SATURN Complaints

IT STARTED AFTER TURNING ON MY HEADLIGHTS. I WAS DRIVING HOME AND SEEN AND SMELLED LIKE HE SMOKE, IT WAS COMING FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH THE WIRES WERE BURNING. I TURNED OFF CAR AND CALLED MY BOYFRIEND. HE UNCLAMPED THE IGNITION SWITCH AND CHECKED, THE WIRES WERE BURNED. ONCE I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN MY DASH LIGHTS WERE NOT ON NOR THE TAIL LIGHTS BUT THE HEADLIGHTS WORKED, HAZARD LIGHTS AND BLINKERS ALL WORKED. SO I DROVE HOME WITH MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON AND MY BOYFRIEND FOLLOWING BEHIND ME. HAD ALL FUSES CHECKED, REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH, TAIL LIGHT WIRING HARNESS AND THE FUSE BOX, STILL NO DASH LIGHTS NOR TAIL LIGHTS. I DID CALL YOUR COMPANY FOR HELP AND WAS TOLD BY THE AGENT THAT HE COULD NOT HELP. I DID RECENTLY FOUND OUT ABOUT SOME KIND OF RECALL. THE INFORMATION I FOUND IS BELOW. RECALL 05V245000 ELECTRICAL & LIGHTS, OCTOBER 17, 2005 ORIGINAL RECALL FROM THE NHTSA MODEL YEAR(S): 2001, 2002, 2003 MANUFACTURER'S REPORT DATE: OCTOBER 17, 2005 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V245000 NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE05010 COMPONENT: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 291,652

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 SATURN OUTLOOK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG AND CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATORS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE STABILITY CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE'S ON STAR SYSTEM PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE AIR BAGS AND CONCLUDED THAT THE AIR BAGS NEEDED TO BE SERVICED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000.

THE VEHICLE SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE AFTER BEING DRIVEN AND SMELLS LIKE GASOLINE WHEN STATIONARY. THE POWER STEERING WILL DISPLAY A WARMING MESSAGE AND THE CAR WILL BECOME HARD TO STEER.

MY VEHICLE HAD A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 50 MPH. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO VEHICLES AROUND ME AND I WAS ABLE TO MANUAL STEER IT TO THE SHOULDER. THE STEERING POWER ASSIST HAS COMPLETELY FAILED. I CONTACTED SATURN WHO LOOKED UP THE VIN # ON MY VEHICLE. SATURN SAID THERE IS NO OPEN RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. I LOOKED ON YOUR WEBSITE AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM ON 2004-2007 SATURN ION'S AND I HAVE A 2006 SATURN ION. I MENTIONED THIS TO SATURN AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS A RECALL BUT IT'S VIN # SPECIFIC. I SAID HOW CAN THIS BE WHEN MY CAR (WHICH FALLS UNDER THE SAME MODEL AND YEARS RECALLED) IS HAVING THE SAME FAILURE? THEY DIDN'T CARE ABOUT MY QUESTION AND SIMPLY SAID IT'S NOT COVERED AND I CAN TAKE IT UP WITH THE NHTSA. THE FAILURE IS THE ELECTRIC STEERING MOTOR. THEY USE THE SAME ELECTRIC MOTOR (EXACT SAME OEM PART NUMBER) IN ALL THE SATURN ION MODELS AND THE CHEVY COBALT. IS THERE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN OFFER ME? I REALLY DO NOT HAVE $1000 TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AND I ALREADY HAVE PUT QUITE A BIT OF MONEY IN THIS VEHICLE. I HAD PLANNED ON KEEPING IT. NOW I CAN'T EVEN SELL IT.

MY RIGHT HEAD LIGHT GOES OUT, I HAVE CHANGED THE BULBS TOO MANY TIMES AND THE HARNESS. MY STABILITY TRACK COMES ON AND I CAN LOOSE POWER THE FIRST TIME I WAS TRAVELING OUT OF TOWN ON THE HIGHWAY, AND BY GRACE OF GOD I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER. THIS CAR IS BECOMING A NIGHTMARE AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE GIVEN SOME KIND OF COMPENSATION...PLEASE FIX THESE ISSUES...THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR THE LAST 3YRS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN AURA. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ENGAGED IN PARK, IT UNINTENTIONALLY ROLLED AWAY. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. MORGAN BUICK GMC SHREVEPORT (8757 BUSINESS PARK DR, SHREVEPORT, LA 71105, (318) 798-1600) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,285.

DASHBOARD FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY FOR TWO AND HALF HOURS BEFORE IT WAS NOTICED THE DASHBOARD WAS ON FIRE.

EVERY TIME THE CAR HITS A BUMP THERE A SEVERE RATTLE FROM THE FRONT END. I HAD NEW STRUTS INSTALLED AND THAT IS WHEN THE MECHANICS TOLD AND SHOWED ME THAT THE BUSHINGS ON THE RACK AND PINION UNIT WERE GOING BAD. I HAVE CHECKED SINCE THEN AND NOBODY SEEMS TO SELL THE BUSHING. THEY WANT YOU TO BUY A NEW UNIT FOR 600ISH DOLLARS OR A REMANUFACTURED ONE FOR AS MUCH AS 300ISH DOLLARS. NOW WHEN YOU PURCHASE EITHER OF THESE UNITS IT IS SUGGESTED THAT YOU ALSO BUY THE NEW BOLTSAND CASTLE NUTS FOR IT WHICH LESS THEN 29 DOLLARS. THE UNITS HAVE NEW BUSHINGS INSTALLED SO I KNOW SOME ONE IS PRODUCING THEM AND YOU CAN BUY THE BOLTS FROM ALMOST ANYONE. THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED SOONER THEN LATER WOULD BE BEST AS RACK MAY COME LOOSE FROM FRAME AND CAUSE A SEVER LOSS OF STEERING WHICH WOULD INCLUDE SEVERE BODILY HARM OR DEATH. AND GM DOES SELL RACK AND PINION MOUNT BUSHING FOR THEIR OTHER VEHICLES JUST NOT THE SATURNS FOR SOME REASON! START DATE IS APPROXIMATE THE FORUMS HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME SITUATION BUT NO SOLUTIONS

THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE FOULK ROAD AUTOMOTIVE CENTER ON FEBRUARY ART 15TH TO GET A TRANSMISSION REBUILD. UPON COMPLETION AND ROAD TEST THE CAR WAS DRIVEN AND THE ENGINE SEIZED UP DURING THE TEST RUN AFTER CORRECT PROGRAMMING.

GOING 40 MPH MADE A LEFT TURN, MEDIUM LOUD NOISE AND FRONT RIGHT CONTROL ARM TORE IN 2 (BEEN REPLACED AND HAVE PART) AND BACK LEFT TIRE NOW TILTED IN AT TOP ABOUT 1 INCH( STILL TRYING TO GET FIXED ).