SATURN Complaints

HEADLIGHT WENT OUT -STARTED TO CHANGE LIGHT AND IT CAME BACK ON. WENT OUT AGAIN AND TOOK TO THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR -IT WAS NOT HEADLIGHT - WIRING HARNESS/WIRING MELTED AND EXPOSED THE WIRING. THIS PROBLEM IS SO COMMON IN SATURN OUTLOOKS THAT I WAS ABLE TO DO AN INTERNET SEARCH AND TELL THE DEALER THE SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER OF THE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT FROM USE, ABUSE, BUT FROM A FLAW IN WIRING THAT I FEEL IS A SAFETY ISSUE. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE ISSUED BEFORE MORE PROBLEMS/FIRES OCCUR AND RESULTS IN SERIOUS INJURY. ALSO -- IT WILL BE ONE WEEK AGO TOMORROW SINCE THE DEALER ORDERED THE PARTS AND STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED THEM. MY VEHICLE HAS NO FRONT HEADLIGHT - I HAVE FOUR CHILDREN AND NEED TRANSPORTATION LARGE ENOUGH FOR 6 SO WE HAVE TO DRIVE IT UNSAFELY WITHOUT A HEADLIGHT. *TR

MY RIGHT HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT AND WE REPLACED IT AFTER A HUGE STRUGGLE AS IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET TO. THEN ABOUT A MONTH LATER, MY LEFT HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT, SO WE REPLACED IT WITH THE SAME DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY. HOWEVER, WHEN I REPLACED THIS ONE, THE HARNESS (?) OR COMPONENT YOU PUT THE BULB IN APPEARED BLACK AND "BURNT". MY HEADLIGHT WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT A WEEK AND IT BURNED OUT AGAIN. I HATE TO KEEP REPLACING HEADLIGHTS IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HARNESS, WHICH IS EVIDENT BY SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET FOR INFORMATION ABOUT REPLACING THE HEADLIGHTS IN THE SATURN OUTLOOKS. IT TAKES A GREAT DEAL OF TIME AND EFFORT JUST TO GET TO THE BULB CHANGED ONLY TO HAVE IT CONTINUE TO BURN OUT AFTER A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. I REALLY BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THESE HEADLIGHT HARNESSES AS THE COMPANY SHOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE CONTACTED SATURN AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO TAKE IT TO A GMC DEALER AND HAVE AN EVALUATION DONE ON THE VEHICLE. I AM VERY UPSET WITH GM ABOUT THIS. *TR

UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT HEAD LAMP WAS INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED AND CAUSED THE BULB TO FAIL. HE THEN ADDED THAT THE OTHER HEAD LAMP WOULD SOON FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN EXPENSE OF$ 360.00. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *TR

I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS 4 TIMES IN 5 YEARS BECAUSE THE WIRING MELTS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THROUGH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT APPROX. 15 MPH WHEN THE ALERT CHIME, PWR STEERING DISPLAY AND THE ACTUAL POWER STEERING WENT OUT. THE CAR JOLTED AS IF I HAD BEEN REAR ENDED AND I HAD TO PULL OVER. LUCKILY NO ONE WAS ON THE ROAD; STEERING WAS DIFFICULT. I MANAGED TO TURN AROUND, HEADED HOME AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN I RESTARTED THE ENGINE, POWER STEERING WAS FULLY FUNCTIONAL. I DROVE TO THE STORE AS ORIGINALLY INTENDED AND IT WENT OUT AGAIN AS I WAS TURNING INTO THE PARKING LOT. SAME ISSUE - FULLY FUNCTIONAL WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF THEN BACK ON THEN GOES OUT AS I AM DRIVING. I RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND HAVE READ MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SAME ISSUE. IS THIS MECHANICAL FAILURE BEING RECALLED? IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT IS A VEHICLE MAINTENANCE ISSUE. SOMEONE NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING. *TR

SATURN AURA 2008 XE 4CYL. FRONT END CLUNK FELT IN STEERING WHEEL AND FEET AT LOW SPEED, ESPECIALLY WHEN DOING SLIGHT TURNS WITH BRAKING. REPAIR SHOP SAID STRUTS WERE NO GOOD (AT 17,500 MILES). REPLACED STRUTS AT OVER $700. CLUNKING CONTINUED. REPAIR SHOP NOW SAYS RUBBER BUSHINGS IN POWER STEERING RACK ARE NO GOOD. REPLACEMENT BUSHING ARE NOT AVAILABLE ANYWHERE AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL - EVEN CHECKED ON MALIBU AND PONTIAC G? - NO LUCK. CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. REPAIR SHOP WAS TOLD THAT ENTIRE STEERING RACK HAD TO BE REPLACED (HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS) BECAUSE THERE IS NO SOURCE TO GET $3 BUSHINGS. REPAIR SHOP SAID SAFE TO DRIVE, SO CAR WAS NOT REPAIRED AND CLUNKING WILL NOT GET FIXED. SHOULDA BOUGHT A JAPANESE CAR. *TR

LATTER PART OF JULY, STRONG GASOLINE ODOR NOTICED AROUND CAR, THOUGHT JUST BECAUSE I HAD JUST FILLED UP, NO LEAKING ON GROUND NOTICED. WITHIN A WEEK, STRONGER SMELL NOTICED, VISIBLE SIGNS OF GAS ON DRIVEWAY. PARKED CAR, NOT DRIVING TRYING TO FIND SOURCE, DISAPPEARED. STARTED DRIVING AGAIN, GAS MILEAGE OFF AND ENGINE SLUGGISH. DRIVING DAUGHTER FROM BIRTH OF FIRST GRANDSON, PASSING DRIVER TOLD ME SOMETHING WAS POURING FROM UNDER OF MY CAR, CONTINUED TO DRIVE DAUGHTER/NEWBORN HOME, THEN MY HOME. CONTACTED MECHANIC FRIEND, TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FUEL MODULE FOR 2006 IONS,THAT I SHOULD LET GM TAKE CARE OF IT. I CONTACTED THEM, GAVE VIN NUMBER, EXPLAINED WHAT I WAS TOLD BY MY MECHANIC. BUT SINCE I AM IN WEST VIRGINIA, VIN NOT INCLUDED. BOUGHT CAR USED JULY 2010, 19056 MILES, CASH $10,900. NOT TOLD BY DEALER A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH FUEL MODULE, RECALL HAD ALREADY BEEN ISSUED. HUSBAND HAS CANCER, ONLY USED TO GO TO DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS/CHEMOTHERAPY. TOLD BY GM TO SET UP APPOINTMENT WITH NEAREST DEALERSHIP, THEM DIAGNOSE IT, MAYBE THEY COULD GET AN EXCEPTION BECAUSE OF WV NOT BEING LISTED. CONTACTED NEAREST GM DEALERSHIP, TRIED TO SET UP APPOINTMENT TELLING THEM PROBLEM, STATING DIAGNOSIS TO BE PAID OUT OF POCKET, THEY WOULD CONTACT SOMEONE IF IT WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL, BUT IN THEIR EXPERIENCE THERE WAS NEVER AN EXCEPTION MADE. ALLINCLUDE ALL IONS WITH THIS PROBLEM, NO MATTER THE STATE OF ORIGIN. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM IN ONE STATE, SEEMS LOGICAL THAT WOULD BE THE SAME PROBLEM EVERYWHERE, SAME PARTS/MANUFACTURERS USED NO MATTER WHERE MADE. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO FIRE WITH MY DAUGHTER OR NEWBORN GRANDSON INSIDE, OR MY ILL HUSBAND. THE CAR REMAINS SITTING. WE ARE ON A LIMITED INCOME, SOC. SEC. DISABILITY, FOR HIM, I AM NOT ABLE TO WORK AS HE HAS TO HAVE CONSTANT CARE. A SHAME THAT MANUFACTURER IS NO LONGER WILLING TO STAND BEHIND THEIR CARS. *TR

CAR WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. HAND BRAKE WAS ON. TURNED ON IGNITION AND ENGINE STARTED. PUT RIGHT FOOT ON BRAKE AND RELEASED HAND BRAKE. PLACED CAR IN REVERSE AND BEGAN TO LIFT FOOT OFF BRAKE. CAR BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARD, BUT WHEN I APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE FOOT BRAKE TO SLOW THE CAR I FOUND THAT I HAD NO POWER BRAKES AND NO POWER STEERING. IT TOOK A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT TO STOP THE CAR FROM CONTINUING TO ROLL BACKWARDS. BY NOW THE ENGINE HAD STOPPED RUNNING AND SEVERAL ALERT LAMPS WERE LIT ON THE CONTROL PANEL. OVER SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THIS INCIDENT, I HAD NOTICED INTERMITTENT AND MOMENTARY POWER STEERING FAILURES WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT SLOW SPEEDS. *TR

DRIVERS SIDE LOW BEAM WENT OUT. KNOWN PROBLEM. ITS ALL OVER THE FORUMS. MANY CASES OF THE SAME ISSUE. SUPPOSEDLY IT IS THE WIRING HARNESS GOING TO THE HEADLAMP. THERE HAS BEEN CASES OF IT MELTING WHICH COULD CAUSE FIRE. SATURN/GM DOESN'T CARE. CONTACTED NUMEROUS DEALERS AND EVERY ONE OF THEM IS TRYING TO RIP ME OFF. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET A RECALL ON THIS? DEATH? GM NEEDS TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. *TR

ON 8/26/2011, I REPLACED MY DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT BULB AND NOTICED A BURNT WIRE SMELL BUT DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING VISUALLY, APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH LATER I NOTICED THAT MY LIGHT WAS OUT AGAIN THE NEXT DAY I BOUGHT A NEW BULB. I STARTED THE PROCESS OF CHANGING OUT THE BULB BUT NOTICED IT WAS BACK ON SO I STOPPED. A FEW DAYS LATER THE BULB WAS OUT AGAIN SO I CHANGED THE BULB AND NOTICED THAT THE BURNT SMELL WAS VERY BAD AND THE PLUG ON THE WIRE HARNESS AND THE WIRE INSULATION HAD MELTED. I HAVE READ MANY COMPLAINTS FOR THIS ISSUE AT HTTP://WWW.SATURNFANS.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=165895&GOTO=NEXTOLDEST , HTTP://WWW.SATURNOUTLOOKFORUM.NET/INDEX.PHP?TOPIC=818.80 AND OTHERS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED. *TR