2000 SATURN LS Complaints

I USED THE VEHICLE TO PICK MY SON UP FROM COLLEGE FOR THE WEEKEND, WHEN WE RETURNED HOME HE WENT OUT TO START THE VEHICLE LATER THAT NIGHT IT WOULD NOT START AT ALL. ALL ELECTRICAL AND POWER TO THE CAR WORKED, LIKE THE RADIO, LIGHTS, WINDOWS, ETC., BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THE REPAIR COMPANY CALLED ME TO INFORM ME THAT THE TIMING CHAIN HAD WENT ON THE VEHICLE AND IT WOULD COST ME ANYWHERE FROM $1,500 TO $3,000 TO BE REAPIRED. AS I DID MORE RESEARCH ABOUT THE VEHICLE I CAME ACROSS A FEW WEBSITES THAT HAD COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS SAME VEHICLE AND THE SAME PROBLEMS. RIGHT NOW WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LOCATING A REPAIR SHOP THAT WILL DO THE WORK FOR LESS THAN THE DOLLAR AMOUNT QUOTED BY THE REPAIR SHOP, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS JUST PURCHASE ON FEBURARY 13, 2009. ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2009 I CONTACTED SATURN ABOUT MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE POSSIBLE RECALL OF VEHICLES FROM 1999 TO 2003 L-SERIES SATURNS, BUT I WAS INFORMED THAT MY VIN NUMBER WAS NOT ON THEIR LIST FOR ANY RECALLS, SO I QUESTIONED IF THEY HAD SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL WHY HAS NOTHING BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, BUT HAVE ME TOW MY CAR TO A SATURN DEALER ABOUT 25 MILES FROM MY HOME AND PAY FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE CAR AND THEY MIGHT, "MIGHT" NOT BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME! *TR

2000 SATURN LS TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. ENGINE NOISE FROM RIGHT FRONT, DEALER REMOVED VALVE COVER FOUND PIECE OF TOP CHAIN GUIDE MISSING. DEALER REMOVED FRONT COVER AND FOUND CHAIN TO HAVE EXCESSIVE PLAY. REPLACED TIMING CHAIN, GUIDES AND TENSIONER ASSEMBLY COST OF $846.68 AND LATER DISCOVERED NO RECALL HAS BEEN MADE OTHER THEN WITH THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OF SATURN LS AND L-SERIES SEDANS AND WAGONS WITH BAD TIMING CHAINS AND NOISE THE ONLY WAY TO NOTICE IT FAILING IS IF YOU REALLY PAY ATTENTION TO THE CAR AND THE NOISE AND CAN REMAIN UNNOTICED TO AVERAGE OWNER AND PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE TO RESULT. TIMING CHAIN REPLACED AT 72550 MILES. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE POWER SEAT MOTOR OVERHEATED AND BEGAN TO MELT UPHOLSTERY. I HAD TO PULL THE FUSE OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE FUSE PANEL TO CUTOFF ELECTRICAL SUPPLY AND AVOID LIKELY FIRE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER WITH NO WARNING. I AM TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT THE TIMING CHAIN WAS BROKEN. I NOW NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE - AT A COST CLOSE TO WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH. I SEE THAT THE 2001 CARS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM AND WERE SUBJECT TO RECALL. WHY NOT THE 2000? *TR

I WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SELF-ADJUSTING BRAKES ON THE SATURN 2000 LS. I HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY WITH THIS CAR FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS, EXCEPT NOW THIS PROBLEM HAS COME UP AND IT CONTINUES, I BELIEVE NOT BY WEAR AND TEAR, BUT MY FAULTY DESIGN. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT A BRACKET ON THE REAR BRAKES COMES OFF THE GEAR AND NO LONGER ADJUSTS THE BRAKES AS YOU DRIVE. THE BRACKET HAS A SPRING PULLING DOWNWARD ON IT AND NOTHING ON THE END OF THAT BRACKET TO HOLD IT IN PLACE ON THE GEAR. THUS, EVERY 3-4 WEEKS NOW, MY FATHER MUST PULL THE TIRES OFF AND ADJUST THEM BY HAND. THE POINT OF THE SELF-ADJUSTING BRAKE SYSTEM IS THAT THEY DO JUST THAT: SELF-ADJUST. THEY SHOULD NOT BE GRADUALLY COMING OFF AND ENDANGERING THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND THUS MY DRIVING. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO JUST BRAKES FOR BRAKE REPAIRS (REPLACING SHOES, PADS, CALIPERS, ETC.) AND EVEN FOR THIS PROBLEM. ALL THEY CAN DO IS ADJUST IT A LITTLE TIGHTER THAN MY DAD CAN. THEY AGREE THAT THE SELF-ADJUSTING BRAKES ARE A FAULTY DESIGN, ESPECIALLY SINCE THERE IS NOTHING TO KEEP THE BRACKET ON THE GEAR SO THAT IT CAN DO ITS JOB OF ADJUSTING. THIS CANNOT JUST BE FROM WEAR AND TEAR ON MY CAR AND I KNOW OTHERS SHOULD BE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH IT TOO. SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO PROTECT THE DRIVERS OF THESE SATURN 2000 LS CARS AND THE OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. THIS PAST FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2009, I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY BRAKES TO GET HOME ON IN WET, CURVY MOUNTAIN ROADS OF NORTH GEORGIA. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING THIS PROBLEM AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS PRODUCT SO THAT OTHERS CAN GET THIS FIXED. TO FIX IT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOMETHING TO HOLD THE BRACKET TO THE GEAR SO THAT THE SPRING DOES NOT PULL IT DOWN OFF THE GEAR AND THE BRAKES CAN CONTINUE TO SELF-ADJUST! *TR

I HAVE A 2000 SATURN LS2. I WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT. I DOWNSHIFTED FROM 3RD TO 2ND WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN I TRIED TO SHIFT DOWN TO 1ST, I HEARD A POP AND THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED TO THE LINKAGE. THIS WAS VERY DISCONCERTING. WHEN I CALLED THE MECHANIC AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED THE FIRST QUESTION WAS 'DO YOU HAVE A SATURN?" I FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY FAILURE OF A PLASTIC BUSHING WHICH COSTS LESS THAN $20 BUT WHICH SATURN IS CHARGING $800 TO REPLACE ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER PARTS. THEY WILL NOT SELL JUST THE BUSHING. I BOUGHT ONE ON EBAY FOR $19.99. IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY OR WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC CAUSING A STALL, IT COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I SUGGESTED THAT SATURN OUGHT TO BE FIXING THIS FOR FREE AND THEY LAUGHED AT ME. *TR

THE SATURN LS NEEDS TO BE REVIEWED WHEN IT COME TO TAIL LIGHT, REVERSE, AND BLINKER LIGHTS. I HAVE HAD SO MANY SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THESE LIGHTS, AND NOT TO MENTION COSTLY WORK. THERE IS NO WIRING FROM THE LIGHT TO THE VEHICLE THIS MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO CHANGE THE BULB. MY REVERSE LIGHTS COMPLETELY STOP WORKING, AND SO I DID WHAT MOST CAR OWNERS WOULD DO, BUT SOMEHOW REPLACING A BULB DOES NOT WORK WITH THESE VEHICLES. AS A BUYER WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN SIMPLE LABOR. FOR INSTANCE, CHANGING A TAIL LIGHT! THESE LIGHT COMPONENTS NEED TO BE REVIEWED, FOR THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN FOR ANY CAR OWNER. *TR

WITHOUT WARNING, THE TIMING BELT BROKE ON OUR 2000 SATURN LS, AND DESTROYED THE ENGINE. IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THE CAR STALLED. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED APPROX. 50 MILES HOME, AND ESTIMATED REPAIRS ARE $1000 FOR PARTS ALONE. *TR

2000 SATURN L SERIES DRIVING TO WORK AND TIMING CHAIN BROKE. CAR HAD APPROX 60,000 MILES ON IT. SATURN SAYS 1 IN A MILLION NO WARRANTY. HAD TO HAVE ENGINE REPLACED AT A COST OF 4500. NOW CAR HAS 132000 AND SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN SATURN SAYS SORRY ANOTHER ENGINE WOULD COST 5000 IT SEEMS BY RESEARCHING THE INTERNET L SERIES SATURNS HAVE A FLAW OR DEFECT WITH THEIR TIMING CHAINS. *TR

TIMING CHAIN ON MY 2000 SATURN LS1 IS FAILING WHICH COULD RESULT IN ENGINE BEING DAMAGED AND FULL POWER LOSS, WHICH IN TURN COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. MY SATURN HAS THE SAME EXACT TIMING CHAIN AS THE 2001 SATURN LS1 WHICH WAS RECALLED AFTER YOUR AGENCY DEEMED IT SUSCEPTIBLE TO FAILURE DUE TO POOR DESIGN. SATURN REFUSES TO FIX THIS FOR ME AND INSTEAD WANTS TO BILL $400 JUST TO LOOK AT IT. REPAIRING THE FAILING CHAIN, THE DEALER SAID, WOULD COST $900. IT'S A KNOWN DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE COVERED BY SATURN, AS PER YOUR AGENCY'S INVESTIGATION LAST YEAR.*TR