1996 Saturn SL complaints

INTERIOR JUNCTION BOX FAILED.*ET

ALTERNATOR FAILED.*ET

ODOMETER FAILED.*ET

WHEN TRAVELING DOWN AN INCLINE ABOUT 25 MPH AND UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, ALSO, EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGANGED IN ORDER TO STOP VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES FAILED AND WEREN'T STOPPING THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. ALSO, THERE IS VIRBRATION WITHIN THE STEERING AND A SHORT WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *AK

DUE TO ICE IN A COMMERCIAL PARKING LOT, WHILE PARKING MY CAR, CAR SLID INTO A IRON GUARD RAIL AND THE RADIATOR, A/C CONDENSER, SUPPORT OF FRONT BUMPER COVER AND FRONT BUMPER COVER WERE ALL DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR AND HAD TO BE REPLACED

NO SUMMARY

SHOULDER SEATBELT ON DRIVER SIDE WILL NOT RETRACT , CAUSING A LOSS OF PROTECTION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK.

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 27-JUL-97. WAS HIT FROM BEHIND. AS A RESULT, AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY, AND DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED, CAUSING THE SEATS TO FULLY RECLINE. *AK

ON 6/17/99 AT 6;30PM I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM RTE 73S TO ATCO JUGHANDLE. ONCE I MADE THE TURN THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED IN PLACE AND THE BRAKES WOULD NOT WORK. THE CAR SHUTTERED AND CRASHED INTO THE CURB. MY SPEED WAS 20MPH AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE DRIZZLING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN CONSUMER SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING WITHOUT WARNING AND HIT A CURB, REASON UNKNOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

PROBLEM DIAGNOSED BY SATURN OF THOUSAND OAKS AS A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD; AS A RESULT, COOLANT AND COOLANT SYSTEM WAS CONTAMINATED WITH OIL; ALL HAD TO BE REPLACED. DESPITE COMMENT BY SATURN OF THOUSAND OAKS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH "THE PROCESS" WITH 1996 SATURNS, SATURN CORP. DENIES CAUSE IS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. I KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE OTHER 1996 SL1 PURCHASED AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP WHICH EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM IN JUNE/98. BOTH CARS WERE PURCHASED NEW AND WERE LESS THAN 3 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER SEAT BACK FELL BACK WHEN REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE WHICH WAS GOING ABOUT 35 MPH, WHICH MAY HAVE CAUSED INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE HAS A DESIGN FLAW. ANITI-FREEZE GETS INTO THE OIL. DEALER CONTACTED AND WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

CONSUMER BACKED OUT DRIVEWAY. ON RIGHT SIDE OF DRIVEWAY WHERE THE FRONT OF VEHICLE WAS SITTING, THERE WAS BROWN OIL/WATER MIXTURE. WHEN SHE OPENED THE HOOD AND LOOKED INTO THE RESERVOIR THERE WAS A COLORED LIQUID. MECHANIC DISCOVERED A CRACKED ENGINE CYLINDER. CHECKED COMPUTER AND FOUND A BULLETIN--ID. #96-T-65A--ISSUED FEB. 1997,THAT DEALS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *AK

/22/99 - AFTER NO RESPONSE FROM DON HUDLER, POSTED THIS EMAIL TO THE SATURN WEBSITE

I AM FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND A CHILD SAFETY RESTRAINT SEAT TO SAFELY FIT IN THE BACK SEAT OF MY SATURN. THE BACK SEAT IS AT TOO MUCH OF AN ANGLE. THE SATURN DEALERSHIP SAID FOR LEGAL REASONS THAT THEY COULD NOT COMMENT. I'VE SPOKEN WITH OTHER SATURN OWNERS AND THEY RECOMMENDED STUFFING BOOKS OR TOWELS BETWEEN THE CAR'S BACK SEAT AND THE CHILD'S SEAT BASE TO LEVEL OUT THE BASE. THIS DOESN'T SOUND SAFE, BUT I HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS. ANY INPUTFROM YOU WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

TRUNK LID CLOSES TOO EASILY, LID COLLAPSED ON CONSUMER ON TWO OCCASIONS RESULTING IN INJURIES TO THE HEAD.

WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS.

THE ENGINE HEAD HAS AN INTERNAL CRACK IN IT WHICH ALLOWS THE ENGINE OIL TO LEAK INTO THE COOLANT. I REALIZED THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS OIL IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. I WENT TO SATURN OF FT. LAUDERDALE, WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY(I HAVE53,000MILES). I WAS ALSO TOLD IF I WANTED THEM TO FIX IT THEY WOULD CHARGE ME $300 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, AND IF IT WAS A CRACKED HEAD, IT WOULD COST ME AT LEAST $1200. IF I DIDN'T LIKE THEIR DIAGNOSES I WOULD HAVE 24 HOURS TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED OFF THEIR PROPERTY , DISASSEMBLED. THIS WAS TOLD TO ME BY DENNY MCGEE (954)760-6340, SERVICE MANAGER FOR SATURN. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IF I HAD NOT FOLLOWED EVERY SERVICE REQUIREMENT THAT SATURN DESCRIBES IN THEIR HAND BOOK I WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY COMPENSATION. AT THE MOST THEY MIGHT PAY FOR PARTS AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR LABOR. I AM VERY ANGRY! I AM A TEACHER, AND I COULD NOT AFFORD TO GAMBLE THAT SATURN "MIGHT PICK UP PART OF THE PRICE" MR. MCGEE SAID THEY MAY ONLY PICK UP 10%. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE PART. THE CAR HAS NEVER OVERHEATED AND MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE CRACK IS BETWEEN TWO CHAMBERS WHERE THE OIL AND COOLANT CIRCULATE THROUGH THE ENGINE. HE OBTAINED USED REPLACEMENT PART AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT THIS PART ALSO HAD A SIMILAR CRACK IN THE SAME PLACE. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS ENGINE PART? I AM VERY DISILLUSIONED WITH THE SATURN COMPANY. THEY WERE VERY UNHELPFUL AND RUDE IN ADD

I REALLY FEEL THAT A CAR THAT IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND HAVE ONLY 47000 MILES SHOULDN'T HAVE NEED A NEW ENGINE IN IT.

ENGINE RPM WILL INCREASE TO 3500 WHETHER AT IDLE OR DRIVING AT 55 MPH. THIS HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS. IF THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF , THE CAR WILLN'T START UNLESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED TO THE FLOUR. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CARS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM MAY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SLOW THE CAR UPON BRAKING UNLESS THEY WERE TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO NUETRAL. IT IS HIGHLY POSSIBLE THAT SOME SATURN OWNERS AREN'T AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IF THEY OWN AN AUTOMATIC. IN THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (COMPLAINTS DATABASE) THERE WERE 8 OR 9 CASES OF BRAKE FAILURE . WERE THESE FAILURES AS A RESULT OF UNCONTROLLED RPM MOTOR SPEED? ODI ID 816070 INDICATED A PROBLEM WHICH MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THIS CONDITION. THIS PROBLEM IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CARS WILL LEAD TO PREMATURE BRAKE ROTOR AND PAD WEAR NOT TO MENTION THE FAILURE OF THE CAR TO STOP WITHIN THE ASSURRED NORMAL DISTANCE.

SPEEDOMETER CABLE AND PLUG FAILED.

BRAKE ADJUSTER BENT.

DRIVER WAS DRIVING AND SET CRUISE CONTROL AT FREEWAY SPEED, BEGAN TO EXIT, TOUCHED THE BREAK TO SHUT CRUISE OFF, CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT SHUT OFF. STOOD ON BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW VEHICLE, REMOVED PRESSURE MOMENTARILY AND VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE TO SET CRUISE SPEED, TURNED OFF CRUISE AT MAIN SWITCH, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, HIT GUARDRAIL, AND VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 55MPH IMPACT TO REAR FROM THE GUARDRAIL.

DURING VEHICLE COLLISION SEAT LATCH FAILED CAUSING SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE RESULTING IN INJURY TO THE DRIVER LOOSING SIGHT OF THE ROAD THEREFOR LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.

WHEN PULLING OUT FROM A STOP LIGHT THE VEHICLE JUST DIES. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, DEALER STATED THAT PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A BAD ALTERNATOR WHICH DESTROYED THE BATTERY. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. BATTERY REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK

BRAKE PADS REPLACED FOUR TIMES, BRAKE ROTORS FAILED.

WHILE DRVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE REAR DOORS WOULD SWING OPEN FOR NO REASON. WOULD HAVE LOCKS (CHILD PROOF ALSO) ON. THE LOCK, SOMETIMES, FAILS TO KEEP THE DOOR LOCKED. HAD NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER FOR PARTS. WAS INFORMED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR LOCKS. *AK

WHEN TURNING ON CRUISE CONTROL, THE THROTTLE STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO INCREASE SPEED, AND WOULD NOT DECREASE SPEED WHEN APPLYING BRAKES. CONSUMER TRIED TO ENGAGE / DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL, BUT ENGINE CONTINUE TO RUN AT HIGH RPMS. CONSUMER RESULTED TO USING HEAVY BRAKING TO CONTROL VEHICLE SPEED. VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT TO DEALER, WHERE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO FORCE THROTTLE AND REPLACED CRUISE CONTROL. *AK *TT

TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY FAILED. QCAW

HIT A CURB AT ABOUT 5MPH, CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO DEPLOY. DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

DURING COLLISION AIR BAGS DEPLOYED HOWEVER DID NOT INFLATE RESULTING IN NECK AND FACIAL INJURIES.

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MPH CONSUMER REAR ENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT, DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURIES. SEAT BELTS WERE WORN AT AT THE TIME. OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT AIRBAG SHOULD DEPLOY AT 15 MPH .MANUFACTURER WILL SEND SOME ONE TO INSPECT VEHICLE. *AK

FRONT ROTORS WARPED. MANUFACTURER REPLACED WITH A REDESIGNED MODEL AND THEY WARPED ALSO.

CAR WITH WARRANTY OF 36,000 MILES. DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR WARRANTY. WHAT IS NORMAL LIFE OF A CLUTCH IN THIS TYPE OF CAR?

HEAD GASKET CRACKED.

FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WARPED/REPLACED.

CRACKED ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG FALSLY DEPLOYED CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.

CYLINDER HEAD COVER FAILURE.

ENGINE SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING SHORTLY AFTER MAINTENANCE.

WHEN USING HAND BRAKE THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS GO OFF, FLASHING OF THE LIGHTS CAUSES UNINTENTIONAL SIGNAL TO THE OPPOSING TRAFFIC.

PRE LOPE BEARINGS FELLL APART FROM THE STEERING AREA OF THE CAR. *AK

WINDSHIELD HAS A CLOUDY GLARE ON THE OUTSIDE.

TRUNK LID IS MISALIGNED AND LATCH IS FAULTY IN WHICH OWNER HAS DIFFICULTY IN TRUNK STAYING CLOSED.LOCK ALSO MALFUNTIONS.OWNER FEARS TRUNK MAY COME UP WHILE DRIVING.POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW. *AK

GAS GAUGE FAILED.

SPEEDOMETER FAILED.

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

SUN ROOF FAILED.