30 of the
1,885 complaints filed about the Saturn LS
are about the throttle and cruise control —
2% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2001.
30
Complaints
2%
Share of all complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
Acceleration & Cruise Control complaints by model year
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L-SERIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY INCREASED ACCELERATION. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED FORCEFULLY IN COMBINATION TO SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON A SEPARATE OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSES. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN OF THE FAULTY PART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND VIN WERE UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10574395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR, I HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, A FIRE IN THE RESONATOR AND 4 OR 5 TIMES WHERE THE CAR JUST STOPS RUNNING AND I'M NOT ABLE TO GET IT TO START AGAIN FOR A WHILE. THE CAR HAS ACCELERATED WHEN MY FOOT WAS NOT EVEN ON THE PEDDLE MAKING ME GO 65 IN 30 WITH NO CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO HAD TIMES WHERE THE GAS PEDDLE WAS STUCK AND I WAS UNABLE TO SLOW DOWN EVEN WHEN SLAMMING ON THE BRAKES. AT STOP LIGHTS THE WHEELS KEEP SPINNING WHEN MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR MOVES INTO THE INTERSECTION.
NHTSA complaint #10572538 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS WAS REDUCED AND A LACK OF ACCELERATION WAS FELT. THE STEERING FELT SLIGHTLY HEAVY AND POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS WAS LOST. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE HARD SHOULDER AND THE ENGINE CUT OUT. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. NO OTHER WARNING LIGHTS WERE SHOWN ON THE DISPLAY, AND ALL FLUID LEVELS WERE NORMAL. WHEN THE IGNITION KEY WAS TURNED, A WHIRRING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, HOWEVER THE CYLINDERS WERE NOT FIRING.
NHTSA complaint #10568885 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 SATURN XL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE INCREASED ACCELERATION UNEXPECTEDLY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED AND THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE DEFECT EVERY TIME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100. UPDATED 03/05/2013
NHTSA complaint #10482082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR AN UNRELATED PROBLEM AND THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOUR TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #10473954 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE THE FIRST TIME. THE FAILURE OCCURRED A SECOND TIME AND THE DEALER STATED THAT A FAULTY IDLE AIR CONTROL MODULE WAS THE CAUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000. UPDATED 03/31/11*LJ UPDATED 04/29/11
NHTSA complaint #10378058 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEEDS OF 50 MPH, SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP AT AN APPROACHING STOP LIGHT. THE VEHICLE THEN ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED TO SPEEDS OF 70 MPH WITHOUT DRIVER INTENT. SHE WAS ABLE TO PLACE THE GEAR SHIFT SELECTOR IN THE NEUTRAL POSITION AND SAFELY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO A NEARBY GAS STATION. SHE THEN SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND WITHIN MOMENTS OF RESTARTING, THE VEHICLE PROCEEDED TO EXHIBIT THE EXACT SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HER DEALER WHERE IT WAS EVALUATED; HOWEVER THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS RELEASED TO THE OWNER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT WAS 109,000.
NHTSA complaint #10318064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A 2002 SATURN AND HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS SINCE 2007. I TOOK IT TO BE SERVICED BY SATURN AND WAS TOLD THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. ARE THERE REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH SATURNS TOO? THE MOST RECENT EPISODE WAS IN NOV.2009.
NHTSA complaint #10310250 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND DROVE INTO A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE IGNITION MODULE, BUT THEY WERE UNSURE IF IT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATES, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. A REPORT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V231000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION MODULE) ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2003. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 130,000.
NHTSA complaint #10254003 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. WHILE ENTERING A PARKING SPACE AT 5 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS ARE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. AS A RESULT, HER FOOT SLIGHTLY TAPPED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, WHICH CAUSED HER TO CRASH INTO A BUILDING. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MODERATE DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED, BUT A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 77,000.
NHTSA complaint #10228036 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A SATURN SL YEAR 2000. IT CURRENTLY HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. ABOUT 6 WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND IT SUDDENLY STARTED ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN, I WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT BECAUSE I COULDN'T SLOW IT FAST ENOUGH. THE BRAKES WOULD SLOW IT DOWN IF I FLOORED THEM BUT NOT SLOW IT TO A STOP. THE ENGINE RPMS WERE UP TO 5 AND WOULD NOT DECREASE. I HAD TO THROUGH THE CAR IN TO NEUTRAL THEN PARK (RPMS STILL AT 5) THEN TAKE THE KEYS OUT. I HAD THE NEAREST AUTO REPAIR CHECK IT AND THEY SAID THAT AN ICE BLOCK HAD FROZE IN THE AIR INTAKE CAUSING ACCELERATOR TO FREEZE. 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME EVENT OCCURRED. I PROCEEDED WITH THE SAME ACTIONS TO STOP, AND WHEN I RESTARTED THE CAR THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. (THIS TIME I SMELLED AN AWFUL BURNING SMELL WHICH I ASSUME WAS EITHER FROM RIDING MY BRAKES OR FROM THE ENGINE REVVING SO HIGH) LUCKY NO RED LIGHTS THIS TIME AND NOT CAUGHT OFF GUARD AS THE FIRST TIME. I DECIDED TO USE THE SATURN DEALER SHIP TO HAVE THE CAR CHECKED. THEY STATED THAT "MICE" HAD CHEWED THROUGH THE WIRES GOING TO THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR/CONTROL. THEY REPLACED THE WIRES AND SAID IT WAS FIXED. NOW 2 WEEKS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. I CALLED THE SATURN DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THAT THEY MAY HAVE TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNTIL THEY CAN DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM TO DIAGNOSE IT. I EXPLAINED IT HAS OCCURRED ONLY ABOUT EVERY 2 WEEKS AND THAT I HAVE ONLY ONE VEHICLE. I THEN DECIDED TO RESEARCH THE INTERNET ABOUT THE PROBLEM. ON ONE SITE WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM I FOUND A FEW DISTURBING REPORTS/COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE (INCLUDING ONE 10 MILES FROM WHERE I LIVE). THEY DESCRIBED THE SAME PROBLEMS ( ALTHOUGH 1 WAS A SATURN 2002) AND THAT AFTER MANY INCIDENTS AND VARIOUS REPAIRS THEY HAVE NOT HAD THEIR PROBLEM RESOLVED AND THEY ARE TERRIFIED TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLE. ONE DESCRIBED THEIR VEHICLE AS A POSSESSED DEATH TRAP WHICH IS EXACTLY HOW I AM FEELING. . I AM VERY FRIGHTENED TO EVEN DRIVE NOW. PEOPLE COULD BE KILLED BY THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10184543 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED RECALL LETTER #05V245000 CONCERNING THE BRAKE LIGHTS WAS RECEIVED IN DECEMBER 2005. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXPERIENCING ANY PROBLEMS AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR IMMEDIATE REPAIR. RECENTLY, THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED BY ANOTHER DRIVER THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND THE DEALER INSTALLED TWO TAIL LIGHTS, REINFORCED SOCKET ADAPTERS AND SOCKETS UNDER THE RECALL. ALSO, THE DEALER DETERMINED THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THIS WORK HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FROM THE DEALER, THE CRUISE CONTROL NO LONGER WORKED, THE GEAR SHIFT BECAME DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO DRIVE, AND THE PARKING LIGHTS AND BRAKE LIGHTS NO LONGER WORKED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THESE ITEMS FAILED AS A RESULT OF THE NEED TO REPLACE THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. UPDATED 05/30/06.
NHTSA complaint #10157050 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CAR ACCELERATES SUDDENLY WHILE CRUISE CONTROL IS "ON". BOTH TIMES THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES SUDDENLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, AND APPROACHING AN EXIT RAMP FROM A FREEWAY. FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED SPEEDS REACHED 95 MPH, BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT IN SLOWING DOWN VEHICLE. SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND IGNITIN TURNED OFF.
NHTSA complaint #10114063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THE THE VEHICLE GRADUALLY ACCELERATES AFTER 15-20 SECONDS. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 60 MPH IT STARTED TO ACCELERATE FOR 10-15 MILES BEFORE IT DISENGAGED. CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ON DURING THE TIME OF FAILURE.
NHTSA complaint #10108737 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN CRUISE CONTROL IS ENABLED, VEHICLE WILL SOMETIMES ACCELERATE QUICKLY WITHOUT WARNING. CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT DISENGAGE. WHEN ARRIVED AT DEALER, ENGINE WAS RACING. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM YET CITE THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE AS ONE POSSIBLE SOURCE.
NHTSA complaint #10106564 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AT CROSSING SPEED (MORE THAN 15 MPH) THE CAR WILL CONTINUE TO ACCELERATE WITHOUT ANY GAS PEDAL EFFORD. THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO 4,000. RPMS ON NEUTRAL. WHEN THE CAR WAR ON DRIVE THE ENGINE WHENT TO 6,000 RPMS. THIS PROBLEM CAN EASILY CREATE AN ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT. THE CAR CAN GO TO FULL SPEED WITHOUT NOTICE OR TELL TELL LIGHT. THIS PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE THE ENGINE IDLE SPEED CONTROL MOTOR STAYING FULLY OPEN. GENERAL MOTORS KNOWS ABOUT THIS POTENCIAL PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUE A NEW PART NUMBER FOR THIS ENGINE IDLE CONTROL MOTOR. NEW P/N 1711363 OLD P/N 25177797. BUT THERE IS NOTHING ISSUE FOR THIS PROBLEM, NOT A RECALL, OR SERVICE BULLETIN.
NHTSA complaint #10102336 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE VEHICLE SURGED UP THE 2000 RPMS. ALSO, HAS PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TANK. DEALER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #10072238 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE DRIVER TURNED ON THE ENGINE AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WENT FROM REVERSE TO FORWARD. A BYSTANDER JUMPED ONTO THE VEHICLE AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. THE VEHICLE HIT A TRUCK BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO A STOP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10065571 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE SHE AND HER HUSBAND WERE DRIVING ABOUT 70 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UP TO 80 MPH. WHEN THE DRIVER HIT THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN, HOWEVER WHEN THE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AGAIN. CONSUMER STATES THIS WENT ON FOR MINUTES. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE CALLED 911 AND WAS TOLD TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE'S MOTOR CONTINUED TO RACE AND THE PEDAL WAS STUCK TO THE FLOOR. ONCE THE KEY WAS REMOVED AND EVERYTHING HAD STOPPED, THE TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SATURN DEALER. THE DEALER FOUND NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE AND WHY THE PEDAL WAS STUCK IN PLACE. *NM *SC
NHTSA complaint #10059378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.