SATURN Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN UNRELATED PROBLEM AND THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

CAR BEGAN TO MAKE EXCESSIVE RATTLING AND CLUNKING IN FRONT END AND THE STEERING FELT VERY LOOSE. TOOK TO GM DEALER AND THEY FOUND THE ENTIRE FRONT END PRETTY MUCH SHOT. CONTROL ARM BUSHINGS, SWAY BAR LINKS, AND STRUTS ALL REPLACED. THE DEALER SAID THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FRACTURED AND NEAR FAILURE. STEERING I SHAFT AND COLUMN WERE REPLACED. AROUND $3000 IN PARTS AND LABOR AT 71000, NOT MY IDEA OF A QUALITY BUILT VEHICLE. MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD FOR SOMETHING WITH THIS KIND OF MILEAGE. *TR

MY 2006 SATURN ION KEY WOULD NOT TURN OFF. LEFT VEHICLE RUNNING UNTIL I COULD FIND A SERVICE SHOP OPEN AT 7PM. TOOK CARE TO NON-GM SHOP FOR FIXING THAT NIGHT, SHOP CLAIMED THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. IGNITION TUMBLER WAS BROKEN. THEY REPLACED FOR AROUND $400. SATURN WOULD NOT EVEN CONSIDER COVERING THIS SINCE I DID NOT USE A GM DEALER. ALMOST 1 YEAR LATER THIS HAPPENED AGAIN. LUCKILY PARTS AND LABOR WERE COVERED WITHIN THE YEAR, HOWEVER, NOW THEY STATED THAT THE TUMBLER HOUSING IS ALSO WORN OUT AND ARE WANTING TO CHARGE AN ADDITIONAL $300 TO COVER THE NEW PARTS AND DIFFERENCE IN LABOR. FIRST INSTANCE WAS AT 63,000 MILES, SECOND INSTANCE AT 75,000 MILES. UNACCEPTABLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL FUMES WERE EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V419000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

THE PASSENGER-SIDE SEAT BELT IN THE MIDDLE ROW RELEASES UNEXPECTEDLY -- JUST POPS UNBUCKLED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. AFTER THIS HAD HAPPENED REPEATEDLY, I HAD THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY REPLACED AT MY COST, ABOUT A MONTH AGO (AUGUST, 2012). IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE SINCE THEN, TO TWO DIFFERENT PASSENGERS. I WAS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP, "WE KNOW THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH THESE BUCKLES." I WAS ALSO TOLD "IT IS EXTREMELY SENSITIVE, BE CAREFUL NOT TO BUMP IT WHEN IT IS IN USE." OK, SO, IF THERE'S A CRASH, JUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO BUMP THE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY SO THAT IT WON'T LET GO? THIS IS NOT SAFE AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP SWEARS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY BELT AND BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT GM WILL NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE. THE BUCKLES SHOULD NOT RELEASE WHEN "LIGHTLY BUMPED." THEY SHOULD NOT BE "HIGHLY SENSITIVE." THEY SHOULD BE BUCKLED UNTIL THEY ARE DELIBERATELY RELEASED BY THE PASSENGER! *TR

DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND TURNED A CORNER ONTO A CITY STREET IN MORTON,IL. SHE SAID AS SHE STARTED TO SPEED UP TO THE NORMAL DRIVING SPEED ( 30 MPH.) THAT THE CAR DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. SHE TOLD ME IT WAS LIKE SOMEONE HAD TURNED OFF THE KEY. I HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE IN MORTON,IL. AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT HAD BROKEN A TIMING CHAIN WITH PROBABLE ENGINE DAMAGE. ON FURTHER INVESTIGATION ,MAINLY ON THE INTERNET , I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS ENGINE (2.2 LITER 4 CYLINDER TWIN CAM) IS PRONE TO THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE PUMP MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V419000, (FUEL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000......UPDATED 10/17/12 *BF. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FUEL PUMP WAS SQUIRTING FUEL ADJACENT TO EXHAUST. UPDATED 10/17/2012 *JS

BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ON/ ENGINE POWER REDUCED WITH ON ANY WARNING ALMOST REAR ENDED. *TR

I AM SEEING A PATTERN OF SEVERE DRY ROT STRESS CRACKS IN ALL, NEARLY NEW (LESS THAN 12 MONTHS OLD) MICHELIN AND UNIROYAL TIRES IN THE TREAD AREA FIRST THEN LATER THE SIDEWALLS, AND EVEN GOODYEAR TIRES IN JUST 1-2 YEARS. ALL THESE TIRES CAME FROM WALMART. I HAVE THEM ON 6 VEHICLES, ALL WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. I HAVE BEEN BUYING TIRES FOR OVER 38 YEARS, AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM TILL THE LAST FEW YEARS. THIS NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED AND DEALT WITH QUICKLY. I AM A DEGREED CHEMICAL ENGINEER AND I DO ALL MY OWN AUTO REPAIRS, EVEN MAJOR REBUILDS, IN OTHER WORDS I AM VERY EXPERIENCED AND I SEE A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY AND CONSUMER ISSUE HERE!!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO HER RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,922.