16 of the
137 complaints about the 2001 Saturn SL are about the
braking system — 12% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
55,153 miles.
WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A LIGHT UP TO ~20MPH THERE WAS THE SMELL OF BRAKE FLUID/RUBBER BURNING. WHEN TRAFFIC SLOWED AGAIN BRAKES HAD NO RESPONSE EVEN WHEN PRESS ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. CAR WAS STOPPED IN TIME TO AVOID ACCIDENT BY APPLICATION OF EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PLACING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. PUMPING THE BRAKES FAILED TO REGAIN PRESSURE THOUGH AFTER DRIVING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH EBRAKE AND RESTARTING CAR A HARD PUMP OF THE BRAKES HAD SOME RESISTANCE. FURTHER CAUTIOUS DRIVING AND PRESSURE REBUILT. AFTER INSPECTION AT THE SHOP NO EXPLANATION FOR THE EVENT COULD BE FOUND.
NHTSA complaint #10616483 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 76,885 milesChino Hills, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PADS WEAR PREMATURELY. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES WITHIN ONE YEAR. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #10108875 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 32,000 milesSutton, MACrash
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
DRIVING DOWN A TWO HOUSE DEAD END STREET TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR, WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WHEEL CILINDER BROKE AND ALL ABILITY TO STOP WAS LOST. AFTER REPLACING THE WHEEL CILINDER, IT WAS ALSO REALIZED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE LINE TO THE REAR BRAKE WAS MISSING SEVERAL WASHERS AND THEN CAUSED THE BRAKE LINE TO LEAK. TWO WEEKS LATER THE MASTER CILINDER FOR THE BRAKES ALSO FAILED ALL BEFORE I EVER HADTO REPLACE ANY OF THE BRAKE PADS OR SHOES.
NHTSA complaint #10075129 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 8,715 milesFayetteville, PA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
DEFECTIVE BRAKE ROTORS ON 2001 SATURN SL. *MR FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED 4 TIMES. INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE BUCKED AND STALLED AT IDLE. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN ON ROAD TEST. RADIO LIGHT INOPERATIVE. RADIO ASSEMBLY REPLACED. *TT
NHTSA complaint #10024545 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 55,153 milesFayetteville, PA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
THE VEHICLE BRAKE ROTOR WARP SEVERAL TIMES WHICH CAUSED VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ROTORS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED FROM A STOP THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE ALSO ACTS AS IF IT WANT TO STALL WHEN SITTING IDLE. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE EITHER CONCERN. THE RADIO LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE THEREFORE THE DEALER REPLACED THE RADIO. *AK *CB *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10025025 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Glen Mills, PA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAVE HAD TO BE "TURNED" TWO OR THREE TIMES AND VEHICLE ONLY HAS 33K MILES ON IT. DEALER IS AWARE AND HAS SO FAR COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.
NHTSA complaint #10016822 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lewisville, TX
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
NO SUMMARY. DT
NHTSA complaint #768770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lewisville, TX
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
NO SUMMARY. DT
NHTSA complaint #768770 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lewisville, TX
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
I HAVE NOT EVEN OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ONE FULL YEAR AND IT HAS COST ME $700.00 IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS. DT
NHTSA complaint #768771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Lavayette, LA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM:DRUM
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE SHIMMIES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT THE BRAKE DRUMS NEEDED CHANGING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8015511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Cullowhee, NC
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE SEVERELY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. VEHICLE BEEN TO THE DEALER ON FOUR OCCASIONS, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8012653 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Boulevard, CA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
WHEN APPLYING BRAKES VEHICLE WILL SHUTTER AND VIBRATE. ROTORS ARE PREMATURELY WARPING. TOOK TO DEALER TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK DEALER REPLACED AND TURNED ROTORS ONCE, STATING THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM FOUND.
NHTSA complaint #8008342 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Warwick, RI
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
AFTER A RAIN OR SNOW DAY, BRAKES WILL TIGHTEN UP AND MAKE A GRINDING NOISE LIKE METAL TO METAL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #8005957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Warwick, RI
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
AFTER A RAIN OR SNOW DAY, BRAKES WILL TIGHTEN UP AND MAKE A GRINDING NOISE LIKE METAL TO METAL. DEALER WAS CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #8005957 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ST. Louis, MO
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
NUMEROUS BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKE PEDAL FADES TO THE FLOOR AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT, NOTICE NOT FLUID AT RT FRONT BRAKE LINE, REPLACE MASTER CYLINDER. POWER BLEED AND RT 26 MILES AFTER RAPAIR, NORMAL BRAKING PERFORMANCE. POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE, SOMETIMES A LOUD SNAP OR CLICK BEFORE FAILURE, SOMETIME NO WARNING, SOMETIME JUST A SOFT OR SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL. BATTERY LEAKING ACID INTO BATTERY BOX, VERIFIED AND FOUND BATTERY LEAKING AT POSSITIVE CABLE REPLACE BATTERY, COVER, POSSITIVE CABLE, TRANS FILTER AND CLEANED ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HOSE FROM COOLANT TANK TO THROTTLE BODY RUBBED, REPLACE HOSE. ADJUSTMENT PARKING BRAKES HARD TO PULL, ADJUST PER SERVICE MANUEL.
NHTSA complaint #9005681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ST. Louis, MO
PARKING BRAKE
NUMEROUS BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKE PEDAL FADES TO THE FLOOR AFTER SITTING OVERNIGHT, NOTICE NOT FLUID AT RT FRONT BRAKE LINE, REPLACE MASTER CYLINDER. POWER BLEED AND RT 26 MILES AFTER RAPAIR, NORMAL BRAKING PERFORMANCE. POOR BRAKE PERFORMANCE, SOMETIMES A LOUD SNAP OR CLICK BEFORE FAILURE, SOMETIME NO WARNING, SOMETIME JUST A SOFT OR SPONGY BRAKE PEDAL. BATTERY LEAKING ACID INTO BATTERY BOX, VERIFIED AND FOUND BATTERY LEAKING AT POSSITIVE CABLE REPLACE BATTERY, COVER, POSSITIVE CABLE, TRANS FILTER AND CLEANED ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HOSE FROM COOLANT TANK TO THROTTLE BODY RUBBED, REPLACE HOSE. ADJUSTMENT PARKING BRAKES HARD TO PULL, ADJUST PER SERVICE MANUEL.
NHTSA complaint #9005681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.