2001 SATURN LS Complaints

NOTICED A BURNING RUBBER SMELL FROM THE RT REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THEN FROM THE LEFT REAR TIRE OF THE VEHICLE. HUBCAP VERY WARM AFTER A SHORT TRAVEL DISTANCE, BACK BRAKES MADE A GRINDING SOUND. WENT TO USE PARKING BRAKE, COULD NOT LIFT UP BRAKE. PARKING BRAKE INOPERABLE. TOOK TO GET REPAIRED, WAS TOLD THAT THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE WAS BOUND UP, DUE TO CORROSION, CAUSING THE CONNECTION CABLES TO BIND UP BOTH REAR BRAKES, UNABLE TO BE RELEASED, WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKE SHOES TO MELT ON BOTH REAR WHEELS, CAUSING THE PAD TO RUB AGAINST THE ROTOR AND, METAL TO METAL, HEAT UP AND CAUSE BURNING SMELL. NEED TO HAVE NEW BACK ROTORS, BRAKES SHOES, BRAKE PADS, PARKING BRAKE FIXED, NEW CABLES, AND SPRING CLIPS REPLACED. ALL PARTS NEED TO BE NEW AS THE ROTORS ARE DAMAGED DUE TO BRAKE HANGUP. BACK ROTORS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACE 3 TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE SO FAR. *NM

OIL COOLER FAILURE. NOTICED ORANGE COLORED "GUNK" ON GROUND UNDER CAR FOLLOWING OIL CHANGE. SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM COOLANT RESERVOIR. TOOK CAR IN FOR COOLANT FLUSH. WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS OIL IN THE COOLANT AND THAT ENGINE HAD MAJOR PROBLEMS. INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SAID THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO TEAR INTO ENGINE TO DISCOVER SOURCE. FOUND IT TO BE A LEAKING OIL COOLER. OIL COOLER WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH ALL COOLANT HOSES, THERMOSTAT, AND COOLANT RESERVOIR. TOTAL WAS $2100 ($571 FOR OIL COOLER). HAVE ALL OLD PARTS. SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE ACKNOWLEDGES A TSB REGARDING OIL COOLER IN THE L81 ENGINE BUT REFUSES TO REIMBURSE EVEN FOR PARTS. *JB

SATURN HAS A RECALL ON TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES. I HAVE A 2001 L SERIES SATURN. BOUGHT IT FROM OLDS DEALER IN HELENA MT. THERE ARE NO SATURN DEALERS IN MONTANA. I CALLED THE 800# IN THE RECALL LETTER AND THEY SAID TO GO TO UNDERRINER OLDS IN BILLINGS, APPROXIMATELY 240 MILES AWAY. I BOUGHT IT AT AN OLDS DEALER TWO MILES FROM MY HOUSE. SEEMS TO ME THEY COULD AUTHORIZE THAT OR PAY ME A COUPLE OF DAYS WAGES, GAS, MOTEL, PER DIEM OR HAVE IT FIXED IN HELENA!!! THIS IS REALLY STUPID, BECAUSE MY TAILLIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND KEEP WIGGLING LOSE AND I LOSE MY BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS.*JB

FAX FM (KS) REQUEST THAT A RECALL IS ISSUED BY GM/SATURN FOR A FAULTY TIMING CHAIN, REPLY ATTN SHAWN COWING/ OVERLOAD PARK OFC. *TS THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM, THEREFORE THEY REDESIGNED THE TIMING CHAIN OILER. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET ANY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 SATURN L-SERIES PASSENGER VEHICLE WITH A 2.2 4-CYLINDER ENGINE. THE ENGINE HAS 69K MILES AND THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE CAUSING SEVERE ENGINE TROUBLE (BENT VALVES), WITH AN ESTIMATED COST OF $2400. IF THERE IS DAMAGE TO ANY OF THE PISTONS THEN THE COST WILL INCREASE SIGNIFICANTLY. THE MECHANIC THAT I TAKE MY VEHICLE TO USED TO TEACH AUTO MECHANICS AT THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL UNTIL THEY ELIMINATED THE PROGRAM. AS MY MECHANIC WAS EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM TO ME HE TELLS ME THAT ONE OF HIS FORMER STUDENTS NOW WORKS AS A MECHANIC FOR SATURN. MY MECHANIC HAD TROUBLE DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM AND SO HE CALLED HIS FORMER STUDENT WHO INFORMED HIM THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY BE A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN. HE GOES ON TO TELL ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN IS OILED BY SPRAYING OIL ON TO THE CHAIN THROUGH AN ORIFICE THAT IS NOT MUCH BIGGER THAN A PIN HOLE. THIS TINY HOLE WHERE THE OIL SPRAYS FROM IS AT THE END OF A PLASTIC PIECE ABOUT A HALF INCH LONG. IF SOMETHING SHOULD BLOCK THIS HOLE THE CHAIN BECOMES DRY AND EVENTUALLY BREAKS. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THEIR ORIGINAL DESIGN HAD A FATAL DESIGN FLAW, WHICH SATURN CAME TO RECOGNIZE, I CAN ONLY ASSUME DUE TO NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKING, PROBABLY WHILE THE VEHICLES WERE UNDER WARRANTY, FORCING THEM TO COME UP WITH THE REDESIGN. I BELIEVE THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL FOR ANYONE WHO DRIVES A SATURN WITH THE ORIGINAL OILIER. IT IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. SHOULD SOMEONE BE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AND HAVE THEIR TIMING CHAIN BREAK FOR IT WOULD BE LIKE SOMEONE PUTTING ON THE BRAKES BUT WITHOUT THE SIGNAL THUS PLACING THEM AS WELL AS ANYONE BEHIND THEM IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I SENT THE FULL STORY TO YOUR WEBMASTER. YOU NEED TO ALLOW MORE SPACE. *NM *SC

SATURN LW300 CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILURE (3/05) - REPLACED BODY CONTROL MODULE FAILURE (11/05) - REPLACED MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR FAILURE (11/05) - REPLACED OIL COOLER LEAK (11/05) - RESEALED BATTERY FAILURE (JUST OVER 1 YEAR OLD, 11/05) - REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 SATURN L-SERIES, 2.2L ENGINE. I WAS DRIVING UNDER 30 MPH,ENGINE DIED. DIAGNOSIS: TIMING CHAIN BROKE, + ALL THE VALVES BENT COST TO ME $2400 (SEE ODI ID #10142499.) ALSO SEE COMPLAINT ODI ID #10129780, DATED 7/16/05. THIS VEHICLE WAS A 2000 SATURN L-SERIES, PASSENGER CAR. THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 101 IN CALIFORNIA WHEN HIS MOTOR SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. HE WAS TOLD SEVERAL DAYS LATER THAT THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND IN HIS CASE THE ENTIRE MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I AM SURE IN HIS CASE BECAUSE HE WAS DRIVING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED AND THE VALVES CONTINUED TO HIT THE PISTONS DAMAGING THE ENTIRE ENGINE. HAD HE BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I DON'T KNOW IF SATURN HAS ISSUED ANY TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS, MY DEALER SAYS NO BUT I WOULD GUESS THEY HAVE SINCE THE AREA (ENGINE REBUILDERS ASSOCIATION) HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL BULLETINS DATED APRIL 2004 WHICH SAYS, "THE AREA TECHNICAL COMMITTEE OFFERS THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION REGARDING CHANGES TO THE TIMING CHAIN AND OILING NOZZLE ON THE 2000-2003 SATURN 2.2L ENGINES. ALL GM TIMING CHAIN KITS AVAILABLE THROUGH GM SERVICE HAVE A REVISED NOZZLE INCLUDED IN THE KIT. THE REVISED NOZZLE HAS HIGHER FLOW RATE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WILL INCREASE OIL FLOW TO THE TIMING CHAIN UNDER LOW RPM OPERATING CONDITIONS. WHENEVER REPLACING THE TIMING CHAIN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO REPLACE THE OIL NOZZLE." THIS SAME ENGINE IS IN AT LEAST THE CHEVY CAVALIER. I CONTEND THAT THE ORIGINAL TIMING CHAIN OIL IS FAULTY, IT DOES NOT MAINTAIN THE PROPER OIL TO THE TIMING CHAIN UNDER LOW RPM, THUS CAUSING IT TO HEAT UP AND OVER TIME BREAK, WHICH CAUSES MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE AND EXPENSE TO THE CUSTOMER. THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM SHOULD THIS HAPPEN IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AROUND ANY MAJOR CITY PUTTING INNOCENT PEOPLE'S LIVES IN JEOPARDY. GM SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL AND FIX THIS PROBLEM BY INSTALLING OR IN MINE AND I AM SURE OTHERS CASES PAYING FOR THE REPAIR. *JB

I BOUGHT A USED 2001 SATURN L300 WITH 34000 MILES ON IT IN GOOD CONDITION. THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT TROUBLE FROM DAY ONE. THE BIGGEST PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HAD IS FAILURE TO START. RIGHT NOW MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP AT THE SATURN DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND THEY ARE GOING TO REPLACE THE CRANK SENSOR. THEY SAY THIS IS THE REASON WHY IT IS NOT STARTING. LAST TIME THEY FIXED MY CAR IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY SYSTEM. I'M TIRED OF ALL THE GAMES. MY CAR HAS HAD A PROBLEM STARTING OFF AND ON THE DAY I BOUGHT IT AND IT SEEMS TO BE A DIFFERENT EXCUSE EVERY TIME. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT NOT JUST I BUT MANY MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME YEAR/MAKE/MODEL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. HOW STRANGE! THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL ON THIS OR AT LEAST AN INVESTIGATION, BUT I HAVE YET TO FIND IT ON THE WEB. $200 I MUST NOW PAY TO 'HOPEFULLY' FIX THIS PROBLEM. *NM

ON OCTOBER 1, 2005 WILL DRIVING HOME, MY CAR STOPPED WITH NO WARNING. AFTER HAVING THREE MACHINCS INSPECT THE VECHILE, THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THE TIMINING CHAIN HAD BROKEN AND CAUSED SERIOUS DAMAGE TO MY ENGINE. I BROUGHT THE CAR USED WITH 38,000 MILES AND IT NOW HAS 50,000 MILES. THE REPAIRS SATURN QUOTED ME WAS 4,700 TO REPAIR THE ENGINE. *NM

DT: 2001 SATURN L SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING GAS IN THE GASKET AREA. THE CONTACT SMELLED GAS ON APRIL 27, 2005. THE CONTACT ALSO, THERE WAS GAS FORMING ON THE GROUND UNDER HIS VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON MAY 27, 2005. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE GASKET, BUT THE ENTIRE GAS TANK HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK