2002 SATURN LS Complaints

THE BODY CONTROL MODULE IS DEFECTIVE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAIN ON AND MAYBE INOPERABLE. ALSO, THE ODOMETER IS REGISTERING ABOUT 300 MILES PER SECOND. LAT KNOWN MILEAGE WAS AROUND 76,000 MILES. THE ODOMETER HAS SAILED PAST THE MILLION MILE MARK SEVERAL TIMES. *TR

SATURN L200 2.2 ECOTEC - TIMING CHAIN FAILED WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON ROUTE 2 IN LINCOLN MA. DRIFTED TO STOP ON SIDE OF ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS RUINED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L SERIES. THE CONTACT FOUND A RECALL FOR THE TIMING BELT, WHICH STATED THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY THE CHAIN COULD FAIL WHILE DRIVING AND RESULT IN A CRASH. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING.THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT TIMING CHAIN BROKE.*CN

I HAD TOLD MY SATURN DEALERSHIP APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS AGO ABOUT A RATTLING NOISE UNDER THE HOOD OF MY L-200 (2002). THEY TOLD ME IT WAS PROBABLY JUST THE NORMAL NOISE THAT THIS CAR MAKES WHEN IT FIRST STARTS. THE NOISE CONTINUED, BUT ONLY AT START-UP. I BROUGHT IT IN RECENTLY FOR A REGULAR OIL CHANGE AND NO PROBLEMS WERE NOTED. THE NEXT DAY THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS QUITE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND IT IS FRUSTRATING AND PUZZLING TO ME THAT THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT INVESTIGATE FURTHER WHEN I FIRST REPORTED THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN LINK SEPARATED. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 07V519000) HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD PAY 50% OF THE REPAIR COST. THE CONTACT FELT THAT HIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65,000.

2002 L SERIES SATURN TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY & SHE WAS STRANDED IN TRAFFIC. (WARRANTY ENDED JULY -2007 & ENGINE DAMAGE IS IN EXCESS OF $2500.) *TR

2002 SATURN L-200. TIMING CHAIN FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. 64,000 MILES. DEALER WAS TRYING TO BLAME LACK OF MAINTENANCE UNTIL I PROVED REGULAR OIL CHANGES. I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE SATURN TWIN CAM ENGINE. WHY DO THE DEALERS TRY TO BLAME THE OWNERS? MY CAR IS BEING REPAIRED, BUT I FEEL THEY TRIED TO AVOID THE COVERAGE ON THE EXTENDED PLAN. *TR

TIME CHAIN ON AN L200 SATURN (MY 2002) AFTER ONLY 39,000 MILES OF USAGE. I HAD JUST PARKED THE VEHICLE, AND WHEN RESTARTING, THE CHAIN BROKE. PRIOR TO THIS, I WAS HEARING VALVE NOISE, BUT FORTUNATELY I PULLED THE AUTOMOBILE INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE BREAKAGE OF THE TIMING CHAIN RESULTED IN A COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF THE VALVES, CHAIN, ETC. AND REQUIRED FULL REPLACEMENT AND REPAIR. THIS INCLUDED THE HEAD, VALVES, CHAIN, TENSIONER, SPROCKETS, ETC. SATURN INDICATED THAT A NEWLY DESIGNED CHAIN TENSIONER WOULD BE REPLACED DURING THIS REPAIR AND SHOULD PREVENT FUTURE FAILURES. THIS REDESIGNED PART WAS SUPPOSED TO CORRECT A DEFICIENCY IN OIL DELIVERY TO THE CHAIN. IMPORTANTLY, I HAD MY VEHICLE SERVICED REGULARLY BY THE SATURN DEALER WITH ALL RECOMMENDED OIL CHANGES, ETC. *TR

2002 SATURN L200 52,000 MILES I WAS DRIVING ON THE LOOP HERE IN LUBBOCK GOING ABOUT 65MPH WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER. MY CAR STARTED GOING VERY SLOW AND THEN CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CAR ALSO LOST POWER STEERING SO I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO GET ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC TO BE WORKED ON AND HE THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE THE FUEL PUMP. WELL HE CALLED LATER AND SAID IT WAS THE TIMING CHAIN AND IT HAD BROKE. HE WAS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS BECAUSE HE SAID IT SHOULD HAVE OUTLASTED THE LIFE OF THE ENGINE. NOT ONLY DID THIS BREAK, BUT WHEN IT BROKE, IT TORE UP MY ENGINE AS WELL. I THEN DID A SEARCH ON GOOGLE FOR "L200 TIMEING CHAIN" AND IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. NOT ONLY IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT SATURN WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND POSTED A BULLETIN TO THEIR SERVICE CENTERS. *TR