1997 SATURN SW Complaints

CONSUMER RECEIVED A NOTICE REGARDING A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP, HOWEVER WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP UNTIL IT FAILED, BUT WAS TOLD TO KEEP THE LETTER UNTIL THE FUEL PUMP FAILED, ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS CONSUMERS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED HARD STARTING, AND AFTER THE 3RD OCCURRENCE, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS INDEED DEFECTIVE, HOWEVER THE LETTER CONSUMER RECEIVED PREVIOUSLY WAS NO LONGER VALID WHICH WAS GOOD FOR 6 YEARS OR 70,000 MILES, AND CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS 6 YEARS OLD WITH 90,000 AND THEREFORE CONSUMER WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHARGE, CONSUMER IS NOW SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT FOR ALL REPAIRS.*JB

FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED, SATURN HAD SENT CONSUMER A LETTER STATING THAT THE FUEL PUMP MAY FAIL PREMATURELY AND CAUSE EXTENDED CRANK TIME, LOSS OF POWER, AND POSSIBLE NO START CONDITIONS, SATURN GAVE A RREPLACEMENT COVERAGE OF 6 YEARS/75000 MILES, HOWEVER 5 MONTHS AFTER FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT, THE FUEL REGULATOR WENT BAD, DEALER ALSO REPLACED NEW PLUGS AND SPARK PLUG WIRES, CONSUMER FEELS THE FUEL PUMP OVER PRESSURIZED THE FUEL REGULATOR CAUSING A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION IN THE FUEL REGULATOR TO FAIL. *SLC

TIRE WAS READY TO THROW TREAD (FIRESTONE AFFINITY TOURING TI - P185-65R15). NLM

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 30MPH ON HIGHWAY AND WAS APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT WHEN SHE APPLIED BRAKES, AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS GUSHY AND WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T STOP.*AK

THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE LAP BELT AREA THEREBY NOT ALLOWING ME TO FASTEN MY BELT. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW TO DRIVE UNBELTED BUT I COULD NOT BELT UP. WORKED FINE THE DAY BEFORE. DEALER SAID BELT MUST BE REPLACED BUT I MUST PAY VEHICLE IS PAST THE 3YR 36000 MILE WARRANTY. I MADE A MISTAKE AS I THOUGHT THAT SAFETY AND EMISSIONS WERE COVERED LONGER.

THROTTLE HANGS AND "RATCHETS" UPWARD WITH SPEED (CRUISE) CONTROL ENGAGED. TURNING SPEED CONTROL SWITCH TO "OFF" DOES NOT CORRECT THE CONDITION, NEITHER DOES APPLYING THE BRAKES. MANUALLY DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO UN-STICK THE THROTTLE CAUSED FURTHER UPWARD "RATCHETING" OF THE THROTTLE AND FURTHER INCREASE IN VEHICLE SPEED. VEHICLE REMAINS IN A STATE OF "RUNAWAY" UNTIL THE IGNITION IS SWITCHED OFF. SWITCHING THE IGNITION "OFF" USUALLY CORRECTS THE CONDITION. PROBLEM OCCURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS: DECEMBER, 1999; AND MAY 13, 2000. REPORTED TO DEALER IN DECEMBER, 1999 (SO# 85066). DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEM WITH SPEED CONTROL. FIRST INCIDENT RESULTED IN VEHICLE RUNNING A "STOP" SIGN AT END OF EXIT RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH , BUT NO CRASH. SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. SECOND INCIDENT WAS CORRECTED BY TURNING OFF IGNITION AND COASTING TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY. INCIDENTS OCCURRED WITH DIFFERENT DRIVERS OPERATING THE VEHICLE. *AK

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH BRAKES SQUEALING WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED WITHIN THE FIRST MILE OF DRIVING,. THEN BRAKES FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT IT WAS A NORMAL CONDITION. ASKING NHTSA TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS MATTER.*AK

UPON STARTING VEHICLE A HUGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. DRIVER SHUT OFF THE IGNTION AND REMOVED THE KEY. VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AFTERWARDS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHERE ALL WIRING IN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FOUND TO BE BURNED. INSURANCE COMPANY NOT SURE WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. ALL THE WIRING WILL BE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK *ML

SEATBELT WILL NOT UNREEL FROM OPEN POSITION ,AND WILL NOT RELEASE, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK

THE SEAT BELTS IN OUR SATURN DO NOT ALLOW US TO INSTALL CHILD CAR SEATS IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THEY DO NOT MOVE. WE HAVE PURCHASED A CAR BED FOR OUR BABY - DUE ANY MOMENT - ONLY TO FIND THAT WE CANNOT SECURE A CAR SEAT WITH BELTS THAT COME OUT OF THE CENTER OF THE SEAT. SATURN SAYS THEIR BELTS COMPLY - THE CAR SEAT MANUFACTURER SAYS SAYS THEY COMPLY AND YET WE DON'T HAVE A SAFE WAY TO INSTALL THE TWO CAR SEATS WE NEED FOR OUR GIRLS. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT A SEAT BELT THAT COMES OUT OF THE SEAT CANNOT SAFELY BE USED WITH ANY CAR SEAT. I'M DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO ENSURE MY CHILDREN'S SAFETY, SATURN SAYS IT'S NOT THEIR PROBLEM.