SATURN Complaints

SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING OUR HOME ON OCTOBER 27, 2013, OUR 2008 SATURN VUE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXHIBIT HARD SHIFTING, OVER-REVVING BEFORE FINALLY "CLUNKING" INTO GEARS. THESE SYMPTOMS WENT AWAY AFTER A FEW MINUTES WORTH OF DRIVING. THE SYMPTOMS RECURRED THE FOLLOWING DAY SO WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. DIAGNOSIS IS A BROKEN 3-5-R WAVE PLATE. AFTER CONDUCTING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT APPEARS THIS FAILURE IS NOT UNCOMMON WITH THE SATURN VUE AND RELATED GM STABLE MATES (CHEVROLET EQUINOX / GMC ACADIA / PONTIAC TORRENT...). A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE 3-5-R WAVE PLATE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO STRAND DRIVERS AT INOPPORTUNE TIMES; FORTUNATELY WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP UNDER ITS OWN POWER. *TR

WE PURCHASED THIS 2003 SATURN ION USED AND HAD THE POWER STEERING ASSIST MOTOR FAIL WHEN DRIVING. A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH REVEALED THAT THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. GM HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE PROBLEM AND HAS BEEN FIXING CARS WITH THIS ISSUE (2004-2007). THIS CAR HAS THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART THAT IS IN THE LATER MODELS AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED WITH THE "SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT" ISSUED BY GM. IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND I HOPE THEY CONSIDER THE 2003 FOR COVERAGE AS WELL. *TR

MY CAR HAS 89,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT YESTERDAY. I WAS TRAVELING AT 57MPH WHEN THE CARS ENGINE REVVED TO 7 RPMS, AND THEN SLOWED TO 30 MPH. I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THE SPEED LIMIT BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT GO ABOVE 25-30 MPH. IT'S GONNA COST NEARLY $4,000 TO FIX AND THE "5YR" WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MARCH. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN GM FOR MAKING SUCH A TERRIBLE TRANSMISSION. SO MANY PROBLEMS AND VERY LITTLE HELP WITH THE PROBLEM! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE DRIVER ACTIVATED THE ALARM IT CAUSED THE HORN TO REMAIN ENGAGED. THE DRIVER DISCONNECTED THE HORN RELAY IN ORDER TO SHUT THE HORN OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT EITHER THE AIR BAG SWITCH ASSEMBLY OR BODY CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE ON ALL THE TIME WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING. IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS TAPPED, THE LIGHTS GO OFF BRIEFLY, THEN COME BACK ON AGAIN. IF THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE LIGHTS GO OFF BRIEFLY, THEN COME ON AS THEY SHOULD. *TR

THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING ISSUE FOR THIS VEHICLE, ORIGINALLY STARTED OVER A YEAR AGO BUT HAPPENED VERY RARELY, NOW IT IS HAPPENING NEARLY EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN. OCCASIONALLY THE BRAKE LIGHTS WILL TURN ON AND STAY ON. THIS DISABLES THE CRUISE CONTROL. WHILE THE LIGHTS STAY ON IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE BRAKE LIGHTS FLASH OFF AND TURN BACK ON, REMAINING ON. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT FLASHES OR REMAINS ILLUMINATED WHILE THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. RANDOMLY THE ISSUE WILL RESOLVE ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE AND TURNING BACK ON DOES NOT ALWAYS FIX THE BRAKE LIGHT ISSUE. *TR

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED. I HAVE READ THAT THIS IS COMMON IN SKY AND SOLSTICE VEHICLES. EVEN WHEN THEY ARE REPAIRED, THEY FAIL AGAIN. $800 REPAIR ... SO MY PASSENGER IS TRAVELING WITH NO AIRBAG AT ALL TIMES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE TILTED STEERING WHEELING WAS MANEUVERED IN A DOWNWARD POSITION AND THEN THE DRIVER 'S SIDE TURN SIGNAL AND BOTH HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. AFTER RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

THE AIR BAG SEAT SENSOR IN MY VEHICLE FAILED AND ANY PASSENGER IN THE CAR FACES RISK IF AN ACCIDENT WERE TO OCCUR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE OWNER'S COST TO FIX THIS ITEM IS PROHIBITIVE ($700 - $1000), AND THAT THE EARLY FAILURE OF THIS PART IS SOMEWHAT COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE. I THINK BECAUSE OF ALL THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS IT IS A PROBLEM AND MAY CAUSE SOMEONE TO GET REALLY HURT. LEFT DEFECTIVE COULD BE REALLY SERIOUS TO A PASSENGER. *TR