1995 SATURN SC1 Complaints

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

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

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

THE TIMING CHAIN WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ONCE AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO ALTERNATORS DUE TO THIS. NOW, MY TIMING CHAIN IS GOING OUT AGAIN. THE CAR IS A 1995 SATURN SC2. TODAY IT ONLY HAS 66,000 MILES ON IT AND IS EIGHT YEARS OLD. I CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES. BUT, I ALSO HAVE TO PUT OIL IN IT IN BETWEEN CHANGES. NOW, MY MOON ROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. IT WILL OPEN ALL THE WAY BUT IT WON;T CLOSE. ALSO, THE HEADLIGHT ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE WON'T GO UP AND DOWN PROPERLY.I HAD MY FRONT SEAT FIXED BECAUSE IT WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN WHEN A LITTLE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED WHEN DRIVING. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS AND IT SCARED ME SO I TOOK IT IN TO THE SATURN DEALER TO HAVE IT FIXED. I TRIED TO ARGUE WITH THEM ABOUT IT NOT BEING MY FAULT THAT THAT HAPPENED. BUT THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN. NOW, 4 YEARS LATER IT IS RECALLED. IF I KNEW WHO TO COMPLAIN TO BEFORE I WOULD HAVE ADDED MY TWO CENTS IN. I DO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE SEATS RECLINING DEVICES TO BE REPAIRED. THANKS FOR LISTENING. KATHY HOLLEY

BUTTON POPPED OUT OF END OF "HAND BRAKE". DEALER VERY FAMILAR WITH PROBLEM. NEW BUTTON NOT AVAILABLE EXCEPT AS PART OF EXPENSIVE PACKAGE. DT

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION BEGAN AT APPROXIMATELY 70,000 MILES. ENGINE WAS WELL MAINTAINED BUT DEALER BLAMED US FOR POOR MAINTENENCE. JOB WAS PERFORMED AT 88,684 MILES, AND DEALER COVERED HALF OF THE EXPENSE. HOWEVER, CAR CURRENTLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 105,000 MILES, AND EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPITON HAS RETURNED. DEALER IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING PROBLEM. I HAVE ALL MAINTENANCE RECORDS, INCLUDING OIL CHANGES, FOR VEHICLE PROVING CAR HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED THEREFORE OIL CONSUMPTION IS A RESULT OF EITHER POOR DESIGN OR INCOMPETENT WORK DURING RING JOB. CAR WAS PURCHASED AT A SATURN DEALER AS CERTIFIED USED IN 1999. I JUST OBTAINED AN OFFICIAL SERVICE BULLETIN (#94-T-59) ALERTING ALL SATURN DEALERS OF EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION. DOCUMENT WAS DATED DECEMBER 1994, FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, NO INFORMATION ON THIS PROBLEM WAS RELAYED TO US, AND THIS COULD HAVE AFFECTED OUR DECISION TO BUY THE VEHICLE. FURTHERMORE, PRIOR TO THE RING JOB ON THE VEHICLE, THE CAR WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM, AND NO MENTION OF THE SERVICE BULLETIN WAS GIVEN, AND NO COMPRESSION TEST WAS PERFORMED ON THE ENGINE. WHILE UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY CONTRACT. ONCE THE CONTRACT HAD EXPIRED, A COMPRESSION TEST WAS PERFORMED, AND OF COURSE, WE NEEDED A RING JOB. BY PAYING FOR HALF OF THE ORIGINAL RING JOB, THIS DEALER IS PRACTICALLY ADMITTING THAT SATURN IS PARTIALLY AT FAULT FOR THIS PROBLEM. AFTER BROWSING THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND THAT MY PROBLEM IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT RATHER, LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF SATURN OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM AND ALL ARE RECEIVING THE FOLLOWING EXPLANATIONS: 1.) OWNERS ARE AT FAULT FOR POOR MAINTENANCE. 2.) IT IS NORMAL FOR A SATURN VEHICLE TO BURN 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY 2000 MILES. IF THIS MANY PEOPLE TREAT THERE CARS POORLY, WHY DON'T OTHER VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS EXPERIENCE THIS LEVEL OF OIL CONSUMPTION? PLEASE INVESTIGATE. DT

WHILE APPROACHING A RIGHT CURVE AND APPLYING BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL HARDENED, AND BRAKES FAILED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER MISSED THE CURVE AND DROVE DOWNHILL APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, CRASHING INTO A TREE, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, THERE WAS ONE INJURY. *SLC