SATURN Complaints

CAR PARKED AT WORK - INFORMED HORN WAS BLOWING ON CAR. TURNED OFF ALARM - STILL BLOWING. THUMPED CENTER OF STEERING WHEEL - BLOWING STOPPED. HAPPENED ONE WEEK LATER - SAME SCENARIO. TWO DAYS LATER - BLEW HORN AT DOG WHILE DRIVING - HAD TO THUMP CENTER OF STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE BLOWING STOP. HAVE HAD SIX (6) MORE INCIDENTS SINCE APRIL '13 = SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN HEAT BUILDS UP IN CAR. THUMPING CENTER OF STEERING WHEEL STOPS BLOWING. AFRAID TO DISCONNECT HORN DUE TO SAFETY OF HAVING A HORN. HAVE READ MULTIPLE, SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET - FOCUSES MAINLY ON '02 AND '03 SATURN VUE. WONDERING IF THERE IS A RECALL? HAVE SEEN ESTIMATES FOR REPAIR OF HORN SWITCHES AND AIRBAGS ABOVE $700.00. SEEMS TO BE CHRONIC PROBLEM - COULD LEAD TO FIRE IN AIRBAG DUE TO FAULTY SWITCH???? VERY CONCERNED. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I PURCHASED AND 08 AURA ABOUT 1.5 YEARS AGO FOR MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER. OTHER THAN A FEW MINOR PROBLEMS THE CAR WAS FINE. A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO SHE EXPERIENCED A DEAD BATTERY AND WAS ABLE TO HAVE A FRIEND "JUMP START" THE CAR AND AS FOR THE BATTERY, IT HAS BEEN FINE SINCE. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR SYSTEM (TPMS) WAS INOPERATIVE AND WOULD NOT RESET MANUALLY. THESE TPMS, I BELIEVE, CAME ABOUT DUE TO THE INABILITY TO BE ABLE TO VISUALLY SEE THAT A TIRE IS "LOW" WITH TODAYS "RUN FLAT', LOW PROFILE, AND STIFFER SIDEWALL, TIRES AND THAT THE MAJORITY OF DRIVERS DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CHECK TIRE PRESSURE ANYWAY. I WAS THEREFORE CONCERNED ABOUT MY DAUGHTERS SAFETY AS WELL AS OTHER THAT COULD BE INVOLVED IN A CRASH THAT RESULTED FROM POOR HANDLING OR WORSE, AN OVERHEATED TIRE AND BLOWOUT. I DID SOME SEARCHING AND DISCOVERED THAT GM HAD ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (TSB) EXPLAINING THAT THE TPMS FAILURE WAS DUE TO A "LOW VOLTAGE" INCIDENT THAT CAUSES THE CONTROL MODULE TO LOSE MEMORY. THE FIX, ACCORDING TO THE TSB, WAS TO REPROGRAM THE MODULE WITH UPDATED SOFTWARE. THIS BEING A KNOWN CONDITION AND SAFETY CONCERN, I DID NOT EXPECT TO HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. I CONTACTED GM WHO REFUSED TO COVER THE REPAIR AND I ULTIMATELY PAID ABOUT $60. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN ON MULTIPLE VEHICLES FROM GM INCLUDING MOST OF THE 08 SATURN LINE AS WELL AS THE PONTIAC G5 AND G6, AND CHEVY COBALT. I ALSO FOUND THAT NHTSA FOUND REASON FOR RECALL ON SOME GM SUV'S A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO DUE TO A PROGRAMMING ERROR ON THE TPMS WHICH IS WHAT THIS IS. AS THESE 08 CARS AGE THEY ARE NOW REACHING THE EXPECTED LIFE OF THEIR BATTERY AND REPLACING THEM WHICH IS CAUSING THE TPMS SYSTEM TO BE INOPERATIVE. I BELIEVE THAT GM SHOULD FOR SAKE OF THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS RECALL THESE AFFECTED CARS AND PREVENT FUTURE ACCIDENTS. SOME MAY HAVE ALREADY HAPPENED. *TR

WHEN AN ADULT (OVER 100 POUNDS) SITS IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT THE LIGHT ON THE DASH INDICATING THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS ON/OFF SWITCHES FROM ON TO OFF AND BACK ON ETC. THE TIMING BETWEEN AN ON TO OFF EPISODE VARIES FROM SECONDS TO MANY MINUTES. THUS PASSENGER NOT PROTECTED BY AIRBAG. TOOK CAR TO BUICK/GMC DEALER AND THEY REPLACED PARTS DEALING WITH THE WEIGHT SENDOR IN THE FROM PASSENGER SEAT: THEY ARE: 20824277 MODULE KIT 19118733 CONNECTOR (REQUIRED BECAUSE ABOVE MODULE WAS REDESIGNED) 25864887 HEATER COST OVER $1000.00. *TR

POWER STEERING LIGHT FLASHED AND STEERING BECAME HEAVY. I HAD TO USE LOT OF FORCE TO PULL OVER. I CALLED FOR HELP THEY RESTARTED THE CAR AND PROBLEM DISAPPEARED. IT CAME BACK AGAIN THE NEXT DAY AND THE DAY AFTER. ITS CONSISTENTLY COMES AND GOES. *TR

STEERING SOMETIMES PULLS LEFT OR RIGHT, LIKE YOUR ARE IN A RUT. IT CAN NOT BE CORRECTED BACK TO CENTER IT IN YOUR LANE. IT JUMPS TO THE OPPOSITE PULL. IT CAN DO THIS @ ANY SPEED INCLUDING ON THE INTERSTATE. THIS CAUSES YOU TO DRIFT BACK AND FORTH IN YOUR LANE FIGHTING TO CENTER THE CAR UNTIL THE STEERING RETURNS TO NORMAL. SOMETIMES IT LASTS ONLY A MINUTE, AND GOES AWAY, OTHER TIMES IT LASTS SEVERAL MINUTES AND JUST WHEN YOU THINK IT'S BACK TO NORMAL IT STARTS PULLING AGAIN. WHEN IT'S BEEN PULLING A LOT, THE STEERING WHEEL WILL ALSO SHAKE WHILE SITTING STILL SOMETIMES. THE DEALER CHECKED IT OUT AND FOUND NOTHING, BUT IT WENT AWAY FOR ABOUT 3 MONTHS. NOW IT'S BACK AGAIN, AND I WILL BE RETURNING TO THE DEALER. *TR

WHILE IN A STOPPED POSITION, I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND MY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. I WAS STUCK NOT BEING ABLE TO PULL OVER TO GET OUT OF TRAFFIC, BECAUSE MY CAR WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR. I PUT IT INTO PARK, THEN BACK INTO DRIVE SEVERAL TIMES, AND I FINALLY GOT IT TO CREEP ENOUGH IN LOW GEAR TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IF I WERE TRYING TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP PRIOR DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING. THIS WAS NOT COVERED AND COST ME $3000. I AM STILL NOT SURE THIS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM AND I DON'T FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR. THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES FOR A FRONT LEAK AT THE DRIVER'S DOOR FROM THE SUNROOF, WHICH STILL LEAKS WITH HEAVY RAIN. ALSO, THE CONSTANT SQUEALING WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL WHICH NO MECHANIC WILL ACKNOWLEDGE. NOTHING HAS EVER BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS. I ASSUME IT IS THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE CAR DOESN'T HAVE GOOD ACCELERATION POWER COMPARED TO ANY OTHER SUV MODEL. IT DRAGS WITH NO PICK UP.

HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE KEY STICKING AND THE CAR NOT TURNING OFF FOR A WEEK. TODAY AFTER PARKING I COULD NOT TURN THE CAR OFF AT ALL, THE KEY WAS STUCK TIGHT. I CALLED MY HUSBAND DROVE THE CAR HOME, HE COULDN'T TURN THE CAR OFF AND HE'S A CAR AND AIRPLANE MECHANIC. FINALLY GOT A HOLD OF DEALERSHIP WHERE THE SERVICE MANAGER FELT SORRY FOR ME AND TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR IN IMMEDIATELY, HE COULD NOT TURN THE CAR OFF. THEY EVENTUALLY WERE ABLE TO TURN THE CAR OFF, BUT THE REPLACEMENT TUMBLER AND KEYS WILL COST ME $230 BECAUSE-OF COURSE-MY WARRANTY RAN OUT. I THINK THAT GM SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS BECAUSE IT IS A DESIGN FLAW WITH POTENTIAL SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES AND SAFETY ISSUES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO SOMEONE LEAVING A RUNNING CAR IN A CLOSED GARAGE BECAUSE UNLIKE ME, THEY COULD NOT FIND A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR OR ALTERNATIVELY BATTERY REMOVAL COULD DAMAGE THE COMPUTER SYSTEMS OR A SPARK CAUSED BY UNEDUCATED REMOVAL OF THE BATTERY COULD CAUSE A BATTERY EXPLOSION OR ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE SATURN IS NOT THE ONLY GM PRODUCT WITH THIS PROBLEM AND A BRIEF SEARCH ON GOOGLE, SHOWED THAT MANY OWNERS ARE PAYING A WIDE RANGE OF REPAIR BILLS FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN LS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE IT WAS STATED THE TIMING TENSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE 95,402. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY, SATURN RELAY 2005 SLOWED DOWN AND LOST POWER INTERMITTENTLY. DASH WARNING LIGHTS FLASHED ON AND OFF (ABS/STABILITY/TRACTION) - WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER ON AND OFF. WHEN I APPLIED THE GAS, THE VEHICLE BOGGED DOWN AND CONTINUED TO SLOW. THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHEN I DEPRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. I COULD NOT MOVE OVER TO THE BERM DUE TO HEAVY TRAFFIC SO I ATTEMPTED TO EXIT AT AN UPCOMING EXIT RAMP. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES NOTHING HAPPENED THE FIRST FEW TIMES. THEN THE BRAKES WORKED SO I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN EVENTUALLY. THE BRAKES WERE PULSATING WHEN I WOULD DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL AND INTERMITTENTLY, NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. *TR

HAD JUST PULLED OUT OF DRIVEWAY WHEN POWER STEERING INDICATOR CHIMED AND I LOST POWER STEERING. PULLED OVER AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF. WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON, CAR FUNCTIONED NORMALLY AND I WAS ABLE TO PROCEED TO MY DESTINATION. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM AS I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS ON YOUR SITE? *TR