1997 Saturn SL complaints

ONGOING PROBEM WITH TRANSMISSION NOT CHANGING GEARS PROPERLY ON ANY SPEED, AND SLOW RESPONDING FROM A STOP POSITION/TAKE OFF, HESITATION. ALSO, BRAKE PEDAL WOULD INTERMITTENTLY GO TO THE FLOOR BEFORE VEHICLE STOPPED. DEALER NOTIFIED ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND WAS INFORMED THAT NOTHING COULD BE FOUND CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE, AND WILL BE TRADING IT IN WITHIN A FEW MONT ASKING NHTSA TO LOOK INTO THIS MATTER BEFORE PASSING IT ON . *AK

FABRIC ON INSTRUMENT PANEL NEXT TO SPEAKERS BURNED OUT. LEFT CAR PARKED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS AND BACK DECK PANEL BURNED RIGHT THROUGH. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THAT CONSUMER IS DOING SOMETHING TO CAUSE THE FABRIC TO BURN. CONSUMER STATES SUN IS BURNING THE FABRIC. *AK

SEAT BELT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF HOLDER. THIS OCCURED WHILE ON VACATION DEALER AT MY VACATION LOCATION CHARGED FOR REPAIR I FELT SHOUD HAVE BEEN DONE FREE.

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

AFTER TURNING VEHICLE ON HAD HEARD A FUNNY NOISE. HAD A TUNE UP DONE ON VEHICLE. THIS NOISE PERSISTED. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER & WAS INFORMED THE AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR HAD GONE OUT. AIR CONDITIONER WOULD EVENTUALLY FREEZE. *AK

DURING MINOR IMPACT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED VIOLENTLY CAUSING FACIAL INJURY AND JAW PAIN TO PASSENGER. NLM

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE W/EMERGENCY BRAKES ON OF HAD NO KNOWLEDGE. WAS COMING OFF FREEWAY & WAS APPLYING BRAKES, VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. STARTED TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. TURNED VEHICLE OFF. HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER & FOUND BACK BRAKES BURNT OUT. ORGINIAL BRAKES CHECKED & WAS NOT BURNT OUT. OWNER HAS BRAKE PARTS. *AK

THE BACK OF THE REAR SEAT COLLAPSED FORWARD AFTER A SUDDEN STOP.

TRANSMISSION--BUSHING WENT OUT. SPARK MISFIRE--COMPUTER MODULE WAS REPLACED BY DEALER.

NO COMPLAINTS GIVEN.

HORN ASSEMBLY.

AT A DEAD STOP ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT FROM THE REAR, AND BOTH FRONT SEATBACKS COLLAPSED.CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK

CONSUMER WAS AT A STOP WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT BROKE, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

DEFECTIVE FAN BELT TENSIONER ASSEMBLY FAILED, CAUSING A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND ABS WHILE MAKING U-TURN. *AK

I AM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS LATENT DAMAGE TO MY TRANSMISSION THAT HAS NOT BEEN DETECTED.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AND APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION VEHICLE COMMENCED TO ACCELERATE. CONSUMER HAD TO DO SOME TRICKY DRIVING TO AVOID HITTING OTHER VEHICLES. VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE OR MORE BEFORE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO GET IT UNDER CONTROL. ALSO NO BRAKES WERE AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME. FORGOT TO ASK IF SPEED CONTROL WAS ENGAGED. PLEASE RESPOND TO THAT QUESTION.. DEALER/ MFR. WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THAT TIME. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

COMPLETE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE, CREATING UNSTABLE CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO RADICAL VIBRATIONS THROUGH STEERING SYSTEM. DEALER SOLUTION AND MANUFACTURER'S "BAND-AID" SOLUTION - CHANGING ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS WITH INFERIOR PARTS THAT CONTINUE TO FAIL (4 TIMES FRONT, 2 TIMES REAR; MOST RECENT - FRONT ROTORS CUT). MANUFACTURER'S EXPLANATION OF FAILURE ON 2 OCCASIONS: CAR IS NOT SUITABLE FOR NORTHEAST, CAR IS USED FOR LONG TRIPS TOO OFTEN (84 MILE ROUND-TRIP COMMUTE), AND DRIVER USING BRAKES TOO MUCH, CAUSING THE FAILURE IN MANUFACTURER'S EQUIPMENT. SUMMARY: FEAR OF LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO SOFT BRAKING SYSTEM/NO BRAKES, INABILITY TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE DUE TO RADICAL PULSATION IN STEERING SYSTEM WHILE TRYING TO BRAKE, & FINANCIAL BURDEN ONCE BRAKES ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK

SEAT BACK FAILED IN REAR END COLLISION PASSENGER SEAT RECLINED INTO REAR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *AK

THE E- CLIP ON STICK SHIFT THAT HOLDS THE SHIFT CABLE KEEPS DISMOUNTING. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE VEHICLE IS NOT ABLE TO BE PUT INTO GEAR. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

BRAKES CONTINUALLY EXPERIENCE NOISE AND REQUIRE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO ENGAGE.

FIRST INCIDENT WAS AT 3600 MILES ON THE CAR. ON INTERSTATE TRAVELLING AT 55+ CAR LOSES POWER WILL NOT ACCELERATE. MUST PULL OFF ROAD WHERE CAR STALLS OUT. NO IDIOT LIGHTS AND AT DEALER NO COMPUTER CODES. CAR RETURNED TO ME DEALER UNABLE TO DUPLICATE.I GET 15 MILES CAR AGAIN HAS PROBLEM. FINALLY DEALER REPLACES FUEL PUMP.AT 5900 MILES AGAIN CAR HAS SAME PROBLEM 1.5 HOURS FROM HOME 55+MPH ON INTERSTATE.DEALER AGAIN REPLACES FUEL PUMP.AT 24000 MILES ON INTERSTATE AGAIN SAME SYMPTOMS AT 70+ MPH.AFTER 3 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS IN TWO DIFFERENT STATES AGAIN FUEL PUMP IS REPLACED.

WE WERE HIT STOPPED IN TRAFFIC AND REAR-ENDED BY SOMEONE GOING ABOUT 45 MPH. DURING THE ACCIDENT MY FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED AND BOTH MY FIANCE AND I SUFFERED FROM SORENESS AND NECK PAIN. EACH DAY WE ARE GETTING BETTER BUT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE SEATS COLLAPSED.

FOR APPROX. 7 MONTH PERIOD, CRUISE CONTROL ERRATIC. WHEN ON HIGHWAY, WITH CRUISE POWER ON, AND PRESS SET SPEED, CAR RAPIDLY ACCELERATES TO APPROX. 72+ MPH AND CRUISE WOULD DISENGAGE SPONTANEOUSLY. AFTER EACH INCIDENT LIKE THIS, CRUISE WOULD NOT FUNCTION AT ALL UNTIL CAR IS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN. TYPICAL BEHAVIOR: GET ON HIGHWAY, GET TO 60 - 65 MPH, TURN CRUISE CONTROL POWER ON, PRESS TO SET SPEED, AND CAR ACCELERATES RAPIDLY. ALL THIS BEHAVIOR STOPPED SPONTANEOUSLY IN DECEMBER, AND NOW CRUISE FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. I AM WORRIED THAT BEHAVIOR, WHICH LASTED 7 MONTHS, WILL RE-OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.

BATTERY FAILED.

TRANSMISSION REQUIRED REPAIR ON THREE OCCASIONS, VALVE BODY, CONNECTOR AND GASKET, FAILURES CAUSING SLIPPING. MJS

SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY FAILED.MGM

STARTER FAILURE. *YC

TWO TIRES WORN PREMATURELY, FIRESTONE FR680P175/70R1. YH

FUEL GAUGE SENDING UNIT. *YC

ENGINE SERVICE INDICATOR FAILED. YH

FIRESTONE TIRE BLEW OUT. YH

HORN ASSEMBLY FAILED. YH

THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE HAS RAISED REAR STRUCTURE CAUSING POOR VISIBILTY THROUGH BACK WINDOW. YH

SEAT BELT RETRACTOR EXPERIENCING FAILURE. *YC

VEHICLE PARKED OVER NIGHT. GOT IN & STARTED VEHICLE. THE THROTTLE OPENED WIDE. HAD NOT SHIFTED INTO GEAR. THE RPMS REVVED UP HIGH. THROTTLE DID NOT SHUT DOWN AFTER DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL. HAD TO TURN VEHICLE OFF. *AK

TRANSMISSION HAS NO POWER, THE GAS LEVEL IS VERY POOR ON A HILL, SOMETIMES WILL NOT GO UP HILL AT ALL, LOSING RPMS. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TRUNK LATCH FAILED, CAUSING TRUNK TO UNEXPECTEDLY SLAM SHUT ON HEAD OF PERSON WHILE THAT PERSON WAS USING THE TRUNK.

THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING ACCUMULATION OF MOISTURE IN THE A/C SYSTEM WHICH RESULTED IN AMILDEW SMELL WHICH TRIGGERED THE OCCUPANT'S ASTHMA. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

I WAS STRUCK IN THE REAR OF MY CAR WHICH CAUSED BOTH FRONT BUCKET SEATS TO SNAP TO A FULL RECLINE POSITION. AS A RESULT OF LAYING FLAT ON MY BACK I COULD NOT TAKE ANY EVASIVE ACTION. BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. I HAVE SUFFERED SEVERE BACK INJURIES.

VEHICLE COLLISION RESULTING IN TURNOVER AND FIRE.

BOTH BUCKET SEATS WENT TO A FULL RECLINING POSITION WHEN VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED.

WHILE DRIVING ALONG ON A DAMP DRAWBRIDGE, PROCEEDED TO PUT ON BRAKES THEN THE CAR PLOWED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT BETWEEN 50 TO 60 FEET STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

HORN FAILED. QCAW

IN A REAR END COLLISION THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL BACK AND RESULTING IN INJURIES. ALSO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH SEAT ADJUSTER. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING 35 MPH AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, CONSUMER NOTICED THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE DUE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP WHICH WENT OUT AND NEEDED REPLACING. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

BRAKES FAILED SEVERAL TIMES RESULTING IN DAMAGES TO VEHICLE.

WHEN CLOSING THE BACK DOORS, THE HANDLES STICK WHICH CAUSES THE DOORS NOT TO LATCH. ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THE DOORS HAVE COME OPEN WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WILL BE SEEN BY THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

SEAT BELT LOCK. BELT HAD TO BE REPLACED.

FRONT BRAKE PADS WORE OUT PREMATURELY BECAUSE REAR BRAKES WON'T ADJUST.