2002 SATURN LS Complaints

THE TIMING CHAIN ON MY CAR BROKE, RESULTING IN ENGINE DAMAGE WHICH -- THE DEALER TELLS ME -- WILL REQUIRE A TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT. I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, GOING THROUGH CONSTRUCTION. SUDDENLY, THERE WAS NO POWER AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN. I COULD NOT GET POWER, SO I HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND GET THE CAR TOWED. *JB

THIS IS IN REGARDS TO MY 2002 L200 SATURN 4-DOOR SEDAN, VIN NO- [XXX] ENGINE: 2.2 L DOHC 16 VALVE L4 ENGINE LL0 1.9LL4 (THIS IS ON ONE OF THE SATURN SERVICE PAPERS ABOUT THE ENGINE) MY COMPLAINT IS VERY LONG AND EXCEEDS THE 2,000 CHARACTER MARK, I WILL BE MAILING YOU ALL OF THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTATION. I WAS TOLD THAT A CLAIM NUMBER WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO DO THIS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL AS WELL. THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED IN MY SATURN. *JB THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT A NEW TIMING CHAIN AND BALANCE CHAIN WOULD PROBABLY FIX THE PROBLEM, THEREFORE THE CONSUMER AGREED TO THE REPAIR. REPLACING THE CHAINS DIDNT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT A NEW ENGINE WAS NEEDED. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE CONSUMER HADN'T PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE. *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TIMING CHAIN PREMATURELY FAILED AND RUINED MY ENGINE. I AM JUST THANKFUL THAT I WAS NOT TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I AM INCENSED AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE SATURN DEALERSHIP THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN AN INCORRECT OIL CHANGE BY A NON-DEALERSHIP GARAGE. IN CHECKING ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE DISCOVERED THIS TO BE A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH L200 SATURNS. WHY HAS THE NHTSA NOT TAKEN ACTION TO REQUIRE SATURN TO RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM? HOW MANY DEATHS WILL IT TAKE TO WARRANT A RECALL? *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED RECALL LETTER #05V245000 CONCERNING THE BRAKE LIGHTS WAS RECEIVED IN DECEMBER 2005. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY PROBLEMS AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR IMMEDIATE REPAIR. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE DEALER INSTALLED TWO TAIL LIGHTS, REINFORCED SOCKET ADAPTERS AND SOCKETS UNDER THE RECALL. ALSO, THE DEALER DETERMINED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THIS WORK HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FROM THE DEALER, THE CRUISE CONTROL NO LONGER WORKED, THE GEAR SHIFT BECAME DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE, AND THE PARKING LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS NO LONGER WORKED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THESE ITEMS FAILED AS A RESULT OF THE NEED TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. UPDATED 05/30/06. *AK

I SEE THAT THE NHTSA ALREADY HAS AN OPEN COMPLAINT REGARDING THE TIMING CHAIN ON VARIOUS SATURNS 2.2. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE TIMING CHAIN OILER. I HAVE A 2002 SATURN L200, 42,000 MILES, WHICH THE TIMING CHAIN JUST WENT OUT ON. I WAS TURNING AT A LIGHT AND ALMOST GOT HIT SINCE THE CAR LOST POWER. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. SATURN IS UNWILLING TO HELP ME. THANKS IN ADVANCE. *NM

MY 2002 SATURN L300 DIED WITHOUT WARNING OR INDICATION IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY TRAFFIC INTERSECTION AND WOULD NOT RESTART. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR FLATBED TOWED TO MY SERVICE CENTER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE. THE DEALER, SATURN OF COOL SPRINGS, ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAVE SEEN AN INCREASING NUMBER OF BAD ENGINE CONTROL MODULES ON THE L SERIES. THEY DID NOT OFFER TO MAKE ANY ADJUSTMENT FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. AFTER MY INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTER INSTALLED THE NEW ENGINE CONTROL MODULE, THE CAR WAS STILL INOPERABLE AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO SATURN OF COOL SPRING SO THEY COULD PROGRAM THE NEW ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND THE BODY CONTROL MODULE. I AM CONCERNED THAT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR INDICATION OF A PROBLEM THE CAR COULD HAVE DIED ON RAILROAD TRACKS OR IN SOME OTHER MORE DANGEROUS SITUATION. *JB

TIMING CHAIN ON MY SATURN L200 BROKE WITH NO WARNING. THE CAR HAS ONLY 38,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN REGULARLY SERVICED. I WAS VERY LUCKY IT BROKE WHILE STARTING UP THE CAR, INSTEAD OF DRIVING, BECAUSE THE REPAIRS WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTENSIVE. MY LOCAL SATURN DEALERSHIP ONLY CHARGED ME LABOR, THEY COVERED PARTS. *NM

I HAD JUST LEFT MY HOUSE FOR WORK AND THE CAR JUST DIED - LUCKILY I WASN'T ON THE HIGHWAY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN. HE SAID I SHOULD CONTACT SATURN BECAUSE THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD NOT HAVE BROKEN. MY CAR HAS ONLY 49,000 MILES ON IT. I CALLED SATURN AND THEY TOLD ME TO HAVE IT EVALUATED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE SATURN DEALERSHIP. HE SAID IT WOULD COST $950.00 TO REPAIR AND DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY OTHER DAMAGE. SATURN CUSTOMER RELATIONS SAID THEY WOULD ARRANGE TO PAY FOR HALF OF THE COST AND SUPPLY ME WITH A RENTAL CAR. I HAD NOT HAD THE CAR SERVICED BY SATURN SINCE JUNE 2004 AND HAD NOT PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. ON FURTHER EXAMINATION THE VALVES WERE BEND ON THE ENGINE DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. SATURN SAID THEY WOULD COVER HALF OF THAT COST ALSO. THE TOTAL REPAIR IS $900. I STILL DON'T HAVE MY CAR BACK. *JB

WHILE TRAVELING AT A STEADY SPEED OF 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, MY 2002 SATURN LW200 STATION WAGON SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND COASTED TO A STOP ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. I WAS STRANDED ON THE SHOULDER UNTIL I WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. THE FAILURE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE GARAGE AND BY A SATURN DEALER AS A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN RESULTING IN LOSS OF COMPRESSION DUE TO BENT OR BROKEN VALVES. THE CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE AND APPARENTLY REQUIRES AN NEW ENGINE OR OVERHAUL. TO DATE, THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE SATURN CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER STATED THAT SATURN IS UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO CORRECT THE DAMAGE RESULTING FROM THE FAILED TIMING CHAIN. SATURN ALSO CLAIMED THAT MY VEHICLE DID NOT FALL INTO THE VIN RANGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE TIMING CHAIN FAILURES ADDRESSED IN THEIR REDESIGN OF THE TIMING CHAIN. CURRENTLY, THE ENGINE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND IS AVAILABLE FOR EXAMINATION. *NM

ON 3/9/06 MY SATURN L200 2002 WOULD NOT START, I SPOKE TO VARIOUS PEOPLE AT SATURN AND RECEIVED 4 DIFFERENT PROBLEMS, (TRANSMISSION, TIMING CHAIN BROKE,NEED A NEW ENGINE AND NOW THE TIMING CHAIN IS STRETCHED) I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY SERVICE WHAT SO EVER, THEY ARE NOW SAYING IT IS LACK OF MAINTENANCE, WHEN I ASKED FOR A EXPLANATION THE REGIONAL AREA MANAGER HUNG THE PHONE UP ON ME!!! HE SAID HE HAD NO IDEA THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE OILER VALVE WHICH NOW I KNOW THERE IS. I HAVE BEEN PROMISE CALL BACKS AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ONE. I ALSO EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I HAVE PURCHASED 4 VEHICLES AND HAD RECALLS, MAINT., ETC. DONE WHICH HE DID NOT CARE, HIS RESPONSE WAS WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TELL YOU!!!THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *NM