2002 SATURN LS Complaints

ON AUGUST 18, 2005 AT 72,863 MILES, I PAID $2360.71 TO HAVE MY TIMING CHAIN REPLACED. NOT REPAIRED BUT REPLACED DUE TO ITS MALFUNCTION. THE CAR HAD BEEN SERVICED AS DICTATED BY SATURN'S MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE AND VIA SATURN OF ROSWELL PRIOR TO THIS ISSUE. I HAVE EVERY RECEIPT FROM EACH SERVICE APPOINTMENT SINCE I DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT. I COULDN'T BELIEVE SOMETHING THIS MAJOR WENT WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE AT SUCH AN EARLY POINT IN TIME. THE CAR SIMPLY QUIT RUNNING. THE ENGINE DIED AND I COULD GET NO RESPONSE FROM BRAKE PRESSURE OR STEERING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT CAUSING HARM OR INJURY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK TO SATURN OF ROSWELL WHERE THEY TOOK 10 DAYS TO FIND THE ISSUE AND WHEN IT WAS FOUND THEY DECLINED ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO NEGOTIATE THE PRICE OF THE REPAIR THOUGH I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM THEM AND HAD MAINTAINED THE CAR WITH THEM. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT MY TIMING CHAIN WENT OUT AT 1:00 AM ON GA-400 WITH NO TRAFFIC AROUND ME. AT THE AVERAGE SPEED OF 70 MPH HAD THIS OCCURRED AT 1:00 PM OR ANY OTHER TIME WITH A GREATER LEVEL OF TRAFFIC I OR SOMEONE ELSE WOULD'VE BEEN DEAD. MY FEAR IS THAT SATURN IS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO DIE AND ONLY THEN WILL THERE BE A MASS RECALL FOR ALL VEHICLES NOT JUST A RELATIVELY ISOLATED FEW. *TR

HEADLIGHTS FLICKER AT RANDOM TIMES. I AM THE SECOND OWNER PURCHASED THE 2002 MODEL IN 2003. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR AS LONG AS I HAVE HAD THE CAR. I REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM, BUT IT IS NORMAL / NOT MAJOR AND NOTHING CAN BE DONE TO FIX IT. IT IS ANNOYING AND STARTLING TO ME, ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM DRIVING ON A DARK ROAD. WHEN IT HAPPENS, I GET AN ADRENALINE RUSH AND AUTOMATICALLY FEAR THERE IS A SERIOUS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND THAT THE CAR MIGHT SHUT DOWN AT ANY MOMENT. I HAVE TO REMIND MYSELF THAT IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. I ALSO WORRY THAT OTHER DRIVERS MAY INTERPRET IT AS SOME SORT OF SIGNAL. *TR

MY 2002 L200 HAS 92,000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON A CROWDED 5 LANE INTERSTATE IN THE FAR LEFT LANE WHEN MY ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED. THERE WERE NO STRANGE NOISES OR SMELLS INVOLVED, NOR WAS THERE ANY SMOKE. THE RPM METER WENT DOWN TO ZERO. THANKFULLY, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WORKED FINE AND SO DID THE BRAKES. I PUT ON MY HAZARD BLINKER AND WAS SOMEHOW ABLE TO COAST MY WAY OVER TO THE SHOULDER. IT IS A MIRACLE THAT NO ONE HIT ME. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND THAT IT HAD POSSIBLY ALSO DAMAGED THE VALVES, SO I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE COST TO REPAIR WOULD BE ABOUT $3500. THAT IS ABOUT THE SAME AS THE VALUE OF THE CAR, SO I HAD A DIFFICULT TIME DECIDING WHETHER TO DO THE REPAIR OR SELL THE CAR AS IS. THE JUNKYARD OFFERED ME $150 + FREE TOW. I KEPT HEARING FROM DIFFERENT MECHANICS THAT IT IS VERY RARE FOR A TIMING CHAIN TO BREAK. I DID SOME FURTHER RESEARCH LOOKING FOR A REPLACEMENT ENGINE AND WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T EVEN KEEP THE ENGINE FOR THIS MODEL IN STOCK BECAUSE THE TIMING CHAIN BREAK HAPPENS SO OFTEN. THEN I FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2001, BUT NOT 2002, EVEN THOUGH THE 2002 HAS THE SAME DESIGN FLAW. I COULD HARDLY BELIEVE IT. AT A MINIMUM, I FEEL THAT SATURN SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ME THAT THIS WAS A CONCERN FOR MY MODEL OF CAR, EVEN IF THEY DIDN'T DO A RECALL. FLYING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IS THE WORST TIME TO FIND OUT ABOUT SUCH A DEFECT. HAD I KNOWN, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE BEEN PROACTIVE. PLEASE EXTEND THE RECALL TO AVOID ANY FUTURE DISASTERS. *TR

I HAVE A 2002 L200 SATURN WHICH HAS 97,000 MILES. THREE DAYS AGO WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A CITY STREET THE ENGINE JUST SHUT OFF. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO COAST INTO AN EMPTY PARKING METER SPACE. IF THIS HAD HAPPENED A MERE FIVE MINUTES BEFORE, WHEN I WAS ON A TRAFFIC-PACKED INTERSTATE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN VERY SERIOUS TROUBLE. MY SATURN WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKE AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEADS. THEY STATED IT WOULD COST ME $2,800 TO FIX THE DAMAGE. THIS MAKES ME EXTREMELY UPSET AS I BOUGHT THIS SATURN BRAND NEW FROM A SATURN DEALERSHIP. I HAVE TAKEN VERY GOOD CARE OF THIS CAR AND HAVE PERFORMED ALL THE SATURN REQUIRED MAINTENANCE IN A TIMELY FASHION FROM THE SAME SATURN DEALERSHIP. I FEEL THAT SATURN SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR FIXING THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE PERFORMED SOME ONLINE RESEARCH AND THERE ARE MANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS REPORTING TIMING CHAIN OR TIMING BELT PROBLEMS WITH THEIR SATURNS. I KNOW ONE RECALL (FOR THE 2001 YEAR I BELIEVE) IS ALREADY IN PLACE. PLEASE START A RECALL FOR THE OTHER YEARS AS WELL. SATURN NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE BEING NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THESE TIMING CHAIN/BELT PROBLEMS. *TR

ARE YOU GUYS EVEN HEARING US??? WHAT HAPPENED TO ME WAS JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. I WAS GOING TO FIX MY PROBLEM AND THAT WAS IT.....BUT MY PROBLEM ENDED UP BIGGER THAT I THOUGHT AND WAS COSTLY!!!!! I READ ALMOST ALL OF THESE COMPLAINTS AND THEY ARE SAYING ONE THING,,, TIMING CHAINS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BREAK!!!!! ASK A SATURN MECHANIC WHEN ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO CHANGED A TIMING CHAIN? IT'S NEVER!!!! ASK,,PLEASE!!!! ANOTHER THING IS THAT THE TIMING CHAIN IN THE 2001 WAS RECALLED,, RIGHT??? LISTEN CLOSELY,,,, THAT SAME CHAIN WAS ALSO USED IN THE 2002!!!!!! BUT WASN'T RECALLED???? WHY?? HOW MANY MORE STORIES DO YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE A PROBLEM.... GOTO ODI 10265182, 10255749, 1025270, 10234562, 10209272, 10186650 READ THEM, THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CHAIN OILER.... IT WOULDN'T LET ENOUGH OIL PASS THROUGH TO LUBRICATE THE TIMING CHAIN... AKA BRASS INSERT.... YOU WOULDN'T KNOW BECAUSE YOU TOOK IT TO A SATURN SHOP OR YOUR OWN. MY UNCLE FIND MINE, ONLY BECAUSE AFTER READING ALL OF THE PROBLEMS ON THE INTERNET. I HAVE 2002 L200 2.2 SEDAN AND YES THAT BRASS INSERT IN THE CHAIN OILER WAS IN MINE AND I CAN PROVE IT..... SO I BELIEVE ALL YOU HAD THE SAME THING........I DO KNOW WE ALL HAD THE SAME CHAIN, WHICH HAD A WEAK LINK IN IT...... IT WAS RECALLED??? BUT NOT THE 2002??? *TR

SIX DAYS AGO I WAS ON MY TO WORK IN MY 2002 L-SERIES200 2.2 LITER THAT ONLY HAS 77,000 MILES ON IT WHEN IT JUST DIED ON ME. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY ANOTHER CAR CAUSE I COULDN'T GET OUT OF TRAFFIC, SO I HAD TO PULL INTO A DITCH. THAT DAY MY UNCLE HELPED ME TOWED IT BACK TO HIS PERSONAL WORK SHOP CAUSE HE KNOWS HOW TO WORK ON VEHICLES. HE TRIED EVERYTHING TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH WITHOUT GETTING INSIDE THE ENGINE, WELL IT CAME TO THAT. THE TIMING CHAIN IS BROKE AND HE SHOWED IT TO ME AND SAID HE SAID IT LOOKS LIKE THIS LINK WAS WEAK.. YOU CAN SEE HOW IT WAS STRETCHED, JUST THAT ONE.. AND BECAUSE OF THE CHAIN BREAKING THE CHAIN OILER IS BROKEN ALSO, THE BOLT HOLDING IT UP WAS COMPLETELY BENT, SO WE THINK THE CHAIN HIT IT.. BECAUSE OF THE WARRANTY WAS ALREADY OUT WE WERE GOING TO FIX IT OURSELVES. I WENT TO GO GET A TIMING CHAIN AND THE CHAIN OILER, BUT THE CLERK ASK ME IF SATURN HAD REPLACED YOUR CHAIN OILER? I TOLD HIM NO, AND HE ASKED ME IF MY VALVES WERE BENT BECAUSE WHEN THE CHAIN BREAKS THAT USUALLY HAPPENS. SO I ASKED MY UNCLE AND HE WENT AHEAD TO CHECK AND YES THEY WERE. SO I WENT BACK TO THE CAR PARTS STORE AND TOLD THEM YES THAT THE VALVES WERE BENT.. I COME TO FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE OILER BECAUSE OF A BRASS INSERT THAT IN THE OILER. BUT HE SAID IT WAS ONLY FOR THE 2001 NOT 2002. MY UNCLE SEARCH AROUND IN THE OIL PAN AND HE FOUND PIECES OF THE OILER ALONG WITH A BRASS INSERT, SO I THINK MY CAR WAS ALSO INSTALLED WITH PART. SO THAT'S WHEN I WENT HOME TO GET ONLINE TO DO RESEARCH ON THIS AND FOUND PICTURES OF THAT RECALLED OILER, IT LOOK SIMILAR. AND THEN I FIND OUT THERE ARE SO MANY OWNERS WITH THIS SAME YEAR MODEL THAT ALSO HAD THEIR TIMING CHAIN BROKE.. I CALLED SATURN AND THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO NOTHING AND PLUS I FIND OUT THAT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION ON THIS MATTER. MY CAR IS STILL AT MY UNCLES SHOP AND I KEPT ALL THE BROKEN PIECES IN HOPE SATURN WILL HELP WITH THIS MATTER. *TR

PLEASE SEE #DP08002 THIS IS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT I HAVE. ESSENTIALLY, THE TIMING CHAIN COMPONENTS ARE POORLY DESIGNED AND CREATE THE NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINEER WHEN THE TIMING BELT COMPONENTS FAIL. *TR

2002 SATURN L-100 SEDAN. FRONT SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY RUSTED TO THE POINT OF TOTAL FAILURE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WHERE LOWER CONTROL ARM CONNECTS. FAILURE HAPPENED IN PARKING LOT SO THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY OR CRASH. FAILURE TOOK OUT RIGHT INNER CV JOINT AND DRIVE SHAFT. WHEEL WELL LINER AND FENDER ALSO DAMAGED. FRONT SUBFRAME ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH NEW PART. NEW CV JOINT AND DRIVE SHAFT INSTALLED. *TR

THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. THE CAR WAS PROPERLY CARED FOR AND MAINTAINED, RECEIVING OIL CHANGES AND OTHER PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES. *TR

I HAD NO PRE-INDICATION OF THIS. 2002 SATURN L200. PURCHASED 6-2002. ~78,500 MILES. DATE OF INCIDENT: 3-9-09 @ 10:00AM. MY TIMING CHAIN FELL APART. IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I WAS TURNING A CORNER AND THE STEARING WHEEL LOCKED. (THE ENGINE IS QUIET ENOUGH I COULDN'T HEAR IT SHUT OFF). I MANAGED TO GET TO THE SIDE. SAW THE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ON & SHUT THE CAR OFF. IT THEN WOULDN'T START UP & WAS TOWED HOME. MY BOYFRIEND IS A MECHANIC & HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT. IT WAS HARD TO FIND THE PROBLEM, SINCE THE CAR WAS ON AT THE TIME THE VALVES STAYED OPEN, HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE STARTER (-$200). THE CHAIN'S PIN FELL OUT AND HAS LITERALLY FALLEN APART. WE HAVE KEPT THE CHAIN THUS FAR AND WILL INVESTIGATE IF I AM ALLOWED ANY REFUND FOR THE TIME, MONEY AND/OR HASSEL OF THIS. WE ARE WORRIED ABOUT PIECES GETTING UP INTO THE ENGINE AND CREATING MORE PROBLEMS WITH THAT, AND LOOKING INTO A NEW VEHICLE POSSIBLY. (HAVING FEEDBACK ON WHAT TO DO NOW WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. DO WE STOP WORK AND TAKE IT TO A SHOP OR CONTINUE TO FIX IT? I NEED A CAR SOON. ARE THERE OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR? DO YOU KNOW OF HOW I CAN GET REIMBURSED? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE CHANCES ARE OF PIECES REACHING THE ENGINE). *TR