12 of the 207 complaints about the 2003 Saturn L200 are about the steering — 6% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 106,000 miles.
12
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL CAUGHT FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
NHTSA complaint #10903758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FIVE TIMES. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN BACK TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 106,000. MA 10/19/2015 UPDATED 11/28/2017
NHTSA complaint #10735140 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
SMOKE IS INTERMITTENTLY COMING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE DRIVING OR STARTING THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10703376 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN L200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME HOT AND STARTED SMOKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE STEERING WHEEL CONTINUED TO SMOKE. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FAILED TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,274.
NHTSA complaint #10643421 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
MY IGNITION SWITCH FROZE WHILE WE WERE IN LINE WAITING FOR THE FERRY. WE COULD NOT START OUR CAR, OR GET IT OUT OF PARK, OR TURN THE WHEEL, OR CLOSE THE WINDOWS. WE HAD TO GET IT TOWED OFF THE ISLAND TO THE NEAREST DEALER ($423.76). WE TALKED WITH SATURN'S IGNITION HOTLINE AND WERE TOLD OUR CAR IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL ALTHOUGH THE SWITCH AND ITS FAILURE APPEAR TO BE THE SAME AS RECALLED VEHICLES. WE PAID $735.80 TO GET A NEW SWITCH INSTALLED (LOSING USE OF THE VEHICLE FOR TWO WEEKS WHILE THE WORK WAS DONE). DURING THE TIME THE SATURN WAS WAITING FOR REPAIRS ON THE DEALER'S LOT, IT RAINED HARD AND THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR WAS SOAKED. I HAD REQUESTED THAT THE WINDOWS (FROZEN OPEN) BE SECURED AND HAD BEEN ASSURED THEY WOULD BE DEALT WITH. THE SEAT AND FLOOR MATS WERE SOAKED. THE SEAT CONTROL ELECTRONICS SHORTED OUT AND MAY HAVE TO BE REPLACED. WE'LL ALSO HAVE TO HAVE THE DOOR PANELS PULLED TO SEE IF THERE IS HIDDEN DAMAGE INSIDE THE DOORS. WE WOULD LIKE OUR COSTS REIMBURSED. EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, WE WOULD LIKE THE RECALL EXTENDED TO OUR MODEL AND ANY OTHER GM CARS WITH THIS DEFECT. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE OUR SWITCH FAILED WHEN THE CAR WAS STOPPED IN A SAFE PLACE! OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN AS FORTUNATE.
NHTSA complaint #10626051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
CAR IGNITION DOES NOT WANT TO TURN TO "OFF" WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF AND IN PARK, REFUSES TO RELEASE KEY UNTIL WE PRY IT OUT OR MOVE STEERING WHEEL INTO LOCKED POSITION. HAS EATEN A KEY ALMOST COMPLETELY THROUGH IN THE PAST YEAR. MANY SATURNS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION.
NHTSA complaint #10521799 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
PURCHASED A USED SATURN L-22 IN MARCH OF 2003,SHORTLY THEREAFTER I WENT INTO THE COLLEGE PARKING ;LOT TO RETURN HOME FROM SCHOOL AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT UNLOCK, COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO GO INTO GEAR, SO IT SAT ALL NIGHT, AND THE NEXT DAY I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY FIXED IT "SO THEY SAID" AND AGAIN APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS LATER MY MOTHER WHO WAS GROCERY SHOPPING HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. LATER THAT NIGHT AS THE CAR SAT ON THE SUPERMARKET LOT WE HAD TO GET IT TOWED AGAIN. MY MOTHER, AND I WENT TO CARFAX ON OUR COMPUTER, AND FOUND OUT THAT THE MOCEL THAT WE WERE DRIVING HAD BEEN RECALLED BACK IN 2003 DUE TO STEERING WHEEL MODULE PROBLEMS. WE WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TO RETRIEVE THE CAR 5 DAYS LATER AND TOLD THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP WHAT WE HAD LOCATED ON CARFAX, HE APPEARED VERY NERVOUS AND REFUSED TO LOOK ON CARFAX TO VERIFY WHAT WE HAD TOLD HIM. THIS SAME OWNER SOLD US A WARRANTY ON THE VEHICLE BUT LITTLE DID WE KNOW THAT THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE WARRANTY HE SOLD ME COST $1,995 DOLLARS, AND I HAVE BEEN SO UPSET OVER THIS DEALERSHIPS UNSCRUPULOUS PRACTICE. CAN SOMEONE PLEASE INVESTIGATE WHY MY LIFE, AND THAT OF MY DEAR MOTHERS WAS PUT IN JEOPARDY BY THIS MAN BEING LESS THEN HONEST WHEN THIS CAR WAS SOLD TO ME BY HIS DEALERSHIP, ALONG WITH A BOUGHT WARRANTY WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL UNDER THE MANUFACTURERS WARRANTY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.
NHTSA complaint #10265312 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:COLUMN LOCKING:ANTI-THEFT DEVICE
MY 2003 SATURN L200 HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE GENERAL MOTORS PASSLOCK ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM. THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF AFTER BEING STARTED AND THE PASSLOCK LIGHT BLINKS ON AND OFF. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, I FOUND A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR GM VEHICLES. SINCE IT APPEARS THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE PASSLOCK SYSTEM, I WAS HOPING SOMEONE WOULD LOOK INTO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS TO SEE IF A RECALL WAS NECESSARY.
NHTSA complaint #10182480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
THE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM ON MY SATURN L200 HAS FAILED. THE DEALER HAS ONE IN STOCK THAT COSTS ALMOST $900.00. THE ONLY REASON A DEALER WOULD STOCK A PART THAT IS THIS EXPENSIVE IS IF THE FAILURE IS A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE.
NHTSA complaint #10139682 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING
PROBLEMS WITH START ENGINE LIGHT. HAVING PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSON. READING P1887 CODE. ALSO WHEN DRIVING, WHEN I TURN TO THE LEFT THE WHEEL MAKES NOISES. THE TRANSMISSON COULD EVENTALLY CAUSE A FIRE. IT IS NOT PROPERLY RELEASING.
NHTSA complaint #10133628 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:RACK AND PINION
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL FEELS REAL LOOSE, AND MAKES A LOUD NOISE. DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION AND STEERING PUMP ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING.
NHTSA complaint #10044954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
WHILE DRIVING STEERING WHEEL FEELS REAL LOOSE, AND MAKES A LOUD NOISE. DEALER REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION AND STEERING PUMP ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURRING.
NHTSA complaint #10044954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.