SATURN Complaints

I OWN A 2005 SATURN ION 2 WITH APPROXIMATELY 37,000 MILES, 2 WEEKS AGO THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT, ALMOST RESULTING IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AS THE WARNING DIDN'T COME ON UNTIL AFTER THE FACT AND I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TURNING A CORNER. INITIALLY THE POWER STEERING IS INTACT WHEN YOU FIRST START THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER IT FAILS AFTER BEING DRIVEN FOR A SHORT DISTANCE, PERHAPS LESS THAN A MILE. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL GM MODELS RECALLED FOR THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM, COBALTS AND PONTIACS, PERHAPS THE SAME PROBLEM EXIST FOR SOME OF THE SATURN MODELS, LIKE MINE AND THEY SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE LIST? THIS IS A NEWER MODEL WITH LOW MILEAGE THAT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, I HAVE BEEN QUOTED $800 TO $1000 FOR THE REPAIR OF THE PROBLEM, I HAVE ALSO BEEN INFORMED THAT IF I PAY FOR THE REPAIR NOW AND THIS VEHICLE IS ADDED TO THE LIST OF RECALLS FOR THE POWER STEERING THAT GM IS NOT OBLIGATED TO REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE EXPENSE, THEREFORE HESITANT TO PROCEED AS GM STATES ITS SAFE TO DRIVE THERE VEHICLE WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE OIL LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ONCE A MONTH AND SHE CHANGED THE OIL VERY OFTEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP AND THE OIL WARNING LIGHT WAS RESET. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE IGNITION WOULD ALSO STUDDER WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING AT 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT TRIED TO DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO CENTER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED; TWO TIMING CHAINS WERE REPLACED AT THAT TIME. THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). WHEN THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, SHE WAS TOLD THAT HER VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN SERVICED AT THE 100,000 MILE MARK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 128,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH ON MAY 10, 2010, THE POWER STEERING MODULE SUDDENLY FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MODULE WAS BURNED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 53,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 54,000. UPDATED 10/27/10. *LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY STOPPED FUNCTIONING WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 57,000.

WHILE DRIVING A 2006 SATURN ION, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILS AFTER THE SOUND OF A SMALL CLICK. THE DASHBOARD CHIMES WITH THE MESSAGE WARNING PWR STR. IT BECOMES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE, BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE IT. MORE FORCE FROM THE DRIVER IS REQUIRED TO MAKE TURNS. TURNING AND PARKING THE VEHICLE ARE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT WITHOUT THE POWER STEERING. AFTER SHUTTING OFF THE CAR AND TURNING IT BACK ON THE POWER STEERING IS RESTORED. AT FIRST THE PROBLEM ONLY OCCURRED A FEW TIMES IN A WEEK. AFTER THREE WEEKS, THE POWER STEERING FAILS CONSTANTLY AFTER 30 OR 40 SECONDS OF STARTING THE VEHICLE. A FUSE WAS REPLACED, BUT NO CHANGE HAS OCCURRED. THE POWER STEERING CONTINUES TO FAIL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN IN ANY DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 130,000.

POWER STEERING CONTINUALLY GOES OUT ON MY 2005 SATURN ION 4 CYLINDER. IT BECOMES VERY HARD TO TURN ONCE POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENTS ON THE ROAD. *TR

2003 SATURN VUE HORN FAILURE. I HAVE TALKED WITH MANY OTHER SATURN OWNERS ONLINE IN FORUMS & CHATROOMS, THAT ALL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM I HAVE. THE HORN WILL BEGIN TO BLOW ON IT'S OWN FOR NO REASON AND EVENTUALLY FAIL. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL SATURN DEALER AND THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS NEARLY $800-$900. I BELIEVE THAT LACK OF A HORN IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE THE MANUFACTURERS RESPONSIBILITY IF IT IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) IN NOVEMBER OF 2009 I HAD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SATURN IN WHICH IT STATES THAT MY CAR IS A RECALL, DUE TO A FAULTY TRANSMISSION AND PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS. (THREE MONTH PRIOR TO THE RECALL LETTER I HAD EXPERIENCED SOME DIFFICULTIES WITH THE CAR.) SATURN/GMC DO NOT WANT TO PAY THE REPAIR IN FULL,$5,927.03, THEY WANT ME TO PAY THE HALF OF IT. NEITHER DO THEY HELP ME TO GET A CAR OF THE SAME YEAR OR VALUE. I WROTE THEM A HAND WRITTEN LETTER AND NEVER RECEIVED AN ANSWER FROM THEM. AFTER THREE MONTHS I CONTACTED THEM BY PHONE, TO ASK WHAT THEY ARE DOING ABOUT THE CAR,I WAS TOLD THAT MY CASE IS DISMISSED?( I CALL THAT DISCRIMINATION) I WENT TO COURT AND FILED A SMALL CLAIMS COURT AGAINST SATURN. THREE WEEKS AFTER THEY WERE SERVED THE PAPERWORK I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THEM THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DISMISS THIS CLAIM SINCE THEY GO THROUGH BANKRUPTCY. I AM A DIVORCED MATURE FEMALE, AND HAVE A SMALL RESIDENTIAL,LIGHT COMMERCIAL AND JANITORIAL CLEANING BUSINESS. I NEED THE CAR ON A DAILY BASIS, AND HAVE TO DRIVE SOMETIMES FAR TO GET TO MY CLIENTS. AND SINCE THE ECONOMY HAS TURNED BAD FOR LOTS OF SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, LIKE ME, I BARELY MAKE ENDS MEET. I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION, NOR DO I HAVE THE OTHER HALF OF WHAT THE NEW TRANSMISSION WOULD COST. AND SINCE I DID NOT DESIGN THE CAR NEITHER MANUFACTURE THE CAR, I DON'T SEE WHY I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. A RECALL NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OFF FROM THE COMPANY WHO PUTS THEM ON THE MARKET. THE TIME FOR MY CAR IS RUNNING OUT, AND FOR ME AS WELL. IF I HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE ROAD DUE TO A TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND PERFORMANCE ISSUE, OR IF THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES FIRE THAT WOULD BE HORRIBLE. IF I LOOSE ALL MY CLIENTS IF THE CAR BREAKS DOWN I WON'T BE ABLE TO PAY MY RENT, AND END UP LIVING ON THE STREETS WITH MY ANIMALS. PLEASE CAN YOU HELP ME TO RESOLVE THIS BAD PROBLEM? I HAVE RUN OUT OF OPTIONS. [XXX] *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, HE WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. HE STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING FAILED; HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND CONFIRMED THAT THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 67,000.