THE PROBLEM; RECOMMENDED DEALER SERVICE. DEALER ESTIMATED REPAIR COSTS AT $2300. OWNERS DECIDED TO DELAY REPAIR PENDING POTENTIAL SALE OR DONATION OF THE DAMAGED VEHICLE. *JB

WE PURCHASED A 2001 SATURN L200 FROM A SATURN DEALER IN 2002 WITH 14,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. WE HAD THE VEHICLE PROPERLY MAINTAINED BY A CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP MECHANIC. THE OIL WAS CHANGED EVERY 3,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE HAD TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AT 57,000 MILES RESULTING IN SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER WHILE ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE CYLINDER HEAD HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2,348.00. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20MPH, THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THAT UPON THE INITIAL FRACTURE OF THE TIMING CHAIN, THE ENGINE WAS DAMAGED, AND BOTH COMPONENTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.

AT 62000 MILES, TIMING CHAIN BROKE IN ENGINE - NO WARNING, CAR JUST STOPPED THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VALVES AND PISTONS. 2001 SATURN L-200 2.2 L ENGINE, 5-SPEED TRANSMISSION

FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVE NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL (BURNING) ODOR WHILE OPERATING MY VEHICLE. THE MULTI-FUNCTION TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IS VERY HOT ALL THE TIME AND WHEN I REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, IT TOO IS VERY HOT, TO THE POINT OF IT BURNING MY LEG THROUGH MY PANTS POCKET. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASE IT FROM FOR ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION AND ADVISED THE SERVICE TECH OF THIS. HE LATER CALLED TO ADVISED ME THAT THE TURN SIGNALS HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND THE SWITCH WAS SMOKING DURING THEIR TEST. HE ADVISED ME THAT THE SWITCH NEED REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $117. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD WITH 59,000 MILES ON IT. I FEEL THAT THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY/FIRE HAZARD AND THAT THESE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCHES ARE DEFECTIVE AND WEAR PREMATURELY. *JB

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY I 293,AND MY ENGINE BLEW IT GOT TOWED TO SATURN OF NASHUA (OFFERED ME $200 ON A TRADE IN FOR IT OR OTHER WISE 3600 TO FIX).MY IGNITION MODULE S#%T THE BED (A RECALLED PART) SATURN OF NASHUA ONCE AGAIN COULD NOT HELP ME BECAUSE THEY REPLACED IT FOR THE PREVIOUS OWNER AND THEY WOULD HAVE REPLACED IT FOR ME IF IT WENT 1600 MI AGO (DIDN'T HELP AT ALL).THE TENTIONER SPRING WENT THREW THE SIDE OF THE HOUSING,02 CENSOR BROKE,LIGHTS DIM WHEN ROLLING UP & DOWN THE WINDOWS,LOOSE POWER WHEN THE AC IS ON,USE LIGHTER IN CAR ONCE THEN FUSE NEEDS REPLACING,CV JOINTS WENT,MY BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT LIKE CRAZY AND I REPLACE THEM LIKE CRAZY AND GET PULLED OVER FOR IT TOO, WHAT ELSE OH YAGH! I DRIVE 61 MILES TO THEN FROM WORK 5 TO 6 DAYS A WEEK .AND DO ALL MY REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND THEN SOME AND STILL OWE 4 MORE YEARS ON THIS CAR SUCKS HUGE I AM ONLY SUCKERED ONCE SATURN AND SATURN OF NASHUA HAS LOST MY BUSINESS FOR GOOD! BUT THEY DID COVER THE COST OF PUTTING MY CAR ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE $96.00 WHEN MY ENGINE BLEW BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO LEAVE IT THERE THANKS SATURN FOR ALL THE PEOPLE YOU RIPPED OFF. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AND TURNING A CORNER THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN FRACTURED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO TWO CYLINDER HEADS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN AND CYLINDER HEADS. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 09/13/06.*JB

ON AUGUST 4, 2006 MY 2001 SATURN L SERIES SEDAN DID NOT START. AS THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IS 20 MILES AWAY, I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN ON THE VEHICLE AND GEARS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE MECHANIC AND MYSELF THOUGHT THIS WAS ODD AS THE CAR HAS ONLY 49,145 MILES ON IT. LUCKILY, I WAS NOT DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED, ALTHOUGH I COULD HAVE BEEN. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THERE IS AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM IN MY TYPE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED SATURN AND WAS TOLD THERE WOULD BE NO REIMBURSEMENT AS THIS WAS NOT AN OPEN RECALL FOR MY CAR. THE COST TO REPAIR THIS DEFECTIVE PART WAS $940. I HAVE HAD THE GEARS AND TIMING CHAIN REPLACED AND STILL HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. *JB

THE CAR WOULD START ROCKING WHEN WAITING FOR A LIGHT. IT WOULD LOOSE POWER AT LOW RPMS AND EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE HEAD HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THE SATURN SERVICE CENTER IN CLARENCE DID NOT TELL US TO CHECK THE TIMING CHAIN. TYPICALLY I TRAVEL ON EXPRESSWAYS AND A BLOWN ENGINE COULD HAVE CAUSED A MULTIPLE CAR CRASH. *NM

JULY 4, 2006, SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER JUST HAVING NEW COMPUTER INSTALLED ON MY 2001 SATURN L-SERIES 200, I WAS DRIVING WITH MY MOTHER AND TWO SISTERS WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER INCLUDING STEERING AND BRAKING CAPABILITY. THE ENGINE DIED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. FORTUNATELY, I WAS TRAVELING AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED ROUNDING A RATHER INNOCUOUS BEND. BUT HAD THIS TAKEN PLACE UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES THE CASUALTY LOSS, BOTH PROPERTY AND PERSONAL, COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE NEXT DAY A MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN THAT BROKE. PROCEEDED TO CALL SATURN, THEY SAID IT WOULD BE ROUGHLY THREE-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FIX. THE CAR IS OUTSIDE OF WARRANTY, BUT I WAS STILL MAKING PAYMENTS. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY A CAR IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE, SHOULD NOT BE WARRANTED AGAINST AN UNREASONABLE DANGEROUS DEFECT SUCH AS WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE SATURN L-SERIES 200. PLEASE HELP WITH CONTACTING SATURN AND SEEING ABOUT A REPLACEMENT TO COVER MY LOSS. THANK YOU. *NM

I HAVE A 2001 SATURN LS THAT I BOUGHT USED IN OCTOBER 2004. IT HAS ABOUT 54, 000 MILES ON IT AND THE TIMING CHAIN JUST BROKE. THIS CAUSED DAMAGED TO THE VALVES WHICH IS COSTING ME OVER $2,000 TO FIX. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. *NM

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 2001 SATURN L200 SEDAN THAT WE HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH. OVER THE YEARS THERE HAVE BEEN NOTHING MORE THAN THE NORMAL LITTLE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO MY WIFE STARTED NOTICING A 'TICKING' NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE SOUND CAME AND WENT BUT MOSTLY WHEN SHE STARTED THE CAR. WE HAD IT IN TO A GARAGE AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE, BUT ASSURED MY WIFE EVERYTHING WOULD BE FINE. TWO DAYS LATER EVERYTHING WAS NOT FINE. MY WIFE, WHO IS A NURSE, WENT TO START HER CAR AFTER WORK. THE CAR STARTED, WITH THE NOISE, AND THEN STALLED. SHE TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR BUT WAS UNABLE TO. ALL OF THIS HAPPENED SUNDAY JULY 9TH AT 4:00 AM IN THE MORNING. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, AT AN INCREASED EXPENSE BECAUSE SHE WAS IN A LOW CLEARANCE PARKING GARAGE. WE HAD THE ENGINE CHECKED AND IT WAS DISCOVERED TO BE A TIMING BELT FAILURE. LUCKY, FOR US IT HAPPENED WHEN SHE STARTED THE CAR NOT WHEN SHE WAS DRIVING, SO THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE DONE TO THE MOTOR. AS I STATED EARLIER OUR CAR IS A 2001 SATURN L200 THAT HAS ONLY 78,000 MILES. NEVER BEFORE HAVE I HEARD OF A TIMING CHAIN FAILING, LET ALONE AT 78,000 MILES. THE LAST CAR WE OWNED, A 1993 NISSAN MAXIMA HAD A TIMING BELT AND THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT RECOMMEND REPLACEMENT UNTIL 90,000 MILE AT THAT. I HAVE HAD MANY CARS AND HAVE DRIVEN THEM WELL BEYOND 100,000 MILE MARK AND NEVER HAVE I HAD TO FIX A TIMING CHAIN BEFORE. *JB

MY SIXTEEN YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING OUR 2001 SATURN L200 AND CAME HOME TO TELL ME THAT THE CAR STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND. I TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. HE CALLED ME TO SHOW ME THE RESULTS: A SHATTERING TIMING CHAIN. THE LINKS OF THE CHAIN WERE BREAKING APART, BUT HAD NOT YET COMPLETELY FAILED. SINCE THE PIECES THAT HAD BROKEN OFF COULD NOT BE CONFIDENTLY RECOVERED FROM THE ENGINE, WE ARE CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THE ENGINE. THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED AN EMERGENCY THAT MY DAUGHTER WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HANDLE HAD THIS TIMING CHAIN FAILED COMPLETELY WHILE SHE WAS DRIVING ON ANY OF THE BUSIER STREETS IN OUR AREA, WHERE TRAFFIC CAN BE MODERATE TO HEAVY. THE ENGINE WITH THE FAILING TIMING CHAIN IS STILL CURRENTLY AVAILABLE IF NEEDED FOR EA06-009. *JB

IN OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2005 WE PURCHASED REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM PEP BOYS. WE WERE TOLD THE TIRES PURCHASED WERE PROPER AND HAD A 65,000 MILE WARRANTY. FIRST OF JUNE 2006 MY DAUGHTER HAD A FLAT TIRE. SHE WENT TO PEP BOYS. THEY ADVISED HER TWO FRONT TIRES WERE BALD AT 20,000 MILES NOT DUE TO HER OR THE CAR BUT THE TIRES SOLD WERE WRONG AND SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PUT ON THE CAR SHE HAS. PEP BOYS REFUSED TO REPLACE AT NO COST BECAUSE THEY SAY THEY ARE NOW USED? USED, YES BUT WRONGLY SOLD. WE WERE REPRESENTED AT THE SALE TO BE PROPER NO MENTION THEY WOULD NEVER HOLD UP. BEFORE THIS FLAT TIRE IN APRIL MY DAUGHTER WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT. IT WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. WE GOT THE CAR BACK MIDDLE OF MAY 2006. ONLY A FEW WEEKS BEFORE THE FLAT. IT NEVER OCCURRED TO US THAT SHE HAD WRONG TIRES, I TALKED WITH MY LOCAL FIRESTONE DEALER WHO I USED FOR YEARS. HE ADVISED ME THAT THESE TIRES ARE RATED (V) WHICH BY THE STANDARDS IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE PUT ON THIS TYPE OF CAR BECAUSE THEY WILL FAIL AND NEVER HOLD UP THERE HAVE BEEN MANY LAWSUITS FROM ACCIDENTS OVER THIS SAME PROBLEM. MY PROBLEM IS THAT PEP BOYS KNOWING SOLD TIRES THAT WOULD NOT HOLD UP ON MY SATURN, APPARENTLY THERE IS A TIRE STANDARD THAT EVEN DICTATES THIS BUT IT WAS NOT FOLLOWED. I UNDERSTAND NO ONE WARRANTIES V RATED TIRES NOT SURE HOW TRUE. THIS PRACTICE PUTS END USERS AT LIFE SAFETY RISK AS WELL AS OTHERS DRIVING ON THE ROAD. PEP BOYS ATTITUDE IS YOU USED THEM ONLY IN THE CONTENT THEY RECOMMENDED AND PRESENTED THEM AT THE POINT OF SAL

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A GROANING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH MAY HAVE EMINATING FROM THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM, ON 6/19/05. THE SOUND WAS MORE PRONOUNCED DURING A COLD START. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE TIMING CHAIN WAS REPLACED. THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED A FEW DAYS LATER. THE DEALER REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM A SECOND TIME AT NO COST.

ENGINE SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET DOING 50 MILES AN HOUR. *JB

AFTER DRIVING FIVE MINUTES, I WAS ACCELERATING MY 2001 SATURN LW300 UP A GENTLE SLOPE TO ENTER A HIGHWAY ON-RAMP WHEN THE ENGINE UNEXPECTEDLY AND FOR NO APPARENT REASON STALLED. ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. PROBLEM HAS NOT YET BEEN DIAGNOSED BY SATURN OF AUSTIN. *NM

CONTINUOUS CUPPING OF REAR TIRES DUE TO AN ENGINEERING DEFECT. SHIMS PLACED IN REAR OF CAR. THE CUPPING HAS CONTINUED CAUSING DANGEROUS WEARING OF THE TIRES AT ONE POINT, THE TREAD WAS BEGINNING TO SEPARATE FROM THE CORE AFTER A HIGHWAY TRIP. SATURN TOLD ME THAT THEY CORRECTED THE PROBLEM WITH THE SHIMS. THE FOURTH SET OF TIRES IN 90,000 MILES IS NOW PLACED ON THE CAR BECAUSE ON THE CONTINUING CUPPING. *JB

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE, VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. *JB

2001 SATURN L-200 CAR HAS 50K MILES AND THE TIMING CHAIN HAS BROKEN. HAVE SEEN ON DIFFERENT INTERNET FORUMS AT LEAST 50 OF THE SAME EXACT COMPLAINTS. THE SATURN CORP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS CHANGED THE DESIGN BUT IS NOT WILLING TO HELP IN ANY OF THE REPAIRS. *JB

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN, WITHOUT WARNING MY ENGINE TURNED OFF AND I WAS FORCED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND I CALLED A TOW TRUCK TO TAKE ME THE 30 MILES TO MY HOME. TURN MY CAR INTO THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY SAID THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND IT MIGHT HAVE DAMAGED THE HEADS AS WELL, RESULTING IN A $2668 REPAIR. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY AND HAVE THEM REPAIR IT. *JB

I PURCHASED THIS 2001 SATURN LS 4 CYLINDER SEDAN OFF-LEASE CAR FROM MY LOCAL SATURN DEALER IN JULY OF 2004 WITH APPROXIMATELY 21,000 MILES ON THE CAR. I FOUND OUT AFTER THE PURCHASE THAT IT RECEIVED A NEW RACK AND PINION, NEW FRONT BRAKES AND NEW FRONT TIRES AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR. THIS CAR HAS NOW HAD THREE RACK AND PINIONS FAIL AND THE FOURTH ON HAS JUST BEEN INSTALLED. THE CAR HAS 76,000 MILES ON AT THIS TIME AND THE 55,000 MILES I HAVE PUT ON IT IN LESS THAN TWO YEARS HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY HIGHWAY MILES. I AM NOW THINKING ABOUT CONTACTING GM CORPORATE DIRECTLY. THIS IS GETTING COSTLY AND RIDICULOUS! *NM

WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED IN MY 2001 SATURN L200. THIS CAUSED SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. THE TIMING CHAIN HAD SNAPPED, CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED BY A SATURN DEALER, COSTING APPROXIMATELY $2000. *JB

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE MIDDLE LANE AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH I MOVED TO THE FAST LANE TO PASS A SLOWER MOVING VEHICLE AND PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AT WHICH POINT I NOTICED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND RAPID DECELERATION. I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT ANY SERIOUS INCIDENT. AFTER HAVING THE CAR DIAGNOSED IT TURNED OUT TO BE THE TIMING CHAIN, AFTER LOOKING AT YOUR WEB SITE I FOUND THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE TIMING CHAIN ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL. THE FILE NUMBER SEEMS TO BE PE06-006. *JB

BREAK LIGHTS IN THE 2001 SATURN L200 BURN OUT FUSES. THERE IS A SHORT THAT AFTER CORRECTING AND BUYING NEW FUSED AND NEW LAMPS KEEPS GOING OUT AGAIN AND BLOWING FUSES. *JB

WITH NO ADVANCED WARNING SIGNS, MY 2001 SATURN L-200 HAD THE TIMING CHAIN SPONTANTEOUSLY BREAK. ALL OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE WAS DONE AT THE REGULAR INTERVALS. BECAUSE SATURN DESIGNED THIS AS AN INTERFERANCE ENGINE, THE BROKEN TIMING CHAIN CAUSED PERMANENT DAMAGE TO THE VALVES IN THE MOTOR. NO ONE WAS HURT AS A RESULT OF THIS ENGINE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE WAS CORRECTED BY REPLACING THE BLOWN ENGINE WITH A LOW MILEAGE SALVAGE ENGINE AT THE COST OF $2606 TO ME. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 69,000 MILES. *NM

THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY SATURN L200 FAILED WHEN I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 169 IN GOLDEN VALLEY MINNESOTA. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE I WAS TRAVELING AT 65 MPH AND THE VEHICLE BECAME WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THANKFULLY IT WAS 3 AM IN THE MORNING AND THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD SO I WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATE OFF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON INVESTIGATING THE FAILURE I FOUND OUT THAT THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN LOGGED IN DEFECT INVESTIGATION PE06006. IN ADDITION I FOUND THAT 29 OTHER PEOPLE POSTED TIMING CHAIN FAILURES ON THIS MESSAGE BOARD HTTP://WWW.CARSURVEY.ORG/VIEWCOMMENTS_REVIEW_56674.HTML. *NM

1. DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON INTERSTATE. 2. THE ENGINE TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO IMMEDIATELY STOP, ALL POWER WAS LOST BUT FORTUNATELY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. 3. THE BROKEN TIMING CHAIN CAUSED ENGINE VALVES TO BE DAMAGED. THE TIMING CHAIN, HEAD AND VALVES HAD TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1969.00. *NM

I OWN A 2001 SATURN L200 4 CYLINDER SEDAN. IT HAS JUST OVER 70K MILES ON IT. ALL MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE ON OR BEFORE SCHEDULE. ALMOST 2 YEARS AGO THE COMPUTER HAD TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THAT INCIDENT, THE LIGHTS STARTED DOING WEIRD THINGS. SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THAT ISSUE WAS RESOLVED (A RECALL). I HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES 3 TIMES. ON 3/30/06 I WAS IN RUSH HOUR ON A BUSY HIGHWAY PASSING A CAR IN THE LEFT LANE. MY CAR JUST DIED (NO LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING THE ENGINE STOPPED, JUST NO POWER). THANK GOD I GOT TO THE RIGHT LAND. I SAT THERE FOR AN HOUR AND FINALLY GOT THE CAR TOWED. THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. I HAVE SPEND $200 JUST TO FIND THAT OUT. I AM NOT SURE WHAT OTHER DAMAGE HAS RESULTED. SATURN IS ACTING IGNORANT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THEY SAY THEY CANNOT TELL ME ANYTHING UNLESS I HAVE IT AT A SATURN DEALERSHIP. (ANOTHER TOW CHARGE AND DIAGNOSTICS CHARGE). I SAW THAT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION INTO THIS MATTER AND WANTED TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT. I STRONGLY BELIEVE, AFTER THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE, THAT SATURN SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND FIX THIS PROBLEM. *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTS OUT DURING NORMAL OPERATION, CAUSING TURN SIGNALS NOT TO WORK. OTHER SYMPTOM IS THAT RADIO HAS INTERFERENCE WHEN TURN SIGNAL USED. AFTER FIVE DAYS OF NON-USE, CAR WOULD NOT START AT ALL AND TECHNICIAN WHO PROVIDED JUMP START SAID IT APPEARS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL SHORT SINCE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY WERE BOTH WORKING. THIS CAR HAS ALREADY RECEIVED THE RECALL WORK FROM OCTOBER 2005 BUT THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES SINCE THAT WORK WAS DONE. *NM

2000 SATURN L100 TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. SUDDEN POWER LOSS AT 50 MPH. *NM

THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED ON MY 2001 SATURN L-200 AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE ENGINE ABRUPTLY DIED. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO COAST SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. A VALVE BENT AND THE HEAD CRACKED. *NM

MY 2001 SATURN L200 WITH 69K MILES ON IT HAD THE TIMING CHAIN BREAK - IT RIPPED THROUGH THE ENGINE, SHEARING OFF THE GEARS AND BUSTING THE VALVES. I NOW HAVE NO WAY TO GET TO WORK, NO MONEY TO FIX THE CAR, AND HAVE DISCOVERED ONLINE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE OF SATURN AND SATURN REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL OR PAY TO FIX THE PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP! *NM

ON MARCH 17, 2006, MY WIFE AND I RETURNED HOME FROM SUPPER AROUND 8:45 PM. AT APPROXIMATELY 9:00 PM, I HEARD A CRASH OUTSIDE. I SOON DISCOVERED THAT OUR SATURN HAD ROLLED OUT OF THE GARAGE AND INTO OUR NEIGHBORS YARD ACROSS THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION INSIDE THE CAR, I DISCOVERED THE CAR WAS NOT IN PARK, YET THE IGNITION SYSTEM HAD ALLOWED ME TO REMOVE THE KEY. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY FAILURE. NO CAR SHOULD ALLOW A KEY TO BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WITHOUT THE CAR BEING IN PARK. AS YET, THE FAILURE HASN'T BEEN CORRECTED SINCE THE CAR IS STILL AT THE BODY SHOP.*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT CRANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THE TIMING CHAIN INSIDE THE ENGINE BROKE AND RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE ENGINE.

NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS FAILURE. I OWN A 2001 SATURN L200 SEDAN. UP UNTIL NOW THIS HAS BEEN A GOOD VEHICLE. THE CAR JUST TURNED OVER 70K MILES AND THE TIMING CHAIN JUST BROKE. THIS LEAVES ME WITH A CAR THAT I AM MAKING A PAYMENT ON, YET UNABLE TO DRIVE. IT IS NOT IN MY FAMILY BUDGET TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED BY A PROFESSIONAL, THAT MEANS I WILL HAVE TO DO THE WORK MYSELF UNLESS SATURN DECIDES TO HELP ME. I HAVE BEEN DOING A LOT OF RESEARCH INTO THIS ISSUE AND SEE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A SERVICE BULLETIN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO RECALL YET. *JB

OUR 2001 SATURN L200 STOPPED WORKING AS A RESULT OF A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN. OIL CHANGES HAVE BEEN DONE ON A REGULAR BASIS, BUT THE CHAIN STILL FAILED. THE ENGINE WAS DESTROYED DUE TO THE INTERNAL DESIGN OF THE CHAIN LEADING TO A NEED FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT (COST OF $2800). THE NEW MOTOR IS ON ORDER AND WILL BE REPLACED THIS WEEK, ALL COSTS ARE ON US. SATURN HAS NO IDEA HOW TO PREVENT PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING, THERE ARE NO WARNINGS TO TELL US THERE ARE ISSUES, AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS OF NO HELP. *JB

2001 SATURN LS 4-DOOR - TIMING CHAIN WENT BAD AFTER BARELY 100,000 MILES. REPAIR TO FIX WILL COST ABOUT $2,000. WE RELIED ON SATURN'S CLAIMS THAT TIMING CHAINS ARE BETTER THAN TIMING BELTS BECAUSE CHAINS NEVER HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THAT BEING SAID, WE NOW HAVE A BUSTED TIMING CHAIN WITH EXHAUST VALVE PROBLEMS ON A 2001 SATURN LS 4-DOOR SEDAN. *NM

MY CAR SIMPLY WOULD NOT START. IT IS A 2001 SATURN L200 WITH 31,000 MILES. VIN [XXX]. I HAD IT TOWED TO A GM GARAGE IN TOWN. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE THE TIMING CHAIN. IT HAD COME LOOSE AND MOVED 2 LINKS, SO THE ENGINE HAD NO COMPRESSION AND COULD NOT START. THE TIMING CHAIN AND GEAR WERE REPLACED, OIL AND COOLANT REPLACED. THE TOTAL BILL WAS $1,104. WITH ONLY 31,000 MILES, THIS FAILURE OF THE TIMING CHAIN IS VERY PREMATURE AND UNEXPECTED. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)