SATURN Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED AND WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN. THE VEHICLE'S DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE STRUCK THE CURB AND WENT UP ON THE CURB. THIS RESULTING IN SERIOUS DAMAGE TO UNDERCARRIAGE. (AXLE BROKE). HAD KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECALL AND THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAS NOT HAD THE PARTS TO FIX THE STEERING/IGNITION. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY WITH CHILDREN IN THE CAR, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BROKE, MAKING STEERING EXTREMELY DIFFICULT. IT FELT AS IF WE WERE GOING TO FLIP, I SLOWLY MOVED OVER AND LUCKILY WE WERE ABLE TO STOP BEFORE A HORRIFIC ACCIDENT OCCURRED. ONCE WE STOPPED WE GOT OUT TO FIND THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE TILTED INWARD AND UNDRIVABLE. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE SHOP WE FOUND THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND FRAME BROKE AS WELL AS THE CONTROL ARMS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES AND IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE FOR ANYONE TO BE DRIVING A RECALL NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THIS AGAIN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF OUR FAMILIES. *TR

IGNITION KEY LOCKED IN PLACE AND WOULD NOT TURN ON OR UNLOCK STEERING WHEEL CAUSING VEHICLE TO BE IMMOBILE. THIS COULD CAUSE THE STEERING TO HAZARDIOUS IF THE STEERING LOCKED WHILE MOVING. OTHER GM VEHICLES, INCLUDING SATURNS HAVE HAD RECALLS ON THE IGNITION SWITCH. *TR

I WAS LEAVING WORK, I ENTERED MY CAR, PUT THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE KEY. THE KEY WOULD NOT TURN. THE IGNITION WAS LOCKED AND THERE WAS NO UNLOCKING IT. I CALLED SEVERAL TOW COMPANIES AS THIS HAD HAPPENED A YEAR EARLIER AND A TOW COMPANY CAME OUT, SPRAYED THE IGNITION WITH WD-40 AND IT TURNED RIGHT AWAY. I TRIED THE WD-40 BEFORE CALLING THE TOW COMPANY AND IT DID NOTHING. WHEN THE TOW TRUCK ARRIVED, HE HAD MADE A STATEMENT THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS A LOT WITH THESE SUV'S. HE GOT THE KEY INTO THE AUXILIARY POSITION AND HIT IT THE KEY WITH THE HARD END OF A BUTT OF A KNIFE. THIS MADE THE IGNITION SLIP TO THE "ON" POSITION. I COULD THEN TURN THE KEY AND START THE TRUCK. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO HAVE THIS IGNITION REPLACED. I FEEL THAT THIS IGNITION SHOULD BE REPLACED AS JUST BECAUSE IT HAS NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT YET, THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECT WITH THIS IGNITION. THE STEERING COLUMN WAS LOCKED UNTIL THE KEY COULD BE TURNED TO THE "ON" POSITION. I HAVE TO LEAVE THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AT THIS TIME SO, THAT I CAN START THE TRUCK AND GET TO WORK. I AM TOLD IT WILL BE CLOSE TO $300 TO REPAIR THIS DEFECT!. *TR

MANUFACTURER RECALL TO REPROGRAM THE BCM, THEN THEY REPLACED THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE AT THE SAME VISIT. HOW AND WHERE DO I ATTACH AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET WITH THE 30 REPAIRS, SOME MAJOR SINCE OWNERSHIP OF THIS VEHICLE? *TR

THE IGNITION FAILED TO WORK. TURNING THE KEY TO THE START POSITION DID NOT TURN THE ENGINE ON. DID NOT START THE STARTER MOTOR. ALSO AFTER TURNING THE KEY TO THE START POSITION, THE KEY DID NOT RECOIL BACK TO THE ON POSITION AS IT DOES SO CUSTOMARILY. THE KEY JUST REMAINS IN THE START POSITION BY ITSELF. MY VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO ALEXANDER/GMC/CADILLAC AUTO CENTER IN OXNARD, CA. I WAS TOLD THAT I AM GOING TO BE CHARGED CLOSE TO $600 (PARTS & LABOR). ANOTHER ISSUE I HAVE IS THAT THE DRIVERS AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, I TOOK IT TO THE SAME SHOP MENTIONED ABOVE, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO FAULT CODE WHEN THEY SCANNED THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER VIA OBD-II. HOWEVER, AND TO THIS DAY, THE AIRBAG LIGHT CONTINUED TO BE LIT, GIVING ME AN UNSETTLING FEELING. *TR

MY CAR WOULDN'T START DUE TO A RELATED IGNITION SWITCH ISSUE THAT IS ALSO PART OF A GENERAL GM RECALL. THE NEXT DAY WE WENT TO GIVE THE CAR A JUMP START. IT STARTED UP, BUT IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED THE POWER STEERING WAS OUT MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE, ESPECIALLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS!!! *TR

THIS CAR HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I TRIED TO PUT IT IN GEAR TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. SO I LET IT ROLL BACKWARDS IN NEUTRAL TO THE STREET. I PUMPED THE CLUTCH TO SEE IF THAT WOULD WORK. IT WOULDN'T GO INTO FIRST GEAR WHEN I WOULD TRY TO GET IT IN GEAR IT WOULD SLOWLY MOVE FORWARD EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T IN GEAR. I CHECKED THE FLUID LEVELS AND THEY WERE FINE. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND TRIED TO PUT IT IN FIRST IT WENT INTO FIRST GEAR JUST FINE AND WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION ON, IT LUNGED ME FORWARD. I DROVE ABOUT 25 FEET WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE INTO SECOND GEAR, IT WOULDN'T BUDGE. SO I HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR AGAIN SO IT WOULD GO INTO FIRST GEAR THEN I STARTED IT UP AND IT LUNGED ME FORWARD AGAIN. I NEEDED TO TURN AROUND TO GET BACK TO THE HOUSE BECAUSE SOMETHING WAS CLEARLY WRONG. I TRIED ONCE AGAIN TO PUT IT IN SECOND, SAME PROBLEM I HAD TO TURN IT OFF THEN THROW IT IN FIRST AND START IT UP REAL QUICK. I FINALLY GOT IT IN SECOND GEAR AND DROVE IT HOME. I STAYED IDLING IN SECOND GEAR IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE FOR ABOUT 5-7 MIN. THEN I TRIED TO GO AND IT WORKED, IT WENT INTO GEAR WITH EASE, AND CHANGED INTO ALL THE OTHER GEARS WITH EASE AS I DOVE THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD JUST LIKE IT WAS A BRAND NEW CAR AGAIN & ALL DAY LIKE NOTHING HAD EVER HAPPENED. NOW EVERY MORNING SINCE THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED SO I TAKE THE SAME STEPS, I PUMP THE CLUTCH AND LET IT SIT ABOUT 5 MIN. AND END UP APPLYING PRESSURE TO GET IT INTO GEAR AND IT WILL WORK ALL DAY UNTIL THIS MORNING. IT WILL STILL GO INTO GEAR WHEN ITS OFF AND STARTS THE SAME WAY AS I EXPLAINED BUT NOW AFTER WAITING THE 5-7 MIN BEFORE I TAKE OFF IT STILL WONT GO INTO GEAR OR "FIX ITSELF" LIKE IT DID BEFORE. HAVE MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS? I'VE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR AND REPORTED IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER, IT WILL COST $115.00 JUST FOR THEM TO DIAGNOSE IT AND IM ON A LIMITED INCOME. *TR

MY SON WAS DRIVING AND THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF HIM STOPPED SUDDENLY. HE HIT THE BRAKES AND FELT THE STEERING LOCK UP, BRAKES LOCKED AND HE COULDN'T STOP. HIT THE TRUCK HARD ENOUGH TO CRACK THE CORE SUPPORT IN THE SATURN BUT THE AIR BAG DO NOT EXPAND. HE WAS NOT INJURED BUT THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE IF YOU CAN HIT ANOTHER CAR ENOUGH TO CRACK THE STEEL FRAME BUT NO AIRBAG WAS DEPLOYED. *TR

POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY QUITS ON THE VEHICLE WHEN TURNING LEFT. RECENTLY UPON VEHICLE STARTUP THE CAR DINGED AND A MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED TO HAVE EPS SERVICED - TURNING THE WHEEL EITHER DIRECTION WAS DIFFICULT. MOST OF THE TIME THE STEERING FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. INQUIRY WITH DEALER SAYS NO RECALL FOR STEERING ISSUES ON THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *TR