1996 SATURN SL Complaints

ENGINE HAS A DESIGN FLAW. ANITI-FREEZE GETS INTO THE OIL. DEALER CONTACTED AND WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

CONSUMER BACKED OUT DRIVEWAY. ON RIGHT SIDE OF DRIVEWAY WHERE THE FRONT OF VEHICLE WAS SITTING, THERE WAS BROWN OIL/WATER MIXTURE. WHEN SHE OPENED THE HOOD AND LOOKED INTO THE RESERVOIR THERE WAS A COLORED LIQUID. MECHANIC DISCOVERED A CRACKED ENGINE CYLINDER. CHECKED COMPUTER AND FOUND A BULLETIN--ID. #96-T-65A--ISSUED FEB. 1997,THAT DEALS WITH THIS PROBLEM. *AK

I AM FINDING IT DIFFICULT TO FIND A CHILD SAFETY RESTRAINT SEAT TO SAFELY FIT IN THE BACK SEAT OF MY SATURN. THE BACK SEAT IS AT TOO MUCH OF AN ANGLE. THE SATURN DEALERSHIP SAID FOR LEGAL REASONS THAT THEY COULD NOT COMMENT. I'VE SPOKEN WITH OTHER SATURN OWNERS AND THEY RECOMMENDED STUFFING BOOKS OR TOWELS BETWEEN THE CAR'S BACK SEAT AND THE CHILD'S SEAT BASE TO LEVEL OUT THE BASE. THIS DOESN'T SOUND SAFE, BUT I HAVE NO OTHER OPTIONS. ANY INPUTFROM YOU WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

/22/99 - AFTER NO RESPONSE FROM DON HUDLER, POSTED THIS EMAIL TO THE SATURN WEBSITE

TRUNK LID CLOSES TOO EASILY, LID COLLAPSED ON CONSUMER ON TWO OCCASIONS RESULTING IN INJURIES TO THE HEAD.

THE ENGINE HEAD HAS AN INTERNAL CRACK IN IT WHICH ALLOWS THE ENGINE OIL TO LEAK INTO THE COOLANT. I REALIZED THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS OIL IN THE COOLANT RESERVOIR. I WENT TO SATURN OF FT. LAUDERDALE, WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR AND WAS TOLD THAT IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY(I HAVE53,000MILES). I WAS ALSO TOLD IF I WANTED THEM TO FIX IT THEY WOULD CHARGE ME $300 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, AND IF IT WAS A CRACKED HEAD, IT WOULD COST ME AT LEAST $1200. IF I DIDN'T LIKE THEIR DIAGNOSES I WOULD HAVE 24 HOURS TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED OFF THEIR PROPERTY , DISASSEMBLED. THIS WAS TOLD TO ME BY DENNY MCGEE (954)760-6340, SERVICE MANAGER FOR SATURN. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IF I HAD NOT FOLLOWED EVERY SERVICE REQUIREMENT THAT SATURN DESCRIBES IN THEIR HAND BOOK I WOULD NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR ANY COMPENSATION. AT THE MOST THEY MIGHT PAY FOR PARTS AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR LABOR. I AM VERY ANGRY! I AM A TEACHER, AND I COULD NOT AFFORD TO GAMBLE THAT SATURN "MIGHT PICK UP PART OF THE PRICE" MR. MCGEE SAID THEY MAY ONLY PICK UP 10%. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN THE PART. THE CAR HAS NEVER OVERHEATED AND MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THE CRACK IS BETWEEN TWO CHAMBERS WHERE THE OIL AND COOLANT CIRCULATE THROUGH THE ENGINE. HE OBTAINED USED REPLACEMENT PART AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT THIS PART ALSO HAD A SIMILAR CRACK IN THE SAME PLACE. IS THERE A RECALL FOR THIS ENGINE PART? I AM VERY DISILLUSIONED WITH THE SATURN COMPANY. THEY WERE VERY UNHELPFUL AND RUDE IN ADDRESSING THE PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AND I WANT THEM TO HELP PAY FOR A DEFECTIVE PART ON THE CAR THAT THEY SOLD ME! PLEASE GET IN TOUCH WITH ME IF THERE IS ANYTHING YOU CAN DO. THANK YOU, SINCERELY, HEATHER RYAN. *AK

I REALLY FEEL THAT A CAR THAT IS WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND HAVE ONLY 47000 MILES SHOULDN'T HAVE NEED A NEW ENGINE IN IT.

ENGINE RPM WILL INCREASE TO 3500 WHETHER AT IDLE OR DRIVING AT 55 MPH. THIS HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS. IF THE ENGINE IS TURNED OFF , THE CAR WILLN'T START UNLESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS PRESSED TO THE FLOUR. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CARS EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM MAY FIND IT DIFFICULT TO SLOW THE CAR UPON BRAKING UNLESS THEY WERE TO SHIFT THE CAR INTO NUETRAL. IT IS HIGHLY POSSIBLE THAT SOME SATURN OWNERS AREN'T AWARE OF THE PROBLEM IF THEY OWN AN AUTOMATIC. IN THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (COMPLAINTS DATABASE) THERE WERE 8 OR 9 CASES OF BRAKE FAILURE . WERE THESE FAILURES AS A RESULT OF UNCONTROLLED RPM MOTOR SPEED? ODI ID 816070 INDICATED A PROBLEM WHICH MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO THIS CONDITION. THIS PROBLEM IN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CARS WILL LEAD TO PREMATURE BRAKE ROTOR AND PAD WEAR NOT TO MENTION THE FAILURE OF THE CAR TO STOP WITHIN THE ASSURRED NORMAL DISTANCE.

DRIVER WAS DRIVING AND SET CRUISE CONTROL AT FREEWAY SPEED, BEGAN TO EXIT, TOUCHED THE BREAK TO SHUT CRUISE OFF, CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT SHUT OFF. STOOD ON BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW VEHICLE, REMOVED PRESSURE MOMENTARILY AND VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE TO SET CRUISE SPEED, TURNED OFF CRUISE AT MAIN SWITCH, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, HIT GUARDRAIL, AND VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 55MPH IMPACT TO REAR FROM THE GUARDRAIL.

DURING VEHICLE COLLISION SEAT LATCH FAILED CAUSING SEAT BACK TO COLLAPSE RESULTING IN INJURY TO THE DRIVER LOOSING SIGHT OF THE ROAD THEREFOR LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.