1996 Saturn SL complaints

ENGINE CUT OFF, ENGINE SURGED,TACHOMETER BOUCES,REPLACED VALVE GUIDES AT 60000 MILES, COMPRESION STILL NOT CORRECT, CK ENGINE LIGHT ALWAYS COMES ON, BURNS OIL, 2 QTS MORE THAN SPECS SAY. SEAT BELT LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN WHEN IN USE.

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO LEAK OR EVIDENCE OF BURNING OIL.*AK THE CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE STALL BECAUSE THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. IT WAS JUST 3000 MILES SINCE LAST OIL CHANGE. *YH

VEHICLE WAS AT STOP WHEN IT WAS REARENDED BY VEHICLE WITH 35 MPH IMPACT. AT POINT OF IMPACT DRIVER'S SEAT CLAMP BROKE, CAUSING DRIVER TO FALL INTO A RECLINING POSITION WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE FRONT WHEEL BEARING FAILURES SINCE PURCHASED NEW

WEATHER STRIPING TO VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN THERE IS RAIN VEHICLE FILLS UP WITH WATER IN REAR. *AK

ENGINE OIL LEAKED INTO COOLANT SYSTEM CAUSE OVERHEATING AFTER ENGINE RAN OUT OF OIL. CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD WAS THE CAUSE AFTER TALKED TO DEALER. ALSO FOUND THERE WERE QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS ABOUT EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM.

ONE TIME AT A STOP SIGN, PRESS THE BRAKING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BUT NO BRAKING EFFECT. AFTER ADJUSTING THE REAR DRUM OR DISK, PROBLEM DID NOT REPEAT. THE CAR'S ALTERNATOR WAS DEAD AFTER ONLY 36000 BUT DEALER WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE CAR START TO SHAKING FROM THE START TO END OF BRAKING PROCESS. DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.*AK

POWER STEERING PUMP SHAFT SEAL REPLACED DUE TO A LEAK, THE INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS ON THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SEPARATED DUE TO WEAR. *SLC

AFTER DRIVING FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME THE VEHICLE SLAMS INTO REVERSE WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE OR REPAIR THE PROBLEM. NLM

THE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKED WHILE I WAS COMMUTING HOME FROM WORK. IT COST ME 2000.00 PLUS TO REPAIR. SATURN TOLD ME THEY WOULD COVER THE REPAIR UP TO 100,000 MILES. OF COURSE I WAS ABOUT 7,000 OVER THAT. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY INFO ON ANY PROBLEMS TO LOOK OUT FOR FROM THE DEALER. PRIOR TO THIS I DID NOTICE MY COOLANT WAS DISCOLORED SO I HAD THE FLUID REPLACED. I DID NOT SUSPECT ANY INTERENAL ENGINE PROBLEMS. I WANT TO KNOW WHO I CAN GET IN CONTACT WHITH TO GET A REFUND OF MY MONEY. I. *AK

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED, AND UPON IMPACT DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

PURCHASED THE CAR USED WITH APPROX 24000 MILES. SEEMED FISHY AT FIRST BUT DEALERSHIP INSURED ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS OKAY. OIL LIGHT CAME ON AFTER ONLY A WEEK FROM PURCHASE. DID NOT LOOK LIKE DEALERSHIP SERVICED ENGINE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND INFORMED THEM OF THE OIL LIGHT. THEY NEVER TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND TO BRING IT IN, THEY JUST BRUSHED IT OFF AS A SHORT. WHEN QUESTIONING THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE SERVICING OF THE CAR, THEY REPLIED "YOU SHOULD NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING." NOW HERE I AM WITH A CAR THAT HAS ONLY (SUPPOSEDLY) 33000 MILES ON IT AND THE ENGINE IS NO GOOD. HAROLD MOTORS LAUGHS IN OUR FACE WHEN I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ENGINE. THEY WILL NOT HELP US IN ANY WAY NOR WILL SATURN. FOR A CAR WITH ONLY 33000 MILES ON IT, I CANNOT SEE IT BREAKING, ESPECIALLY THE ENGINE WHICH SATURN BRAGS ABOUT IN EVERY COMMERCIAL. WE ARE AT A STANDSTILL TRYING TO CONTACT SATURN TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM. WITH THE ENGINE BREAKING WITH ONLY 33000 MILES ON IT, IT IS DEFECTIVE. SATURN HAS DEFECTIVE ENGINES ON THEIR SL1 MODELS IN 1996, SO THIS MATTER NEEDS TO BE LOOKED INTO. THE QUOTE FOR A NEW ENGINE IS 3400.00 WHICH WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY . THANK YOU. *AK

NO SUMMARY

AT 32,000 MILE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT INTO REVERSE. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK

TREAD SEPERATION. *AK (DOT NUMBER: UNKN TIRESIZE: P175/70R14)

BRAKE FAILURE WHEN COMING TO A STOP.BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR CAR WAS VERY SLOW TO STOP.AFTER THE FIRST FAILURE BRAKE SHOP WAS UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE SYSTEM.THE SECOND FAILURE WAS AT THE SAME SPEED 35 M/H WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL HAVING THE SAME ACTION.SATURN WAS UNABLE TO FIND PROBLEM THE SECOND TIME AND TESTED IT TWO TIMES.*AK

AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES, WHEN I STOP AND PUT CAR IN REVERSE, IT HESITATES THEN ABRUPTLY SHIFTS INTO REVERSE. I HAVE CHECKED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS AND FOUND TSB#96-T-38A IN REGARDS TO HARSH ENGAGEMENT INTO REVERSE ON THE SATURNS. THIS SOUNDS EXACTLY LIKE MY PROBLEM. *AK

SQUEALING NOISE FROM ENGINE AREA IN RAINY WEATHER, DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE DRIVE BELT DUE TO IT BEING DRY AND CRACKED. *SLC

TIRE TREAD PEELED OFF WHILE TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 60 MPH. *AK (TIRESIZE: P75/R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P75/R15 )

COMPLETE TREAD SEPARATION ON RIGHT-REAR TIRE. TIRE IS NOT LISTED IN RECALL OR 9/1 CONSUMER ADVISORY. *AK( DOT NUMBER: W2EPBCA086 TIRE SIZE: P175/70R14 )

AT 10 AM ON 9/24/2000 GOING WEST ON THE 210 AT APPROX. 65 MPH. SLIGHT BUMPINESS FOR LESS THAN THREE MINUTES, THEN BLOWOUT OCCURRED. TIRE EXPLODED AND VEHICLE FISHTAILED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC. MERCIFULLY, NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE TREAD SEPARATED( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P185/65R1 )

I WAS RETURNING TO HAMILTON, MT FROM HAVING MY CAR IN FOR IT'S 24,000 SERVICE AT THE SATURN DEALER IN SPOKANE, WA. I EXITED I-90 AT THE LIBERTY LAKE EXIT AND, AS I WAS APPROACHING THE END OF THE RAMP, MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 30MPH. I INFORMED SATURN OF THIS BY TELEPHONE 9/14/00. NO VEHICLE DAMAGE WAS DONE AND A TIRE DEALER WAS A BLOCK AWAY SO I PURCHASED A NEW SET OF TIRES (DAYTON). I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH CONTINUING TO KEEP THE 3 TIRES THAT HAD NOT BLOWN OUT ON MY VEHICLE.AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/60R15 )

WHILE DRIVING BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED,CAUSING NO BRAKING ABILITY. HAD TO USE EMERGENCY BRAKING SYSTEM IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. SATURN SAID IF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED IT WOULD AFFECT THE BRAKING SYSTEM, AND THAT WAS THE REASON WHY VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

THE SIDEWALLS ON THIS TIRE LITERALLY DISINTEGRATED AT 70 MILES AN HOUR. NO WARNING. NO SLOW LOSS OF PRESSURE. A CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF PRESSURE. THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN ATTACKED BY A MADMAN WITH A KNIFE, ALMOST SEVERED FROM THE TREAD. I THOUGHT I WAS BEING ATTACKED BY A HELICOPTER.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 175/70-R14 )

1,2,3. BRAKES HAVE BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. FIRST KNOWN PROBLEM WAS ABOUT 08/99 WHEN DEALER FOUND PITTED & BLISTERED REAR BRAKE ROTORS. REPLACED THEM "AS A FAVOR" SINCE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY (LESS THAN 36,000 MILES). I HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT LOWER GAS MILEAGE AND FEELING LIKE CAR WAS "DRAGGING" AND HAD BEEN TOLD EARLIER THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS - USE A LOWER GEAR. IN JUNE, 2000, I NOTICED THAT MY RIGHT REAR BRAKE DISK WAS GLOWING RED AFTER A 36 MILE FREEWAY DRIVE. LATER, WHEN I WAS ABLE TO GET UNDER THE CAR, I FOUND THAT THE PARKING BRAKE ACTUATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR CALIPER WAS FROZEN IN THE "ON" POSITION. WD40 AND MUSCLE FREED IT, BUT IT HAD TO BE LEFT OFF AT ALL TIMES. THE DEALER FOUND THE DISKS TO BE WARPED, CALIPER RUINED AND FRONT DISKS ALSO WARPED. PADS WERE NOT TERRIBLY WORN ON THE FRONT. I HAVE ROUTINELY GONE 50,000 ON PADS IN PREVIOUS CALLS; THE REAR PADS ON THIS CAR HAD LESS THAN 15,000!! AGAIN, DEALER IMPLIED IT WAS MY FAULT AND NOT A DEFECT BY SATURN. #4. SPEED CONTROL - DEVICE BEGAN ERRATIC FUNCTION - SPED UP AND SLOWED DOWN WITHOUT WARNING; AT TIMES WOULDN'T TURN ON. DEALER FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NO NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM. #5. IGNITION SWITCH - STARTED HAVING DIFFICULTY IN TURNING ON OR FULLY OFF (LOCKED POSITION). FIRST TOLD BY DEALER IT MUST BE JAMMED WITH KEY SHAVINGS-IF KEY SHOWS BRASS COLOR, MUST BE REPLACED. DEALER FOUND THAT THERE WAS A GROOVE IN THE SWITCH HOUSING-DUE TO USE OF A "HEAVY KEY CHAIN BY PREVIOUS OWNER". I PA

DUE TO DEFECTIVE ALTERNATOR, VEHICLE WOULD STALL UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT WARNING WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED A CRASH. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. ALSO, THERE ARE PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS. *AK

RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT BURNED OUT PREMATURELY. RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT WAS REPLACED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER HAD ADVISED CONSUMER THAT PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED ON OTHER VEHICLES, BUT HAD NO REMEDY. CONSUMER HAS SEEN 3 OTHER VEHICLES WITHSAME PROBLEM OF THE RIGHT BRAKE LIGHT BURNING OUT. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS & FOUND THAT ROTORS WERE CORRODED ON THE INSIDE. DEALER CHECKED VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION IN JUNE & SAID NOTHING TO THE CONSUMER ABOUT ROTOR CORROSION. CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. *AK THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ROTORS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MACHINED BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIRED MINIMUM THICKNESS. *YH

THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND BOTH FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARD COMPLETLY, ANYONE SITTING IN THE BACK SEATS WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES. IF A CHILD WAS IN THE BACK SEAT CHANCES ARE HE WOULD NOT SURVIVE. THEIR HAVE BEEN OTHER INCIDENTS OF THE BACKSEATS COLLAPSING UPON REAR IMPACT AND SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANY REAR SEAT PASSANGERS, ESPICIALLY CHILDREN, WHICH THE LAW STATES THAT A CHILD UNDER 100 LB. MUST BE IN A CHILD RESTRAINED SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER OR PASSANGER SIDE.THIS CAN PROVE FATAL UPON REAR COLLISION.*AK

BRAKES FAILED DUE TO THE BRAKE LINE TO THE REAR WHEEL BEING CORRODED. *MJS

PLASTIC FRAME ON SEATBACK STICKS THROUGH THE PADDING, AND IRRITATES THE CHILD'S BACK. MAY CAUSE INJURY TO CHILD'S BACK. COSCO CARSEAT, NOT ATTACHED TO CAR, BOUGHT SEPARATELY. *AK *ML

WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED SAW WATER AND OIL COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE. A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO A BLOWN ENGINE HEAD GASKET. DEALER FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD. OWNER TOLD THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT AND SATURN WOULD PAY REPAIRS COST. *AK *ML

I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS OR WILL THERE BE A RECALL ON THE MOTOR MOUNT FOR THE SATURN SL COUPE 1996. *AK

REPLACING FUEL TANK @27862MI FUEL TANK SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR. THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW. I AM NOTIFYING YOU, BECAUSE OF A POTENTIAL LOSS OF POWER. I THINK THAT I ALSO SHOULD BE REIMBURSED MY $50 DEDUCTIBLE. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER STARTED - SMELLED TAR-LIKE SMELL - TURNED A/C OFF, NO SMELL & CAR RAN BEAUTIFULLY, NO INDICATOR LIGHTS ON. TOOK ON ROAD TRIP, RAN FINE BUT NOTICED ENGINE WAS HOT WHEN STOPPED - ADDED OIL, OTHER FLUIDS FINE - IMMEDIATELY ABORTED TRIP & DROVE TO DEALER- NO PROBLEMS (SMELLS, INDICATOR LIGHTS, ETC.) ON RIDE, - NOTICED THAT SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED 1.5 MOS. AGO WAS FRAYED & LOOSE. OIL SPEWED FROM FRONT TO BACK OF CAR (ALTHOUGH CAR DROVE FINE & NO INDICATOR LIGHTS, NOISES OR INDICATION OF TROUBLE) - DEALER SAYS ENGINE MAY BE SHOT & CAR MAY NEED TO BE JUNKED. *AK

VEHICLE WAS AT A STANDSTILL AND WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING ABOUT 45 MPH WHICH PUSHED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT, CAUSING DRIVER'S SEATBACK TO BREAK, RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AT APPROOX. 25MPH APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION, PRESSED THE BRAKES WHICH TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR, REPAIRED THE PROBLEM.

UPON ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A NORMAL STOP CONSUMER NOTED THAT VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STOP, CAUSING SOME EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO WHEN VEHICLE IS AT A STAND STILL , IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. DEALER NOTED THAT 1ST. THE CALIPERS. THEN , MASTER CYLINDER FAILED/NOT RELEASING, CAUSING BRAKES TO GRAB. *AK.ET.

REAR TIRE FAILURE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. 45 MPH SPEED AT TIME OF INCIDENT. NO STEERING CONTROL ONCE REAR TIRE DEFLATED. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DAMP ROAD, ASPHALT SURFACE WITH SOME SAND ON THE SURFACE. ON-RAMP ONTO FREEWAY WITH 45 MPH SPEED LIMIT. VEHICLE TURNED RIGHT 90 DEGREES AFTER TIRE FAILURE AND LEFT THE ROADWAY. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P19565T15 )

WHEN DRIVING AT 60MPH VEHICLE'S SPEED WILL INSTANTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING DROP DOWN TO ABOUT 10MPH. DEALER SAYS IT'S A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT 45MPH. WHILE GRADUALY COMING TOA STOP, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED OUTWARD, AND PARTICLES FELL BACK INTO THE VEHICLE. VOICE MAIL WAS LEFT TO MAKE DEALER AWARE OF THE INCIDENT. *AK

HORN IS INOPERABLE WHICH IS VERY DANGEREOUS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, TRAVELLING ABOUT 50MPH AT NIGHT, ALL OF SUDDEN THE VEHICLE CUT OFF. CONTACTED DEALER, ANDWAS TOLD THAT A SPIDER GOT INTO THE FUEL LINE AND BLOCKED THE LINE WHERE THE PUMP DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH VENTILATION, AND FUEL TANK COLLASPED. *AK

SUSPECTED ODOMETER ROLL BACK

WHEN DIMMING HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT WITH ON OFF SWITCH AND DIMMER SWITCH ON SAME SWITCH EASY TO SHUT LIGHT OFF AT HIGH SPEEDS AND OPOSING TRAFFIC UNABLE TO SEE YOU AND WITH ALL INTERIOR LIGHT NOW SHUT OFF AT 55 MPH YOU ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED AND WATCH TRAFFIC AND GET LIGHTS BACK ON

MUFFLER AND PIPES RUSTED AND SEVERAL OTHER PARTS HAVE FAILED.*ET

ERG VALVE AND SEVERAL OTHER PARTS HAVE FAILED AFTER FAILURE OF THE JUNCTION BOX.*ET

SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES REPLACED DUE TO IMPROPER GAPPING FROM FACTORY.*ET

BRAKE PARTS CORRODED CAUSING DAMAGE TO ROTORS AND CALIPERS.*ET