27 of the
274 complaints filed about the Saturn SW
are about the transmission —
10% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 1995.
27
Complaints
10%
Share of all complaints
3
Crashes
1
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
I BOUGHT A 1995 SATURN FROM PRECISION TUNE AUTO. THE CAR WAS SUPPOSED TO BE CLEANED, AND WIRING FIXED. NO MENTION OF SEAT PROBLEM. THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN SOME FAILURE WITH TOP PART OF SEAT, TO FALL BACK FOR SOME REASON. FRONT SEAT. TROUBLE WITH CAR. BAD GAS MILEAGE, ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE VALVE TROUBLE, NO POWER ON HILL, GEAR SHIFT STICKS, CLUNK IN REVERSE INTERMITTENTLY, BLEEDING BRAKE LINE, BACK BRAKES. CVC CLICKING, AND SO ON. HIT ON AUG. 22, 2006. NOT SURE IF THIS CAUSED ALL THE ABOVE.
NHTSA complaint #10179143 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, A LOUD NOISE CAME FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION. UPON INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION BLOWN FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, HOWEVER NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE.
NHTSA complaint #10149963 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
A KNOWN FAULT IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMITION VALVE ASSEMBLY OF MY 1993 SATURN SW1 IS NOT COVERED BY THE DEALERSHIP, BUT IS ADMITTED BY THE MANUFACTUER AND CAN BE FIXED AT MY EXPENCE WITH NO REEMBURSMENT OFFERED.
NHTSA complaint #10088394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND VEHICLE JERKED. CONSUMER PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER. THEN, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG, AND VEHICLE JERKED AGAIN AND SMOKED BADLY. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME OUT AND DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION. A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10071417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND VEHICLE JERKED. CONSUMER PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER. THEN, CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD BANG, AND VEHICLE JERKED AGAIN AND SMOKED BADLY. DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT DIFFERENTIAL PIN CAME OUT AND DESTROYED THE TRANSMISSION. A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED FOR THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10071417 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE CYLINDER HEADS OF SOME SATURN CARS CRACK AND THE OIL MIXES WITH THE COOLANT. THE SATURN MANUFACTURER WILL NOT FIX THE CRACKED CYLINDER HEAD ON MY SW1 BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRENTY. MY CAR ONLY HAS 69,000 MILES ON IT. A CYLINER HEAD SHOULD NOT CRACK - ESCPECIALLY WITH ONLY 69,000 MILES. THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, EVEN WROTE TWO TECHNICAL BULLETONS ON IT. I THINK SATURN SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED CONSTOMERS AND THEY SHOULD FIX MY CAR FREE OF CHARGE.
NHTSA complaint #10002701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES
CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ON DRIVEWAY, JUST SMALL PUDDLES. DEALER REPLACED HOUSING UNIT BECAUSE OF CRACKS TO TRANSMISSION.*AK CONSUMER FEELS THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED CONSIDERING THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #890906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ON DRIVEWAY, JUST SMALL PUDDLES. DEALER REPLACED HOUSING UNIT BECAUSE OF CRACKS TO TRANSMISSION.*AK CONSUMER FEELS THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED CONSIDERING THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #890906 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WITH THE GASKET FAILURE, THE OIL AND COOLANT MIXED WITHIN THE ENGINE, THE DEALER HAD THE ENGINE FLUSHED OUT AND I HAD IT BACK IN 1 WEEK, 2 MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING TO WORK , IT WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO 2RD GEAR,. HAD TO DRIVE IT DOWN TO THE DEALER'S 2.5 HOURS FROM HOME . GOT IT BACK 1 WEEK LATER. EVER SINCE THE ENGINE WAS WORKED ON WE'VE HAD AN OIL LEAK, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THE LEAKAGE WAS IN NORMAL RANGE . WE USE 1-3 QTS EVERY MONTH .
NHTSA complaint #746521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE SHUDDERS WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CHANGES GEARS, DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS AN UPPER VALVE BODY PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT STILL DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED WORSE AFTER THE VALVE BODY WAS REPLACED, DEALERSHIP THEN RECOMMENDED A COMPLETE TEARDOWN OF THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $1950 CONSUMER THEN TOOK VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE WORK AT LOWER COST, CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE NOW RUNS GREAT.
NHTSA complaint #561240 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. WHILE WALKING AWAY GEAR SOME HOW JUMPED INTO REVERSE AND BEGAN TO ROLL BACKWARDS TOWARDS ANOTHER VEHICLE. SATURN HAS BEEN OCNTACTED. *AK THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT FIND ANY MECHANICAL CAUSE FOR THE INCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #880655 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
INTERMEDIATE SHAFT/CARRIER BEARING ASSEMBLY FAILED AT RELATIVELY LOW MILES. I AM TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THIS SPECIFIC FAILURE IS COMMON SO OWNERS CAN BE NOTIFIED AND AVOID THIS COSTLY AND SERIOUS REPAIR.
NHTSA complaint #738330 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS A DELAY OF UP TO THREE SECONDS WHEN SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WHEN THE CAR IS AT OPERATING TEMPERATURE. THIS CONDITION CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO JERK BACKWARD SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAS NEARLY COLLIDED INTO FIXED OBJECTS/NON-MOVING VEHICLES ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THIS CONDITION IS ONGOING DESPITE REGULAR ANNUAL TRANSMISSION FLUID/FILTER CHANGES BY DEALER AND OWNER. THIS CONDITION HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED BY OTHER SATURN AUTO TRANSMISSION OWNERS, REGARDLESS OF MODEL, ON THE SATURN DISSCUSSION GROUP SITE AT REC.AUTOS.MAKERS.SATURN THE PROBLEM IS MOST DANGEROUS WHEN THROTTLE IS APPLIED. RAPID APPLICATION OF REVERSE IS DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE SUCH AS OVERSHOOTING AND CORRECTING FOR A CROSSWALK AT A STOPLIGHT, DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW AT PARKING LOT OR FAST FOOD RESTURANT, THREE POINT TURNS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, ETC.
NHTSA complaint #714724 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WAS DRIVING A NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE ENGINE. TOOK TO DEALER & ENGINE OIL HAD LEAKED OUT. THE OIL LIGHT HAD MALFUNCTIONED ON PANEL. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REBUILT. PISTON ROD RINGS/ CYLINDER/CRANKSHAFT & BEARINGS NEED REPLACING ALSO. THE AXLE SEAL WAS REPLACED FIVE TIMES. TRANSMISSION LEAKS OIL ON THE HOUSING AREA & IT WAS CRACKED.
NHTSA complaint #838863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.