2001 SATURN SL Complaints

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A LIGHT UP TO ~20MPH THERE WAS THE SMELL OF BRAKE FLUID/RUBBER BURNING. WHEN TRAFFIC SLOWED AGAIN BRAKES HAD NO RESPONSE EVEN WHEN PRESS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CAR WAS STOPPED IN TIME TO AVOID ACCIDENT BY APPLICATION OF EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PLACING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. PUMPING THE BRAKES FAILED TO REGAIN PRESSURE THOUGH AFTER DRIVING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH EBRAKE AND RESTARTING CAR A HARD PUMP OF THE BRAKES HAD SOME RESISTANCE. FURTHER CAUTIOUS DRIVING AND PRESSURE REBUILT. AFTER INSPECTION AT THE SHOP NO EXPLANATION FOR THE EVENT COULD BE FOUND. *TR

1ST INCIDENT: I WENT IN TO THE SATURN DEALER FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THE DEALER FOUND A FUEL LEAK BETWEEN THE TANK AND THE FILTER. THERE WAS FUEL ON TOP OF THE TANK TOP AND ALSO DRIPPING DOWN THE SIDE. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS A CRACKED LINE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM CLOSE TO THE TANK TOP. I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE LEAK OF MY POCKET AS IT WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. 2ND INCIDENT: YESTERDAY I WENT FOR A STATE INSPECTION AT THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALER THAT TAKES CARE OF MY SATURN AND THEY REPORTED THAT I HAVE A FUEL TANK LEAKING AND HAVE TO REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP. BECAUSE OF THIS IT FAILED THE STATE INSPECTION. MY CAR CURRENTLY HAS ONLY 41152 MILES ON IT AND IS DRIVEN MOSTLY FOR PLEASURE. IS THERE A CURRENT RECALL ON THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY OR THE FUEL TANKS OF THE SATURN L300 SERIES? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN SL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ANTI THEFT WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE IGNITION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

FOR SOME TIME NOW MY HORN IS UNRELIABLE. I WAS BEHIND A CAR THAT WAS ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE AND WAS TRYING TO ALERT THEM OF MY PRESENCE AND MY HORN WOULD NOT WORK. I REPEATEDLY KEPT PRESSING THE HORN ICON ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I WAS LUCKY THAT A PERSON WALKING NOTICED AND ALERTED THE DRIVER IN FRONT OF ME. ANOTHER TIME I WAS AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE PERSON IN FRONT OF ME WAS DISTRACTED WITH SOMETHING IN THEIR CAR AND THE LIGHT WAS GREEN AND I HAD CARS LINED UP BEHIND ME, I TRIED TO BLOW MY HORN TO ALERT THEM OF THE LIGHT CHANGE, NO HORN. AGAIN PRESSED HORN ICON REPEATEDLY AND NOTHING HAPPENED. I WOULD SAY THE FIRST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED IN 2009 AND PROGRESSED WITH SPORADIC AVAILABILITY UNTIL IT COMPLETELY STOPPED. I HAVE TOO MANY INSTANCES TO NAME WHERE I NEEDED MY HORN AND IT FAILED TO WORK. I HAVE CONTACTED SATURN AND AM WAITING THEIR REPLY. *TR

I AM SEEING A PATTERN OF SEVERE DRY ROT STRESS CRACKS IN ALL, NEARLY NEW (LESS THAN 12 MONTHS OLD) MICHELIN AND UNIROYAL TIRES IN THE TREAD AREA FIRST THEN LATER THE SIDEWALLS, AND EVEN GOODYEAR TIRES IN JUST 1-2 YEARS. ALL THESE TIRES CAME FROM WALMART. I HAVE THEM ON 6 VEHICLES, ALL WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN BUYING TIRES FOR OVER 38 YEARS, AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM TILL THE LAST FEW YEARS. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND DEALT WITH QUICKLY. I AM A DEGREED CHEMICAL ENGINEER AND I DO ALL MY OWN AUTO REPAIRS, EVEN MAJOR REBUILDS, IN OTHER WORDS I AM VERY EXPERIENCED AND I SEE A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY AND CONSUMER ISSUE HERE!!!! *TR

SOMETIMES MY SECURITY LIGHT GOES ON-WHEN THAT HAPPENS, IN ORDER TO START CAR UP I HAVE TO LOCK ALL OF THE DOORS, WAIT 20 MINUTES THEN START UP THE CAR. IT NOW HAS 117000 MILES ON IT AND IT MAKES A LOUD NOISE AND SHAKES AT ANYTHING OVER 60 MILES AN HOUR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN SL2. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN SL1. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING EXCESSIVELY. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING REPAIRS. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 132,000. ....UPDATED 12/03/12 *BF UPDATED 01/11/12

SATURN 2001 SL1, MY GIRLFRIEND WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND CALLED ME SAYING THAT IT WAS KNOCKING SHE ONLY DROVE IT AROUND THE BLOCK DUE TO HER BEING SCARED OF THE SOUNDS. I THEN DROVE THE CAR AROUND TO ENSURE THAT IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS 97,000 MILES ON IT AND I JUST HAD THE O2 SENSOR CHANGED FOR AN IDLE HIGH ISSUE. I ALSO HAD TO CLEAN OUT THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE DUE TO BUILD UP AND FAULTY OPERATION. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO AAMCO TO ENSURE THE TRANSMISSION IS TAKEN CARE OF PROPERLY. THEY HAVE TO REBUILD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACING EVERY PART INSIDE THE CASING. 2,480$ IN THE HOLE, SO I BETTER NOT HAVE ANYMORE ISSUES WITH THIS CAR AFTER THIS. ALSO THE DOOR LOCK GETS STUCK ON THE DRIVER SIDE, SO YOU HAVE TO MANUALLY PUSH OVER THE LEAVER EVERY TIME YOU EXIT THE VEHICLE. *TR

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON JULY 18 2009 A LADY PULLED OUT OF A SIDE STREET AND WE HIT. I COULD NOT AVOID HER. IM NOT SURE WHAT SPEED I WAS GOING AT IMPACT BUT I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AT 40 MPH. MY FRONT END HIT HER SIDE.MOST PASSENGERS ME, THE FRONT PASSENGER AND TWO OTHERS WERE INJURED. NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. IM NOT SURE IF THEY SHOULD HAVE BUT AT THAT SPEED AND THE IMPACT I FEEL THEY DEFINITELY SHOULD HAVE. MY DAUGHTER AND I FLEW FORWARD AND SHE HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND I WENT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL COMING VERY CLOSE TO THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAR IN TOTALED. *TR