SATURN Complaints

TIMING CHAIN BROKE ON MY 2002 L200 SATURN AT HIGHWAY SPEED. LOST POWER AND STEERING. WAS NEAR AN EXIT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE HIGHWAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE CONTACT MOVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE ROADWAY AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN RESTARTING, THE POWER STEERING RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION AND THE WARNING LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR INTERMITTENTLY AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 77,000.

I HAVE A 2006 SATURN ION ON WITH 43,000 MILES (A WELL-MAINTAINED VEHICLE AT THAT). THE PROBLEM (A COMMON ONE FROM EVERYTHING I'VE READ/HEARD): RECENTLY, I WAS UNABLE TO SHUT MY VEHICLE OFF; THAT'S CORRECT... I COULD NOT TURN MY CAR OFF. THE KEY WAS LOCKED IN THE IGNITION WITH THE VEHICLE RUNNING. AFTER SEVERAL HOURS, MY HUSBAND AND I WERE ABLE TO DETERMINE THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION (GET IT TO A DEALER, DISCONNECT THE FUEL PUMP FUSE AND BATTERY, AND SPEND $451 TO HAVE THE IGNITION CYLINDER COMPLETELY REPLACED; THE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS DEFECTIVE). NOT BEING ABLE TO SHUT OFF A VEHICLE IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN (FOR SO MANY REASONS); YOU CAN'T SIMPLY LEAVE A VEHICLE RUNNING, AND YOU CERTAINLY CAN'T LEAVE A RUNNING VEHICLE UNATTENDED (ALTHOUGH SOME PEOPLE PROBABLY HAVE...HOW DANGEROUS IS THAT?). *TR

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 45-55 MPH THE POWER STEERING LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING, CAUSING LIMITED CONTROL IN THE STEERING OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, THE POWER STEERING FUNCTIONED NORMAL FOR A FEW MOMENTS AND FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD BE REPLACED AT THE OWNER EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN VUE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A LEAKAGE OF FLUID UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE COOLANT WAS MIXING WITH THE OIL WHICH REQUIRED A REPLACEMENT OF THE HEAD GASKET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED THAT THE DEFECT COULD NOT BE REPAIRED UNDER THE SERVICE WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 91,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. A CHIMING NOISE WAS INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS IDENTICAL TO THE RECALL ON THE 2006 CHEVROLET COBALT FOR THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING ASSIST SYSTEM. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 37,607.

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH A LOSS OF POWER STEERING OCCURRED AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF STARTING THE IGNITION. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, THE POWER STEERING FUNCTIONED NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHICH THERE WAS NO RESOLUTION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 SATURN ION. WHILE DRIVING 65 MILES PER HOUR THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THEY WILL SEND THE PART TO THE CONTACT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILES WERE 84000. THE FAILURE MILES WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

2001 SATURN L200 TIMING CHAIN FAILURE. CAR STALLED IN BUSY TRAFFIC. CAR HAD 50K MILES ON IT. REPAIRS COST $3,200. *TR

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SATURN ION. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY BETWEEN 10 TO 50 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF, AND THEN RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE RESUMED NORMAL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIFTEEN TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING UNIT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS NOT A SERVICE WARRANTY RELATED TO THE FAILURE OR RECALL DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO THE SERVICE COST. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 33,927.