36 of the 232 complaints about the 1999 Saturn SL are about the braking system — 16% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 64,000 miles.
36
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
PARKING BRAKE
HAND BREAK BUTTON COMES OFF PREVENTING THE HAND BRAKE FROM LOCKING IN PLACE.
NHTSA complaint #10422268 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
HAND BRAKE RELEASE BUTTON AND SPRING POPPED OUT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNATTENDED AND PARKED ON A HILL (AS IT TYPICALLY IS), THIS CAR COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS BODILY HARM OR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.
NHTSA complaint #10401594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 1999 SATURN SL1. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE SHIFT CABLE FRACTURED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. ON A LATER DATE, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BEFORE EXITING THE VEHICLE. WHEN HE RETURNED, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD INDEPENDENTLY DISENGAGED. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE BUTTON WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO ORDER THE NECESSARY PART FROM THE DEALER TO MAKE REPAIRS HIMSELF. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT HAD HE BEEN PARKED ON A HILL, THE VEHICLE COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE ROLLED AWAY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.
NHTSA complaint #10351591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
I BOUGHT A USED SATURN ON 8/23/08 FROM DESERT INN MOTORS, TOO MANY PROBLEMS AFTER 3 MONTHS , NEW BATTERY, BRAKE BAD, MOTOR PROBLEM TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR, SO I TOLD THEM I'M NOT MAKING ANYMORE PAYMENTS, THEY TOLD ME TO BRING THE CAR BACK AND THEY WOULD REPLACE THE CAR, THEY REPO MY VEHICLE, SHADY BUSINESS PRACTICES.
NHTSA complaint #10250683 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE
MY HAND BRAKE BUTTON SUDDENLY POPPED OUT SHOWING TO BE BROKEN AND I COULD NO LONGER PUT THE HAND BRAKE IN PLACE. STILL TRYING TO FIND A FIX. DIFFICULT TO PARK ON STEEP DRIVEWAYS.
NHTSA complaint #10174936 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR
IN 2003 MY DAUGHTER BOUGHT A 1999 SATURN WITH 47000 MILES THAT HAD JUST BEEN TURNED IN FROM A LEASE FROM A DEALER AND IT STARTED SMOKING AND USING A QUART OF OIL PER 1,000AT WHICH TIME WE CONTACTED THIS AGENCY AND GM BECAUSE THE CAR WAS ALAWAYS DEALER SERVICED AND HAD NOT YET REACHED IT'S HALF LIFE. SATURN TOLD US THAT THIS WAS NORMAL HOWVER, THE CONDITION HAS ONLY WORSED OVER TIME AND IT'S NOW USING 1.5 QT'S PER 1000 MILES AND SMOKING WORSE. I BET THE EPA WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT. ADDITIONALLY THE ROTOR HAVE FAILED TWICE BECOMING WARPED AND THE MOTOR MOUNT HAS FAILED ALONG WITH A COOLENT TEMP SENSOR. MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED THESE SAME PROBLEMS AND GM KNOWS IT. ONCE AGAIN WE ASKED THEM FOR SOME GOODWILL AND THEY TURNED US DOWN SAYING THAT THE CAR (NOW) HAS TOO MANY MILES EVEN THO THEY SAID THAT IT WOULD BE DOCUMENTED BUT IT APPEARS THAT THEY HAVE STRUNG US ALONG DOING LEAK DOWN TEST AT OUR COST FROM 2003 AND FROM OUR GOV COMPLAINT UNTIL NOW WHILE TELLING US THAT THIS WAS NORMAL USE............ THAT WAS WRONG AND THEY SHOULD FACE A RECALL BECAUSE THEY HAVE ALLOWED A PROBLEMATIC ENGINE WHICH THEY KNEW ABOUT TO BE SOLD TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND THEN THEY REFUSED TO HELP THE CONSUMERS IN NEED. I'LL NEVER BUY A SATURN OR A GM AGAIN. AND, I PLAN TO SELL MY SONS NEW SATURN TOO AFTER THIS POOR TREATMENT.
NHTSA complaint #10120135 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE GOING UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, MANUFACTURER WAS ONLY WILLING TO PAY $200.00 TOWARD THE COST OF REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER WAS AFRAID THAT THE DEFECT MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO DEVELOP A BLOWN HEAD GASKET. *AK.....VEHICLE EXPERIENCED VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING 50 MPH DUE TO DEFECTIVE BRAKE ROTORS. ALSO, REPLACED ENGINE HEAD GASKET.
NHTSA complaint #10103089 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES,THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A CAR HEAD ON. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER SEEKED MEDICAL ATTENTION THE NEXT DAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10097417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
I PURCHASED A 1999 SATURN SL2 W/ 23,000MI. AT 60,000MI I BEGAN TO FEEL A JUDDER/VIBRATION FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK IT TO A SATURN DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE ROTORS WE'RE WARPED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WENT TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD NON-OEM BRAKE ROTORS INSTALLED AND AFTER APPROXIAMETELY 65,000MI, BEGAN TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. AFTER LEAVING THE CAR WITH THE REPAIR SHOP, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, BUT MY ROTORS KEEP WARPING. THE REPAIR SHOP CUT THE ROTORS "SLIGHTLY" AND NOW AT 70,000MI I STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS DEFINIETLY WRONG WITH THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT ROTORS DO WARP BUT THEY SHOULD LAST FOR APPROX. 70,000MI, AND I SHOULD NOT BE FEELING THE JUDDER/VIBRATION IN MY STEERING WHEEL.
NHTSA complaint #10052540 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WHILE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP MOTOR REVVED, BUT VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. THIS RESULTED IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE.
NHTSA complaint #10040051 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKE ROTORS WARPED.
NHTSA complaint #10032703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
DEFECTIVE BRAKES DUE TO BRAKE CYLINDER LEAKAGE, AND ENGINE STALLED. PH
NHTSA complaint #10022184 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE SHIFT GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
NHTSA complaint #10002020 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:WHEEL CYLINDERS
THE RIGHT REAR CYLINDER WAS LEAKING.
NHTSA complaint #567781 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. A TECHNICIAN FOUND THAT THE REAR BRAKES WERE OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, CAUSING NOISE, CONSUMER STATES THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE DUE TO FAULTY INSTALLATION OF THE TIRE ASSEMBLY.
NHTSA complaint #565541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL FELT SPONGY, AND THERE WAS EXTENDED STOPPPING DISTANCE. VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY DEALER, WHO STATED BRAKES WERE IN WORKING ORDER.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WOULD GRIND AND SQUEAK.
NHTSA complaint #8015863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE DRIVING AT 60-65 MPH STEERING WHEEL WILL START TO SHAKE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND PROBLEM AFTER NINE ATTEMPTS.*AK CONSUMER STATES ROUGH IDLE WHEN WARM. DEALER REPLACED PCM/ECM, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST. POWER STEERING FLUID LOW. EXPERIENCING SHIMMY WHEN BRAKING. NOISE FROM GAS TANK WHEN COMING TO A STOP.
NHTSA complaint #8005064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
PARKING BRAKE
PARKING BRAKE FELL APART CAUSING VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS INTO STREET, THE SPRING FOUND ON THE FLOOR.
NHTSA complaint #9004979 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
ACCORDING TO DIAGRAMMED POLICE REPORT AND PERSONAL PHOTOS TAKEN (I CAN PROVIDE COPIES OF ALL, SATURN SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 80 FT DUE TO LEFT, FRONT BRAKE LOCKING AT 35 MPH. VEHICLE STARTED TO TURN TO RIGHT JUST BEFORE IMPACTING A SUBURBAN REAREND. SATURN DOES NOT HAVE ABS; HOWEVER, AT 35 MPH MOST VEHICLES WILL STOP BEFORE 80 FEET. WOULD LIKE TO KNOW OF OTHER INCIDENTS.
NHTSA complaint #750962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE HAS HAD 3 MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF HEAVY BRAKE PULSATION CAUSED BY FRONT ROTORS, AND ONE FAILURE OF ABS SENSORS CAUSING ABS FAILURE. DEALER CANNOT CORRECT RECURRING PULSATION PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #750772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
VEHICLE HAS HAD 3 MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF HEAVY BRAKE PULSATION CAUSED BY FRONT ROTORS, AND ONE FAILURE OF ABS SENSORS CAUSING ABS FAILURE. DEALER CANNOT CORRECT RECURRING PULSATION PROBLEMS.
NHTSA complaint #750772 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
THE QUALITY OF THE ROTORS IS QUESTIONABLE AND MAY LEAD TO BRAKE FAILURES.
NHTSA complaint #749859 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH APPLIED BRAKES AND PEDAL FELT SOFT AND SPONGY, NO BRAKING ACTION. THIS HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES. NO ACCIDENT. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, WHO DID NOTHING MORE THAN LOOK AT THE BRAKE PADS AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG.
NHTSA complaint #892599 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
BRAKES SQUEAK WHEN DRIVING, WAS ADVISED BY MECHANIC THAT FRONT PADS AND REAR SHOES ARE AT 90% NO PROBLEM, WAS ADVISED THAT SQUEAKING IS NORMAL DUE TO MOISTURE, HUMIDITY AND MORNING DEW.
NHTSA complaint #560777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
VEHICLE VIBRATES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT SPEED OVER 45 MPH. DEALER REPLACED PADS. BUT, IT DID NOT REMEDY SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #885049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
VEHICLE VIBRATES WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT SPEED OVER 45 MPH. DEALER REPLACED PADS. BUT, IT DID NOT REMEDY SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #885049 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED BRAKE FAILURE. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #785217 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
THE BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN APPLYING, DEALERSHIP CONSIDERS THIS A TRAIT OF THE VEHICLE. *MJS
NHTSA complaint #554004 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES BRAKE PEDAL PUMPS. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-65MPH STEERING WHEEL WOBBLES. DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED ABOUT VEHICLE. OWNER WAS TOLD THAT ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #870867 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED AND THERE WAS NO PRESSURE. PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #869510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.