1997 Saturn SL complaints

VEHICLE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. *AK

HEAD GASKET, WATER PUMP, OIL PAN GASKET, SERPENTINE DRIVE BELT, AND COOLANT LIGHT ON, SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ALSO ON, WORK COMPLETED BY DEALER. *JB

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT LOWER RETRACTOR FROZE W/ SEAT BELT IN RETRACTED POSITION, RENDERING SEAT BELT INOPERABLE. RETRACTOR IS NOT IN A LOCATION SERVICABLE BY THE OWNER, AND IS CURRENTLY STUCK FAST FOR NO APPARANT REASON. COST OF REPAIR NOT YET KNOWN. CAR IS A VERY LOW MILAGE VEHICLE, FORMERLY OWNED BY AN ELDERLY MAN. CAR HAD 10,200 MILES ON IT IN SEPT. 2000 WHEN PURCHASED DIRECTLY FROM ESTATE. PROBLEM FIRST APPEARED ON 3/9/01 AFTER I'VE DRIVEN THE CAR ABOUT 9000 MILES. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER'S SEATBELT STAYS RETRACTED. *AK SEAT BELT WOULD NOT EXTEND COMPLETELY AROUND PASSENGER. *YH

LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT WILL NOT DEPLOY. JAMS AND WILL NOT EXTEND. *AK

TIRES WERE SOLD AS REPLACEMENTS FOR FIRESTONE AFNTY TRGT1 TUBLPS 18565R15 TIRES. THE TIRES WERE SOLD BY RUST TIRES, LLC D/B/A AUSTIN BLUFFS BIG O, 4496 AUSTIN BLUFFS PARKWAY, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO 80918, TELEPHONE #: 719-599-4555. I REQUESTED SIMILAR QUALITY IN AN ALL-WEATHER RADIAL TIRE TO THE TIRES BEING REPLACED. THE PRODUCTS SOLD DO NOT PERFORM SAFELY IN ANY AMOUNT OF SNOW AT ANY SPEED. AT APPROPRIATELY SLOW RATES OF SPEED, THE TIRES TEND TO LOSE TRACTION WHENEVER THE CLUTCH IS PUT IN AND WHEN BRAKING. THE CAR BEGINS TO SLIDE AT THOSE TIMES AND WHEN STARTING FROM A COMPLETE STOP. TIRES DO NOT SEEM TO GAIN ANY TRACTION UNTIL CAR IS IN THIRD GEAR. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER ALL-WEATHER TIRES I'VE HAD OVER THE YEARS. THESE TIRES HAD APPROXIMATELY 5,500 MILES ON THEM WHEN THE PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED WITH SNOW ON THE GROUND. WHILE IT WAS VERY ICY ON12/11/00, I HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THAT DEGREE OF SLIDING IN OVER 30 YEARS OF DRIVING IN WINTER CONDITIONS. WITH A CHILD IN THE CAR, I HAD NUMEROUS "MINOR" SLIDES AND THREE VERY CLOSE CALLS WHERE THERE WAS NEARLY PROPERTY DAMAGE AND/OR INJURY. DURING A SUBSEQUENT SNOW AT CHRISTMAS TIME, I AGAIN EXPERIENCED UNUSUAL SLIDING. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCES HAVE BEEN DURING AND FOLLOWING A SNOW STORM ON 1/16/01. YOUR DATABASE ONLY LISTS 2 TYPES OF NANKANG TIRES AND I CANNOT DETERMINE WHETHER THE ONES ON MY CAR ARE EITHER ONE. I SUSPECT NOT.*AK (TIRESIZE: 1956015)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 1956015 )

FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT FAILED TO EXTEND, HAD TO BE REPLACED, P/N 21055604, FOR A TOTAL REPAIR COST OF $135. *AK

I WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR-END COLLISION WHERE A SUV HIT ME WHILE I WAS STOPPED. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT FORCED ME INTO THE CAR IN FRONT CAUSING MAJOR FRONT AND REAR DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED DURING THE REAR IMPACT CAUSING ME TO BE THROWN TO THE BACK SEAT AND CAUSING ABDOMINAL AND BACK INJURIES. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON INTERSTATE, DRIVER'S WINDOW SHATTERED INTO SMALL PIECES, CAUSE UNKNOWN. CONTACTED SATURN COMPANY, AND IT WILL GET BACK TO CONSUMER. PLEASE ADD ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

CONSUMER WAS REARENDED AND WAS SMASHED IN BETWEEN TOW CARS. AT POINT OF IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS INTO BACK SEAT, CAUSING NECK INJURIES. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

I TOOK MY SATURN FOR IT'S YEARLY INSPECTION AT MY LOCAL SATURN DEALER. THEY TOLD ME MY DRIVERSIDE FRONT TIRE WAS WORN, BUT NOT DUE TO NORMAL WEAR, THE TREADS WERE READY TO PEEL OFF. THEY TOLD ME THE CAR WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION AS IS BECAUSE OF THE TIRE AND I HAD THEM PUT A NEW FIRESTONE TIRE ON. I THEN BROUGHT THE BAD TIRE TO FIRESTONE AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED. THEY SAID THEY COULD ONLY REPLACE THE TIRE AND NOT GIVE A REFUND ON THE TIRE. I FEEL FIRESTONE SHOULD GIVE ME A REFUND ON THE TIRE BECAUSE THE TIRE WAS'NT WORN OUT NORMALY AND THE CAR NEEDED THAT TIRE TO PASS INSPECTION. I ALSO CALLED FIRESTONE AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING AS THE MANAGER AT THERE STORE TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD'NT GIVE ME A REFUND. *AK (TIRESIZE: 17570R14)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 17570R14 )

A DEFECTIVE LATCH ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS CAUSING THE SEAT BELT TO FAIL TO LOCK IN PLACE, CONSUMER REQUESTS DEFECT BE REPAIRED BY DEALER. (ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) *SLC

FIRESTONE FR680 TIRES(175 70 R14)EXPERIENCED BLOWOUT. *SLC

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY GIVEN TIME AND SPEED VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, WHEN AIR CONDITIONER WASON HIGH AND UPON DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THERE WAS A VERY SLOW TAKE OFF. VEHICLE DIED OUT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER STATED DUE A LARGE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE PUT ON AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR PROBLEM HAS OCCUR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

THE DEFECTIVE AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER SIDE FAILED TO DEPLOY PROPERLY IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. IT ONLY BEGAN TO OPEN ABOUT 1/4 OF THE WAY AND STOPPED. AS A RESULT, I SUFFERED SEVERE INJURY TO MY LIVER, RIBS, RIGHT LEG AND MY HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD.

ENGIN BURN ONE QUART OF OIL EVERY 1,000 MILES

NO SUMMARY

TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES IN THE FRONT OF A 1997 SATURN SL, FR480, P175/OR14-845, DOT HYEP, TREAD IS SEPARATING AT 28,000 MILES. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO MECH. HE TOOK TIRES OFF AND SAID INSIDE WAS WORSE THAN THE OUTSIDE, AND TREAD WAS GETTING READY TO SEPARATE FROM THE SIDEWALL.*AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AT 35 MPH, AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

PE00020; ORIGINAL TIRE EQUIPMENT ON A 1997 SATURN SL2, TIRE SIZE P18565R15, AND DOT NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE. TIRES ONLY HAD UNDER 27 THOUSAND MILES ON THEM. WHEN DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED, TREAD PEALED OFF, AND CAME INTO CONTACT WITH FUEL PUMP WIRING HARNESS WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF ALL POWER. ENGINE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP DUE TO THE FUEL NOT CAPABLE OF REACHING ENGINE. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER REPLACED THE TIRES *AK *SLC

ENGINE ROD BEARINGS FAILED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAIL. *AK

AS OF TODAY'S DATE, 7/12/00 THE SATURN AUTO IS WITH THE DEALER IN SANTA ANA, CA. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

THE SATURN WAS STRUCK FROM THE REAR IN THE MERGE LANE WHILE PREPARING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO FUNCTION RESULTING IN DRIVER STRIKING THE STEERING WHEEL WITH HER FACE. LACERATIONS, STITCHES, BROKEN NOSE RESULTED. PASSENGER SEAT BELT FUNCTIONED PROPERLY.*AK

ALL HYDRAULIC PRESSURE DISAPPEARED BECAUSE OF FAILURE OF MASTER CYLINDER.*AK

DUE TO DESIGN REAR DISC BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING CORROSION. THIS, IN RETURN, RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH COULD CAUSE A CRASH. *AK THE CALIPERS ON THE REAR DISC BRAKES CORRODE REDUCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE REAR BRAKES. *YH

WHILE DRIVING ON ROUGH ROADS OR MAKING A TURN AROUND A CORNER CONSUMER HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE OR SOMETHING LOOSE. TOOK TO DEALER , AND THEY COULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK.

EXHAUST SYSTEM RUSTED OUT IN 3 YEARS--HAD TO REPLACE. CAR WAS NEVER DRIVEN IN WINTER, WAS WASHED EACH WEEK, WAS PARKED OFF-STREET. CLEARLY, INFERIOR PARTS WERE INSTALLED BY SATURN.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH ON A ROAD AIR BAG DETONATED, BUT DID NOT DEPLOY.*AK

I HAVE EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER, NO START CONDITIONS,AND LONG PERIODS OF CRANK TIME,EVEN KILLING A BATTERY THAT I HAD TO PAY FOR! NOTIFIED MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IF THEY---DETERMINED IT WASN'T THE FUEL PUMP, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY A SERVICE CHARGE !---AND I HAVE THE BEST EXTENDED WARRANTY THEY HAVE !

THE TRUNK LID WILL SELDOM REMAIN IN THE UP POSITION WHEN PLACING ITEMS IN THE TRUNK. THE TRUNK STARTS TO CLOSE, STRIKING THE PERSON. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN THE LEVEL POSITION. SATURN OF DATONA HAS REPLACED THE TRUNK LID SPRINGS, AND ASSURED THEY ARE ADJUSTED CORRECTLY FOR A SATURN WITH A FACTORY INSTALLED SPOILER. THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SATURN CORP., THROUGH THEIR CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER, RECOMMENDS THE REMOVAL OF THE SPOILER TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. I DO NOT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO REMOVE A FACTORY PROVIDED ITEM AND CHANGE THE VEHICLE EXTERIOR CONFIGURATION TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. IF THIS IS THE SOLUTION, HOW CAN SATURN CONTINUE TO SELL VEHICLES IN THIS CONFIGURATION? I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND COULD REPRESENT A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, I.E., WOMAN BEING STRUCK IN THE HEAD, A CHILD BEING INADVERTENTLY LOCKED IN THE TRUNK. WOULD LIKE SATURN TO PRVIDE A RESONABLE SOLUTION WHICH WOULD NOT RESULT IN CHANGING THE EXTERIOR VEHICLE CONFIGURATION.*AK

RRED ONE YEAR AGO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND HE FIXED IT. NOW IT IS FALLING AGAIN. IT SEEMS THAT IT IS MORE LIKELY TO FAIL WHEN HEADLAMP IS OFF. IN ADDITION, I ALSO SAW OTHER CARS OF SAME MODEL HAD THE SIMILAR FAILURES. *AK

VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE TRAVELING. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON FOUR OCCASIONS, AND DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THIS VEHICLE ([XXX])LOSES OIL 1 QUART PER 700 MILES! *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

DURING A LEFT TURN DRIVING AT 15 TO 20 MILES PER HOUR, ATTEMPTING TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED ITS ENTIRE RANGE WITHOUT SLOWING OR STOPPING THE CAR. THE BRAKES WHERE THEN PUMPED SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS, THE CAR WAS EVENTUALLY STOPPED BY USE OF THE PARKING BRAKE. *AK

2 OCCURRENCES OF FRONT BUMPER CATCHING ON GROUND OBJECTS AND CRACKING GRILL AND WHEEL WELLS. I OWN A 1996 SL2 AND A 1997 SL2. BOTH MY WIFE AND I HAVE SUFFERED THIS SAME OCCURANCE. (WE ARE BOTH NEAR 50 YEARS OLD AND HAVE NO PREVIOUS INSTANCES OF SUCH OCCURANCES. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TWICE; ONCE TO HER, ONCE TO ME. THE AIR DAM IS HINGED AND FLEXES BUT DOESN'T BREAK. THE BUMPER HOWEVER, IS LOW SET, HAS A BOTTOM EDGE THAT IS ABRUPT, AND CATCHES EASILY ON LOW-LYING OR LOW-SETTING GROUND OBJECTS. IT CATCHES ON THINGS INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO 'ROLL OVER' OR 'FLEX OVER'. THE RESULTING 'PULL' PULLS THE BUMPER AWAY (IN A FORWARD DIRECTION) FROM THE CAR, BREAKING THE LOWER GRILL AND INNER WHEEL WELLS. THE FIRST TIME THE DAMAGE WASN'T NOTICED UNTIL A DAY LATER; AND MANY MILES HAD BEEN DRIVEN. I BELIEVE THE CONDITION OF THE FRONT BUMPER ASSEMBLY BEING LOOSE, HANGING, AND DROOPING AS IT DID, PROVIDED A DEFINITE SAFETY PROBLEM (THE COMPONENTS COULD HAVE IMPAIRED STEERING AND/OR BRAKING. THE SECOND OCCURENCE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED YET. THE COST TO REPAIR WAS SIGNIFICANT. *AK

WHEN TURNING IGNITION VEHICLE WOULD TURN OVER, BUT IT WOULDN'T START. OWNER HAS TO START VEHICLE A NUMBER OF TIMES TO IN ORDER TO RUN. DEALER SAYS ITS DUE TO A FAULTY FUEL PUMP. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP. *AK

I RECENTLY HAD A FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE IN MY SATURN, ONLY TO BE HUMILIATED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AND OWNER OF THE TORRANCE DEALERSHIP. SUNDAY NIGHT- I LEFT MY FRIENDS HOUSE TO GO HOME. UP UNTIL NOW MY SATURN ALWAYS RAN PERFECTLY AND I TOOK IT IN TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. AS SOON AS I STARTED DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE STREET I HEARD A LOUD METAL BANG UNDER MY CAR. IT WAS INCREDIBLY FRIGHTENING - I THOUGHT I RAN OVER A BOMB. THEN I WANTED TO PULL OVER SO I CONTINUED TO DRIVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE. THE CLUTCH WENT INTO FIRST AND THEN SECOND, THEN THE CAR STARTED TO DRIFT, I PUT IT BACK IN FIRST ONLY TO FIND IT STARTED PULLING BACKWARDS ALL ON ITS OWN. I WAS SCARRED OUT OF MY MIND AT THIS POINT. I COULD HAVE HIT OR KILLED SOMEONE -- THANK GOD IT WASN'T ON A FREEWAY - THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE CAR AND CALLED AAA TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE SATURN OF TORRANCE DEALER. MY REGULAR SERVICE DEALER AS WELL AS THE DEALER I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM. NEXT MORNING, BORA CUMMINGS, THE SERVICE REP CALLED ME AT 7:30 AM TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY A CLUTCH OR GEAR PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS "STILL COVERED UNDER WARRANTY" (THE CAR IS LESS THAN 3 YRS OLD AND ONLY HAS 27,690 MI ON IT) SHE THEN CALLED ME BACK 1 HOUR LATER AND TOLD ME THAT HER MANAGER SAID, "IT WOULD PROBABLY NOT BE COVERED AS THIS IS NORMAL WEAR, BUT THEY WOULD CALL ME AT 4 PM AND LET ME KNOW - SHE ALSO SAID THAT SHE DIDN'T THINK THE CAR COULD BE FIXED TODAY

WHEN THE DRIVER'S SEAT IS ADJUSTED THE RIGHT SIDE DOES NOT LOCK. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS APPLIED THE SEAT WILL JERK . MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT FROM RETRACTOR. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. *AK

BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEATS AND SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT LOCK UP, AND ALLOW OCCUPANTS TO MOVE FORWARD EXCESSIVELY. BACK SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. MECHANIC HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK *ML

POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW IS CAUSING THE STEEL TIMING CHAIN TO BREAK RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. NLM

MY SEAT BELT LOCKS UP INTERMITTANTLY. IT APPEARS TO HAPPEN MORE IN BAD WEATHER. I THINK IT IS THE RETRACTOR SYSTEM, BUT I AM NOT SURE. I WILL CONTACT THE DEALER THIS WEEK. I HAVE SEARCHED THE NHTSA'S CONSUMER COMPLAINTS AND FOUND 4 SIMILAR TO MINE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW, IF THIS IS SOMETHING SATURN SHOULD PAY FOR. *AK

ABS BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN MULTIPLE ACCIDENTS, NO DEPLOYMENT OF BOTH AIR BAGS DURING COLLISION, PASSENGER SEAT COLLAPSED DURING IMPACT INJURIES DUE TO FAILURES. YH

THE LAP AND SHOULDER BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE HAVE GOTTEN STUCK, AND WILL NOT COME OUT. AS A RESULT, DRIVER CANNOT WEAR A SEATBELT. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

THE SERPENTINE BELT BECAME LOOSE AND THE AUTOMATIC BELT TENSIONER FELL APART CAUSING ALTERNATOR, WATER PUMP AND POWER STEERING INOPERABLE. YH

SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER KEPT TENSION ON THE BELT FELLED. LATER, ALTERNATER CAME ON, AND THEN CONSUMER LOST POWER STEERING. IF CONSUMER WAS TO LOSE IT ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH, THERE COULD BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MECHANIC SAYS BELT WAS VERY POORLY DESIGNED. *AK

VEHICLE FLOODS AND FAILS TO START HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO SATURN DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED IT WAS A DESIGN FEATURE. *AK

LEAK DISCOVERED WHEN GETTING OIL CHANGED. TOOK IT TO DEALER, ADVISED NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, REPLACED SHIFT GEAR.. 5 MONTHS LATER LEAKS AGAIN. *AK

VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE HEAD-ON, AND THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ERRATIC PROBLEM WITH BRAKE GRINDING / SQUEAKING WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER SHOP THREE TIMES, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG, AND THAT WAS NORMAL. CONSUMER KNEW THIS WAS NOT NORMAL. ASKING NHTSA TO LOOKINTO THIS MATTER AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK