2004 SATURN L300 Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN L300. THE TIRES WERE WORN ON THE INSIDES AND WERE REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WOULD RIDE AS NORMAL AND THE FAILURE WAS ONLY VISIBLY NOTICED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE REAR SPRINGS AND BOLT KIT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

WE HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE DOORS SLAMMING US ALMOST FROM THE DAY WE GOT THE CAR. IT IS AN LW 300.1 2004 SATURN WAGON. MY SMALL GRANDDAUGHTER, AND A PASSENGER HAVE BEEN HIT BY THE DOOR. MY WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN HIT MANY TIMES ON THE BACK, ARM, AND LEGS. THE DOORS HAVE TWO STOP POSITIONS. IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO OPEN THE DOOR TO ITS WIDEST POSITION, AND THE OTHER POSITION DOES NOT PROVIDE ENOUGH ROOM TO ENTER AND LEAVE COMFORTABLY. THEREFORE, IF THE DOOR IS NOT PUT IN ONE OF THE TWO STOP POSITIONS, IT SLAMS IMMEDIATELY INTO THE PERSON. WE HAVE FELT PAIN AND BRUISING. WE FEEL LUCKY THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NO SERIOUS INJURIES, BUT THAT COULD OCCUR THE NEXT TIME THE DOOR "ATTACKS". WE HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE CAR HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. BOTH THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER CLAIM THAT THE CAR IS PERFORMING AS IT WAS DESIGNED TO DO. THAT IS THE PROBLEM -- POOR DESIGN. OUR OTHER CARS HAVE AND DO STAY OPEN WHEREVER WE OPEN THEM. *TR

2004 SATURN ION - WILL NOT START IF OUTSIDE TEMP IS BELOW FREEZING. SERVICE VEHICLE LIGHT COMES ON. IF YOU WAIT 5-10 MINUTES THEN THE CAR WILL START. THIS HAS HAPPENED 15+ TIMES TO ME IN THE LAST MONTH. *TR

MY 2004 SATURN ION WILL NOT START WHEN THE WEATHER IS COLD. AFTER SEVERAL VISITS TO THE MECHANIC IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS BECAUSE OF A FAULT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH WHICH KEEPS IT FROM STARTING WHEN IT GETS BELOW A CERTAIN TEMPERATURE. I WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN SATURN IONS AND THAT THE COST TO FIX IT WOULD BE OVER $200. *TR

THE LOW COOLANT LIGHT BLINKED ON MY 2004 L300 SATURN IN LATE JUNE 2007. I TOOK IT TO THE SERVICE STATION TO HAVE THE COOLANT LEVEL CHECKED. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS A LITTLE LOW BUT NOT BY MUCH. AFTER HE PUT MORE COOLANT IN, THE SIGNAL CLEARED FOR OVER A MONTH BEFORE IT CAME BACK ON AGAIN IN EARLY AUGUST. I TOOK IT BACK AGAIN AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTED THAT THERE MIGHT BE A LEAK. THE SIGNAL CAME ON SHORTLY AFTER THIS VISIT AND REMAINED ON FOR A DURATION OF 30 MINUTES, WHICH PROMPTED ME TO MAKE A DETOUR AND HEAD TO SATURN TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. I TOOK IT TO SATURN AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT I HAD AN OIL COOLER LEAK. IT COST ME $802 TO REPAIR. THE CAR ONLY HAS 33,000+ MILES ON IT, AND I GET IT SERVICED ACCORDING TO SATURN'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE FOR THIS VEHICLE. *JB

A YEAR AGO, A GRINDING NOISE CAME FROM THE STEERING WHEN TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS. THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME, WHILE I WAS MAKING THE APPOINTMENT, THAT IT WAS THE STEERING SHAFT. *JB

NOTICED LOUD RUMBLING SOUND FROM TIRES. HAD CAR IN FOR OIL, TIRE ROTATION AND BALANCE AND WAS TOLD THE TIRES ON THE REAR ARE WEARING IN A WAVY MANNER. WAS TOLD THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL. COULD FEEL WAVES ON TIRES WHEN FELT WITH HAND. *JB

GRINDING NOISE FROM POWER STEERING WHILE MAKING TURNS. HAD TWO MECHANICS LOOK AT THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THE RACK AND PINION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT IS A COMMON FAILURE IN THIS MODEL. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT'S 2004 SATURN L300 WITH AN ODOMETER READING OF 21000 MILES, HEADLIGHTS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND DASH BOARD LIGHTS FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT FIRST NOTICED THE FAILURE IN NOVEMBER OF 2006, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN MOSTLY IN THE DAY TIME THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN OCCURRING PREVIOUSLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SATURN OF FISHERS IN INDIANA, WHERE AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE FOR TWO DAYS HE WAS TOLD THAT A SAFETY BULLETIN HAD BEEN RELEASED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION FOR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT IS ALSO WORRIED THAT POLICE MAY STOP HIM DUE TO THE FAULTY LIGHTS.

2004 VUE PURCHASED NEW, LATE 2004; CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 16,000 MILES, SERVICED BY THE DEALER. FOR THE PAST EST OF 2000 MILES IT WILL DEVOID ITSELF OF POWER WHILE MAKING TURNS AND GOING FORWARD. IT WILL NOT BUCK, BUT REDUCE THE POWER. KEEP ROLLING AND THEN VERY GRADUALLY PICK UP SPEED. DEALER INFORMED AT LAST OIL CHANGE, I WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN FOR A DAY TO BE CHECKED. DEALER WILL BE CONTACTED FOR LONER CAR, I CANNOT SIT AND WAIT ALL DAY. CAR IS NECESSARY FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR WIFE WHO WORKS. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD ANYTIME THE CAR IS MOVING FORWARD. *NM