2001 Saturn LS equipment problems

EQUIPMENT

DURING A RAINSTORM, AFTER DARK, AND ON-THE-ROAD, I REPLACED MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WITH RAIN*X WEATHERBEATER WIPER BLADES TO IMPROVE VISIBILITY. THE BLADES WERE PURCHASED AT A TARGET (UPC 79118 00419) AND INSTALLED IN THE RAIN IN THEIR PARKING LOT. WITHIN 20 MILES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING LATER, ONE BLADE (DRIVER'S SIDE) BECAME DETACHED FROM THE WIPER ARM. THIS CAUSED SUDDEN LOSS OF VISIBILITY IN THE DARK AND IN THE HEAVY RAIN. I PULLED OVER THE SHOULDER, AND REINSTALLED THE WIPER BLADE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I DOUBLE CHECKED THAT IT WAS INSTALLED TIGHTLY, AND ACCORDING TO DIRECTIONS. A FEW MILES LATER, IT DETACHED AGAIN. THIS TIME, I SWAPPED THE TWO BLADES, HOPING THAT ANOTHER FAILURE, IF IT OCCURRED, WOULD BE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. A FEW MILES LATER, FOR A THIRD TIME, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WIPER BLADE DETACHED FROM THE WIPER ARM. AT THIS POINT I REINSTALLED THE OLD AND BADLY FUNCTIONING BLADES. I SUBSEQUENTLY INSPECTED THE WIPER ARMS AND FOUND NO DEFECTS OR DEFORMITIES THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED THE FAILURES. THE WIPER ARMS WERE THE "J-HOOK" TYPE ON A 2001 SATURN L SERIES VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #10439309 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

I HAVE A 2001 L200 SATURN. MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY MAYBE 120,000 MILES ON IT. I WENT TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THE TIMING CHAIN IS MESSED UP. I CONTACTED ANOTHER MECHANIC TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE PRICE. HE TOLD THE PRICE RANGES FROM 1000-1500 DOLLARS. TODAY I DECIDED TO SEE IF I COULD FIND SOMEONE TO REPAIR THIS CAR AT A MUCH CHEAPER RATE UNTIL I CAME ACROSS ALL THESE ISSUES PEOPLE ARE HAVING WITH THEIR SATURN TIMING CHAIN.

NHTSA complaint #10259103 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

MY CAR ENGINE WOULDN'T TURN OVER. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT AS TIMING CHAIN BROKE. MY MECHANIC ADVISED ME OF A RECALL FOR THIS PART FOR MY CAR. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I CALLED SATURN DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT THIS RECALL. THEY TOLD ME IT DIDN'T PERTAIN TO MY PARTICULAR CAR EVEN THOUGH MY CAR IS 2001 SATURN L-SERIES MODEL DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL NOTICE RECALL NUMBER 06074. I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH SATURNS RESPONSE TO ME . I TOLD THEM THIS WAS A SAFETY ISSUE & THEY SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. I ENDED UP PAYING OVER $900.00 TO GET IT FIXED. I TOLD SATURN I WOULD BE REPORTING THIS PROBLEM TO YOU.

NHTSA complaint #10238134 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

2001 SATURN L 200 SERIES CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THEN AFTER GETTING A BOOSTER THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AND SPARKS CAME OUT OF THE IGNITION AREA**CC THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD BURNED OUT DUE TO THE STARTER BEING STUCK. THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE BURNED OUT STARTER, IGNITION SWITCH, IGNITION HOUSING AND IGNITION CYLINDER. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE BATTERY WOULD NOT HOLD A CHARGE, AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON, THE DEALER FOUND A CODE AND THE BCM HAD TO BE RECALIBRATED. THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED. THE AIR CONDITION WAS INOPERABLE, THE DEALER STATED THE AC CONTROL HAD SHORTED OUT.

NHTSA complaint #10193180 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

TIE ROD END- DRIVERS SIDE. LSO HAVE PROBLEM WITH LEFT BRAKE LIGHT- REPLACED BULB AND KEEPS GOING OUT IGNITION SWITCH LOCKED UP NOW ENGINE AND COIL PACK BLOWN-- ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON TO ALERT OF IMPENDING PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10116432 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:ANTI-THEFT DEVICES

CONCERNS REGARDING SECURITY SYSTEM PROBLEM ON 2001 SATURN L200.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE SECURITY SYSTEM LOCKED UP AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHO INSTALLED A NEW COMPUTER.

NHTSA complaint #10083768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT

CONSTANT BRAKE DUST, UNUSUAL WEAR ON ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS, AFTER JUST UNDER 40000.ROTORS COULD NOT BE TURNED MUST BE REPLACED, DEALER ACKNOWLEDGES WEAR PROBLEM ON L SERIES BUT GM WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE TO COST AT THIS POINT. REAR TIRE WEAR DEALER DOES ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM AND DID REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES AND SHIM KIT FOR CHPPED UP REAR TIRES BUT HAS NOT DONE ACROSS BOARD RECALL ?

NHTSA complaint #10078802 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND IT WAS IN THE SHOP TWO WEEKS LATER. SO FAR I'VE GONE THROUGH 2 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS, 2 ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULES. I THINK ONLY ONE COIL, WITH A COUPLE OXYGEN SENSORS TO GO ALONG WITH THAT. BOTH OF THE CYLINDERS HAVE GONE OUT ON THE CLUTCH. I'M STILL WAITING FOR SATURN TO CALL ME ON AN AIR CHECK VALVE THAT SUPPOSEDLY FAILED. AS FOR THE POWER LOCKS, THEY JUST SEEM TO LOCK OR NOT TO LOCK WHEN THEY FEEL FIT TO DO SO. I ALSO GET A SERVICE LIGHT THAT COMES ON WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT TO.....

NHTSA complaint #10070477 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

CONSUMER STATES THE A/C BLOWER FAN IS INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA complaint #567005 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

THE USER'S MANUAL INDICATES THAT I SHOULD HAVE A LOCKING GAS DOOR. REPEATED CONTACTS WITH SATURN LED TO BEING TOLD THE LOCKING DOOR HAD BEEN ELIMINATED AS A COST SAVINGS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 2001 MODEL YEAR. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT REMOVED FROM THE USERS MANUAL, THE COST OF RETROFITTING MY 2001 MODEL WAS TOO GREAT TO BE FEASIBLE AND THEY CONSIDERED IT A MISPRINT AFTER I BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION. INSTEAD, THEY OFFERED A LOCKING GAS CAP WHICH AFTER TWO MONTHS THEY COULD NOT LOCATE. SINCE THE LOCKING GAS CAP WOULD COST SOMEWHERE IN THE $20 RANGE THEY SAID THEY WERE OFFERING A "FREE" LUBRICATION AND OIL CHANGE. I TOLD THEM THAT WAS AN INSULT TO MY INTELLIGENCE SINCE THE RETROFIT WOULD OBVIOUSLY COST CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN $20 AND I WOULD NOT ACCEPT THEIR OFFER. I FURTHER SAID I WOULD RATHER WAIT FOR SOMEONE WITH THE WHEREWITHAL TO FILE A CLASS ACTION SUIT ON BEHALF OF THOSE BUYERS WHO WERE MISLED TO BELIEVE THEY HAD PURCHASED A CAR WITH A LOCKING GAS DOOR. THEY TOLD ME MY FILE WAS MARKED AS CLOSED SINCE I DID NOT ACCEPT THEIR OFFER.

NHTSA complaint #739803 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.