1994 Saturn SL complaints

HEAD GASKET CRACKED CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO ENGINE COMPONENTS. MJS

TIMING CHAIN FAILED. MJS

THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY CAR AND TWO OTHERS THAT I AM AWARE OF WORE THROUGH THE PLASTIC GUIDES, CAUSING METAL TO GET INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSING AN ENGINE SEIZURE RUINING THE ENGINE. IT HAPPENED TO ALL THREE CARS WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER. ONE ENGINE HAD 58,000 MILES AND MINE HAS 62,000 MILES . THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER BOTH SAY IT IS NOT THEIR PROBLEM AND I HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A NEW ONE OR A USED ONE AT MY EXPENSE. IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THERE IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM IF I KNOW OF TWO OTHERS THAT FAILED FOR THE SAME REASON. CAN YOU HELP? WHAT ELSE CAN I DO? *AK

SEATBELT IS NO LONGER USABLE. THE GEAR IS STUCK INTHE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK AND INTHE WAY OF DRIVING. ALSO, BELL CHIMES IF THE SEATBELT ARE CONNECTED. *AK

TIMING CHAIN BROKE, CAUSING LOUD NOISE. ALSO, THERE IS SOME PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE AS A WHOLE DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN BELT BREAKING. *AK

OIL IS IN MY RADIATOR FLUID. PROBABLY A CRACKED ENGINE HEAD. *AK

DRIVER SEAT BELT SYSTEM SEAMS FELL APART IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, CAUSING DRIVER'S SEAT TO COLLASPE BACKWARDS. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

EA-95-003; WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, CRUISE CONTROL WILL DISENGAGE WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BROKEN ROCKER SHAFT CAUSED CAR TO LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY.

SAFETY ISSUE, CAR STOPPED SUDDENLY WHEN TIMING CHAIN BROKE

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED/REPLACED.

REVERSE GEAR WENT OUT, AND CONSUMER VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED DUE TO THE REVERSE GOING OUT. *AK

I TRIED FOUR BRANDS OF CAR SEATS (GRACO, KOLCRAFT, EVENFLO AND CENTURY) AND VARIOUS MODELS OF EACH, AND NONE WILL SAFELY SECURE IN THE BACK SEAT OF MY CAR DUE TO THE DESIGN OF SATURN'S REAR SEAT BELT SYSTEM. THE BELTS ARE FORWARD OF THE CREASE RATHER THAN IN THE CREASE, AND I CAN MOVE THE VARIOUS CAR SEATS 4-6 INCHES SIDE TO SIDE. I DO NOT BELIEVE, BASED ON MY EFFORTS AND RESEARCH, THAT THERE IS A SAFE REAR-FACING INFANT SEAT FOR USE IN A SATURN. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW IN THE SATURN, AND I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT TRANSPORTING MY NEWBORN IN SUCH A LOOSE CAR SEAT. I WILL HAVE TO PLACE HIM IN THE LEFT OR RIGHT SIDE, RATHER THAN THE CENTER, FOR A SLIGHTLY MORE SECURE FIT OF THE CAR SEAT. BUT THIS IS ONLY A MODERATE IMPROVEMENT AND STILL ALLOWS FOR SEVERAL INCHES OF MOVEMENT TO EITHER SIDE. IS THIS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SATURNS? I ALSO HAVE A 1992 SATURN SL1 WITH THE SAME SEAT BELT DESIGN. *AK

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS ARE TOO THIN, BECOME WARPED AT EVERY 10000-15,000 MILES WHICH CAUSES A BRAKE PROBLEM. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

HAD THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 4 MONTHS AND HAD THE BREAKS WORKED ON TWICE. REPLACED BREAK PADS BOTH TIMES AND NEW ROTORS THE LAST TIME. I WAS TOLD THE ROTORS ARE TOO THIN ON ALL OF THESE CARS, AND THAT THE METALLIC BREAK PADS ARE WARPING THE ROTORS. TRIED ORGANIC BREAK PADS, SEEMED TO HELP, BUT STILL HAVING THE PROBLEM. EXTREME SURGING WHEN TRYING TO STOP NOW. I FEEL THIS IS A MANUFACTURERS ENGINEERING DEFECT. I CANNOT AFFORD $200.00 EVERY 6 MONTHS FOR NEW BREAKS, SINCE MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. (CAN SOMEONE PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS?!?!?!?, I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, AND SATURN DOES NOT SEEM TO WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THEIR DEFECT IN ENGINEERING.)

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WILL COME OFF AND ON, AND THE OIL IS LEAKING OUT OF THE PISTONS. WHEN THE CONSUMER TAKES OFF,SMOKE COMES OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. ALSO, TIMING BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER MOTOR. SATURN AGREED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE OIL. *AK

AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT DOESN'T WORK AND THE SEAT BELT WON'T COME ACROSS THE CONSUMER'S CHEST. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAK COMING FROM THE SUN ROOF, THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DOORS, AND THE BATTERY DIE OUT. *AK

SEAT BACKS COLLASPED.

WHILE SITTING IN A STILL POSITION, VEHICLE WAS HIT IN THE REAR AND PUSHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, SEAT SNAPPED AND FELL BACK ONTO THE BACK SEAT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE HIT GUARD RAIL DURING ICY ROAD CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN THE SEAT BACK COLLAPSING.

VEHICLE WOULD LEAK OIL INTO THE SPARK PLUGS. ENGINE HEAD GASKETS SEALING IS NOT RETAINING THE OIL. *AK *ML

SHOULDER BELT MOTOR ON DRIVERS SIDE WILL OPEN AND SLIDE FORWARD WHILE DRIVING, DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. ALSO STATES MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. NO WARRANTY. REPAIRS WILL BE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

EA 98017, SEATBACK FAILURE; THE SEATBACK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HAS COLLAPSED. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE SEATBACK HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WHEN DRIVER TAPPED THE BRAKES/ACCELERATOR OR BY TURNING OFF SWITCH. HUSBAND PULLED UP EMGERENCY BRAKE TO STOP VEHICLE, AFTER BRAKES FAILED, WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO FISHTAIL AND HIT SIDE OF BRIDGE. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THE SEATS ARE NOT UPDATED OR STRENGTHENED, SEEING CRASH TESTS ON TV SHOWED SEAT COLLAPSING AND THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT COMPLY. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, PROBLEM OCCURRED SEVEN TIMES IN THE TESTS, PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON 18 NOV 98 , AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. HE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 60 MPH WHEN HE HIT THE OTHER CAR.

NTERMITTENTLY THE POWER SHOULDER BELT USED TO RETRACT. NOW SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT RETRACT AT ALL. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

HELLO, THE CAR WILL SOMETIMES STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP. IT WILL AT OTHER TIMES JERK AND HESITATE ON ACCELERATION. WHEN COLD, AFTER STARTING, IT WILL HAS A DECREASE IN RPM AS THE GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED DOWN, KINDA LIKE IT BOGS OUT. WORST OF ALL AFTER WARMING UP THE IDLE WILL SURGE TO ~2500 RPM EVEN WITH THE ACCELERATOR OUT. THIS MAKES SHIFTING SOMEWHAT PROBLEMATIC. IF YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR ME, IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED. THANKS TONY

SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE NEW IN 1996, CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE 3 BATTERIES AND 2 ALTERNATORS. BOTH ONLY LASTED APPROXIMATELY 12 TO 15 MONTHS. SATURN MECHANIC IN FLORIDA STATED THAT THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR ARE BUILT TOO CLOSE TOGETHER. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

ON 12/25/95, I WAS RETURNING HOME FROM A CHRISTMAS DAY OUTING. I WAS DRIVING MY SATURN SL2 AND HAD STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT. A TAXI REARENDED ME WHILE I WAS STOPPED AT THE STOPLIGHT. THE IMPACT FROM THE BACK COLLAPSED MY BUMPER, DAMAGED THE LEFT REAR TRUNK AREA AND CAUSED THE BACK OF THE DRIVER'S SEAT TO FALL BACKWARDS. I WAS LEFT LOOKING UP AT THE CEILING OF MY VEHICLE FROM MY BROKEN SEATBACK. I WAS JUST THREE WEEKS OUT OF SURGERY FOR MY LEFT KNEE AND THIS ACCIDENT RESULTED IN INJURY TO MY BACK AND RIGHT KNEE AND A SUBSEQUENT SURGERY. MY CAR WAS REPAIRED AT PUNCHBOWL FENDERWORKS, INC., AT 3427 WAIALAE, HONOLULU, HAWAII 96816, (808) 737-5584. MY CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME SIX WEEKS LATER. I STILL HAVE THE VEHICLE AND THE SEATBACK STILL DOES NOT SIT UP STRAIGHT OR HOLD AT TIMES.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED. THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION AT THIS TIME. #3805-EA-98-017. *AK

WHILE IN TRAFFIC ANOTHER VEHICLE REARENDED THE SATURN. UPON IMPACT, THE ENTIRE FRONT SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS ONTO THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN REAR. WILL BE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH THE GAS PEDAL BROKE, CAUSING THE PEDAL TO GO DOWN THE FLOORBOARD. WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO PULL THE GAS PEDAL UP, HE HIT A MAILBOX AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER FOUND NO DEFECT WITH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

LEFT SIDE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY.

VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE LEFT HITTING ANOTHER CAR.

WHILE DRIVING HEARD NOISE. RACK& PINION STEERING FAILED. PROBLEM WAS FIXED, BUT IT REOCCURRED. *AK TIMING CHAIN FAILED. *SLC

SEAT BELTS MOVE BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING AND THEY WON'T OPEN WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED. ALSO, SUN ROOF AND SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED/ NOISY ENGINE DUE TO TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. IN ADDITION, REPLACED EGR VALVE AND CANISTER. *AK

FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO RUN. DEALER REPLACED FUEL PUMP. *AK

DRIVERS SEAT BACK COLLAPSED SEVERAL TIMES, ALLOWING SEAT TO FALL INTO A RECLINING POSITION. QCAW

TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE. HAD TO BE REPLACED TWO TIMES. DEALER STATES CONTAMINATION AT THE FACTORY. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

ALTERNATOR IS DEFECTIVE. IT HAS BEEN REPLACED, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWO TIMES. DEFECT IS IN THE DESIGN. DEALERS CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

POWER STEERING IS DEFECTIVE. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

THE SEATBACK ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FAILS TO STAY IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. OWNER HAS NOT HAD THE SEATBACK FIXED. *AK

HAD MISSED EXIT. STARTED TO MAKE LEFT TURN WHEELS RUBBED AGAINST CURB. PULLED STEERING WHEEL TO RIGHT, STEERING WHEEL DID NOT TURN. WAS UPON MEDIAN STRIP AFTER GOING 15MPH. UNDER CARRIAGE PUSHED BACKWARDS. TOWED TO DEALER. MECHANIC DID NOT LOOK AT IT. INSURANCE ADJUSTER WILL BE LOOKING AT VEHICLE'S STEERING WHEEL.

SEAT BELTS MOVE BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVIMG AND THEY WON'T OPEN WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED, DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE SPEEDOMETER SOMETIMES WORKS AND SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT WORK. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK RECLINED TO THE REST POSITION, CONSUMER HAD NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER. OTHER SHOP REPAIR HAS REPLACED PARTS, PARTS NUMBER 21057313 AND 221051315. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK