2001 SATURN LS Complaints

TOOK CAR IN TO REPLACE RECALLED TIMING CHAIN, ABOUT 500 MILES LESS THAN 3 WEEKS LATER THE CRANK SEAL WENT OUT, (A PART THAT WAS REMOVED TO DO THE RECALLED REPAIR) WHEN THE CRANK SEAL WENT OUT ALL THE OIL LEFT THE ENGINE RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, LUCKY FOR US WE WERE THE ONLY CAR ON THE ROAD AT THE TIME AND ONLY GOING ABOUT 30 MPH, CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND ASKED THEM ABOUT THIS AND WAS TOLD IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL, THEY SAID THIS IS A KNOW PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IN COLD WEATHER, THEY SAID THE SEAL IN COLD WEATHER CAN RETAIN MOISTURE FREEZE AND WHEN STARTED CAN TEAR, THIS SEEMS MUCH WORSE THAN THE TIMING CHAIN RECALL THAT WE TOOK THE CAR IN FOR, AT LEAST WITH THE TIMING CHAIN GOING OUT THE MOTOR WILL NOT LOCK UP. I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND IT SEEMS THEY HAVE A NEW SEAL THAT WILL NOT FREEZE, NOT SURE IF THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM THAT THEY DO NOT MENTION IT TO THEIR CUSTOMERS. *TR

WIFE WAS DRIVING AT 50 MPH WHERE THE ENGINE DIED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN WHICH ALSO DAMAGED THE HEAD AND VALUES. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE TIMING CHAIN, RESURFACING THE HEAD, AND REPLACING THE BAD EXHAUST VALUES I MAILED IN MY RECALL MATERIALS ON 2/9/2008. ON 2/13/2008 SATURN CALLED TO TELL ME THEY APPROVED MY REQUEST FOR REIMBURSEMENT ON 2/25/2008 SATURN CALLED TO TELL ME THAT THEY WERE DENYING MY REIMBURSEMENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR THE ENGINE TIMING CHAIN. SINCE THAT TIME, SHE HAS ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED. SHE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER AND DROVE 65 MILES BOTH WAYS, BUT THE DEALER DID NOT HAVE THE PART. SHE WAS INFORMED THAT SOMEONE WOULD CALL HER BACK, BUT NO ONE HAS RESPONDED YET. SHE CALLED IN FEBRUARY OF 2008 AND THE PART WAS STILL UNAVAILABLE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE PURCHASE DATE AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,653.

2001 SATURN L200 REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR RECALL REPAIR. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AFTER THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPPED WHILE DRIVING. SHE WOULD LIKE REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES. ATTACHMENTS ARE NOT THERE. *KB

MY 2001 SATURN L200 FAILED TO START DUE TO A BROKEN/DAMAGED TIMING CHAIN. THE VEHICLE HAS 101,000 MILES. I WAS DISAPPOINTED TO LEARN THAT THIS PARTICULAR FAILURE IS WELL KNOWN ON THIS VEHICLE, AND IN FACT A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR CERTAIN VINS IN THIS SAME MODEL YEAR OF VEHICLE. HOWEVER, MY VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THIS DAMAGE CAUSED ME TO INCUR $1900 WORTH OF REPAIRS. I WAS LUCKY THAT THE ISSUE OCCURRED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND NOT OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AS SOME CONSUMERS HAVE REPORTED. SATURN AND GENERAL MOTORS ARE NOT DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO HELP CONSUMERS REPAIR THEIR VEHICLES BEFORE PROBLEMS OCCUR AND POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERNS ARISE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L-SERIES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). HE HAS MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

WENT OUT ONE MORNING AND TRIED TO START CAR AND IT WOULD CRANK BUT WOULD NOT START. HAD TOWED TO MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TIMING CHAINS WERE BROKE AND NEEDED REPLACED. *TR

THE FAN MOTOR HAS STOPPED WORKING. THE MECHANIC TOOK THE MOTOR OFF AND TESTED IT AND FOUND THAT IT WORKS DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY BUT NOT TO THE SWITCH. I REPLACED THE SWITCH AND THE FUSES AND THE FAN STILL IS NOT WORKING. *TR

I OWN A 2001 SATURN LW300 WAGON WITH 96,000 MILES. MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT CRANK. I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO COAST THE LAST ONE-HALF MILE TO OUR SUB-DIVISION. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT IT HAD JUMPED THE TIMING, AND THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. HE SAID THAT THERE WERE NO NEW ENGINES AVAILABLE, AND THAT USED A USED ENGINE WOULD COST AROUND $4000.00, WHICH IS THE WHOLESALE VALUE FOR THE CAR. I HAVE DECLINED REPAIRS, AND AM LOOKING TO SELL OR DONATE THE CAR TO CHARITY FOR SALVAGE PARTS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. THE TIMING CHAIN SLIPPED A LINK AND CAUSED THE GUIDES THAT KEPT THE CHAIN IN PLACE TO FAIL. AS A RESULT, THE CHAIN EXPANDED, DAMAGED THE VALVES, AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STALL. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) AND GM RECALL NUMBER 06074, EVEN THOUGH THE DEFECT IS THE SAME. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 03-11-08 *BF UPDATED 03/11/08 *TR