1995 SATURN SW Complaints

THIS REPORT IS NOT ABOUT MY VEHICLE; IT IS ABOUT ALL VEHICLES WITH A FACTORY DRL SYSTEM INSTALLED. MOST DRL SYSTEMS TURN ON ONLY THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS IS DANGEROUS! THE OPERATOR SEES LIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY FROM THE DRL CONTROLLED HEADLIGHTS AND IS LULLED INTO FEELING SAFE, THINKING "MY LIGHTS ARE ON, EVERYBODY CAN SEE ME." UNFORTUNATELY, THE DRIVER IS ONLY HALF RIGHT." THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE SEEN FROM BEHIND, BECAUSE THE PARKING LIGHTS ARE NOT ON. "OK" YOU WILL SAY. "WHAT ABOUT THE VEHICLES THAT USE 'BRIGHT FRONT PARKING LIGHTS'?" WELL, HERE IN OREGON, THE USE OF PARKING LIGHTS "ONLY" IS AGAINST THE LAW. OREGON SAYS "WHEN EVER PARKING LIGHTS ARE USED, THE HEADLIGHTS MUST BE ON." MY VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A FACTORY INSTALLED DRL SYSTEM. I HAD AN AFTERMARKET SYSTEM, PATTERNED AFTER THE SUBARU'S, RECENTLY INSTALLED. WHEN EVER THE VEHICLE'S IGNITION KEY IS IN THE RUN POSITION, THE 'STALK' THAT CONTROLLS THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS IS ACTIVE, WHICH MEANS THAT WHERE EVER THAT LIGHT SWITCH IS POSITONED, WHEN I START THE CAR, THAT'S WHAT LIGHTS ARE ON (OR OFF) AND WHEN I REMOVE THE IGNITION KEY, ALL LIGHTS (THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ON) GO OFF.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE, AND HER AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK *ML

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS A DELAY OF UP TO THREE SECONDS WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WHEN THE CAR IS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO JERK BACKWARD SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NEARLY COLLIDED INTO FIXED OBJECTS/NON-MOVING VEHICLES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THIS CONDITION IS ONGOING DESPITE REGULAR ANNUAL TRANSMISSION FLUID/FILTER CHANGES BY DEALER AND OWNER. THIS CONDITION HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER SATURN AUTO TRANSMISSION OWNERS, REGARDLESS OF MODEL, ON THE SATURN DISSCUSSION GROUP SITE AT REC.AUTOS.MAKERS.SATURN THE PROBLEM IS MOST DANGEROUS WHEN THROTTLE IS APPLIED. RAPID APPLICATION OF REVERSE IS DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE SUCH AS OVERSHOOTING AND CORRECTING FOR A CROSSWALK AT A STOPLIGHT, DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW AT PARKING LOT OR FAST FOOD RESTURANT, THREE POINT TURNS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, ETC. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HESITATES WHEN SWITCHING TO REVERSE CAUSING DIFFICULTY WHEN PARKING, VALVE BODY REPLACED. *YC

CONSUMER FEELS MANUFACTURERS DECISION NOT TO ISSUE RECALL ON POSSIBLE CYLINDER HEAD CRACKS IRRESPONSIBLE. NLM

WAS DRIVING A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. TOOK TO DEALER & ENGINE OIL HAD LEAKED OUT. THE OIL LIGHT HAD MALFUNCTIONED ON PANEL. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REBUILT. PISTON ROD RINGS/ CYLINDER/CRANKSHAFT & BEARINGS NEED REPLACING ALSO. THE AXLE SEAL WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES. TRANSMISSION LEAKS OIL ON THE HOUSING AREA & IT WAS CRACKED. *AK

A CRACKED ENGINE GASKET HAS ALLOWED OIL TO CONTAMINATE THE COOLANT COMPARTMENT. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A THICK MIXTURE OF OIL AND COOLANT.

SATURN AREA SERVICE MANAGER SAYS THAT THE ORIGINAL BRAKE PADS WERE TOO HARD, THEY'VE CHANGED THEM TO A SOFTER PAD. THE FIRST TIME CHANGED AT 13,740 MILES, SECOND TIME AT 30,000 AND NOW AT 37,000. CONSUMER IS OUT OF WARRANTY, BUT THAT'S NOT THE PROBLEM. SATURN SAYS IT'S DESIGN AND CONSUMER FEELS HE SHOULD NOT PAY FOR MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN PROBLEMS. SOFTER PADS DO NOT WEAR AS FAST BUT STILL WEAR OUT. *AK

EXCESSIVE WEAR OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS AND PADS. ALSO DEVELOPING A PROBLEM IN FRONT SUSPENSION. *AK

AT 13,000 MILES THE BRAKES PULLED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. AT 19,000 MILES THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT