1996 SATURN SL Complaints

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS STATED IN RECALL NUMBER 98 V 307 000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB

MANUAL TRANSMISSION POPS OUT OF GEAR AND GRINDS. SOMETIMES YOU CAN'T GET IT INTO GEAR. ALL COMPONETS OF THE CLUTCH ARE FINE. *JB

I PURCHASED MY SATURN SL2 NEW IN 1996. AFTER 70,000 MILES IT STARTED USING AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF OIL. OIL CONSUMPTION STARTED TO ECLIPSE 1 QT. FOR EVERY 500 MILES. MY OIL CHANGE SERVICE SAID SATURN ENGINES WERE NOTORIOUS FOR BAD RINGS. I TOOK TO SATURN DEALERSHIP. THEY WANTED SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR A NEW ENGINE. I REPLACED ENGINE WITH A SATURN ENGINE WITH 23,000 MILES. AFTER ANOTHER 40,000 MILES THE REPLACEMENT ENGINE EXHIBITED THE EXACT SAME BEHAVIOR. I NOW NEED TO PURCHASE A THIRD ENGINE.

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE CAR WAS RUNNING THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE, FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD.

CRUISE CONTROL FAILURE. RANDOM ACCELERATION ONE TO FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED. CC SYSTEM DOES NOT RESPOND TO DECEL BUTTON. CC SYSTEM WILL DISENGAGE WITH SYSTEM SET TO OFF. ACCELERATION ON FAILURE IS STRONG, BELIEVED TO BE A FULLY OPEN THROTTLE ON FAILURE. MR

I BOUGHT MY CAR IN 1996 BRAND NEW FROM STAMFORD SATURN CAR DEALER. DURING THE FIRST YEAR, I EXPERIENCED THAT MY CAR IS USING ONE QUART OF OIL PER MONTH. I REPORTED TO MY CAR DEALER THAT MY CAR IS USING 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY MONTH, THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I BRING THE CAR TO THEM FOR OIL CONSUMPTION STUDY FOR SIX MONTH. I DID NOT BRING MY CAR TO THE DEALER AT THAT TIME. AFTER SIX YEARS, MY CAR WAS USING 3 QUARTS OF OIL WITHIN TEN DAYS. I CALLED SATURN REPRESENTATIVE AND THE LOCAL SATURN CAR DEALER FOR HELP. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I AUTHORIZE THE DEALER TO DO TEAR DOWN OF THE ENGINE. I AUTHORIZED THE DEALER TO THE TEAR DOWN OF THE ENGINE; AFTER THE TEAR DOWN DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT, I EITHER HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED FOR $3000.00 OR REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $4300.00. I DECIDED TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED WITH NEW ENGINE. THE SATURN REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NOT ADMIT THAT MY CAR HAS MANUFACTURER DEFECT, I EXPLAINED TO THEM THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR A NEW CAR TO USE UP 3 QUARTS OF OIL IN TEN DAYS. IN THE BEGINNING, THE SATURN REPRESENTATIVE AGREED IF THE CAR HAD OIL CONSUMPTION OR MANUFACTURER DEFECT THEY WOULD HELP WITH THE REPAIR COST. HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR THEY ARE NOT HELPING ME WITH THE REPAIR COST. PLEASE TRY TO UNDERSTAND I HAVE FAMILY WIFE AND TWO YEAR OLD SON, MY WIFE CANNOT WORK FULL TIME BECAUSE SHE HAS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SON. TO PAY $4300.00 IS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO HANDLE, PLEASE HELP. I PAID THE DEALER WITH MY AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD.*AK

WHEN GOING FROM A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED TO A LOW RATE OF SPEED (65 MPH TO 25 MPH OR 40 MPH TO 15 MPH) THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES WHILE THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED. ALSO, WHEN APPLYNG THE BRAKES, THE CAR DOES NOT ALWAYS STOP WITHIN THE NORMAL DISTANCE . WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH AND SLOWING TO A RATE OF ABOUT 15 MPH ENTERING A HIGHWAY RAMP, LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR ON THE WET ROADWAY WHCIH CAUSED ME TO SKID AND GO UP ONTO THE CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND HAD APPROX. $2500 WORTH OF DAMGE. LUCKILY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE 5 PEOPLE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS DUE TO ROADWAY CONDITIONS UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 20 MPH SLOWING FOR A STOP SIGN AHEAD. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THANKFULLY, THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT THIS TIME. AGAIN, IT WAS RAINING LIGHTLY. I HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER.*AK

THERE IS A CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD AND OIL IS LEAKING FROM VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

ENGINE HAD A CRACKED HEAD WHICH WAS CAUSING LOSS OF OIL. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED AND WAS LEAKING. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING A REFUND FOR THE COST OF REPAIR. *YH

AT 65 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, PEDAL FELT HARD, AND WOULD NOT DEPRESS. DASH INDICATOR DID NOT ILLUMINATE. MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND A CAUSE OF PROBLEM.*AK