1997 Saturn SW

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 SATURN SW. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED, BUT ALSO FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, BUT THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISES AND BUMPS. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER WAS INJURED AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW LOT. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. ... *BF *TR

THIS 1997 SATURN SW2 HAS GM'S IGNITION PROBLEM. THE AIR BAGS WERE BLOWN ONCE THIS FRIED THE WIRES BELOW THE STEARING AND NOW THEY SAY THIS IS NOT. AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, STREET, I JUST PUSHED IT OFF THE ROAD FOR THE 3RD TIME IN 2 WEEKS AND NOW I MAY LOOSE EVERYTHING I HAVE IN MY LIFE. I CAN NOT EVEN GET THE "FIX" FOR THE RECALLS UNLESS I PAY CLOSE TO $200. FOR INSTRUCTIONS TO DO IT MYSELF. I FIND THIS UNFAIR BEING THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS ONCE THEY KNEW AND NOT WAITED FOR ATTORNEYS TO SAY "HOW MANY", COMPLAINTS = LAWSUIT. I GUESS I WILL HAVE TO JOIN IN IF NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SATURN SW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE IGNITION AFTER THE KEY WAS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY REMOVED THE KEY AND TOWED THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

THE ENGINE TURNS OFF DURING DRIVING OR COMING TO A STOP IF I LEAVE THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT OR 4HRS LATER IT WILL START AND RUN FOR ABOUT A HOUR THEN IT TURNS OFF, HAD A DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER CHECK AND THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. REPLACED THE IGNITION COILS, SPARK PLUGS, SPARK PLUG CABLES, GAS FILTER, CLEAN THROTTLE VALVE HOUSING. SPEED ODOMETER MAKES A RUBBING NOISE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 SATURN SW2. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE FIREHAWK ATX TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRAG. SHE REMOVED HER FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND ALLOWED THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE THEN BEGAN BUMPING AND JUMPING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE STATION. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED NEAR THE SIDEWALL FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE. APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE TIRE WAS RIPPED. AAA ARRIVED AND CHANGED THE TIRE. FIRESTONE ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE TIRE TO A LOCAL STORE. A FIRESTONE AGENT INSPECTED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE TIRES WERE TOO OLD. THE AGENT THEN OFFERED TO REPLACE ONLY THE FAILED TIRE INSTEAD OF ALL FOUR TIRES. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE TIRES SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01T006000. THE VIN, ENGINE SIZE, NUMBER OF CYLINDERS, AND POWERTRAIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,647 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, A LOUD NOISE CAME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION BLOWN FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, HOWEVER NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE SERVICE DEALER STATES THE IGNITION COIL PACK HAD MALFUNCTIONED. *NM THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. *SC

CONSUMER STATED DOOR BELL WAS ACTING AS IF THE LIGHTS WERE ON, AND THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER/MECHANIC, HE KEPT PRESSING ON THE BUTTON, AND GOT IT TO SHUT OFF. THEN HE REINSERTED THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE. AFTER MECHANIC EXAMINED THE VEHICLE FOR THE SMOKING, IT WAS FOUND TO BE A BURNING HARNESS WIRE. IT WOULD COST FROM $800.00 TO $1000.00 DOLLARS TO REPAIR IT. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. SHE DID NOT THINK THIS WAS FAIR BECAUSE THE MECHANIC CAUSED THIS PROBLEM, IT HAPPENED WHEN HE WAS FIXING SOMETHING ELSE. SHE WANTED TO KNOW -WHY SHE HAD TO PAY WHEN IT WAS JUST A PART OF THE REPAIR FOR THE DOOR BELL/IGNITION FALSE ALARM? *AK

I CALLED SATURN OF EATONTOWN, NJ REPORTING AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION AND DOOR BELL ALARM-IT RANG CONSTANTLY. I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANGER NOT TO WORRY, USE A LITTLE CW SPREAD; 3 DAYS LATER, THE STEERING COLUMN AND IGNITION CAUGHT ON FIRE. SATURN IS REFUSING TO HONOR SAFETY RECALL TSB # 97-C-02, DATED APR 97, TITLED, "RECALL-IGNITION CYLINDER MALFUNCTION." I UNDERSTAND THAT UNDER FEDERAL LAW A MANUFACTURER-INITIATED SAFETY RECALL IS EQUAL TO A NHTSA SAFETY RECALL AND MUST BE REMEDIED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. ANTHONY A. SESSA P. S. I AM NOT SURE WHEN MY DECEASED FATHER PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. *NLM

A BOLT IN TRANSMISSION BROKE OFF AND BROKE THROUGH THE CASING, CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID TO LEAK.. VEHICLE COULD CATCH FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

CONSUMER RECEIVED A NOTICE REGARDING A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP UNTIL IT FAILED, BUT WAS TOLD TO KEEP THE LETTER UNTIL THE FUEL PUMP FAILED, ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HARD STARTING, AND AFTER THE 3RD OCCURRENCE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS INDEED DEFECTIVE, HOWEVER THE LETTER CONSUMER RECEIVED PREVIOUSLY WAS NO LONGER VALID WHICH WAS GOOD FOR 6 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES, AND CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 90,000 AND THEREFORE CONSUMER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHARGE, CONSUMER IS NOW SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL REPAIRS.*JB

FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, SATURN HAD SENT CONSUMER A LETTER STATING THAT THE FUEL PUMP MAY FAIL PREMATURELY AND CAUSE EXTENDED CRANK TIME, LOSS OF POWER, AND POSSIBLE NO START CONDITIONS, SATURN GAVE A RREPLACEMENT COVERAGE OF 6 YEARS/75000 MILES, HOWEVER 5 MONTHS AFTER FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, THE FUEL REGULATOR WENT BAD, DEALER ALSO REPLACED NEW PLUGS AND SPARK PLUG WIRES, CONSUMER FEELS THE FUEL PUMP OVER PRESSURIZED THE FUEL REGULATOR CAUSING A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION IN THE FUEL REGULATOR TO FAIL. *SLC

TIRE WAS READY TO THROW TREAD (FIRESTONE AFFINITY TOURING TI - P185-65R15). NLM

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT WHEN SHE APPLIED BRAKES, AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS GUSHY AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP.*AK

THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE LAP BELT AREA THEREBY NOT ALLOWING ME TO FASTEN MY BELT. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO DRIVE UNBELTED BUT I COULD NOT BELT UP. WORKED FINE THE DAY BEFORE. DEALER SAID BELT MUST BE REPLACED BUT I MUST PAY VEHICLE IS PAST THE 3YR 36000 MILE WARRANTY. I MADE A MISTAKE AS I THOUGHT THAT SAFETY AND EMISSIONS WERE COVERED LONGER.

THROTTLE HANGS AND "RATCHETS" UPWARD WITH SPEED (CRUISE) CONTROL ENGAGED. TURNING SPEED CONTROL SWITCH TO "OFF" DOES NOT CORRECT THE CONDITION, NEITHER DOES APPLYING THE BRAKES. MANUALLY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO UN-STICK THE THROTTLE CAUSED FURTHER UPWARD "RATCHETING" OF THE THROTTLE AND FURTHER INCREASE IN VEHICLE SPEED. VEHICLE REMAINS IN A STATE OF "RUNAWAY" UNTIL THE IGNITION IS SWITCHED OFF. SWITCHING THE IGNITION "OFF" USUALLY CORRECTS THE CONDITION. PROBLEM OCCURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS: DECEMBER, 1999; AND MAY 13, 2000. REPORTED TO DEALER IN DECEMBER, 1999 (SO# 85066). DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH SPEED CONTROL. FIRST INCIDENT RESULTED IN VEHICLE RUNNING A "STOP" SIGN AT END OF EXIT RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH , BUT NO CRASH. SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. SECOND INCIDENT WAS CORRECTED BY TURNING OFF IGNITION AND COASTING TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. INCIDENTS OCCURRED WITH DIFFERENT DRIVERS OPERATING THE VEHICLE. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKES SQUEALING WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED WITHIN THE FIRST MILE OF DRIVING,. THEN BRAKES FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. ASKING NHTSA TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS MATTER.*AK

UPON STARTING VEHICLE A HUGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. DRIVER SHUT OFF THE IGNTION AND REMOVED THE KEY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTERWARDS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHERE ALL WIRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FOUND TO BE BURNED. INSURANCE COMPANY NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. ALL THE WIRING WILL BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK *ML

SEATBELT WILL NOT UNREEL FROM OPEN POSITION ,AND WILL NOT RELEASE, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK

NO SUMMARY.