1994 Saturn SL complaints

WHILE IN MOTION MOVING APPOXIMATELY 25 MPH, CONSUMER PRESSED ON BRAKES TO STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, AND BRAKE PEDAL HIT THE FLOOR. VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. CONSUMER USED EMERGENCY BRAKES, AND LOST POWER STEERING. VEHICLE STOPPED BY RUNNING INTO A HOUSE. PEDAL HAS RECOVERED, AND DEALER DID NOT FIND ANY PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES. *AK

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE, PEDAL WENT SOFT AND THEN WENT TO THE FLOOR, VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN 200 MILES ON A HOT DAY PRIOR TO ANY PROBLEM, CONSUMER FEELS HEAT MAY HAVE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE FAILURE, DEALER FOUND THE MASTER CYLINDER COMPLETELY FAILED. *ET

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP, NOR REDUCED SPEED. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER THREE TIMES. AFTER THAT MASTER CYLINDER DID NOT WORK. *AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE ALSO CAUGHT ON FIRE, CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. *SLC

WHEN I BRAKE IT BRAKES THEN LETS GO AND THEN BRAKES AGAIN AND KEEPS DOING THAT UNTIL I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. ALSO WHEN I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD MY TRANSMISSION I THINK JERKS MY WHOLE CAR. AND THAT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN I PUT THYE CAR IN REVERSE. I HAVE TALKED TO 4 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE A '9194 SATURN SL2 AND THEY HAVE ALL THE SAME PROBLEMS. I ALSO GOT TO DRIVE ONE OF THEM AND THERE CAR DOES EVERYTHING MINE DOES AND BOTH OF OUR GLOVE BOX LATCH HAS BROKE AND DOES NOT LATCH.*AK

DRIVER SEAT BACK SLIPS REARWARD, THERE IS RECALL 99V045000/ SEATBACK RECLINERS, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

VEHICLE OVERHEATS AND CONSUMES OIL BECAUSE A HEATING CHIP HAS MELTED DUE TO OVERHEATING. MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT WAS DESIGNED WITHOUT A SAFETY FEATURE TO RETRACT BACKWARDS WHEN IT HITS AN OBJECT. ODOMETER WAS FAILING TO REGISTER CORRECT MILEAGE. MECHANIC REFUSED TO DO ANY REPAIRS DUE TO VEHICLE BEING OUT OF WARRANTY.*AK

THE PASSIVE SHOULDER HARNESS MOTOR HAS FAILED TO OPERATE WHEN THE DOORS WERE EITHER OPENED OR CLOSED INTERMITANLY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICAL FOR SOME TIME NOW. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT SAID THE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IT WAS EXPENSIVE SO TRY TO LIVE WITH IT UNTIL IT FAILED COMPLETELY. NOW THE DRIVERS SIDE SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD OR BACK WITHOUT IT BEING PUSHED OR PULLED ALONG THE TRACK MANUALLY. THE THE MOTOR DOES RUN BUT THE BELT JUST DOESN'T MOVE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTUER ABOUT ANY TSB'S OR SILENT RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE AND AM AWAITING A REPLY AT THIS TIME.*AK

ODOMETER HAS STOPPED WORKING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND ADMITTED TO CONSUMER THAT THEY KNEW THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN ODOMETERS FROM 1991-1994.*AK

HEAD ON COLLISION. MY SPEED 25 MPH, OPPOSING CAR 35-40 MPH. TWO 20 LB SUIT CASES IN TRUNK. LEFT REAR SEAT BACK LATCH FAILED, ALLOWING ONE BAG TO COME FORWARD AND CONTACT DRIVERS SEAT BACK.

SEAT RECLINER SKIPS TEETH, FAILS, SATURN REFUSES TO REPLACE UNDER RECALL, CLAIMS DATE OF MANUFACTURE JUST PAST RECALL DATES. UNSAFE. *AK

UNCOMMANDED ACCELERATION: CAR ACCELERATES ALL BY ITSELF, TO 4000 RPM. *AK

IS SHIFTER POPPING OUT RELATED TO "CHEWED UP" ACTUATOR CLUTCH CYL.?

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE DRIVERS INJURIES DUE TO FAILURE OF THE BACK OF THE SEAT, CONSUMER IS REQUESTING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING THIS COMPONENT. *SLC

MY SHOULDERBELTS STOPPED WORKING. I WENT TO MY NEAREST SATURN DEALER TO FIND OUT IF THEY WOULD HELP ME. THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDNT AND TO COME BACK WITH $35.00 TO GET IT LOOKED AT AND $200.00 TO GET IT FIXED. THEN ON TOP OF THAT THEY WERE VERY RUDE TO ME . I ASKED THEM WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY SO MUCH MONEY TO GET MY SEATBELT FIXED SO I AM SAVE IN MY SATURN AND THEY TOLD THAT IT WAS MY PROBLEM AND I SHOUD OF GOT A LONGER WARRANTY. I CALLED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE TOLD ABOUT THE SITUATION AND THEY TOLD ME I DONT HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO PAY FOR IT .THIS MADE ME VERY DISAPPOINTED BECAUSE I DONT HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY . SO NOW I HAVE TO FIND SOMEWAY ON GETTING $300.00 TO BE SAFE IN MY SATURN AND GO BACK TO THESE CRUEL PEOPLE WHO WERE SO RUDE THAT COULDNT EVEN APOLOGIZE ONCE TO ME TO GET IT FIXED .*AK

ON A FEW OCCASSIONS CRUISE CONTROL CAUSED A GRADUAL UNWANTED ACCELERATION FROM HIGHWAY SPEED TO APPX. 70 MPH BEFORE I MANUALLY DISENGAGED SAME. ADDITIONALLY, WITHOUT WARNING, CRUISE CONTROL HAS SELF DISENGAGED, CAUSING UNWANTED DECELERATION. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON A GREAT MANY OCCASSIONS, AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT SPEEDS, BUT GENERALLY AT BETWEEN 45 & 55 MPH. SOMETIMES, AFTER DISENGAGING BY ITSELF IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO "RE-ENGAGE" THE CRUISE CONTROL. THESE OCCURRENCES ARE NOT PREDICATED BY ANY SPECIFIC WEATHER CONDITION, ROAD SURFACE CONDITIONS, OR TOUCHING THE BREAK PEDAL. THEY HAVE OCCURRED ON FLAT, LEVEL, GOOD QUALITY ROAD SURFACES IN DRY WEATHER. ON ONLY A FEW OCCASSIONS AFTER THE SELF DISENGAGEMENT, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS FELT TO "CLICK" THEN BECOME RE-ENGAGED WITH CRUISE CONTROL. OCCASSIONS HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENTLY INTERMITTENT TO NOT SEEM A SERIOUS PROBLEM TO TAKE TO DEALER. *AK

BOTH FRONT AND REAR ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 2/13/96; LEFT AND RIGHT REAR ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 7/3/96; BOTH FRONT ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 10/8/96; BOTH FRONT AND BOTH REAR ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 6/2/97; THE FRONT ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED 7/8/97; FRONT AND REAR ROTOR ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED 9/13/2000.*AK

THE METAL BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED BY LEAKING BATTERY ACID PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR-DESIGN FLAW

AC DELCO BATTERY ACID IS LEAKING ON THE BRAKE CABLE, CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 15 MPH REAR LEFT TIRE CAME OUT FROM HUB WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. *AK

WHEN APPLYING ABS BRAKES PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

VEHICLE REAR-ENDED AT STOPLIGHT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH. DRIVER SEATBACK FAILED, THROWING DRIVER ONTO HER BACK, CAUSING EXTENSIVE BACK AND NECK INJURIES. DRIVER WAS WEARING FULL LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE RESTRAINT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO POSITION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

ALTERNATOR SEIZED UP AND BELT CONTINUED TO TURN, RESULTING IN A FIRE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE AT A STOP ANOTHR VEHICLE STRUCK CONSUMER'S VEHICLE ON THE REAR, AND CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, IN TURN, HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED, LEAVING CONSUMER FLAT ON THE SEAT. *AK

SATURN RELUCTANT TO COMMENT ON IF PROBLEMS WERE OF FACTORY DEFECTS, THEREFORE EVERYTHING WAS PAID FOR IN FULL (EXTREME AMOUNTS) BY MYSELF. ALSO, THE PRODUCTS, AFTER REPLACED FAILED WITHIN ONE MONTH AFTER THE "WARRANTY" EXPIRED. SATURN REFUSED TO COMPENSATE . NOS AFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

WITH NO INDICATION, ENGINE WAS SHORT 3 OR MORE QUARTS OF OIL CAUSING A POSSIBLE FAILURE OF LIFTERS AND/OR VALVES. OIL WARNING LIGHT FUNCTIONS WHEN STARTING THE CAR. VEHICLE IS NOT USABLE AND MAY REQUIRE ENGINE REPLACEMENT. WE HAVE HEARD THIS SAME PROBLEM FROM TWO OTHER SOURCES WHO HAVE SATURNS. OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED AT 3,000 MILE INTERVALS SINCE WE PURCHASED. DISCOVERED THE PROBLEM WHEN TAKEN FOR OIL CHANGE.

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS REARENDED, AND THEN PUSHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURIES. *AK

HEAD GASKET FAILED PREMATURELY. NLM

MY CAR'S TIMING CHAIN AND ASSEMBLY EXPLODED KILLING THE ENGINE OF THE SATURN SL1 I HAVE OWNED FOR LESS THAN ONE YEAR. THE EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN WAS 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES AND I HAVE DRIVEN ABOUT 15,000 MILES. THE CAR HAD ABOUT 65,000 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT IT FROM SATURN OF LEWISVILLE. THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT A SATURN DEALER CALLED SATURN OF IRVING IN TEXAS. I FEEL THAT SATURN HAS A MEASURE OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS. I CAN NOT FIND ALL MY RECEIPTS BUT DO HAVE SOME SHOWING MAINTENANCE I HAVE DONE AND THE EMMISSIONS TEST RESULTS FROM 12/29/99. I HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH SATURN SINCE 2/24/00. SATURN SENT A SAMPLE OF THE OIL FOR TESTING ON 2/25/00 WITH A PROMISE OF RESULTS WITHIN A WEEK. I AM STILL WAITING! I HAVE A WRITTEN STATEMENT FROM A FIRESTONE ON THE INITIAL CONDITION OF THE CAR AFTER THE FAILURE AS THEY WERE THE FIRST TO SEE THE CAR. *AK

DEALER SAYS THAT THIS SYSTEM FAILS OFTEN, BECAUSE THE ELECTONING CONTROLER IS UNDER THE SPOT FOR THE CUP HOLDER AND IS NOT WATERPROOF. IF THIS IS FAILING AND SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING ON A LOT OF THESE CARS, I WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT AND MAKE THEM FIX THE ONES, LIKE MINE, THAT HAVE FAILED. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO POSTION,IT IS STUCK IN MIDDLE OF TRACK, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK

IN A LITTLE OVER THREE YEARS WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR THREE TIMES.NOW THIS WILL BE THE FOURTH.IT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE UNDER WARRANTIES. IT IS STILL UNDER WARR.,BUT SHOULD I NEED TO KEEP REPLACING IT? ANY INFOMATION YOU HAVE WOULD HELP ME OUT. THANKS,GERALD FRANKLIN. *AK

PASSENGER SEATBACK REST GEAR TEETH WORN OUT AND CAUSES BACK REST TO FALL BACKWARDS WHEN JUST SITTING. ALSO FALLS BACK WHEN BRAKING. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN TO DEALER OVER RECALL, ALTHOUGH CAR WAS BUILT DURING RECALL DATE, SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID VIN NOT APPLICABLE.

CALIF. REQUIRED THE RECALL OF 1994 SATURNS DUE TO FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. I CALLED SATURN AND THEY USE THE DATE OF PURCHASE AS A REASON NOT TO COMPLY. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN MAY 1995 WITH OVER 300 MILES ON IT. ALSO, I NOTICED ONE TIME WHEN I WAS HAVING ANOTHER PROBLEM TO REPAIR, SATURN HAD REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER ON THE WORK FORM. I WATCHED THE REPAIR AND NO ONE TOUCHED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. SATURN IS NOT COMPLYING WITH CALIF. RECALL COMPLETELY BY USING PURCHASE DATE INSTEAD OF MFG. DATE. CALIF. DEPT. OF AIR RESOURCES AND AUTO REPAIR ASK ME TO NOTIFY NTSA. THE RECALL WAS NOV. 22,1999. THIS CAR HAS BEEN MARGINAL ON SMOG READINGS. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOU CHECKING THIS OUT. THANK YOU. *AK

TTHIS WAS THE THIRD OCCURRENCE. WHEN THE FIRST OCCURRED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP IN BOWIE MARYLAND FOR CHECK/REPAIR, BUT THEY FOUND NO PROBLEM AND RELEASED THE CAR BACK TO NORNAL DRIVING AS O K . THIS HAS BEEN AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AT DIFFERENT DRIVING SPEEDS AND IS VERY SCARY TO APPLY THE BRAKES ONLY TO KEEP GOING. THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS ACTED NORMALLY ON ONE OCCASION AND HAS GONE TO THE FLOOR ON OTHER OCCASIONS, BUT THE CAR CONTINUES TO ROLL WHILE PRESSURE IS STILL APPLIED ON ALL OCCASIONS. THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHECKED FOR LEAKS AND PROPER FLUID LEVEL, BOTH O K . PLEASE ADVISE AS TO THE BEST AND PROPER PROCEDURE TO FOLLOW TO HELP CORRECT THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE NO WARNING WHEN THE BRAKES FAIL. I FEEL OUR LIVES AND OTHERS MAY BE SAVED BY YOUR ADVICE AND RECCOMMENDATIONS . THANK YOU , JAMES A. LANDEN. *AK

TIMING CHAIN FAILED. NLM

WHEN TRAVELING 10 MPH AND UPON APPROACHING AND CROSSING A SPEED BUMP THE BRAKE LINE RUPTURED, CAUSING BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE, RESULTING IN COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE WHEN TURNING ONTO A MAIN ROAD, EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED TO STOP VEHICLE, AND PLACING VEHICLE IN PARK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

RE: BRAKES; I GET A THROBBING, PULSING SENSATION EVEN THOUGH THERE IS PLENTY OF PAD LEFT; RE: SEATS; SEAT IS LOOSE AND MANY TIMES THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HAS COLLAPSED BACKWARD WHEN I PUT SOME PRESSURE ON IT, I.E. PUTTING MY HAND INTO MY POCKET TO GET TOLL BRIDGE CHANGE; RE: RADIATOR; IT IS RUSTED, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE PROPERLY SERVIED THE CAR W/ RCOMMENDED SERVICING (DEALER FOUND THE PROBLEM BUT DID NOT WANT FIX)

DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION IS CAUSING DELAY / TOTAL FAILURE IN REVERSE. THE MANUFACTURE HAS SENT OUT A BULLETIN, TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY WILL CAUSE A LONG DELAY OR TOTAL FAILURE WHEN THE CAR IS PUT IN REVERSE.. *AK

DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND HE CAME TO A STOP SIGN, AND HIS SEATBELT CAME A LOOSE, AND AND HIS CHEST WENT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL . *AK

VEHICLE WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE TRAVELING AT 50MPH. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS, CAUSED DRIVER'S VIEW TO BE OBSCURED. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT AND IT DOES NOT WORK. WHEN DOOR IS SHUT IT IS SUPPOSE TO RETRACT ACROSS THE DRIVER'S SHOULDER, AS IT SHOULD IT STAY IN THE RELEASE POSITION AS IF THE DOOR WERE OPENED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHEN PARKING VEHICLE JERKS FORWARD AND BACKWARD, AND GOES INTO ANOTHER GEAR MANUFACTUER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT BEGAN TO ONLY MOVE SLOWLY THEN WOULD ONLY MOVE UP 2 INCHES FROM THE CLOSED DOOR POSITION- TODAY THE MOTOR DIED(THE GEARS ARE BURNED OUT). CRUISE CONTROL WOULD ACCELERATE WHEN DEPRESSED AT 60 MPH UNTIL BRAKES APPLIED- I STOPPED USING IT COMPLETELY FOR SAFETY REASONS.

POSSIBLE DESIGN OF WINDSHIELD WIPERS MAY HAVE CAUSED THEM TO SCRATCH GROOVES OVER THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD CAUSING A GLARE WHEN THE CAR FACES THE SUN. NLM

LOCKING MECHANISM NOT HOLDING ROD ON BACK OF CAR SEAT. *YC

VEHICLE RUNS HOT AND NEEDS A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1K MILES. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THIS DEFECT MATCHES NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #:99V045000. THE DRIVER-SIDE SEAT SLIPS BACKWARD WHEN YOU LEAN BACK ON IT. *AK