1994 SATURN SL Complaints

1. NORMAL DRIVING, THE VIBRATION FROM NORMAL ROAD BUMPS OR POT HOLES. 2. WINDSHIELD CRACKS ON THE LOWER SIDES WHERE EXTREME STRESS EXHISTS, DANGER EXHISTS OF WEAKENED ROOF SUPPORT AND GLASS INJURY IF A COLLISION OCCURS. 3. MUST BUY NEW WINSHIELD BECAUSE ALL THE USED VEHICLES IN THE AREA HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEM. THE DESIGN WAS USED FOR ONLY THAT YEAR MODEL AND THE WINSHIELD WRAPS AROUND THE SIDE OF THE AUTO RESULTING IN A WEAK DESIGN. THE WINSHIELD PRICE IS HIGHER THAN THE AVERAGE WINSHIELD.

IN JAN. 1998 MY TIMING CHAIN BROKE AND CRACKED MY ENGINE AND VALVE COVER. PRIOR TO THIS I DID TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALER WHO STATES TIMING CHAIN REPLACEMENT OR NEW ENGINE IF TIMING CHAIN BREAKS. BEING THAT MY SATURN SL2 WAS A 1994 IT WAS FUNNY THAT SO SOON TIMING CHAIN PROBLEMS OCCURRED. MY TIMING CHAIN DID BREAK, AND I WAS UNABLE TO GET IT REPAIRED INTIL 2001 BY THE LOCAL DEALER WITH A USED ENGINE THAT LEAKED OIL EVERY WHERE I PARKED, MY COMPLAINTS YIELDED NO RESULTS. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE CAR WHICH BEGAN TO OVERHEAT, COOLING FAN FAILED AND IN AUGUST 2004, THE TIMING CHAIN ON THE OTHER USED ENGINE STARTED TO RATTLE AND ALSO BROKE, SO TODAY I AM CARLESS AND DON'T KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN. OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE SATURN TIMING CHAINS. IS THERE AN INVESTIGATION ONGOING?*AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN, AND CHILD SITTING IN A CHILD SAFETY SEAT TOLD THE FATHER THAT THE SEAT BELT CAME COMPLETELY OUT OF THE BACK OF THE SEAT. HOWEVER, ALL SEAT BELTS IN THE BACK SEAT REMAINED UNSTITCHED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING, REPLACED 2 OF THE COMPONENETS UNDER THE DASH ONE UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE UP IN THE CORNER AND THE OTHER UP BEHIND THE GLOVE BOX. COOLING FAN DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY MUST KEEP THE AC ON FOR THE FAN TO WORK. A FRIEND OF MINE HAS THE SAME CAR AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. TRIED TO FIX BY REPLACING THE SENSORS HAD A MECHANIC TRY TO TROUBLE SHOOT, CAN'T FIND A REASON SO IT IS NOT FIXED JUST KEEP AC ON ALWAYS. CAR VIBRATES AND CAN'T FIND A REASON STILL LOOKING FOR PROBLEM, VIBRATES SO MUCH BODY PARTS ON FRONT ARE BECOMING MISALIGNED! AND IT SEEMS THE AUTO-TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FUNNY. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES AND THEN STAYS ON AFTER DRIVING APX. 1 MILE. CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. MY FRIEND HAS ALL THE SAME COMPLAINTS. *NM

WHILE SLOWING FOR A STOP LIGHT THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS SLAMMED FORWARD THEN BACKWARDS INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT CAUSING THE SEAT TO COLLAPSE ONTO THE REAR SEAT. *MR THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *NM

DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH A SPEED OF 50-55 M.P.H. *JB

THE VEHICLE FAILED NEW YORK STATE INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE DRIVER SEAT BELT MECHANISM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

EMAIL FWD FM FHWA INQUIRING HOW TO HAVE A 1994 SATURN SL2 INSPECTED TO FIND OUT WHY THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A HEAD ON COLLISION, HER DAUGHTER WAS INJURIED.*MR *CB *JB

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT WARNING BOTH SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT . DRIVER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK

I OWN A 1994 SATURN, WHICH I PURCHASED IN OCTOBER 1993. THE SPARE TIRE IN THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN USED. IT STILL HAS THE LITTLE BAR THINGS ON IT WHICH STICK UP. I RECENTLY HAD TO GO OUT OF TOWN AND CHECKED THE SPARE AND OTHER TIRES AND WHEN I OPENED THE TRUNK AND LIFTED OUT THE SPARE, IT HAD BLOWN UP. THE RUBBER WAS SHREDDED AROUND THE PLACE IT EXPLODED. WE TALKED TO SATURN ABOUT THIS AND THEY SAID TOO BAD ESSENTIALLY. SO I THOUGHT I'D WRITE TO YOU. LIKE I SAID, THE TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN USED. YES, I KNOW ITS HOT IN PHOENIX, BUT JUST THINKING ABOUT THE DANGER I COULD HAVE BEEN IN IF I DID NOT TO CHECK THE TIRE AND BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY LEAVES ME KINDA SHAKY. THE TIRE IS ONE OF THOSE SMALLER DOUGHNUT ONES, # 1115 70R/14, RADIAL TEMPA SPARE. I STILL HAVE IT. I HAD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER ONE FROM SATURN THOUGH, TO BE SAFE. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT ON THIS. WHEN YOU TEST THESE FOR QUALITY CONTROL, DO YOU EXPOSE THEM TO HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR PROLONGED PERIODS OF TIME? THIS PROBABLY DOES NOT HAPPEN VERY OFTEN, THOUGH SATURN SAID THEY HAD SEEN A FEW OF THESE. I WOULD BE SURPRISED IF THEY HAD NOT TOLD YOU ABOUT IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS. BETTY GREGAR 3623 E WINCHCOMB PHOENIX, AZ. 85032 602-971-7128 OCTOBER 7, 2003. *JB