1995 SATURN SC Complaints

WE HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS AS OF NOW, BUT THE FRONT SEATBELTS WILL NOT LOCK WHEN BRAKING HARD. *TR

MY 95 SATURN SC1 SERIES PARKING BRAKE LEVER BUTTON POPPED. AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME THE LEVER STOPPED WORKING. *TR

MY CAR SOMETIMES SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR(AUTOMATIC) AND THEN THE "SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON. WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, PAUSES FOR A COUPLE SECONDS THEN BANGS INTO GEAR. THIS CAR HAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE TRANS WHICH LEADS ME TO THINK THAT THE TRANS IS GOOD BUT A SENSOR IS BAD. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 SATURN SC1 COUPE. THE CONTACT SAYS THAT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. UPON IMPACT THE DRIVER'S SEAT RECLINED. *AK UPDATED 12/07/05. *JB

KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION WHEN THE CAR IS NOT IN PARK, WHICH POSES THE DANGER OF THE CAR TO MOVE WHEN THE DRIVER IS NOT INSIDE OR PREPARED.*AK

MY 1995 SATURN SC-2 BEGAN EVAPORATING MOTOR OIL, AT THE RATE OF A FULL QUART EVERY 300 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DID A FULL ENGINE REBUILD, WHICH WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. MY CAR PERFORMED SLIGHTLY BETTER AFTERWARDS BUT NEEDED FOLLOW-UP ADJUSTMENTS OF THE REPAIRED PARTS; SATURN FAILED TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY ON THESE REPAIRS SO I DECLINED TO HAVE THEM DONE. AFTER THIS HASSLE I DECIDED TO DO RESEARCH TO SEE IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THERE ARE DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF REPORTS ON THE WEB ABOUT SATURN OWNERS OF MODELS BUILT 1994-1996 THAT HAVE HAD ENGINE EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES WHILE DRIVING, MANY OF WHICH HAVE LED TO CRASHES AND INJURIES. THESE ARE ALL TRACED TO WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ENGINE DEFECT THAT LEADS TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION-- THE SAME PROBLEM MY CAR APPEARED TO HAVE. WHEN I WENT TO SATURN WITH THIS INFORMATION, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD ONLY LOOK AT MY CAR AFTER VERIFYING THAT IT WAS STILL LOSING OIL THEMSELVES, AND THAT TO DO THIS I SHOULD DRIVE MY CAR FOR 3,000 MILES AND THEN BRING IT BACK. BY THAT TIME, MY WARRANTY WOULD BE EXPIRED ANYWAYS. OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE TOLD ME IDENTICAL STORIES. IT APPEARS THAT SATURN ENGINES MAY BE DEFECTIVE, AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE CERTAINLY IS ALSO. *JB

MODEL: 1995 SATURN SC2 COUPE THROUGH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS, THE INTERNAL METAL IS BENT, AND SO THE SEAT WILL NOT RETURN TO THE NORMAL POSITION. THE SEAT WAS ALREADY PARTIALLY BENT BACK WHEN THE CAR WAS RECALLED FOR REPAIRS. THAT RECALL CONCERNED THE FAILURE OF THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM. SATURN REPLACED THE MECHANISM, THE SEAT WAS UPRIGHT FOR A TIME, BUT THEN COLLAPSED FULLY AFTER MILD BACKWARD PRESSURE. IN RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM, SATURN SAID THAT THE METAL OF THE SEAT WAS BENT OUT OF SHAPE, THAT THE SEAT WON'T LOCK INTO AN UPRIGHT POSITION, AND THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS UNRELATED TO THE RECALL. THEREFORE I SHOULD PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT SEAT. I CONTEND THAT THE FORCES APPLIED TO THE SEAT ARE INTER-RELATED TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE RECLINER MECHANISM, AND THAT FAULTY ENGINEERING DESIGN HAS LED TO THE PROBLEM.

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION STARTING NEAR 45,000 MILES. TOOK OVER 15,000 MILES TO CONVINCE DEALER/MNFG OF DEFECTIVE ENGINEERING. 30,000 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 1 DEC '96 35,000 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 2 36,000 RR CAM COVER (CC) GASKET, REAR MAIN SEAL 45,500 RR CC GASKET, HARMONIC BALANCER, CRANKSHAFT SEAL, OIL PAN GASKET 49,250 RR CC & CCR GASKET 60,000 TO 68,900 OIL CONSUMPTION ~ 1 QT EVERY 600 MILES 66,000 EMAIL TO ANGIE BARRETT, SATURN CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER, RE OIL CONSUMPTION "1 QT EVERY 2,000 IS OK". 68,900 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 3 , OWNER TELLS SATURN TO EITHER REBUILD OR PUT IN NEW ENGINE. JAN 1999 70,000 EMAIL TO ANGIE BARRETT, AGAIN THEY SAY GET AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. FRIEND AT FORD FUEL & LUBE HQ IN FRIENDLY TERMS SAYS 1QT EVERY 1K MILES IS NOT NORMAL. 70,817 SATURN LOCAL TECH REP SAYS CONSUMPTION OF 1 QT EVERY 1,000 MILES IS WITHIN SPECIFICATION! IN THE MEANTIME IT IS SUCKING 1 QT EVERY 500 TO 800 MILES. 72,650 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 4, RR CC (2ND TIME) & 4TH GASKET 73,800 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 5, RR CAM COVER (3RD TIME) & 5TH GASKET 75,800 SATURN FINALLY DECIDES TO DO A PARTIAL REBUILD RR: JOURNAL & BEARINGS, SEALS, CRANKSHAFT, RINGS, PISTONS, CYLINDER HEAD, CLUTCH OWNER TRIES TO GET WARRANTY EXTENDED FOR 6,900 MILES SINCE THOSE MILES WERE PUT ON AT SATURNS DESIRE. OWNER TOLD TO GO POUND SAND. REMOVED/REPLACED SUMMARY FOR THIS TIME FRAME: CRANKSHAFT- 1X MOTOR MOUNT -2X CAM COVER- 3X BATTERY - 2X GENERATOR - 2X HARMONIC BAL - 1X CAM COVER GASKET - 5X OIL CONSUMPTION TEST - 5X SINCE THEN: 120,000 OR 44,000 MILES AFTER REBUILD, THE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM IS BACK IN FULL FORCE OF 1 AT EVERY 500 TO 600 MILES NUMBER OF FAILURES COUNTED AS ANY TIME 1 QT OF OIL OIL WAS NEEDED BEFORE 2000 MILES WERE DRIVEN DURING THE ODOMETER TIME FRAME OF 60,00 TO 80,000 MILES IS : 21 ODOMETER TIME FRAME OF 140,000 TO 160,000 MILES IS: 26

FIRST PROBLEM THE CAR OVER HEATED. WASN'T TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AND WAS TREATED AS IF I MADE THE WHOLE THING UP! THEY CHECK THE CAR & TOLD ME THAT EVERYTHING CHECK OUT OKAY. DIDN'T HAVE ANY FUTHER PROBLEM WITH IT OVER HEATING. THEN HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR STALLING & EVEN DYING OUT WHILE IN TRAFFIC OR DRIVING! PUSHED THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS AFTER IT FINALLY DIED WHILE I WAS ON THE ROAD. WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW ALTERNATOR & SPARK PLUGS. THEY PROCEEDED AS USUAL TO TREAT THIS AS A REALLY ODD THING TO HAPPEN! I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM & WHEN I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO SATURN I WAS THEN TOLD THAT I HAVE SEVERAL PROBLEM WITH CORROSION IN THE SPARK PLUG CABLES & OTHER THINGS. ALL THIS OCCURED WITHIN A 2WEEK PERIOD. YEAH RIGHT! IAM REALLY DISAPOINTED WITH SATURN TREATING INDIVIDUALS WHO BRING IN THERE CAR FOR REPAIRS AS OF THEY ARE SURPRISED THAT THIS IS HAPPENING & NOT BEING HONEST LIKE THEY CLAIM THEY ARE!

WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO COMPLETE STOP AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM NEUTRAL TO PARK OR FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE. WON'T SHIFT, AND MAKES LOUD NOISE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK