2001 SATURN LS Complaints

REAR DRUM BRAKES LOCKED UP AFTER REVERSING FROM GARAGE ON A COLD MORNING-- BRAKES DID NOT DISENGAGE AND BURNED AFTER DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MILESMPH. DEALER DETERMINED EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLES HAD CORRODED AND DID NOT RELEASE. *AK

CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE WHEN PRESSING THE SWITCH OR BRAKING. VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. *AK

REPEAT TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY FAILURE. CIRCUITRY AT POINT WHERE SOCKET ATTACHES HAS FAILED AGAIN, RESULTING IN REPEAT REPLACEMENT OF TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY. WHEN THE ASSEMBLY FAILS, VEHICLE HAS NO BRAKE LIGHTS. *AK

SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND THE SMOKE EXTINGUISHED ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HAZARD SWITCH UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS MY WIFE'S 2001 SATURN L300 TURN SIGNALS HAVE BEEN WORKING AND NOT-WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. WE HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL, AND THINK THAT THE SAME AND/OR SIMILAR PROBLEM MAY BE OCCURRING WITH HER VEHICLE. *AK

DEALER FOUND BRAKE TAIL LIGHTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK OR DIM WHEN DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKE. DEALER SAYS THIS PROBLEM IS INHERENT TO SATURN L SERIES; APPARENTLY DUE TO BULB NOT MAKING CONTACT WITH SOCKET ON CIRCUIT BOARD ASSEMBLY.*AK

I PERSONALLY DON'T OWN ONE OF THESE VEHICLES, BUT HAVE WORKED FOR THE MANUFACTURER OF THESE VEHICLES. I WORKED FOR SATURN FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND HAVE LONG SINCE KNOWN THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE MY 00-02 L-SERIES TAILLIGHTS. ALMOST 100% OF EVERY L-SERIES NEEDS NEW TAILLIGHTS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. TO ADD TO THE PROBLEM, SATURN HAS NOT REDESIGNED THE TAILLIGHTS, THEY ARE JUST PUTTING THE SAME PRODUCTS BACK ON THE CAR. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE CUSTOMER FEELS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN CARE OF, THEN A COUPLE MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, ONE OR BOTH OF THE TAILLIGHTS DON'T WORK AGAIN.*JB

THE HEADLIGHTS, DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTATION, AND DOME LIGHT OF THIS AUTOBILE ARE CONSTANTLY DIMMING AND BRIGHTENING (FLICKERING). THIS IS MAKING NIGHT TIME DRIVING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. SATURN HAS ISSUED TECHNICAL INFORMATION BULLETIN 04-08-42-001 IN FEBRUARY 2004 STATING THAT THIS IS A "NORMAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC". I BELIEVE IT IS A PRESENT DANGER AND COULD ALSO BE A SIGN OF A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

FAILURE OF THE STEERING IMMEDIATE SHAFT. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNED THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE. THE SHAFT WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE U-JOINT WAS BOUND UP, STUCK OR NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS HAD BEEN REPLACED SIX TO EIGHT TIMES. THEY WILL WORK FOR ABOUT TWO MONTHS AND THEN THEY COMPLETELY STOP WORKING. CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE THEM REPLACED. HOWEVER, SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SATURN. THEY WILL NOT WORK WITH CONSUMER TO FIND OUT WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. THEY JUST CONTINUED TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLY. *AK