2004 SATURN L300 Complaints

THE CAR JUST SHUTS DOWN WHILE IN MOTION. MOST OF THE TIME IT SHUTS OFF WHEN TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. IT WILL EVENTUALLY CRANK UP IN ABOUT AN HOUR ONLY TO SHUT DOWN AGAIN. THE CAR SHUT DOWN AS I WAS WITH MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER ON I-95 GOING 65 MPH. WE WERE STRANDED FOR ABOUT 3 HRS. ON THE INTERSTATE BEFORE THE CAR CRANKED BACK UP. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THROUGH DRIVE TIME AND HAS A WARRANTY ON IT . AFTER COMPLAINING TO THE COMPANY ABOUT THE VEHICLE THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO HAVE A DIAGNOSIS DONE ON IT TO FIND OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. I WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT A RECALL WAS OUT FOR SATURN CARS FROM THE NEWS. I CONTACTED GM AND EXPLAINED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER BUT ALSO STATED THAT THE MODEL CAR I HAVE WAS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST AND FOR ME TO TAKE IT TO A GM DEALERSHIP NEAR ME TO HAVE ANOTHER DIAGNOSIS DONE ON THE CAR WHICH WAS AN EXTRA $125. U.S.A AUTO SERVICE PERFORMED A DIAGNOSIS ON THE CAR THE TO SEE IF IT WAS THE IGNITION SWITCH THAT WAS CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUT COMPLETELY OFF WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING. THEY COULD NOT GET A DIAGNOSIS FROM THE IGNITION. I CONTACTED THE WARRANTY COMPANY FOR DRIVE TIME AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT NOTHING WAS COVERED BECAUSE IT WAS ELECTRICAL. THEN I CALLED GM BACK AND TOLD THEM THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND WHAT THE DIAGNOSIS REPORT SAID AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO UNLESS I PAID THE $125 WITH THEM TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE DONE. THEN THEY WOULD DETERMINE IF IT WAS THE IGNITION. I AM AT MY WITS END BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THAT WILL COST CLOSE TO $1,000 TO HAVE FIX. I AM CURRENTLY MAKING PAYMENTS ON THIS CAR AND CAN'T AFFORD ALL THIS MONEY. I HAD THE CAR SERVICED WITH U.S.A AUTO SERVICE BECAUSE DRIVE TIME REQUIRES YOU TO KEEP UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE OF THE CAR WHICH I FAITHFULLY DID. NOW THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FAILED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN L300. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PROCEEDING THROUGH TRAFFIC LIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, ANOTHER DRIVER FAILED TO SEE THE CONTACT IN THE INTERSECTION AND CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED A BRUISE LEFT ARM AND PAIN TO THE NECK AND LOWER BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE STALLING ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING, THE LAST BEING ON APRIL 1, 2014, WHEN I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT THIS PARTICULAR MAKE AND MODEL, BEING THE L300, SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST, AS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN MADE BY OTHER DRIVERS AND STILL NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO ALLEVIATE ANY OF THE ISSUES RAISED. I CANNOT COMPREHEND WHY OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME MAKE, BEING A SATURN, ARE BEING RECALLED, YET INDIVIDUALS OWNING THE L300 EXPERIENCING THESES SAME ISSUES ARE BEING IGNORED. IT IS CLEARLY APPARENT THAT NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN AND ARE BEING BY INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCE THESE PROBLEMS WHICH ARE BLATANTLY BEING IGNORED. I STRONGLY URGE THAT THIS MODEL, THE L300 BE ADDED TO THE RECALL LIST. IT SHOULD NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OWNER FOR SOMETHING THAT IS SO EGREGIOUSLY DEFECTIVE THAT WAS CLEARLY KNOWN ABOUT FOR OVER 10 YEARS.

I OWN A 2004 SATURN L300 AND MY DAD OWNS A 2002 SATURN LW300 (WAGON). WE BOTH HAD TROUBLES WITH A LEAKING FUEL PUMP WHICH IS A TERRIBLE FIRE HAZARD. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY RECALLS ON THE SATURN IONS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT THE L300 HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED. 2004 SATURN - I HAD MY FUEL PUMP REPLACED ON 5/23/2012 WITH 62,129 MILES. I WOULD PARKED THE CAR AND SMELL FUEL SO I DECIDED TO BRING MY CAR TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC. THE FUEL WAS COMING FROM THE FUEL PUMP TOWARDS THE TOP OF THE PUMP. IT COST ME $881.01. AT THAT TIME I THOUGHT I SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH A FUEL PUMP FOR ANOTHER 75 TO 100K MILES. I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING ABOUT 55 TO 60 MPH AND MY CAR STALLED OUT. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A COMPUTER GLITCH OR JUST A BAD SENSOR. NEXT DAY SAME PROBLEM. MY CAR STALLED OUT ON THE HIGHWAY. SO I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MY REGULAR MECHANIC. AT THE END RESULT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP AGAIN. MY CAR WAS NOT GETTING ENOUGH FUEL PRESSURE WHEN THE CAR REACHED 50+ MPH. THE MECHANIC WAS VERY NICE AND DIDN'T CHARGE ME FOR THE PART, BUT IT COST ME ANOTHER $283.78 JUST FOR LABOR. BETWEEN THE FIRST PUMP / SECOND PUMP IT HAPPENED WITHIN 22 MONTHS AND 24,143 MILES. I HAVE SPEND $1165 BETWEEN THE FIRST / SECOND FUEL PUMPS NOT COUNTING MY FATHER. I DEFINITELY UNDERSTAND PARTS WEARS OUT AS CAR AGES. REPLACING TWO FUEL PUMPS WITHIN 86K MILES IS UNACCEPTABLE. I SHOULD BE REIMBURSE FOR GM NEGLIGENCE AND I HOPING YOU LOOK INTO THIS SO OTHER DRIVERS AND CARS DO NOT CATCH FIRE AND CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS ON THE HIGHWAY. IT IS VERY SCARY WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOUR CAR STALLS OUT. IT IS NOT FAIR AND CAR MANUFACTURES DO NOT WANT TO HELP CONSUMERS LIKE ME UNTIL PEOPLE GETS KILLED AND LOVE ONES LOOSE FAMILIES. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR NEED ME TO CLARIFY ANYTHING UP, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO CONTACT ME. *TR

I OWN A 2004 SATURN L300; ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS I HAVE SEEN WISPS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, FOLLOWED BY A STRONG SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC. THE AREA BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL IS EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH, AND I AM TOLD IT IS A FIRE HAZARD AND THAT THE HEADLAMP STALKS NEED TO BE REPLACED FOR OVERHEATING, WHICH MAY RUN UP TO $600 WITH LABOR. I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO PULL MY CAR OVER ON BUSY ROADS, IN HEAVY TRAFFIC TO LET IT COOL BEFORE RESTARTING, AND AM WORRIED THAT THE FAULTY WIRES WILL CAUSE A FIRE. *TR

CPSC#20121128. 2004 SATURN L300. CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP CRACKED, RELEASE FUEL AND HEAVY GAS SMELL INTO CAR MAKING CAR UNDRIVEABLE. *LN THE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $ 350.

PROBLEM SYNOPSIS: WHILE DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (65 MILES PER HOUR) THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, CAUSING THE "REDUCED ENGINE POWER" (REP) AND "SERVICE VEHICLE SOON" (SVS) LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE. UPON PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHIFTING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, IT WOULD IDLE ROUGHLY UNTIL SHUTTING THE ENGINE OFF. VEHICLE WOULD START IMMEDIATELY AFTER, WITH HIGH RPM AT IDLE AND HARD SHIFTS INTO GEAR. VEHICLE WOULD ONLY EXHIBIT THESE PROBLEMS WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD SHIFT GEARS, USUALLY BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. /// REPAIR HISTORY: A REPAIR SHOP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILED ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, AND A NEW ONE WAS INSTALLED INTO THE VEHICLE. COST OF REPAIR WAS APPROXIMATELY $1,100. THREE MONTHS LATER (OCT. 2011), THE VEHICLE STARTED EXHIBITING THE SAME PROBLEMS. RETURNED TO THE SAME SHOP, AND REPAIRMEN COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM, SIMPLY CLEARING THE OBD-II CODES IN THE COMPUTER. VEHICLE EXHIBITED SAME SYMPTOMS ONCE IN NOVEMBER 2011 AFTER A RAIN STORM; NO ACTION WAS TAKEN AS VEHICLE DID IT ONLY ONCE. IN DECEMBER 2011, VEHICLE EXHIBITED SAME PROBLEMS FOUR TIME DURING A 25-MILE DRIVE. CODES REVEALED P0606, P0700, P1811. VEHICLE TO BE TAKEN FOR A THIRD TIME TO REPAIR SHOP TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED. *TR

GAS FILLER PIPE NECK RUSTY AND FLAKING. COULD START LEAKING CAUSING A FIRE AND LEAKING ON THE GROUND IF NOT FIXED. WANT TO KNOW WHERE , HOW AND HOW MUCH TO GET THE PART. SATURN DEALERSHIP SAID SATURN HAS STOPPED MAKING MANY PARTS AND THIS IS ONE. IF STARTS LEAKING WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET STICKER. TRYING TO TALK WITH GM AND AT FIRST SAID THEY COULD HELP BUT NOW JUST ASK IF IT'S FIXED. CAN NOT FIX UNTIL I CAN GET THE PART. TALKING WITH RUBY AT GM 866-790-5700 EXT 42627 CASE # [XXX] . THANKS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN L300. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKES VERY GENTLY WHEN THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE MOTORED ROARED AFTER ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TRAILER THAT WAS IN FRONT OF IT. THE CONTACT THEN PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IN REVERSE AFTER THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE POLICE WERE CALLED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE VEHICLE BUT NEVER INFORMED HER WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 23000.

I HAVE A 2004 SATURN L300.1 SEDAN WITH CRUISE CONTROL. A COUPLE OF TIMES OVER THE PAST YEARS WHEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND PRESSING THE CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATE BUTTON, THE BUTTON STUCK IN THE ACCELERATE POSITION CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE UNTIL THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS TURNED OFF BY BRAKE OR SWITCH. KNOWING THIS CAN HAPPEN, I AM CAREFUL USING CRUISE CONTROL AND HAVE NOT REPORTED IT. WITH THE CURRENT PUBLICITY ABOUT ACCELERATION PROBLEMS, I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE REPORTED. BETTER LATE THAN NEVER. THANK YOU. *TR