2003 SATURN L200 Complaints

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, WHEN HIT THE SPEED OF ABOUT 40-45 MPH THE WHOLE FRONT END WOULD START SHAKING AND RATTLING. BROUGHT TO DEALER, NEEDLESS TO SAY AFTER THREE VISITS THEY SUPPOSEDLY "FIXED" THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING ONE SIDE OF THE AXLE SHAFT BUT THEY WERE WRONG THEY PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE! SO AFTER 8 WEEK OF WAITING FOR THE DEALER TO GO 1 BLOCK DOWN THE STREET TO GET THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AXLE SHAFT THE CAR WAS THEN FIXED. *TR

ON 9/24/97 I DROVE MY CAR TO WORK AS USUAL AND SHUT IT OFF AND LOCKED THE DOORS WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL. UPON LEAVING WORKING AND OPENING THE CAR I HAD DIFFICULTY OPENING THE LOCKS AND USED THE KEY FOR ENTRY. I TRIED TURNING ON THE IGNITION AND IT WOULD START AND IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. I TRIED THIS TWICE AND NOTICED THAT THE ANTI-THEFT ICON (CAR WITH A LOCK THROUGH IT) WAS IGNITED. I LOOKED IN MY OWNER'S MANUAL AND DETERMINED THAT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HAD TO BE RESET BY THE DEALER. I THEN NOTICED A BUZZING FROM MY PASSENGER FRONT DOOR LOCK. I DISCONNECTED THE FUSE AND THE BUZZING STOPPED. WHEN I FINALLY HAD A KNOWLEDGEABLE TOW PERSON GET THE CAR MANUALLY IN NEUTRAL SINCE THE GEARS WERE LOCKED, IT WAS TOWED TO SATURN OF CLARENCE WHO ADVISED THAT THE BODY CONTROL MODULE WAS BAD AND IT SHORTED OUT ALL OF MY DOOR LOCKS. THE CAR HAS 27,000 AND IS 4 YEARS OLD. IT COST $610 FOR THE BCM AND $1,000 FOR THE DOOR LOCKS WHICH I HAVE NOT YET REPLACED. SHAMEFUL THAT SUCH A BIG PROBLEM SHOULD HAPPEN TO A NEWER CAR! *JB

DRIVING FREEWAY SPEED. HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT, OVERHEAD INTERIOR LIGHT CAME ON. FINALLY GOT CAR PULLED OVER, NO DASHLIGHTS. CAR QUIT. REFUSED TO RESTART. CAR DID NOT WANT TO COME OUT OF DRIVE. KEY GOT STUCK IN IGNITION. FINALLY GOT IT IN PARK AND KEY OUT. THIS WAS AT MIDNIGHT ON INTERSTATE. HAD TO GET FAMILY MEMBER TO COME GET ME. RETURNED LATER TO FIND CAR HAD BEEN STOLEN. I HAVE NO WAY TO KNOW IF THE ALARM HAD ACTUALLY SET OR NOT. *TR

ON 9/01/2007 MY SATURN L200 SEDAN SUDDENLY STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE EMANATING FROM THE EXHAUST AND WITHIN TWO MINUTES THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RUN ANY FURTHER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED REPEATEDLY AND A SMELL FROM THE EXHAUST WAS NOTED AND SUBSEQUENT TRIES TO RESTART THE VEHICLE DRAINED THE BATTERY COMPLETELY. PRIOR TO THIS THE FAN HAD CYCLED ON INDICATING A HEAT PROBLEM. ALL ISSUES PERTAINING TO THE PROBLEM MATCH EXACTLY WHAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V231000 HAD LISTED. SATURN ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED A TOW AT MY EXPENSE AND THE DRIVER REFUSED DELIVERY TO THE SATURN OF WEST LIBERTY AVENUE DEALER BUT INSTEAD TOWED THE VEHICLE TO MY HOME AND HE WAS RATHER DISINTERESTED IN DROPPING THE VEHICLE OFF AT THE DEALER AS I HAD INSTRUCTED HIM. A CALL TO SATURN CORPORATION YIELDED A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE TELLING ME THAT NO SUCH CAMPAIGN ID OR RECALL EXISTED FOR MY VEHICLE ALTHOUGH MY VIN IS IN THE RANGE OF AFFECTED VEHICLES. A CALL TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIPS SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE JUSTIN YIELDED THE SAME COMMENT. A RETURN CALL TO SATURN CORPORATION YIELDED YET ANOTHER PERSON STATING THE SAME. THE FIRST REP FROM SATURN CONFERENCING CALLED JUSTIN AT THE DEALERSHIP AND THE STORY THEN CHANGED FROM NO RECALL TO A RECALL BEING FOUND AND PERFORMED BY A PLEASANT HILLS SATURN DEALER. THE RECALL IN QUESTION WAS NEVER PERFORMED SINCE NO VISIBLE STICKER WITH THE RECALL INFORMATION WAS AFFIXED BY ANY SATURN MECHANIC IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH CONFIRMS THE VEHICLE NEVER HAD SUCH SERVICE PERFORMED. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY WHICH NEVER HAD THE RECALL PERFORMED AND TO WHICH COULD HAVE HAD A FIRE CAUSED BUT I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO NOT HAVE HAD THAT ISSUE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER STATED I NEEDED TO PAY FOR ANOTHER TOW AND THAT I WOULD BE BILLED FOR THE WORK. *TR THE CONSUMER PROVIDED DOCUMENTATION THE VEHICLE FAILED THE EMISSIONS TEST. THE DEALER STATED FOUND NO FUEL PRESSURE AND REPLACED FUEL PUMP. UPDATED 09/19/07 *TR

HEADLAMP/TURN-SIGNAL STALK ON STEERING COLUMN OVERHEATED AND STARTED SMOKING. STOPPED CAR AND TURNED OFF POWER ... POSSIBLY AVOIDING A FIRE. REPLACED PART. DID NOT KEEP OLD PART (LEFT IT AT THE DEALER IN OLATHE, KS, THIS MORNING). WITH NEW PART THERE IS NO MORE SMOKE. *JB

FAULTY BODY CONTROL MODULE - ALL GAUGES STOPPED WORKING, AND THE AIR CONDITIONING QUIT WORKING COMPLETELY. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR, WHEN YOU PUSHED IN THE BUTTON ON THE SHIFTER TO PUT VEHICLE IN GEAR, IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN L200. WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IDLING, THE ENGINE STALLS AND SHUTS OFF. THE VEHICLE IS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED AS THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE REPAIR WAS PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED UNDER NHTSA RECALL # 03V231000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE). THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 60,000.

2003 SATURN L200 WOULD NOT START & THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS FLASHING.. AAA TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST REPAIR FACILITY. ON 7/14/07 THAT FACILITY ADVISED US THAT THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY & THAT IT HAD BEEN THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL. THE SHOP CONTACTED SATURN OF BEAVERTON SERVICE DEPARTMENT, AND WERE TOLD THAT SINCE OUR VEHICLE HAD ALREADY HAD THE RECALL WORK DONE THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THIS FAULTY PART AGAIN UNDER THE RECALL. WE CONTACTED SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE ON 7/14/07 #800-553-6000 , WHO ADVISED US THAT SATURN OF BEAVERTON WAS INCORRECT AND THAT IF THE SAME PART WAS AGAIN FAILING, IT WOULD BE REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL. WE ASKED THEM IF WE SHOULD HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO SATURN OF BEAVERTON AND WAS TOLD THAT WE DID NOT NEED TO AS IT WAS AN HOUR AWAY FROM THE SHOP. WE COULD HAVE THE AAA SHOP DO THE REPAIR AND WE COULD SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT AS SATURN OF BEAVERTON WOULD NOT DO THE REPAIR FOR US. BUT, ADVISED OUR SHOP OF THIS AND THEY DID THE REPAIRS USING THE CORRECT PARTS SUPPLIED DIRECTLY FROM THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP. WE PAID $431.79 FOR THE REPAIR AND PICKED UP THE VEHICLE 7/15/07. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM SATURN (CASE #1-24000059) CALLED US AFTER WE PICKED UP THE CAR AND ASKED US WHAT WE PAID AND WHAT WAS DONE. REFERENCE RECALL BULLETIN 6/23/2003.WE HAVE THE FAULTY IGNITION MODULE IN A BOX FROM THE SHOP. THEY CALLED ME BACK A FEW HOURS LATER AND ADVISED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE US THE REPAIR COST BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DONE AT A SATURN SHOP. SATURN DENIED THAT IT TOLD US TO HAVE THE REPAIRS COMPLETED AT THE AAA SHOP AND SUBMIT BILL FOR REIMBURSEMENT TOLD HER THAT WE STILL HAVE THE FAULTY PART, SO WE COULD TAKE IT TO THE SATURN SHOP & THEY COULD TEST IT IF NECESSARY. ALSO, WE OFFERED TO HAVE THE SHOP PUT THE FAULTY PART BACK ON &AND HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A SATURN SHOP SO THEY COULD DO THE REPAIR. SATURN TOLD US THAT NONE OF THIS MADE A DIFFERENCE AND THAT WE WILL NOT BE REIMBURSED. *AK

THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE WOULD REMAIN ENGAGED AFTER I RELEASED THE BRAKE. ORIGINALLY OCCURRED DURING COOL WEATHER, SO I THOUGHT MAYBE RELATED TO THAT, AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT UNSTUCK BY SEVERAL HARD BRAKING EVENTS IN FORWARD OR REVERSE. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, I RESOLVED TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A CORRODED CABLE AND THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE IT. LUCKILY, I HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY (CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED) AND IT WAS STILL COVERED. I'M GUESSING THAT THIS COULD BECOME A PROBLEM IN THE FUTURE, AS LONG AS I LIVE IN THE RUST BELT, EVEN THOUGH I KEEP MY CAR CLEAN. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH THE ELECTRICAL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ,AND THE FRONT END BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AFTER WAITING ABOUT TEN MINUTES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED, WHITE SMOKE STARTED EXITING THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THIS OCCURRED ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE DEALER HAD REPLACED THE PUMP AND/OR GAS COOLANT, INSULATOR ASSEMBLY FRONT SUSPENSION SUPPORT, OXYGEN SENSOR AND EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. *AK