2001 SATURN LS Complaints

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ONE NIGHT AND CAR STARTING MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND JUST STALLED ON ME. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF THE MAIN HIGHWAY TO A PARKING LOT. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO PUT IT ON A COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND WAS TOLD THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND HAS SINCE RUINED MY WHOLE ENGINE. NOW MY CAR SITS IN MY YARD WITH NO GOOD MOTOR OR TIMING CHAIN AND I STILL OWE $4000 AND PAYING $300 A MONTH TO PAY FOR A CAR I CANNOT DRIVE AS I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY FOR A NEW ENGINE OR EVEN A USED ONE. *TR

TIMING CHAIN SEPARATION AND FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. CAUSED MUCH ENGINE DAMAGE WITH REPAIR COST AT $1,800. *TR

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE ON MY 2001 SATURN LS 200 AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM. *TR

TIMING CHAIN FAILURE, VEHICLE DIED WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. HAD REPAIRED TO THE COST 3K. NOW CAR IS NOT SHIFTING AND IS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY, WAITING TO BE HAULED TO A TRANSMISSION SHOP. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN DRIVE, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EASILY REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE STRUCK TWO VEHICLES AND CAUSED $2,320 IN DAMAGES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BECAUSE THE FAILURE WAS NOT DUE TO A SAFETY DEFECT. THE SATURN DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO AN OLD STEERING COLUMN AND THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE KEY HAS BEEN USED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,900 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 68,000. UPDATED 01/29/08 *BF THERE WAS NO DAMAGE DONE TO THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED HE LEFT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, IN THOUGH HE HAD REMOVED THE KEY. UPDATED

MY WIFE WAS ON THE ON RAMP TO A VERY BUST STATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR STALLED, AND SHE COULD NOT RESTART THE VEHICLE. TURNS OUT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE, CAUSING VALVES TO BEND AND PISTON DAMAGE, WHICH WOUND UP COSTING 3746.29 TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ENGINE TO REPAIR (REPLACEMENT OF PARTS WAS GOING TO COST THE SAME AMOUNT IF NOT MORE.) *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE TO THE GYM. AS I WAS ON A HIGHWAY ON RAMP, MY CAR SUDDENLY STALLED, AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WENT OUT, AND WHEN IT DID, IT BENT THE VALVES AND DID DAMAGE TO A PISTON, AS EVIDENCED BY COMPRESSION TEST FAILURE AND VISUAL INSPECTION. HE ALSO NOTED THAT EVEN ONCE THE TIMING CHAIN WAS GRABBED, IT COULD NOT BE PULLED FREE OF THE ENGINE WITHOUT COMPLETE DISASSEMBLY. HE STATED THAT THE PARTS COULD BE REPLACED AND ENGINE REPAIRED FOR APPROXIMATELY $3,400.00 PLUS TAX, OR I COULD REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $3,500.00 PLUS TAX, AND HAVE A ONE YEAR WARRANTY ON PARTS AND LABOR. I OPTED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE INSTEAD OF REPAIR THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. SATURN JUST NOTIFIED ME OF THE SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE ON MY VEHICLE, BUT WILL ONLY PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TIMING CHAIN, NOT THE DAMAGE CAUSED WHEN THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. *TR

ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 70MPH ON INTERSTATE. DUE TO TIMING CHAIN NOW DEALER SAID THAT IT WILL COST ME FOR THERE PROBLEM, BUT NOT MY FAMILY'S LIFE. MY WIFE IS WITH CHILD. *TR

CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILED CAUSING IMMEDIATE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. FAILURE OCCURRED WITH ANY WARNING AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L300. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND BOTH THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER STOPPED WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE THE BATTERY WAS LOSING POWER. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED AND THEN THEY WOULD TRY TO ASSIST. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 63,642. THE CONSUMER STATED THE ABOVE STATEMENT IS NOT WHAT SHE SAID. WHILE DRIVING, THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE SPEEDOMETER AND ODOMETER FAILED AT THE SAME TIME. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE HAS HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY WHICH RESULTED IN THE BCM MODULE BEING REPLACED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BATTERY DIED 2 DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT. UPDATED 12/12/07