1999 SATURN SL Complaints

1999 SATURN SL PLASTIC GROMMET CONNECTION BETWEEN SHIFTER CABLE AND SHIFTER. JUST BROKE. APPARENTLY ENGINEERED WITH A MIND FOR OBSOLESCENCE RATHER THAN SAFETY OR DURABILITY. ENABLING A HIGH REPAIR COST FOR A 50 CENT BUSHING THAT SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE ENTIRE SHIFTER CABLE AND SHIFTER. CHEAP FIX (TIME AND PART WISE) FOR CAR MANUFACTURER IF STILL UNDER WARRANTY. CONVENIENTLY COSTLY FOR OWNER WHEN CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

I HAVE A 1999 SATURN SL THAT I BOUGHT OFF A SATURN EMPLOYEE TWO MONTHS AGO; IT WAS MAKING A WHINING SOUND BUT SHE SAID THAT THE SOUND WAS BECAUSE IT HAD A NON STANDARD PART ON IT. THE IGNITION LOCKED UP ONCE OR TWICE AND NOW IT WILL NOT CRANK NOR START. I HAVE CHECKED THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE STARTER-SOLENOID AND ALL WIRES AND CABLES. I HAVE ALSO CALLED SATURN AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT COULD BE AND THAT THERE WEREN'T ANY RECALLS ON ANY OF THE PARTS ABOVE NOR ANY THAT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE THE CAR NOT TO CRANK OR START. THEY SUGGESTED THAT I BRING IT IN. *TR

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN I MADE A RIGHT TURN AND TURNED TO CLOSE TO THE CURB AND BUMPED IT AND BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE DEALER SAYS IT'S NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX, THAT I SHOULD CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND MAKE A CLAIM. MY INSURANCE SAYS THAT IF I MAKE A CLAIM I COULD BE CANCELED SINCE I HAVE TWO PRIOR CLAIMS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED. ALL I DID WAS CATCH THE CURB WITH THE SIDE OF MY FRONT TIRE. THE DEALER SAYS IT WILL COST $2,100.00 TO REPAIR. THE CAR IS A 1999 SATURN SL AND IS NOT WORTH THAT. EVEN IF I COULD FILE WITH MY INSURANCE THEY WOULD TOTAL THE CAR BECAUSE IT WOULD COST MORE TO REPAIR THAN IT IS WORTH. I BOUGHT THE CAR 11/26/08 AND HAVE ALREADY HAD TO PUT A NEW WATER PUMP IN IT AND NOW THIS. *TR

THERE ARE PINS HOLDING TOGETHER THE DIFFERENTIAL IN MANUAL AND STANDARD TRANSMISSIONS. THIS PIN GETS WORN OUT AND FALLS OUT OF PLACE CAUSING THE DIFFERENTIAL GEARS TO EXPLODE OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING CHUNKS OF METAL TO FALL AND HIT THE PAVEMENT LEAVING HAZARDS ON THE ROAD WAY AND IN THE PROCESS CAUSES TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL BY LOCKING UP BOTH FRONT TIRES ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS A VICTIM OF THIS AND ALMOST STRUCK A VEHICLE HEAD ON AND IN THE PROCESS HIT SEVERAL OBSTACLE BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAM TO REST IN A DITCH. THE VEHICLE IS NOW AT AAMCO TRANSMISSION IN TULSA OK. ALL THIS INFORMATION ABOUT THE PINS ARE COMING FROM THEM. THIS HAPPENS IN ALL 1999 SATURN SL AND SL2 VEHICLES WITH THE STANDARD AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. MY VEHICLE IS THE 1999 SATURN SL2 WITH THE SOHC 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT COMPLAINTS THERE ARE MANY BEARING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR

MICHELIN WEATHERWISE II B. TIRES HAVE POOR WET SURFACE BRAKING PERFORMANCE. VEHICLE NEEDS EXTRA DISTANCE TO STOP WHEN BRAKING ON WET ROADS. *TR

I BOUGHT A USED SATURN ON 8/23/08 FROM DESERT INN MOTORS, TOO MANY PROBLEMS AFTER 3 MONTHS , NEW BATTERY, BRAKE BAD, MOTOR PROBLEM TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR, SO I TOLD THEM I'M NOT MAKING ANYMORE PAYMENTS, THEY TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR BACK AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE CAR, THEY REPO MY VEHICLE, SHADY BUSINESS PRACTICES. *TR

WITHIN THE PAST FEW MONTHS WHEN I PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE IT JERKS VIOLENTLY. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT CONSISTENT. I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT BY THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. UPON SPEAKING TO ONE OF THE ASSOCIATES AT THE DEALER THEY SAID THEY THINK THEY KNOW WHAT IT IS ... ITS A COMMON PROBLEM BUT WAIT UNTIL THE CAR DOES IT REGULARLY AND IT WILL COST APPROX $1200 TO FIX. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND SATURN/GM NEEDS TO DO A RECALL ON THESE TRANSMISSIONS. *TR

SATURN IS RIPPING PEOPLE OFF BY MAKING THEM BUY A $250 PART JUST TO GET A $5 BUSHING. I THINK THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE WHERE WE GET TO DECIDED WHAT WE REPLACE. *TR

OIL KEEPS COLLECTING IN THE WATER RESERVOIR SEEMS TO HAVE DEVELOPED THE PROBLEM VERY SUDDENLY TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THE HEAD MECHANIC SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SATURNS SO I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS SOMETHING OF A DESIGN FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED,AND THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT. WONDER IF THERE IS A MANUFACTURER FIX FOR THE PROBLEM? *TR

MY MANUAL TRANSMISSION 1999 SATURN SL2 1.8 LTR SOHC WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND THE SHIFTER WENT LIMP. I WAS ALMOST HIT FROM BEHIND. I FOUND IT WAS THE CHEAP PLASTIC SHIFTER BUSHING WHICH ATTACHES THE SHIFT CABLE TO THE STICK. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THE ENTIRE CABLE, SATURN DOES NOT SELL THE BUSHING ONLY, WENT TO A JUNK YARD AND GOT THE PART FOR A DOLLAR. *TR