1993 Saturn SL complaints

I WAS TOLD THE PROBLEM COULD POSSIBLY BE WITH THE VALVE GUILDES AND TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH OLDER SATURNS. I CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING ON THIS AND HOPE YOU CAN HELP. *AK

THE HEATER CONTROLS STARTED TO SMOKE AND FLAMES BURSTED WHICH CAUSED A FIRE. NO PRIOR WARNING. NO PRIOR PROBLEMS WITH THIS SYSTEM. *AK CONSUMER STATES HEATER SPARKED UP SMALL FLAME AND LOTS OF FOUL SMELLING SMOKE. *JB

SINCE I HAVE PURCHASED MY VEHICLE IN 1996, I HAVE HAD TO HAVE A NUMBER OF REPAIRS DONE TO AVERGING $200. OR MORE . I AM HAVING REPAIRS DONE ABOUT EVERY TWO MONTHS. I GOT THE HISTORY OF MY CAR AND FOUND THAT IT HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE THE DAY IT WAS READY TO BE SOLD. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

TRANSMISSION HESITATES BEFORE GOING INTO REVERSE AND LURCHES BACKWARD WHEN IT DOES.

I HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME PUTTING CAR IN REVERSE, I BELEIVE BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION...THE REVERSE GEAR TAKES A WHILE TO "KICK-IN". THERE IS A LOUD NOISE (COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED WHEN I WAS UNDER MY 60DAY WARRANTY ABOUT THE REVERSE PROBLEM (THERE WAS NO NOISE YET) AND HE TOOK IT FOR A RIDE AND SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG (IT DOESN'T HAPPEN EVERYTIME). NOW, I CALLED HIM AND SAID THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED TO THE TRANSMISSION AND HE SAYS HE DOESN'T REMEMBER ..AND THE WARRANTY IS UP.

ENGINE BLOCK HAS SPLIT NEAR THE LOCATION OF ALTERNATOR ,CAUSING IT TO BE LOSE AND CUT INTO THE BELT. THE BLOCK BUSTED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. TRANSMISSION HAS A PROBLEM WHEN SHIFTING, AND SATURN HAS TOLD ME THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING ODD ABOUT IT. NOR IS THERE ANYTHING ODD ABOUT THE ENGINE OVERHEATING DURING BARELY WARM DAYS IN THE SUMMER. POSSIBLY CONNECTED. *AK

ALUMINUM ENGINE CRACKED AT MOUNTS ON RIGHT SIDE -- ENGINE IS HANGING

THE SHOULDER BELT RETRACTORS ARE JAMMED ON DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES, LEAVING OCCUPANTS UNPROTECTED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

WITHOUT WARNING CONSUMER WENT TO STOP AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES, AND PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. CONSUMER HAD TO JUMP CURB TO AVOID HITTING VEHICLE THAT WAS AT A STOP LIGHT. ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN, BUT THERE WAS A BRICK IN THE WAY, CAR WENT INTO A PEDESTRIAN WALK AREA, AND CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO A VAN. THEN VEHICLE STOPPED. *AK

TRANSMISSION DELAYS THEN SLAMES INTO REVERSE WHEN HOT. THE VALVE BODY WAS REPLACED FOUR TIMES BY THE SAME DEALER. NOW THE DEALER WANTS TO TAKE THE TRANS. APART WITH A FIVE HOUR LABOR CHARGE. THE COST WOULD ABOUT $500. JUST TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG ALL THE LONG. WITH NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE FIRST FOUR VALVE BODIES.

THERE IS A RECALL IN EFFECT FOR THE SEAT RECLINER FAILURE IN 1994, 1995 AND SOME 1993 SATURNS. MY SEAT RECLINER FAILED IN 1995, BUT MY VIN IS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHEN IT IS A FAILED PART FROM THE SAME RECLINER MANUFACTURER. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT IT A COUPLE OF TIMES AND CHOSE NOT TO GET IT FIXED BECAUSE IT COST $250. RECENTLY I HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL AND THOUGHT THAT FINALLY THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. BUT MY CAR ISN'T INCLUDED. WHY? *AK

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE USED TO STOP VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER. *AK

POWER STEERING GEAR BOX WORN CAUSING IT TO MAKE NOISE WHILE TURNING. NLM

INCORRECT SEAT BASE WELDS ON DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATS, CAUSING FAILURE OF THE SEAT BASE. VEHICLE NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL NUMBER 91V038000 DUE TO VIN#. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHEN DRIVER STEPPED ON THE BRAKES OR WHEN HE PUT PRESSURE ON SEAT, SEAT FELL BACK INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ONTO THE REAR SEAT. THIS PROBLEM HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. *AK

GEARS THAT HOLD DRIVER'S SEATBACK UP BROKE, CAUSING SEAT TO RECLINE WITH SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT. SEAT HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT FRAME BROKE AT WELD WHEN STOPPING SUDDENLY. *YC

AUTOMATIC SEATBELT HARNESS MOVES BACK AND FORTH WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION. AT TIMES THE HARNESS HAS FROZEN PART WAY THROUGH THE TRACK OFFERING THE DRIVER NO PROTECTION.

WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 50MPH WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE DRIVER'S VIEW WAS OBSTRUCTED. HAD TRIED TO RAISE SEAT, BUT BAR IN RECLINER WAS BENT. HAS TAKEN TO DEALER. *AK

WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN AT 10MPH, APPLIED BRAKES & NO BRAKING POWER. VEHICLE HIT A DITCH. DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. POLICE OFFICER CHECKED VEHICLE & NOTICED NO BRAKES. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

THE CARTER PIN HAD FALLEN OFF & BROKE IN THE INTERNAL DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING, CAUSING TRANSMISSION TO PERFORM ERRATICALLY. ALSO, THE CLUTCH & DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5-10MPH SHE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER DRIVER . WHEN THROWN AGAINST THE SEAT BELT, THE THE SEAT BELT DISCONECTED AND CONSUMER WAS INJURED. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES ON AN INCLINE, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS NO BRAKING ABILITY. THIS HAPPENED ON A CLEAR DAY ON DRY PAVEMENT, WITHOUT ANY KIND OF WARNING. THIS INCIDENT CAUSED DRIVER TO CRASH INTO TWO CARS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS STOPPING AT A LIGHT WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER, CAUSING THE VEHICLE SEATBACK REST TO COLLAPSE. DEALER/ MFR. NOTIFIED. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK FRAME FAILURE.

IN A HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT IN WHICH THE OCCUPANT WAS REAR ENDED, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBACKS FELL BACK, CAUSING INJURIES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS GEARS HARSHLY & ERRATICALLY. IT'S NOT ONLY UNCOMFORTABLE BUT DANGEROUS AS WELL. SATURN IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BECAUSE I HAVE A COPY OF A TECHNICAL BULLETIN(#93-T-22A) THAT THEY ISSUED WHICH DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM. I WROTE TO THE PRESIDENT OF SATURN (DON HUDLER) IN APRIL 1997. THE REPLY I RECEIVED FROM HIS OFFICE WAS THAT SINCE THE WARRANTY IS UP, THE NEED FOR REPAIRS IS UNFORTUNATE AND THEY REFUSED TO REIMBURSE ME $750. THEY ALSO SAID THAT JUST BECAUSE THEY ISSUE A TECHNICAL BULLETIN DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE CAR HAS ANY PROBLEM. SO, AFTER HAVING IT FIXED IN 4/97, THE CAR WAS FINE UNTIL 8/98. I'M HAVING THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM AGAIN. I CAN GIVE YOU A COPY OF THE TECHNICAL BULLETIN AND LETTER FROM SATURN IF YOU NEED IT. I KNOW I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. DOZENS OF MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEY'VE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM PLENTY OF TIMES WITH SATURNS. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR TO LEE MYLES TRANSMISSIONS, THEY KNEW WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE TRANY BEFORE THEY EVEN TOOK IT FOR A TEST D

ENGINE RUNS ROUGH, STALLING CONTINUALLY.

TOTAL FAILURE OF BRAKES.

WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAE WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. DRIVER APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND MANUALLY TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL TO STOP VEHICLE. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WILL BE CHECKED. *AK

VEHICLE WAS REAR-ENDED AND PUSHED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF CONSUMER. HAD BOTH FRON TAND RAE IMPACT. DRIVER'S AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY, AND SHOULDER BELT DID NOT LOCK IN TIME TO PREVENT DRIVER FROM FALLING FORWARD, HITTING HEAD ON STEERING WHEEL. ALSO, SEATBACK COLLAPSED, DRIVER FELL BACKWARDS AND HIT BACK OF HEAD. SUSTAINED INJURIES, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

ABS BRAKES; WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN NORMAL CONDITIONS THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKES FAIL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE VALVES FAILED.

THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER RESTRAINT SYSTEM HAS FAILED. BOTH HAVE INTERMITTANT PROBLEMS, THEY WILL OPEN AND CLOSE AT WILL FOR NO APPARENT REASON, SAFETY ALARM SOUNDS RANDOMLY ETC. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL SATURN (OF ESCONDIDO) DEALER AND THEY STATE THAT IT IS MAY PROBLEM AND NOT SOMETHING COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. HAVE OTHER SATURN OWNERS REPORTED PROBLEMS OF THIS NATURE? I HAVE CONTACTED SATURN THROUGH THEIR WEB SITE BUT HAVE NOT HEAR FROM THEM.

ERROR IN THE SSEMBLY OF THE UPPER FITTINGS TO THE BRAKE LINES CAUSED LOSS OF HYDROLIC PRESSURE WHICH RESULTED IN A VEHICLE COLLISION DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE.

WHEN DRIVING THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT SHOULDER BELT BECAME VERY TIGHT, MAKING IT VERY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE DRIVER TO MAKE ANY TYPE OF MOVEMENT WHEN DRIVING. ALSO, ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE PROBLEM. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 35MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND RAN INTO THE BACK OF A VEHICLE THAT HAD STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY, AND THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED BADLY, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE. *AK

ABS BRAKE PROLBEMS; WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, NO INCLEMENT WEATHER, DRY PAVEMENT. DRIVER APPLIED BRAKES IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION WITH PLENTY OF STOPPING DISTANCE, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE DRIVER WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP VEHICLE, CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED. *AK

ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED, RESULTING IN OIL LEAK DUE TO IMPROPER MANUFACTURING.

TRANSMISSION BANGS INTO GEAR AND HAS TROUBLE GOING INTO REVERSE GEAR DUE TO FAILURE OF THE VALVE BODY.

ALTERNATOR FAILED; ALSO REPLACED ABS BRAKES. *AK

DURING REAR IMPACT, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO COLLAPSE BACKWARDS, RESULTING IN CONSUMER LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE WILL RUN AT HIGH IDLE AND SOMETIMES WILL STALL.

BRAKES HAVE NEVER WORKED PROPERLY. HAVE TO BRAKE AHEAD OF TIME TO AVOID ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED AND RESURFACED ROTORS 2 TIMES. TRANSMISSION LEAKING. REPLACED VALVE BODY COVER GASKET. ANOTHER MECHANIC CLAIMS CRACK IN TRANMISSION. FIRST HALF WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY. SECOND TIME ROTORS/PADS WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. DEFECT IS STILL REOCCURRING. *AK

WHEEL BEARING LOCKED UP CAUSING FIRE.

SEAT BELT DEFECTS. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DEFECTS--POWER ACCESSORIES DON'T WORK.

SECOND GEAR ACTUATOR FAILED. MJS

VALVE BODY FAILURE CAUSING VEHICLE TO TAKE 10-20 SECONDS TO MOVE IN REVERSE GEAR. YH

WHEN PARKED VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY AND PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR, CAN GO INSIDE AND COME BACK OUT AND HEAR VEHICLE MAKING A NOISE. HAVE TO JUMP INTO VEHICLE AN AND PULL EMERGENCY BRAKE UP AGAIN. VEHICLE HAS ROLLED INTO THE FRONT OF HOUSE SEVERAL TIMES. LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, RAN INTO GARAGE DOOR AND TOOK HINGES OFF . *AK

DRIVER SEAT COLLAPSED INTO THE REAR SEAT DURING A REAR END COLLISION, NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.