1996 SATURN SC Complaints

CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW SPEEDS VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO FOURTH GEAR.*AK

AS WITH COMPLAINT 828481, MY VEHICLE STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AND WOULDN'T RUN UNTIL I FILLED THE GAS TANK. THE GAS TANK HAD IMPLODED. THIS HAPPENED TWICE - AT APPROXIMATELY 34,000 MILES (TANK REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY -9/8/98) AND AGAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 63,000 MILES (TANK REPLACED AT MY EXPENSE - 9/20/2001). BOTH TIMES, I WAS AT HIGHWAY SPEED, AND BOTH TIMES I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO STEER THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THE FIRST TIME, THE POLICE ON THE NJ TURNPIKE HAD ME TOWED TO A GAS STATION - THE SECOND TIME, THE POLICE BROUGHT A FIVE GALLON CAN AND POURED IT INTO MY GAS TANK. *AK

JUNE 1999 SATURN SENT A NOTICE REGARDING THE CYLINDER HEAD DEFECT THAT MAY OCCUR. THEY EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES OR 6 YEARS. HOWEVER KNOWING THERE IS A DEFECT IN THEIR WORKMANSHIP, I ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH LESS THAN 69,000 MILES ON MY SATURN WHEN THE CYLINDER HEAD SHOWED ALL THE SIGNS OF A CRACK. THIS INCLUDED OIL IN THE RADIATOR. SATURN ACCEPTS NO LIABILITY FOR THIS SEEING IT OUT OF THE SIX YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD. HOWEVER IT IS WELL WITHIN THE 100,000 MILE MILEAGE PERIOD.

SUNROOF FAILED TO CLOSE WHEN IT STARTED TO RAIN....TOOK TO SATURN TO BE LOOKED AT AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE CABLES...THEY THEN TOLD ME IT WOULD COST $954.00 TO FIX, THE SUNROOF HAS BARELY BEEN USED ON THIS CAR, AS I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER AND WOULD KNOW, IT SEEMS RIDICULOUS THAT IT WOULD BREAK AFTER ONLY A FEW USES, SEEMS MORE LIKE A DEFECTIVE PART. BECAUSE THE SUNROOF IS STUCK PARTIALLY OPEN IT CAUSED WATER DAMAGE TO THE SLIDER, AND I HAVE TO PUSH IT DOWN EVERY TIME I GET INTO OR OUT OF THE CAR.*AK

THE CONSUMER NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT A PISTON ROD BROKE AND WENT THROUGH THE ENGINE, A LARGE HOLE WAS INSIDE OF THE ENGINE. *AK *SCC *JB

THE BATTERY CABLES INSULATIONS SHORTED OUT BECAUSE IT RUBBED ON THE BATTERY BRACKET AND ENGINE. *AK *PH *JB

DURING RAINY WEATHER ANTI-LOCK BRAKES LOCKED UP CAUSING VEHICLE TO REAR-END ANOTHER VEHICLE. *TT

I OWN A 96 SATURN SC2. I PURCHASED IT IN APRIL OF 2000, WITH 43,000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. SINCE THEN, I HAVE DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 23,000 MILES, NOTICING A SIGNIFICANT OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. WHEN ON THE HIGHWAY, IT WILL USE APPROXIMATELY A QUART EVERY 500 MILES. AROUND TOWN, I CAN SQUEEZE OUT MORE, AROUND NEEDING ONE QUART EVERY 1,000 MILES. I HAVE HEARD COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS, AND FEEL THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I MYSELF WORK ON CARS ALL THE TIME AND KNOW TO CHECK AND ADD OIL (MUCH CHEAPER THAN AN OVERHAUL). HOWEVER, FOR THOSE PEOPLE WHO DON'T DO SO AND ONLY CHANGE OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES MAY WELL END UP STRANDED. THIS SEEMS TO DEFINITELY BE A RECURRING SAFETY ISSUE WITH SATURN THAT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU. TS

APPARENTLY SATURN AND GM KNEW THAT THE VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY IN THIS MODEL WAS WRONG. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT SATURN DEALERS AND WAS NEVER TOLD OF THIS RECURRING PROBLEM. MY CAR IS IN THE SHOP FOR THE SECOND TIME TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM SPECIFICALLY ADRESSED. THE CAR THUDS INTO REVERSE AND HAS TROUBLE GOING INTO GEAR. IT ALSO TUGS WHEN SHIFTING. MR

AUTOMOBILE WAS NOT RUNNING AND ENGINE WAS COLD, IT HAD ONLY BEEN BACKED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY INTO THE STREET. IT HAD BEEN SITTING APPROX 10 MINNUTES BEFORE IT BURST INTO FLAMES.*AK