2000 SATURN LS Complaints

THE REAR DEFROSTER IN MY CAR TURNS OFF AUTOMATICALLY AFTER ABOUT 10 - 15 MINUTES. I HAVE FOUND THIS DESIGN TO PRESENT A DANGEROUS SITUATION TO ME WHEN I OPERATE MY VEHICLE DURING A SNOW STORM. DURING A SNOW STORM, THE REAR WINDOW IN MY CAR FOGS UP UNLESS I CONTINUOUSLY RUN THE DEFROSTER! (I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM WILL OCCUR IN MANY CAR MODELS.) MY DEFROSTER TURNS OFF WITHOUT WARNING. I DON'T REALIZE I HAVE A PROBLEM UNTIL THE WINDOW FOGS UP MAKING MY VISIBILITY VERY POOR. I THEN HAVE TO TRY TO GROPE FOR THE DEFROSTER SWITCH TO TURN THE DEFROSTER BACK ON. WHEN I AM FORCED TO REACH FOR THE DEFROSTER BUTTON WHEN DRIVING ON AN ICY ROAD, I AM PUTTING MYSELF IN DANGER, ESPECIALLY IF THE SUN HAS SET. DURING A SNOW STORM IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE FOCUSSING ON THE ROAD, NOT GROPING FOR A SWITCH EVERY 10-15 MINUTES. THIS DEFROSTER DESIGN HAS TWO DISADVANTAGES FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT. FIRST, MY REAR WINDOW REPEATEDLY FOGS UP UNEXPECTEDLY AT VERY CRITICAL TIMES. SECOND, I AM FORCED TO DIVERT MY ATTENTION FROM THE ROAD DURING THE WORST TYPE OF DRIVING CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO TURN ON THE REAR DEFROSTER.*AK

FAILURE OF LEFT REAR (DRIVER SIDE) TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BRAKE LIGHT TO NOT LIGHT. THIS IS MY SECOND TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILURE IN 3 YEARS. *AK

THE REAR END WAS WEARING OUT WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR THE CONSUMER TO DRIVE OVER 20 MPH. ALSO, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE TECH FOUND THAT THE TIRES HAD UNEVEN WEAR. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD VIBRATE, THE REAR CARGO COVER WAS CRACKED AT THE CLIP, THERE WAS A THUMPING SOUND THAT HAD COME FROM THE TIRES AT ANY SPEED, THERE WAS ALSO CUPPING ON THE TIRES THAT CAUSED THE EXCESSIVE ROAD NOISE. *SCC *JB

TRANSMISSION FAILURE/REPLACEMENT AT 50,000 ODOMETER READING ON 2000 SATURN LW2, ENGINE L81 3.0 LITER V-6, VIN [XXX].....ON OCTOBER 6, 2003 I WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER OF SATURN OF WOODBRIDGE (VIRGINIA) THAT. *AK MY 2000 SATURN LW2 NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3,800. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST UNDERGONE THE 51,000 SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ON OCTOBER 9, 2003 AT A COST TO ME OF $1,500. IT IS MY CONSIDERED OPINION THAT AN AUTOMOBILE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SUPPOSED TO FAIL WITHOUT EXPLAINED/ANTICIPATED REASON AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. PURCHASED NEW BY ME ON MAY 27, 2000, EVERY SCHEDULED 3000 MILE MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ON SCHEDULE. FROM APRIL TO OCTOBER 2003 THE SERVICE-ENGINE-LIGHT ILLUMINATED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE SERVICE SECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT NOTHING REGISTERED ON THE COMPUTER. THE PROBLEM WAS "FIXED" BY RE-SETTING THE COMPUTER. ON OCTOBER 3, 2003 THE COMPUTER INDICATED "CODE P1811" WHICH LED THE TECHNICIAN TO A BULLETIN NUMBERED 02-T-84. WHAT IS THIS BULLETIN? IS IT "2002-TRANSMISSION-84TH BULLETIN"? WHEN I COMPLAINED, SATURN VOLUNTEERED TO ABSORB ALL COSTS BUT $1,500. SATURN INSTALLED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION ON OCTOBER 9, 2003 AND KEPT MY ORIGINAL (FAILED) TRANSMISSION FOR RETURN TO SATURN FOR REBUILDING. DID SATURN KNOW THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD A PROPENSITY TO FAIL? DID SATURN REALLY ABSORB PART OF WHAT WAS CLAIMED TO BE A $3,800 (REBUILT TRANSMISSION) REPLACEMENT COST? I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIABLE FOR THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS REPORT APPEARS TO BE SIMILAR TO ODI NUMBER 10010259 DESCRIBED MARCH 8, 2003 REGARDING A 2000 L SERIES WAGON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IS AVAILABLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

ON 6/21/2003 THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. DEALER STATED THERE WERE NO BULBS IN THE SOCKETS. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THAT DEALER SIX TIMES TO FIX THE BRAKE LIGHTS. *AK *NLM

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ASSEMBLY. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS............................*JB

I HAVE A 2000 LS1 SATURN. I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. IN THE PAST YEAR I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT IN OTHER THAN FOR MAINTENANCE BECAUSE SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG. OCTOBER 2002- MY HYDRAULICS WENT OUT OF MY CLUTCH CAUSING ME TO BE STALLED WITHOUT A CAR. A FEW MONTHS AGO IT WAS RECALLED DUE TO SOMETHING GONE WRONG IN THE REAR AXLE. SO SATURN REPLACED IT. ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2003, I TOOK IT IN AGAIN BECAUSE I WAS HEARING A RUBBING NOISE WHEN I MADE SHARP LEFT TURNS. TURNS OUT I NEED A $1400 NEW STEERING RACK BECAUSE THERE IS AN INTERNAL LEAK FROM MY POWER STEERING FLUID. MY CAR ONLY HAS 36,800 MILES ON IT. BUT OF COURSE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT 800 MILES AGO. I DON'T THINK A FAIRLY NEW CAR SHOULD BE HAVING ALL THESE PROBLEMS. *LA

WHEN THE AC COMPRESSOR ENGAGES, HEADLIGHTS DIM FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. IT MAKES THE CAR LOOK LIKE I AM FLASHING THE HEADLIGHTS. HAS DONE IT SINCE, AND A NEW CAR HAS 50K MILES ON IT NOW. *LA

2000 SATURN L SERIES 200 WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TURNED ON THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK.

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL 03V231000 CONCERNING THE ENGINE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED. *AK THE ENGINE CUT OFF AFTER 4 ATTEMPTS AND ALL LIGHTS LIT UP.*TS *JB