2000 SATURN LS

2000 saturn l w2 4dr wagon, sharp edge on front door, poor design. *bf the consumer is concerned that the sharp edges on the door may cause bodily injury to him and/or his wife. *nm

Transmission failure/replacement at 50,000 odometer reading on 2000 saturn lw2, engine l81 3.0 liter v-6, vin [xxx].....on october 6, 2003 i was advised by the service manager of saturn of woodbridge (virginia) that. *ak my 2000 saturn lw2 needed a new transmission at a cost of $3,800. the vehicle had just undergone the 51,000 scheduled maintenance. the automatic transmission was replaced on october 9, 2003 at a cost to me of $1,500. it is my considered opinion that an automobile transmission is not supposed to fail without explained/anticipated reason at such low mileage. purchased new by me on may 27, 2000, every scheduled 3000 mile maintenance was completed on schedule. from april to october 2003 the service-engine-light illuminated several times but the service section at the dealership stated that nothing registered on the computer. the problem was "fixed" by re-setting the computer. on october 3, 2003 the computer indicated "code p1811" which led the technician to a bulletin numbered 02-t-84. what is this bulletin? is it "2002-transmission-84th bulletin"? when i complained, saturn volunteered to absorb all costs but $1,500. saturn installed a rebuilt transmission on october 9, 2003 and kept my original (failed) transmission for return to saturn for rebuilding. did saturn know that the transmission had a propensity to fail? did saturn really absorb part of what was claimed to be a $3,800 (rebuilt transmission) replacement cost? i don't think i should have been liable for the failure of the transmission. this report appears to be similar to odi number 10010259 described march 8, 2003 regarding a 2000 l series wagon automatic transmission problem. supporting documentation is available. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

I have contacted saturn about the tire problems associated with the ls series, which i currently own the car of the first launch year, 2000. i am now on my third set of tires. they tell me that it is the tires, but i am also on the third brand of tire. i know that i am not alone in this problem. while at the garage with this last set of tires, another consumer had to replace their tires at 5000 miles. i have asked saturn to look into a possible design flaw with regards to the way the car's chassis is styled. they refuse to listen to what i have to say. i would also like to send to you copies of letters i have directed to the saturn corporation. thank you, [xxx]. *ak (tiresize: r185)

While driving down the interstate my timing chain snapped. car lost power and put me and my family at risk of an accident.

Ref: 07v519 i am filling this complaint concerning my 2000 saturn ls1 2.2l engine. while driving on a southern california freeway in july 2008 my timing chain broke. this caused us to try and get to the side of the freeway from the left side of the freeway, a very nerve-racking situation. after talking to the dealership and several independent repair shops i elected to replace the engine instead of fixing the timing chain and the other damage that was caused in the broken timing chain. the repair was completed by claremont auto center in pomona ca on 14/july/2008. if necessary i should be able to get a copy of the repair bill.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls. while driving 70 mph, the vehicle randomly stalled without warning. the contact had to coast the vehicle to the side of the road. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. an independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and stated that that there was an internal failure where the timing belt prematurely fractured into the motor and fractured the valves. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was not available.

The whole subframe on my 2000 saturn ls is rotted so bad that i can't even drive the vehicle. it started with my car not starting and putting it up on a lift to see what the problem was. that not starting problem is a bad resonator, but in the process the subframe was found to be seriously rotted away. *tr

Car leaking oil - now engine trouble

Nothing, thank god had happened yet, but it will in a matter of time, how much time i have no idea. the problem is the motor cradle or frame is rusting out, the front where the motor sets had wholes rusted in it, the whole thing is rusting away.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls. while driving at any speed, the turn signal did not automatically disengage. the contact had to manually disengage the signal. there was no warning indicator. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the turn signal cancel cam assembly needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 7,704.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls. while driving approximately 25 mph, the contact noticed an abnormal noise from both the front passenger and driver sides of the vehicle. in addition, the contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was corrosion around all of the wheel wells and the subframe needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unknown. the failure mileage was 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls. while driving at approximately 65 mph, there was smoke coming from the steering wheel into the vehicle and the high beams activated without being prompted. the high beams failed to turn off causing the contact to detach the headlights. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 152,680.

Took car to have struts replaced and was told the sub frame had rusted away to make the car unsafe to drive,always checked the body and frame yearly for rust on chassis and uni body so there would not be any potential problem s. i live in the northeast part of the usa.. the problem with the sub frame is it rusts from the inside out so it makes inspection extremely hard to see. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls. the contact stated that the rear tail lights failed to illuminate. the contact mentioned that there was an electrical malfunction that burned the sockets and wires causing the bulbs to short. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. the technician replaced the rear tail lights three times and the failure recurred. the vehicle was not repaired. the contact was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 05v245000 (electrical system). the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn l series. the contact stated that while operating the vehicle the driver inadvertently pulled the key out of the ignition and the vehicle continued to operate. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the problem. the vin was not available. the failure mileage was 30,000.

I was driving a 98 toyota tacoma on a 45 mph highway when a pedestrian in the road caused all lanes of traffic to suddenly stop. i was unable to stop in time and went into the median to avoid an accident. i was unable to keep my vehicle in the median and struck the 2000 saturn coupe drivers side fender to drivers side fender. upon impact the body of the saturn burst into 12 to 14 inch shards of whatever the body is made of, (perhaps fiberglass or something similar). one such shard shattered the drivers window and impaled me through my left shoulder and lodged itself protruding slightly from my back. the emergency responders were unable to stop the bleeding so i was airlifted to ormc for emergency surgery, and am lucky to have survived. the surgeon stated that another inch would have meant me bleeding out in the road. that vehicle should not have shot deadly projectiles upon impact. *tr

Please note that our saturn 2000 ls "key can be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position. we have not received a recall notice regarding our saturn ls. we have received a recall notice on our saturn vue suv regarding "key to be removed from the ignition when the ignition is not in the "off" position. thank you, *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls. the contact stated that the key failed to turn in the ignition switch. the failure has occurred on several occasions. the key would turn after several attempts. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vin was not available. the approximate failure mileage was 23,000.

Tl * the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls. the contact stated that while idling, the vehicle shook, the engine roared as the rpms decreased. the dealer reprogrammed the body control module, but the failure recurred. the vehicle was taken to the dealer again and the timing chain, tensioner, and guides were replaced. the failure appeared to be remedied, but recurred a year later. the dealer stated that the timing chain could not be properly adjusted and was striking the guides, which produced the roaring sound in the engine. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 99,000.

I took my car in for a tune up and found out the timing belt tensioner had gone bad destroying my motor. *tr

I have a 2000 saturn ls 1 that i had bought in june 14 2012 @ the us truck & auto on us. 31 south here in traverse city michigan 49685. the salesperson's name is[xxx]. i was on craigs list looking for a reliable car and i came upon us truck & auto and wyane would not let me test drive the car and that the car is in perfect running condition until march 14,2014 my wheel came off at a stoplight getting to go on green but didn't move far. and when i got the car the dome light wasn't working and a wire had been disconnected from the daytime head lamp and burned out tail lights. since i purchased it at a car dealership i took they had the vehicle inspected but learned later that wayne does not always have the vehicles inspected that he puts on his lots but sells lemons. he would rather sale a lemon or a vehicle that will in danger a person then to follow the laws and make sure the vehicles are road safe before he sells them. i needed a car because i have a friend that has issues with her back and legs plus we live 7 to 8 miles out of traverse city, mi and don't have much money to do much of anything right now. my friend and i love this car the engine and transmission are fairly new. we have tried to ask for help getting the car fixed from churches and other organizations but even they barely have the money to help. the buses here refuse to work for us and taxis are way to much money to take us shopping for food or doctor's appointments. please help us get our car fixed or maybe even a different 4 cylinder car. thank you for your time! [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Car runs ok and after 1 hour of running and you shut it down it wont start. i've replace ignition switch, neutral safety switch, crank sensor. and problem remains' have to jump out the starter it order to start it. i think the ignition housing and key switch is defective. i got no indication the pass lock sensor is defective. *tr

My car drives like its coughing and sometimes it cuts off on me, and my brake lights work sometime, i have had people honk to tell me my lights not working then they will pop on when they get ready. *tr

When i went to get new tires for this car i was told there was a problem with my frame and should go right to a dealership. i contacted saturn and they authorized it for me to go to my nearest dealership, at the dealers convenience and my expense for a review of the problem. i made the appointment but in the mean time the front wheels stated to shake and shimmy. i was losing control of the car, so i pulled into the nearest repair shop and was given the advice to leave this car parked. do not drive it at all. contacting saturn at this point they refused to even look into this problem. never have i heard of a frame supporting the engine, and front wheels ever rusting through on a car before. they said it was my choice to have it fixed, therefore they had no obligation to look into this any longer. i believe i had no choice other than to get it fixed right there and then. not only because it had to be done but for the safety of my family. *tr

Driving down the road the vehicle started making noise and steering was uncontrollable. i trailered the vehicle back home. closer inspection revealed the front subframe/engine cradle was completely rusted through in multiple spots, very dangerous!!! i contacted the dealer to get a new subframe and i was advised the subframe is no longer available and to try finding one in a salvage yard. i contacted a salvage yard and they said they had a few and it would be no problem to pull one. i got the call today saying they were sorry but all of the front subframes on the saturn l series they have are rusted through and are not usable. i contacted other yards with the same response. i ended up having to find a salvage yard down south that had a usable subframe. i went online to find numerous forum posts discussing this topic and i'm finding it is very common on this vehicle. why was there never a recall for this with such a widespread safety hazard? from what i can tell it happens on all model years of the l series. the irony is the rest of the car is very clean, no rust on the rest of the undercarriage. there is no clear explanation why the subframe would have corrosion perforation at such low mileage with no other rust/corrosion on the rest of the vehicle. at a higher rate of speed this could have had a bad outcome. thank you. *tr

Just read the recall on gm cars due to faulty ignition. my daughter owned a 2000 saturn ls until july 2012 (when she traded it in) and on 2 different occasions, it also stopped running as she was driving. luckily it did not result in an accident. *tr

My saturn has a massively rusted subframe. *tr

I wasn't in a accident thank god but i bought this car going on a year from a auction and in about 4 months ago noticed the back tail lights kept going out and then just wouldn't come back on i tried everything. ad of 10/6/2013. i change the fuses the brake. lights came on for one night and then went out again. so i don't know what's going on.so noticed that it was a recall on this. and i wanted.to see if i could still get it fixed on the recall because i cant drive my car like this and it need to be fixed. and didn't have this car at the time of the recall and this is serious and any other recalls on this car that need to be fixed i need it. *tr

The vehicle loses power check engine light turns on and starts blinking also the tail lamp bulb melts the plastic on bulb. *tr

Subframe on saturn totally rusted away only thing holding passenger wheel on was strut bracket. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. the contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph, the turning signals and the hazard lights failed without warning. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 182,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls2. the contact stated that while driving 30 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis. the intake sensor, speed sensor and various other components were replaced. in addition, the turn signals also began to malfunction. the contact stated that when the key was removed from the ignition, it was abnormally hot to the touch. the vehicle had not been further repaired. the failure and current mileage was 62,000.

I had just gone to the gas station to fill up my 2000 saturn lw2 when i was about two blocks from the gas station. i was right around the corner from my house, and had just turned right onto a street with a hill. suddenly, my car started sputtering so i immediately tried to pull over. i wasn't completely out of the street when i suddenly lost all power brakes and power steering going down the hill at 25 miles per hour. i couldn't stop the car so i put it in park, which stopped it instantly, causing my neck to jerk, which has been sore from whiplash for the past four days so far. i had the car towed to the mechanic who found bits of my timing belt all through the motor, which blew the entire engine. after hearing that it would be over $3,000 for a used engine installed, we've been trying to determine our next move, financially. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn lseries. the contact stated that while traveling 45 mph, the vehicle began independently steering to the left. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where it was confirmed that the failure was caused by corrosion of the sub frame. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 165,000. updated 10/25/12 *cn updated 11/08/12 ..updated 11/14/12 *bf updated 11/15/2012 *js

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.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn l-series wagon. the contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the vehicle stalled. the vehicle would not restart. the vehicle was towed to a dealer for diagnosis. the dealer informed the contact that the vehicle would need a new timing chain and a new engine, as there was a lot of internal damage. the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 143,000. updated 11/07/12*lj the repairs were completed, in one week, by the consumer's husband. updated 11/07/2012 *js

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. the contact stated that while sitting at a traffic stop, another vehicle rear-ended the contact’s vehicle. the contact stated that the break lights failed to alert the other driver that she was braking. there was no damage to vehicle and the police were not contacted. the vehicle was not taken to a repair shop or dealer for inspection or repair. the failure occurs intermittently. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure, however provided no assistance. the current and failure mileage was 154,000.

I arrived at my destination, turned off the engine, ran inside for no more than 5 mins and when i came back out the engine was unable to turn over and made horrible noises when attempting to start. i called a tow truck to come pick it up to bring it back to their shop to check it out. when i arrive at the shop today they tell me that the timing chain has broken and bent the valves. the whole engine now needs to be replaced. they tell me it is $3600 minimum to replace and this is with a used engine for $2400+ just for his used engine. all in all, i'm very glad the vehicle wasn't moving when this happened but still very frustrated since this does not seem to be an uncommon thing with the saturn l-series. *tr

Engine began having a slow knocking noise, prior to that i would hear a noise of the chain slapping, which i was explained to by saturn that this was normal in my vehicle. drove the vehicle home then while i was parking, heard a loud bang and when i got out - there was oil gushing from underneath. parked the car and have not repaired it since... was just doing research now to replace the engine and found that finally there was another round of recalls regarding the engine. i have asked my saturn dealer before about this (while they were still in business) and was told that only specific years were covered... *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn lw1. the contact stated that the vehicle was being inspected when the contact was advised that rear frame was severely corroded. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection or repairs. the failure and the current mileage was 105,063.

This happened very suddenly. i applied the brake to enter the ramp to the highway and the car pulled to the left and made a noise. i thought it may be a bearing or brake problem but i had not had any issues before that so i went on since it seamed to be driving ok. while i was on the interstate i went to go into the left lane and realized there was a serious problem with the steering. i slowed down and got off the highway to the shop. i was told there the k frame had less than 1/2" before breaking completely and could have been a serious accident since it has to do with steering. i have regular maint on the car and there was no indication that this might happen. the underside is in very good shape. i had the frame replaced. i feel it was a defect in the frame. i'm sure im not the only one this has happened too. *kb

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls. while driving approximately 35 mph the contact heard a ticking noise in the engine. the noise was heard while driving various speeds. the contact inspected the vehicle and noticed the noise was coming from the timing belt located in the engine. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn l series. the contact stated that in the attempt to start the vehicle, the warning lights would illuminate on the instrument panel and the vehicle would not start. the dealer diagnosed that the there was no compression taking place, causing the vehicle to stall. the manufacturer was notified, but the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 07v519000 (engine and engine cooling), did not include the vin. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 50,000. updated 02/03/12*lj the consumer has since traded the vehicle. updated 02/10/12

Vehicle pulled when braking. symptoms started on a monday as a light pull. more noticeable above 50 mph, and not noticeable below 35. by thursday morning, pull was severe above 50mph. stayed till after 6:00 at night to avoid traffic. ride home was "entertaining" as steering wheel did not always go back to "center" when going straight. i thought i needed a steering rack until i inspected the vehicle on saturday. my inspection showed that front subframe (a.k.a. engine cradle) failed where the "passenger side lower control arm rear bushing was attached". a sizable piece of frame ripped out, with bushing still attached to lower control arm. rusted perforations in subframe visible approximately 6" behind where frame failed. two sets of rims (summer and winter) with no "dings" testifies that vehicle never even hit a curb in 170,000 miles. 4 cylinder, so no exhaust nearby to "weaken steel". bad choice of corrosion protection in a critical part of the frame, and/or undersizing of steel thickness to accommodate for corrosion is my estimate of "failure mode". contacted dealer and no replacement parts available. well maintained vehicle, very disappointed it failed this way. last vehicle i junked was a 17 year old 1973 olds. everything but the subframe indicated i'd get another 5 years out of this vehicle. *tr

The front subframe rusted through. mechanic stated was not normal wear. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls series. the contact stated that when turning the key to turn on the vehicle, the steering wheel would seize. the dealer was notified of the failure and the contact made an appointment for the vehicle to be diagnosed. the manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 44,000 and the current mileage was 44,200.

Tl* the contact owns 2000 saturn l-series sedan. while driving approximately 25 mph the vehicle began to decelerate. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. the technician stated the timing chain fractured causing damage to the head of the engine. the technician stated the timing chain had to be replaced and depending on the severity of the damage the head on the engine also had to be rebuilt or replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. nhtsa recall campaign number: 07v519000 (engine and engine cooling) may be related to the failure but it do not include 2000 models. the approximate failure mileage was 103,000 updated 04/19/12*lj upadted 04/27/12

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. while driving approximately 65 mph, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who advised that the timing chain fractured. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer had not been notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 95,000. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. the contact was driving uphill when the vehicle became resistant to acceleration attempts. after several minutes, the vehicle stalled completely. the vehicle was towed to the dealer where the contact was told that the timing chain was fractured and would need replacing. the failure and current mileage was 150,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn l. the contact stated that the path lock anti-theft system failed and prevented the vehicle from being started. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer and they advised him that they might have to replace the entire anti-theft system. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was also contacted and advised him that there were no recalls for the failure and provided no further assistance. the failure and current mileage was approximately 108,000. the vin was unavailable.

Timing chain broke on 2000 saturn ls2 3.0l v6 engine while driving down the road causing engine failure. the 2.2l engine has been recalled and there are many complaints about the 3.0l engine having the same failures. this engine should be included in the recall also. *tr

2000 saturn l series timing chain failure. meticulous maintenance and sensible driving still have left me with a broken timing chain, bent valves(interference motor, i'm told) and basically a busted motor. big problem not covered by a recall for the 11/00 to 01 l series. bunch of bull recall isn't for my car when it's the exact same design separated by only months in production ! normal driving down road and awful rattle sound and motor was stalled and so was i . *tr

My timing chain separated and caused major damage to my engine. i have a saturn 2000 ls 2.2l engine. i never had a problem, never knew the chain was a problem. i went to start my car, it would not start. it was towed to goodyear, they said i have no compression, the timing chain broke. my only solution is to put a new engine into my car. i have always changed the oil at 3,000 miles and mechanically took care of my car. i am looking to replace the motor with money i do not have. a timing chain should not fail in these conditions. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ion level 2. the vehicle would not start whenever the temperature was under forty degrees. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where the technician diagnosed the failure to be the ignition switch which needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 45,000.

The rear brakes slide off the wheel cylinder causing the brake peddle to go to the floor. if you look at the saturn 2000 ls1 the wheel cylinders has a flat surface which the brakes set on and after driving for a period of time the brakes slip off the wheel cylinder which then it goes to the floor. on the saturn 2000 sl1 the wheel cylinder has slots on the wheel cylinder which holds the brakes in place,they need to have the wheel cylinders replaced for ones with slots. it is totally unsafe to drive. it happends about every 6 months having to take apart and fix one day someone will get killed if it hasn't happen yet. *tr

Had the timing chain on my 2000 saturn ls1 snap on me, leaving me stranded in a parking lot late at night and waiting more than an hour for a tow truck to show up. repair cost of this part, which is meant to last the life of the vehicle, ran $800. a recall against saturn was issued by your agency by your agency on the 20001 model of this car but none of the other years, despite the fact that the model years 2000 through 2003 all have the same defective timing chain and oiler installed in them from the factory. *tr

4 cylinder shot, engine shot.this 2000 ls2 v-6 had the whole 100,000 mile maintenance done, timing chain bla bla bla.electric windows,4 ways hazards, turn signals,engine,a/c-heater,blower motor,handles broke-interior only,car ran good when it ran but when it stopped it always costs money. *tr

I drive a 2000 saturn ls and for the past 6 months my service light comes on periodically and the ac/hear/defrost will not work. there has been a new sensor system placed in the car and i have flushed and used the fuel injection system and changed from using regular to mid grade gasoline and i am still having the same problem. the dealership (was saturn is now road show auto) has tried everything to correct the problem but the problem still remains. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls. while driving at 55 mph, the contact noticed that the vehicle was shifting abnormally. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership where the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced because of the timing chain. the current and failure mileages were approximately 92,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. he stated the vehicle was consuming large quantities of engine oil. the dealer stated the rack and pinion assembly needed to be replaced. the vehicle was taken for a second opinion to a local mechanic where the power steering reservoir was replaced and the failure ceased. on a separate occasion, while driving at speeds of over 10 mph or attempting a left or right turn, the vehicle would lose power. also, while in the reverse mode, the vehicle would stall. the dealer could not duplicate the problem. the failure persisted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer over 4 additional times and the failure could not be duplicated. there were no recalls on the vehicle and no further repairs were made to the vehicle. the failure and current mileages were under 103,000.

I started the car and backed out of the driveway when a put it in forward it stalled. it started again and i drove to my destination. it also started again and i was able to return home. while i was driving to and from my appointment i could not maintain speed going up hills on the highway. when i went to start the car the next day it turned over but did not start. from there on it would not turn over at all. my mechanic says there no compression on any of the cylinders and it is most likely the timing chain. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. while driving approximately 30 mph the engine stalled without warning. the driver was able to pull over to the side of the road. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer for inspection. the timing chain fractured. the technician recommended that the engine be replaced. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired. the failure and current mileages were 80,000.

Saturn 2000 ls! starting defect. the anti theft system in the vehicle sometimes prevents the vehicle from starting. the vehicle owner must wait ten minutes for the security light to stop flashing before the vehicle can be started. gm won't do anything about this problem. the problem becomes a safety issue late at night when my wife is stuck in a dark parking lot waiting for the security light to reset. *tr

I used the vehicle to pick my son up from college for the weekend, when we returned home he went out to start the vehicle later that night it would not start at all. all electrical and power to the car worked, like the radio, lights, windows, etc., but the car would not start. i had the car towed to the repair shop and the repair company called me to inform me that the timing chain had went on the vehicle and it would cost me anywhere from $1,500 to $3,000 to be reapired. as i did more research about the vehicle i came across a few websites that had complaints about this same vehicle and the same problems. right now we are in the process of locating a repair shop that will do the work for less than the dollar amount quoted by the repair shop, because the vehicle was just purchase on feburary 13, 2009. on september 22, 2009 i contacted saturn about my concerns about the possible recall of vehicles from 1999 to 2003 l-series saturns, but i was informed that my vin number was not on their list for any recalls, so i questioned if they had so many complaints about the same issue with this year, make, and model why has nothing been done to fix the problem and i was told that there was nothing they could do, but have me tow my car to a saturn dealer about 25 miles from my home and pay for a diagnostic test to see what the problem is with the car and they might, "might" not be able to do anything for me! *tr

Driver's side power seat motor overheated and began to melt upholstery. i had to pull the fuse out of the right side fuse panel to cutoff electrical supply and avoid likely fire. *tr

I was driving on the highway when i suddenly lost all power with no warning. i am told by the dealership that the timing chain was broken. i now need to replace the engine - at a cost close to what the car is worth. i see that the 2001 cars have this same problem and were subject to recall. why not the 2000? *tr

2000 saturn ls timing chain failure. engine noise from right front, dealer removed valve cover found piece of top chain guide missing. dealer removed front cover and found chain to have excessive play. replaced timing chain, guides and tensioner assembly cost of $846.68 and later discovered no recall has been made other then with thousands of complaints of saturn ls and l-series sedans and wagons with bad timing chains and noise the only way to notice it failing is if you really pay attention to the car and the noise and can remain unnoticed to average owner and premature engine failure to result. timing chain replaced at 72550 miles. *tr

I would like to file a complaint about the self-adjusting brakes on the saturn 2000 ls. i have been very happy with this car for the last 7 years, except now this problem has come up and it continues, i believe not by wear and tear, but my faulty design. what happens is that a bracket on the rear brakes comes off the gear and no longer adjusts the brakes as you drive. the bracket has a spring pulling downward on it and nothing on the end of that bracket to hold it in place on the gear. thus, every 3-4 weeks now, my father must pull the tires off and adjust them by hand. the point of the self-adjusting brake system is that they do just that: self-adjust. they should not be gradually coming off and endangering the brake system and thus my driving. i have taken my car to just brakes for brake repairs (replacing shoes, pads, calipers, etc.) and even for this problem. all they can do is adjust it a little tighter than my dad can. they agree that the self-adjusting brakes are a faulty design, especially since there is nothing to keep the bracket on the gear so that it can do its job of adjusting. this cannot just be from wear and tear on my car and i know others should be having problems with it too. something must be done to protect the drivers of these saturn 2000 ls cars and the other drivers on the road. this past friday, july 31, 2009, i didn't really have any brakes to get home on in wet, curvy mountain roads of north georgia. the manufacturer should be responsible for fixing this problem and there should be a recall on this product so that others can get this fixed. to fix it there needs to be something to hold the bracket to the gear so that the spring does not pull it down off the gear and the brakes can continue to self-adjust! *tr

I have a 2000 saturn ls2. i was approaching a red light. i downshifted from 3rd to 2nd without incident. when i tried to shift down to 1st, i heard a pop and the gear shift lever was completely disconnected to the linkage. this was very disconcerting. when i called the mechanic and told them what happened the first question was 'do you have a saturn?" i found out that this problem is caused by failure of a plastic bushing which costs less than $20 but which saturn is charging $800 to replace along with a lot of other parts. they will not sell just the bushing. i bought one on ebay for $19.99. if this happened on the freeway or while pulling into traffic causing a stall, it could result in a serious accident. i suggested that saturn ought to be fixing this for free and they laughed at me. *tr

The saturn ls needs to be reviewed when it come to tail light, reverse, and blinker lights. i have had so many safety concerns with these lights, and not to mention costly work. there is no wiring from the light to the vehicle this makes it difficult to change the bulb. my reverse lights completely stop working, and so i did what most car owners would do, but somehow replacing a bulb does not work with these vehicles. as a buyer we should be able to maintain simple labor. for instance, changing a tail light! these light components need to be reviewed, for this is a serious safety concern for any car owner. *tr

2000 saturn l series driving to work and timing chain broke. car had approx 60,000 miles on it. saturn says 1 in a million no warranty. had to have engine replaced at a cost of 4500. now car has 132000 and same thing happened again saturn says sorry another engine would cost 5000 it seems by researching the internet l series saturns have a flaw or defect with their timing chains. *tr

Without warning, the timing belt broke on our 2000 saturn ls, and destroyed the engine. it happened on the highway, and the car stalled. we had to have it towed approx. 50 miles home, and estimated repairs are $1000 for parts alone. *tr

Timing chain on my 2000 saturn ls1 is failing which could result in engine being damaged and full power loss, which in turn could result in an accident. my saturn has the same exact timing chain as the 2001 saturn ls1 which was recalled after your agency deemed it susceptible to failure due to poor design. saturn refuses to fix this for me and instead wants to bill $400 just to look at it. repairing the failing chain, the dealer said, would cost $900. it's a known defect and needs to be covered by saturn, as per your agency's investigation last year.*tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. while parked on the side of the road due to icy conditions, a semi-truck lost control while driving up an incline. the semi-truck was headed directly towards the contact's vehicle, so he jumped out of the passenger side and fell into a ditch. the semi-truck struck the front corner panel of the contact's vehicle and placed a few dents in the door. when the contact jumped out of the vehicle, all of the doors automatically locked and prevented him from re-entering. he sustained hip and minor spine injuries, for which he is currently being treated. throughout the entire incident, the air bags in the vehicle never deployed. he believes that had he remained in the vehicle with the air bag failure, he could have suffered major injuries. he called the manufacturer and was informed that nothing could be done about the vehicle. the vehicle was completely destroyed. a police report was filed. the vin was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 150,000.

Saturn 2000 ls timing chain i purchased it new in 2000. i got stuck yesterday and aaa had to tow it. mechanic says it's timing chain. this will be the 3rd timing chain since i bought it. last one was replaced at 52,000 miles in march 2006. now i have 66,000 miles and it has happened again. i was told last time, a timing chain should last a minimum of 100,000 miles. it cost me almost 3,000. last time. my dealership, saturn of stamford is now closed. i will have it towed to saturn of fairfield. this type of thing should not happen after only 66,000 miles. i've kept up with maintenance and my oil and filter was changed just about a month and a half ago. i feel saturn should cover this repair, and provide me with a rental. *tr

Timing chain broke and engine had to basically be rebuilt. *tr

I have a 2000 saturn l series sedan. the timing chain is making a horrible racket and our mechanic informed us that it must be replaced at a cost of about $1,200. if we don't replace it, the chain could break, cause further damage to the engine and could leave us stranded or even on the highway with no way to get out of heavy traffic. i've noticed that the nhtsa administration has a recall campaign number of 07v519000 (and action number - ea06009) under which saturn was required to issue a recall for 2001 model year l series sedans with this very same issue. i don't see why my car should not be included as well since it is the exact same issue and could cause the exact same dangerous situation. the only difference appears to be that the recall is limited to model year 2001 and my car is a 2000. the two cars probably even use the same timing chain. i'm asking that the recall be extended to cover my car, which seems only fair as it is the same issue on a very, very similar car. *tr

I went to start my 2000 saturn and it did not start. there was no problem or warning the day before, saturn of ramsey said the timing chain broke and caused other engine problems and quoted a price of almost 3,000. after reading information on the internet including information from you, i called gm. they said all the information on the internet was "bogus" and not true. they said they would offer no help. i always did regular oil changes. i need help please..thank you. *tr

There was no warning., no noise, no warning lights. the car did not start in the morning saturn said the chain belt broke and damaged engine. i have read many complaints concerning the timing belt and it's poor design. gm has denied any complaints and stated that odi publishes bogus reports. *tr

Timing chain on my 2000 saturn ls1 broke while traveling at 50 mph. car glided to a controlled stop. estimated repair cost $2800 due to bent valves as a result of the timing chain. it is my understanding that nccc has previously requested nhtsa to expand recall to include earlier model years on this known saturn defect. is there a status update? *tr

While driving on the freeway with my 5 year old daughter during the morning commute, transitioning from one hwy 24 to i-80 in the emeryvillle / berkeley area in california, our saturn 2000 lw wagon suddenly lost power. i was able to pull over to the shoulder but could not restart the car. i was towed to my mechanic, who diagnosed the problem as a broken timing chain and told me the engine would have to be replaced. i understand this is a frequent problem with this engine and that other years of this model have been recalled for this reason. *tr

2000 saturn l-series timming chain broke engine no good. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn l series. the contact stated that the vehicle would not start and was towed to a local repair shop. the mechanic stated that the timing chain led to engine failure. the vehicle was repaired at the cost of $2,300. the failure and current mileages were 89,000.

The 2000 saturn l-series has an existing recall for hazard warning switch assembly replacement (saturn refers to it as #00-c-03, jan. 4, 2005); however, my vehicle is outside the vin series for that recall. nevertheless, my vehicle exhibited the symptoms described in that recall (turn signal intermittently inoperative; hazard warning switch sometimes made a loud "buzzing" sound, especially in very cold weather); i contacted saturn; however, since vehicle was outside recall vin range, they would not address the problem as a recall issue (i would have had to bring the vehicle in and pay for the service myself). instead, i acquired and installed the replacement hazard warning switch from a saturn dealer and installed it according to the recall notice instructions. since that time, the problem has not recurred. *tr

While car was still under gm warranty, vehicle ignition switch would get stuck such that the car would not start. this happened several times intermittently but each time would eventually free up. took car to dealer where purchased and problem was not duplicated at that time. i believe i also took to saturn dealer but they also could not replicate. this continued to happened periodically and car eventually passed out of warranty. recently, the problem happened again but it will not start at all. had to tow it to the closest shop and repair the cylinder. called saturn and they are unwilling to assist with the repair at this time. they will not consider any assistance unless i tow the car to the dealer (around $100) and pay there diagnostic fees but, again, offer no promise that they will help in any way even if they confirm the problem. *tr

I was picking my kids up from the babysitters when i heard a ticking noise. let me remind you that i hadn't any engine problems before this day. anyway, i heard the ticking noise as i was pulling up to the sitters house and cut my car off. restarted the car and the noise was louder. took my car to the shop and they told me that my timing chain was broken and that my engine had to be replaced. i don't understand why this was not covered under saturn because my car only has 70k miles. it's a 2000 saturn ls2 and it was running fine up until this date. there was no sign of this problem before it happened and i just don't understand why i should have to pay $3600 out my pocket but saturn will take no responsibility for this major problem. can you help me out? what if this would have happened while i was on the highway with my kids and an accident happened? *tr

My mechanic gave me information about a recall that is being done on 2000 and up saturns on the timing chain, however saturn has yet to accept that as a recall. i spoke with someone from nhtsa and they directed me to saturn who again directed me back here to file a complaint. i would like to know if this is going to be recalled. *tr

Repeated failure of the starting of my car, 2000 saturn ls2. passlock security system is the problem. for no reason at all, the security feature triggers and de-activates the fuel pump for 10 minutes. has been happening for the past two years, multiple times a month. my car has been "dead" in the driveway now for two days as the security feature will not de-activate. only way to fix is for a dealership to repair, but not a guaranteed fix. cost anywhere from $300 to $500 to fix. numerous blog sites contain same complaint from lots of gm owners. if anyone is put into an emergency situation and the passlock security feature fails, that person is stuck for 10 minutes or more. there is no fix to be found. gm needs to recall and fix the problem! visit this forum site for numerous complaints about the same thing i'm mentioning above: http://www.topix.com/forum/autos/chevrolet-impala/t30r7cej84ktjel1m. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn l-series wagon. the contact stated that the timing chain slipped on the vehicle. the recall for the 2001 saturn l-series described the identical failure she was experiencing. the dealer stated that the repair would cost $900; however, saturn offered to take $100 off the cost because the failures were recognized in the following year of the saturn l-series. the failure and current mileages were less than 90,000. updated 11/26/08. *lj updated 12/01/08. *jb

My son was driving my 2000 saturn ls2 at 30 mph, when the car suddenly died and would not start. upon further investigation, the was no compression when turning over the vehicle. my mechanic has told me that the tensioner arm holding the timing belt shattered. the timing belt on this vehicle had been replaced by the dealership 18 months prior. luckily, my son was on a lightly traveled residential street at the time of the malfunction and was not injured nor were his passengers. *tr

The heater/defrost blower motor on my 2000 saturn ls needs to be replaced for the second time. the first replacement was december 2004. i believe this to be a safety issue because i live in wisconsin and i will not be able to defrost my windshield for visibility once winter is here unless i replace the blower motor again. *tr

I was driving my 2000 saturn ls at 45 mph when it just shut off, lost all power, and thankfully had a place to drift off to the side of the road. however, i was without a phone, and had to walk 5 miles in the sun to call for help. i had the car towed ($100) and was told that the timing chain had broken and i needed a new engine. i called for a second opinion and could not incur the cost to tow it again, but was told that the mechanic was more than reputable. after almost 3 weeks without a vehicle, as a single mother with a new job, this wreaked havoc in our lives and a $2500 expense for a new engine. i'm now driving a saturn with a chevy cavalier engine that is warranted for only 90 days. i kept the timing chain and took photos of the engine. i'm joining the millions of other people in a class action suit, because saturn knew about this problem, continues to know about it, has done nothing to recall, even has its service people claim ignorance or try to blame the consumer. i am the only owner of this vehicle, and it has had all of the required servicing every 3,000 miles as directed by the manual, which i also have. there is nothing in the manual to service the engine/timing chain, and every 3,000 mile service i got was done at a saturn dealership until the last four. *tr

2000 saturn l series with 80,000 miles has damaged timing chain. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. while driving 20 mph, the engine made a loud noise, the check engine light illuminated, and the vehicle completely lost power. the vehicle cruised to a stop and triple a was called to tow it to the dealer. the contact was informed that the timing chain failed and would cost $2,700 to replace. the failure and current mileages were 121,000.

I was driving on a highway when my car made a stuttering noise. i pulled over - luckily near a service station and they discovered the timing chain had snapped. *tr

Tl*the contact owns 2000 saturn lw2. while driving 35 mph, all of the warning lights on the instrument control panel would illuminate immediately after severely reducing speed and power. the technician diagnosed the failure as a failed mass air flow sensor. the contact researched the recalls and discovered that he was experiencing the same failures noted in recall # 03v231000. the dealer informed him that his vin was not included in the recall and that all repairs would be at his own expense. the vehicle was repaired. the failure mileage was 70,000 and the current mileage was 76,000.

Timing chain broke on 2000 saturn l200 causing bent rods and engine failure. saturn estimates cost of repairs to be $2000-3000. i have been reading of the current nhtsa investigation of 1999-2003 saturns and the high occurrence of timing chain failures. i do hope something can be done for saturn to recall affected vehicles. *tr

My 2000 saturn ls1 completely shut down while driving, and never started again. it will cost $2500 for a used motor and installation, plus $175 for the tow and the diagnostics; and now i'm enduring significant transportation challenges without a vehicle. *tr

Timing chain failure on 2000 saturn ls1 model. failure came unexpectedly. looking into it, i found dozens of other saturn owners who experienced the same problem. this simple failure has damaged my engine. i am facing a minimum of $2600 in repairs to replace the engine. this seems to be an persistent problem with this engine. mechanics i have consulted state that they have seen this happen many times before. *tr

My 2000 saturn ls1 was running perfectly fine. i came back to my car after work and all of a sudden it wouldn't start at all. i had to have it towed to a saturn dealership, who then told me that it was a faulty timing chain. *tr

2000 saturn with broken timing chain caused damage to engine. consumer states that the mechanic stated that the timing chain breaking caused damage to the engine. she states that upon her research this is a common problem with saturn vehicles. *kb consumer wrote in on behalf of her father-in-law. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. while the contact's spouse was driving approximately 35 mph onto the highway, the vehicle shut completely off and could not be restarted. the vehicle had to be towed to the dealer and they stated that the timing chain snapped and bent the valves and the head. nhtsa campaign id number 07v579000 (power train:driveline:driveshaft) was referenced for the 2001 saturn. the current mileage was 58,000 and failure mileage was 60,000. updated 09/10/08 *bf updated 09/15/08 *jb

I have been informed by my reliable, caring mechanic that my timing chain is about to go out and not to drive any distances or it could be dangerous. i have taken proper care of my car with regular oil changes. this part should last the lifetime of my car. i cannot afford to fix it and fear the danger of driving it. *tr

2000 saturn ls1 timing chain failed. *tr

2000 ls1 with approx 75000 miles started making a putting/fluttering noise. took to dealer who stated timing chain cover had a hole from the timing chain due to the timing chain tensioner failing. replaced the timing chain, chain cover, and timing chain tensioner. work done according to statement... chain, camshaft timing - replace... chain pkg, gasket-en,seal asm, cover asm, oil change. looked up info on internet after friend stated unusual that timing chain would fail under 100,000 miles. *tr

At around 52,000 miles i had to have my timing chain replaced. i was told that it was due to me not having oil in the engine, however the oil was changed at 3,000 mile intervals with an occasional 6,000 mile interval. changing oil this often i would not expect a problem and in addition my oil light never came on. however, ever since i had the timing chain replaced i am noticing that i am using around three quarts of oil per month. i have 73,000 miles on the car and feel that this is excessive. i have read where others have had similar problems with their timing chain and i wonder if this has caused the excessive burning of oil or vice versa. *tr

I purchased a 2000 saturn ls 1 from carmax with 63,000 miles on it in september, 2007. since february, 2008, i have spent more than $2,600 in repairs on the car; $1,600 was the timing chain which broke when the car only had 73,000 miles on it! i was told this was not a typical problem and that it was early for it to have broken. i see through my research that this is not untypical and is a frequent problem. *tr

Car stopped backing out of driveway at my home - would not restart - battery ok. towed to dealership in oak lawn il -- advised $2,500.00 repair to snapped timing chain and related engine damage. *tr

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.

Was driving car loss power.. once parked car would not start.. brought to service center they told me it was the timing chain and there is engine damage. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. while driving 60 mph, the engine shut off and the timing chain failed. there were no warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel prior to the failure, and no previous signs of a possible failure. the vehicle was towed. the vehicle was not repaired. in addition, no maintenance was performed on the vehicle prior to the failure. the failure and current mileages were 87,000.

Timing chain broke, timing chain cover and valve cover gasket also need to be replaced. car only has 45,000 miles on it. *tr

My 2000 saturn lw1 has been diagnosed with needing a new timing chain. saturn service has indicated that the 2001 version of my car has been recalled for this problem, but not mine. *tr

While driving her 2000 saturn ls2 3.0 my daughters car suddenly died on her. she was able to pull into a hotel parking lot off the interstate. after towing it to two independent car repair shops, they both refused to work on it. after towing it to saturn, they confirmed that it was the issue with the timing belt. they claim that this car is not part of the recall but that does not mitigate the fact that they have a huge failure rate with their timing belts. why is this one not covered under the same recall as the nhtsa action number: ea06009? there is a greater problem then they are letting on to if you read the internet pages about the 2000 ls2. they need to be held accountable. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn lw1. the timing chain completely separated. as a result, the pistons jammed the valves and caused them to fail. the timing chain pulled the sprockets apart, which caused the heads and valves to fail. the dealer stated that they would not cover the repairs under recall and would charge $2,200 for a new head and timing chain. the current and failure mileages were 94,000.

Broken timing chain on 2000 saturn ls. recall does not cover my vehicle but covers the same exact 2001 model with the same exact engine. *tr

I was driving on the higway at 65mph and the engine quit i coasted to the shoulder ands had the car towed to saturn dealer they said the timing chain broke and caused engine damage saturn said i will need a new engine. *tr

Timing chain failure on a 2000 lw1 station wagon. engine must now be replaced with an estimated replacement cost of $2500. *tr

I own a 2000 saturn ls2. there have been 2 recalls on the "l" series vehicles. although my model is considered the ls series, i have experienced the exact same symptoms with my vehicle as described with the l series recall. the most recent was the replacement of all four of the oxygen sensors in my vehicle which i believe to be the same problem as described with the l series vehicle and attributed to the saturn part known as the ignition control module. over a period of about 2 months i noticed: 1. a deterioration in idle quality 2. a reduction in overall engine power 3. the engine was hard to start these are exactly the same problems experienced with the icm recall on the "l" series. i had to replace, at my own expense, all 4 of the oxygen sensors for this vehicle. after contacting saturn, they insisted, based on my vin #, that my car was not included in this recall. it seems rather coincidental that i have experienced the exact same symptoms as 2 recalls on the same model year car from the same manufacturer. it is my belief that the recalls should be extended to cover the ls series vehicles as well. *tr

I have a 2000 saturn ls 2.2 the timing chain broke and destroyed the engine. *tr

Driving on the highway around 55 m.p.h in my 2000 l-seize saturn when engine suddenly shuts down. coasted to the side of the highway after nearly being rearended had vehicle towed to a mechanic. was told by mechanic timing chain had broke destroying the engine. was also told by mechanic this was very common for saturns as there is a defect in the oiling system causing premature wear in the timing chain. contacted local saturn dealership they are aware of problem and could install a new engine for around 10,000.00$. currently car is still broke due to shortage of this engine. no surprise with all of them breaking. very lucky with no power steering,no brakes, and no power to make it to the side of the road. *tr

Car started to make loud rattling noise from the engine...i saw a small crack on the top of the cam cover about 4 in. long. i went to a repair shop that i have used before and they said it was the timing chain hitting the cover!! this should never happened to a car with 61,000 miles on it ! i called and wrote to the mfg. in tn. and talked to the area mgr.and she advised bring the car to the dealer. i brought the car in and the service mgr. said the chain tensioner failed and that caused the chain to hit the cover. the timing chain and all parts must be replaced $985.00 + tax. the area mgr. said there was nothing she could do for the repair cost that is a mechanical part and it just failed! i told her there was a recall for the 2001 yr. but mine was not included in the recall. *tr

My 2000 saturn ls1's timing chain broke with no warning and as a result, valves in the engine were bent. my mechanic is in the process of placing a used motor in the car. i recently went online to see if other saturn owners were having similar problems. i was amazed to find that this is a continual problem with saturns from the 2000-2003 time frame and that in fact, a recall was instituted for some. although my car was not among those recalled, i am willing to bet that it should have been recalled and by entering my complaint, i'm hoping to save other saturn owners from the headaches that i have had. *tr

I was driving home from work with the cruise on. i thought the car did something funny, maybe it slowed down so i looked down at my speedometer. the check engine light was flashing, i tapped my brakes. then more lights started flashing and the car was just slowing down. i thought i should start pulling over to stop so i tapped my brakes and it sounded like something flew off my car. i slowly coasted to a stop. i put the car into park and it wasn't running. i turned off the car and lights and called my husband. it was really scary to have the car just stop on you while you were driving and it wouldn't have been good if people were around. my husband came to see if he could get the car running and when he turned the key it just sounded like metal scraping on metal. it was a horrible noise i have never heard before. we towed the car in the middle of the night to the closest town and in the morning found out they did not fix saturns. another place in town, when our car broke down 2 months ago, could not even figure out what was wrong with it and recommended we bring it to a saturn dealer (no one closer than 250 miles). we hauled our car to a different mechanic who had worked on it in 2005 when the water pump broke while we were driving it. he has stated that the timing belt broke. it will be at least $1500 and that's if it didn't wreck the engine. we aren't sure if we are going to fix it because we are still paying on the car itself. and we just put about $1200 into it in september. we get the oil changed every month because of the miles we drive and we take very good care of the car. this is very frustrating and i have read online that this has happened to many other people owning a 2000 saturn l series car. i hope that someone will do something about this and fix it! if it is a manufacturing problem then we shouldn't have to pay for it. *tr

According to the saturn service advisor, saturn recommends replacing the timing chain at 100,000 miles. after performing $1500 worth of repairs (a/c, axle, oil pan dent, transmission fluid leak, and air filters), the mechanic started to take it for a test drive, and the timing chain broke - at just under 89,000 miles. since they didn't think the engine was damaged, i authorized them to replace the timing chain for $800. a few days later, i learned that the engine was damaged and had to be replaced - $1500. i chose not to do this and donated the car to the salvation army. *tr

My car was paid off in may 2007 and the timing chain broke in november 2007. i brought it into the dealer about a year ago with poor fuel economy, rough idle in the morning, oxygen sensor failure and random cylinder misfire. the dealer could not isolate the problem. they pressurized the fuel system to check for leaks. cleaned the injectors and charged me 150$... did not help. they said it was probably a bad injector... had the injectors checked and they were fine. had the oxygen sensor replaced 3 times. nothing helped. turns out the tensioner on the timing chain was failing. the dealership never thought of this even though it is a very common problem on this motor. well the problem persisted until the chain jumped and the car would not start. 1250$ is the estimate to install the updated timing chain kit not to mention the cost of a rental car, the time and aggravation caused by a saturn design flaw. ps. my car has 83,000 miles on it. *tr

2000 saturn l series timing chain failure while driving down the road. i was not injured but have concern that someone could be. this is a costly catastrophic and potentially dangerous failure that gm has seemed to know about for some time as evidence shows they released an upgrade timing chain kit. the cost from $2700 to over $4000 to repair. the repair cost could exceed the value of the car. *jb

At 104,000 miles, our saturn lw2 wagon's timing chain suffered complete failure while i was traveling with my wife and infant son. when the timing chain failed, it destroyed the valves on its engine, requiring the complete replacement of the engine. the replacement cost has been estimated at $6,000. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. while driving 35 mph, the vehicle accelerated and then decelerated. the contact immediately pulled the vehicle over to the shoulder and it would not restart. the vehicle was towed to the local mechanic and he stated that the timing chain failed. as a result, the entire engine was damaged. the current and failure mileages were 108,700.

Was driving down a busy interstate at 70mph when i started to hear a loud noise (while pressing the gas down) and lost power. when i had the car looked out i was told the timing belt had broke and probably caused further damage to the engine. new engine was quoted at $3,000.

The timing chain on my 2000 saturn ls (80,000 miles) has slipped, and it's being recommended by my saturn dealer that i replace not only the timing chain, but also the head assembly, as when the timing chain goes, it usually ends up impacting the valves, as well. *tr

My 2000 saturn ls1 was working just fine until all of the sudden i lost all power to the car. the car died while i was driving at 45 mph in the middle of a busy road. i had both of my children in the car, one of who is 10 months old, and luckily i was not hit by another car. i had the car towed to the shop and they said my timing chain was broken and it caused two valves to become bent and the motor head needs to be replaced. *jb

2000 saturn ls1 with smoke coming out of the steering column**cc the dealer stated the reason for the smoke was because the headlight switch had shorted out. the consumer also stated the tail lights were shortening out. *jb

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn lw2. the contact stated that the security light on the dashboard illuminates while driving or at a stop light. the failure occurs sporadically. occasionally, the vehicle fails to start. he has notified saturn and they are aware that this is a defective part. however, the replacement that is being used for the computer module is also defective. the current mileage is 177,000 and the failure mileage was unknown.

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls2. the contact stated that the turn signal would activate, but then deactivate. on occasion, the turn signal would fail to activate completely. the manufacturer stated that the vin was not included in recall # 99v199000 (exterior lighting:turn signal:switch). the vin was unknown. the current mileage is 67,000 and failure mileage was 65,500.

Knocking sound coming from steering column when steering wheel was turned from one side to the other. i had this looked at by my mechanic, who confirmed that there was a problem within the steering column leading to its linkage. he told me that this was definitely a potential life risking problem. a recall should be issued because the part in question was not one that was supposed to undergo wear. it is supposed to be good for life! one may not get a second chance if the steering failed while driving, especially on highways. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. while driving approximately 30 mph, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. the vehicle was taken to a dealer who stated that the timing chain was bad and needed to be replaced. the dealer is currently repairing the vehicle. the current and failure mileages were 51,300.

Recently my infant daughter just barely avoided being seriously injured when the rear window brake light on the 2000 ls1 suddenly and unexpectedly detached and fell while driving. we had checked with the dealership, who told me that no recall had been issued because of this problem, and the technician could find no reason why it should have fallen. his solution was to have us order a new part and pay a large sum of money for the part and labor to install it. a check with the nhtsa informed us that this was a known issue with 2000 l-series sedans. the nhtsa representative told us that this was due to electronics which may shift over time. furthermore, it appeared that this i was due to a defect in the design ,and replaced the brake light assembly .would do nothing to prevent further dangerous incidents. saturn offered to pay $55 toward the cost of replacing the part. a representative said that they would not issue any recalls or take any actions until forced to do so by nhtsa. they refused to provide any numbers regarding the size of the class, such as number of registered owners of 2000 l-series sedans.*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. while driving 5 mph, the vehicle shut off without warning. the dealer stated that the cause of failure was due to the timing chain and performed the repair. approximately five years later, the contact experienced the same failure while driving 70 mph. the dealer stated that the timing chain failed again. the current mileage is 82,000 and failure mileage was 30,000.

Customer has several questions about his saturn including ignition and tire replacement**cc the crank sensor was replaced, the shift light indicator in the drive position went out while the headlights were on. the ac was not cooling when the vehicle was in idle. the tires had sever cupping following four cross rotations due to a bad rear wheel alignment. the ignition would not unlock. *jb

I own a 2000 saturn ls2. i bought it in 2005 at 26,00 miles. it currently has 74,000 miles on it. there was no rattle or warning, but my timing belt broke 6/7/07 and now my car engine is damaged beyond repair.

Timing chain failure on 2000 saturn ls1 @ 80,000 miles. noticed nhtsa investigation is still active on this problem. i was able to get the car to service station without an accident, but am concerned this is a safety issue as car shuts down without warning. surprised to learn now that gm has a tsb out for this issue, knowing the timing chain does not get enough oil. this car is in being serviced now. *jb

I wish to report the same defect already identified by action number pe06006 (and subsequently ea06-009). the timing chain defect was discovered before complete failure due to very rough idling, and after getting a first opinion from my saturn dealership and a second opinion from a local garage, i paid $820 for a timing change. saturn refused to cover this obvious defect under warranty. *jb

Engine failure, had to replace the engine at saturn. they told me that the timing chain failed due to poor maintenance. they put a new engine in it which failed 60k miles later with the same problem. *jb

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. *jb

The timing chain on my 2000 saturn ls broke and ruined the engine. we had immediate loss of power in the middle of a busy hwy and barely got out of the road in time. after reading numerous complaints about that problem i decided to write this. they need to issue a recall on this, since they will not pay the $3400 to get my engine replaced. this is the 3rd defect on the car that has cost me money to fix before a recall. *nm

My daughter was driving our 2000 saturn ls1 in downtown louisville, ky on 12/19/06. the car died as she was driving. she was able to get over to the side of the road. she was carrying two small children in the car at the time. after analysis by a mechanic it was found the timing chain had broken and ruined the engine. estimated repair cost is $4000. i am turning the car in for salvage. *nm

Tl*- the contact stated that she was on nhtsa website and found that her 2000 saturn l series had been recalled due to the ignition module. the contact stated that the recall on the website was in august 2003. she has already had this repair done, and still have the repair order. the contact stated that she did get a recall on the same vehicle for her brake light but not for this recall. the recall stated that problems with ignition module may cause problems with the catalytic converter and contact has had this repair done on vehicle also. telesis will call the contact and give her the information in the faq. updated 2/22/2007 - *nm

Tl* - the contact stated that on december 10, 2006 when he went to get his 2000 saturn ls 122216 inspected the vehicle failed the inspection due to the fuel system gasoline; storage tank assembly leak. the contact paid for the repairs. the contact stated that his car was experiencing the same problems as campaign number 99v197. the contact requests to get reimbursed for the repairs because of denied reimbursement from the manufacturer. *nm updated 2/22/2007 - coolant was also found to be leaking*nm

I was driving my 2000 saturn ls1 and the car lost all power, almost causing an accident. luckily, i was able to stop the car and avoid other traffic in motion when i lost all power brakes and power steering. the car was towed to a mechanic shop and they found the timing chain broke and the engine can not be repaired. the car only has 68,000 miles and could have caused a major accident with my children in the car. i am unable to afford the engine replacement and i still owe $1500.00 on the loan.

Dt*: the contact stated while parking the vehicle in the garage, and turning the key to the off position, the engine continued to run. a fuse was pulled to stop the engine. it started on its own one half hour after the fuse was replaced. the dealer was alerted.

Car was running normally car stopped running due to the timing chain breaking entire engine must be replaced. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while accelerating from a stop sign at 10 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle was towed to the independent shop who determined that both timing chains were fractured. the parts were replaced; part no. rc1031. also, the mechanic observed that when the timing chain fractured it ruined all the oil valves and seals. as a result, a new oil valve and seals had to be replaced as well. the manufacturer was not notified.

Saturn 2000 lw200. wife returned home from an errand and parked the car. next day she tried to go to work, car would not start. had it towed to a shop. they think the timing chain slipped (maybe). mechanic is not 100%. it broke something in the engine, piston, cam shaft not sure. engine has about 77k. unable to fix the car at this time as i do not have an estimated 3300.00 to repair using a used engine. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated while driving various speeds, there was a rattling noise coming from the engine compartment. the vehicle was inspected by a dealer who determined the timing chain was worn and needed replaced. the manufacturer was alerted. updated 11/21/2006- when the consumer started the vehicle a loud noise was heard coming from the engine compartment. while driving hth noise became louder. the consumer contacted eh manufacturer about the faulty timing chain but they offered no assistance. *nm

1) my car was operating normally until 8/26/06, when i noticed an oil leak. i discovered a 3" fissure in the valve cover, over the timing chain. 2) i removed the valve cover and discovered that the timing chain had ground away the upper guide and was working on "chewing through" the valve cover. the timing chain had not yet broken, but had it done so, i would be looking at over $2000 of engine damage. i was unable to drive the car until i repaired the timing chain issue. 3) according to a saturn tsb 03-06-01-017, the original design of the oilier for the timing chain was ineffective. i have bought a "new design" timing chain kit from the dealer and installed it myself. i will keep all the old parts (guides, valve cover, chain, tensioner, etc. for a couple of months if the nhtsa wants them. *jb

On the 27th of may i had my saturn ls serviced due to a timing chain failure. after spending 3k in repairs i notice a oil leak approx. 3 months later. 3 months to the day of having the repair work done my engine lost power again. the service tech quoted another 2k repair cost to get the car back up and running. the fault was due to low oil pressure over a period of time. my response to that is when i had the car repaired and serviced i should have left with an engine in good repair and a car full of oil. i have purchased 3 saturns and after this incident i can guarantee i won't even consider another saturn or gm car. *nm

I purchased a pre-certified vehicle for carmax 12/13/03. on 12/16/03 i had to return the care because i heard a loud rattling noise as if some was very loose in the steering column. the service department immediately took the car a gave me a loan car. i did not get my car back until 01/05/04 . carmax diagnostic test found the steering shaft had to be replaced and was sublet to airport saturn for repairs. i complained several times about the return of my car but the service manager always loaned me car to keep me quite, because i told them i wanted another car because the contract states if you are in any way dissatisfied with a car you can return it within 5 days. i tried to return my car the next day but they told me since the purchase was already made i had to go through the service department and they would honor any repairs needed. now august 31,2006 i am having the same problem with this car, the steering shaft is making the same noise all over again my car is still under the extended warranty,but is very close to the end of the warranty. please help me to get the service i need from carmax. *jb

The timing chain on my 2000 saturn ls1 (with 80,000 miles) failed while driving at full speed (55 mph) on the highway. the vehicle lost power and i had to pull off the highway. no warning or previous vehicle malfunction pointed to a need for maintenance. the time chain failure can cause severe engine damage and require complete engine replacement. my vehicle is currently being looked at to determine the full extent of the damage. at a minimum, the timing chain replacement will be $600. complete engine replacement could be in the range of $3-4,000. it appears that this is a common problem for several saturn models at relatively low mileage and may be due to poor design on the chain lubrication system. *nm

The timing belt on my 2000 saturn ls1 broke on july 20, 2006 with no warning. the car has approximately 65000 miles on it, so i believe there is absolutely no reason for the timing chain to break except that there is a manufacturing defect in the car. the saturn dealer told me that the entire engine would need to be replaced at a cost of $6000-$7000. i understand that timing chain failure is not uncommon in these cars and that the nhtsa is investigating - thank you.

Dt*: the contact stated a recall letter was received back in october of 2005, regarding the tail light. letter was misplaced and the manufacturer was contacted to have copies of that letter as well as any related recalls on his vehicle. manufacturer refused to send copies.

Timing chain on 2000ls saturn "broke" at 94,000 miles; regular maintenance maintained - synthetic oil used, original owner. *nm

My daughter was traveling on i-95 near richmond, va 120 miles from home when she had a sudden loss of power in the saturn, the timing belt slipped and resulted in damage and her sitting on the interstate in the middle of the night. *nm

I was driving home at approximately 9:30 pm on a busy highway (rte 695 - the baltimore beltway) and approaching the intersection of interstate 70 when my car engine cut out with no warning. i was almost rear ended by a semi and fortunate to coast to the shoulder without an accident. fortunately a maryland state police vehicle came by to provide flares for more visibility while i awaited a tow to the saturn dealership. my complaint is similar to pending cases (pe06-006 and dp05-008) in that the source of the failure is attributed to a timing chain that skipped. the dealership refuses to recognize the wide spread problem as does saturn headquarters in tenn. they offer no mitigation to the $3,200 estimate for repair. if circumstances had been different, i.e., rain or snow, i am my family could have been seriously injured by an automobile with this known defect that died on the road with absolutely no warning. does someone have to die in an accident before this known defect is corrected?? *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the engine made a ticking sound while running and hesitated to start on two occasions. on one occasion while the vehicle was being pulled from the garage at 3mph, the engine stalled, but restarted after a short period. the vehicle was taken to a service dealer who determined the timing chain needed to be replaced. there is currently an investigation #ea06009, concerning the engine which indicates that others are having similar problems.

The timing chain broke and ruined my engine while driving the car at only 60,000 miles. they are not due for a change before 100,000 miles. from doing a little research i found out that the problem is with the saturn ls series 4 cylinder engines due to a problem with engine design and an oilier problem. the problem is wide spread and a dangerous one. *jb

I have a 2000 saturn l series station wagon, vin [xxx]. several times in the last 9 months (i estimate 6 times) the key would not turn in the ignition. it would slide in and out ok, but would not turn. it acted like it was the wrong key for this car. the problem was not tension on the steering wheel or transmission not in park. no amount of key jiggling freed the lock. i found the problem listed in a google search. the recommendation was a tap with a hammer on the key while it was in the ignition switch. it turned out to need a significant smack. i was afraid the key would be damaged, but there was nothing to lose at that point. that worked the first few times the lockup occurred. saturn service advised me not to do that, instead have a new key cut from the key number. they thought my key may be worn and no longer activate the tumblers correctly. we did that and there were no incidents for three months. when the problem occurred again nothing worked to free it until i did the hammer trick. the dealer says there is no recall on this issue, and recommends i bring it in for troubleshooting. as the problem is intermittent and they do not know what the root cause is, i expect them to do what other customers have reported; which is to replace the entire ignition lock system for about $350. without knowing the root cause and having a reasonable expectation that the new part does not have the same root problem, i am reluctant to do that. i have the dash covers removed so when the problem occurs again i can take the ignition switch apart and get a better idea of what is going on. *nm updated 07/16/2012*js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Dt*: the contact stated while backing out of the driveway, the vehicle stalled without warning. the vehicle would not restart; it was towed to an independent repair shop. the timing chain was replaced. the manufacturer was altered.

For the 2nd time in two years i have had to replace the engine in my 2002 l series saturn due to a timing chain failure. i understand that this is a common problem with this model. the car just stops running in the middle of the road without any warning and will not restart. the engine then needs to be replaced and is a major expense.($3000 to $5000) i researched this problem on carsurvey.com and found many other owners with the same problem thank you. *jb

2000 saturn ls air bag failed to deploy during an accident. *ts *jb

Since we bought the car, we have had chronic problems with the hvac system and other minor electrical problems; re-charging the ac the first 3 summers we owned the car, determining the ac did not have enough power going to it to run properly, dash lights going out, automatic doors not working, and the taillights going out intermittently, and difficulties with the wipers working appropriately. the engine light would chronically go on, but the dealer mechanics could find nothing wrong after reading the codes. we requested the dealership please trace the electrical lines to find a short, but said there was none and the problem was "fixed". then, after 6 years of ongoing problems, and no ac for 2 years, the heater began to remain on for approx. 30 seconds after the car was turned off and the key was no longer in the ignition. a week later the car failed to start. a personal mechanic friend discovered that the blower motor was cross wired and there was a short in the relay from the hvac system to the engine. we have replace the relay and the blower motor. the ac and the heater now work fine. i am frustrated that saturn refused to deal with this chronic problem appropriately. *jb

Transmission slipping and occasional stalling of car, particularly when stopping. car finally would not start again. dealership did not find fault with car. personal mechanic investigated and determined the crank sensor had gone bad, so the car could not monitor the mph and find the gears appropriately.*jb

I own a 2000 saturn ls1 with a 4 cylinder engine. it would not start after turning the ignition key in the morning while the vehicle was parked. the problem was diagnosed as a timing chain failure. my vehicle has approximately 82,000 miles and has had the recommended maintenance performed during the life of the car. the estimate for repair is $3,000. *nm

Vehicle has been brought into dealer 3 times concerning over a year with a "no start" after driving such as to a store & vehicle will not start. turns over but will not start. the security light keeps flashing when trying to start. after approx. 15 minutes to one hour wait the car will start. dealer can not duplicate and states pass system is not at fault. with my wife driving one evening last week she stopped to get gas and car would not restart. she became fearful of her safety at night after a few shady persons kept approaching her to assist. over the past 3 days, the car failed to start 4 times but after a period of time it will start. this situation is getting serious but do not have a solution to resolve. not being able to start a car is starting to become a safety issue for both my wife and grandchildren. *nm

Good afternoon! my 2000 saturn ls1 started sputtering and finally broke down. all of the signs lead to the fuel filter. we changed the fuel filter and the car still would not run. i towed the car to a local mechanic and he diagnosed the car to have a bad timing chain. the mechanic was confused as to why i would have a bad timing chain with only 68,000 miles on it. after looking on the internet, i noticed that many other people with a saturn are having this same problem. please recall this vehicle. timing chains are very expensive and i think the cost should be billed to saturn. thank you!! sincerely, nicole archer. *jb

Brake lights fail when you push on the brakes when the headlights are on. the plastic welds holding the rear housing to the taillight reflector melt and the rear housing shorts out the brake light..*nm

I have had ongoing problems with this vehicle since i purchased it in 2003. i purchase this car in august 2003. in october 2003, the car would not start. it was discovered that the wrong type bolt was in the battery causing the car not to start. i purchased the bolt at the dealership had it installed. in october 2004, the car started shifting hard. i took it to the dealership and was told that it needed some type of valve and that would solve the problem. again, the dealership installed this valve and everything was fine. november 2005, the blower for the heating and defogger only works when the car has sat out in the sun for a while. it does not work in the morning when the car is initially started in the mornings. three days before christmas 2005, with only approximately 68,000 miles on this car, the timing belt broke. it did not damage the motor and i had it repaired at a cost of around $900.00. this time i did not have the dealership do the repairs because it would have been very inconvenient and expensive for me to have the car towed the dealership from where it broke down. while looking through my owners manual, i noticed that it stated that my timing belt should last at least to 100,000 miles (my thirteen year old nissan's timing belt lasted until 120,000 miles). when i addressed this with your customer care line, i was told that the 100,000 miles was just a suggestion and that the belt could actually go at any time. i guess maybe the word suggestion/suggested should have been put in the owners manual because that is not how i understood it when i read it as printed. january 2006, the car starts hard shifting again and again i took it to the dealership and was told that this time the transmission can't seem to figure out the speed of the car and it would cost an additional $80.00 for them to track it down. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while stopped in traffic, the vehicle was hit from behind by another vehicle. upon impact the driver's seatbelt did not hold causing the occupant to hit the steering wheel. the dash board came forward onto the occupant and the airbag did not deploy. the occupant sustained head, back, neck and right hip injuries and a police report was filed. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop, which repaired the vehicle body damages. although the vehicle was not taken to the dealership for inspection, no other repairs were made.

2000 saturn ls200 v6 engine, 28,500 approx. mileage. i was coming off the freeway and the car died. no warning, no idiot lights, it just completely died. i had enough speed to get over to the side out of traffic, but it was incredibly hard to steer. it would not start. my husband came after about 20 min. it started. i thought it was bad gas, but it died again several times, no warning, just completely died. i took it to the dealer, they said it was the crankshaft sensor. $260 to fix. i went back and asked them why something like that would go out with so little mileage, they said because the car hadn't been driven very much. i contacted saturn corporate. no answers there either. however, the dealer thinks if anything else goes out, there will be some warning. *jb

Timing chain failure at 33,000 miles. *nm

2000 saturn ls, 6 cylinder, had slippage of the transmission followed by the service light. by the time i reached the dealer the car was bucking and felt like i was repeatedly being hit from behind. the mechanic told me it was the sensor module and when it broke the pressure was full open and that's what caused that problem. subsequently the light came on again, the transmission slipped and the module was replaced again. it then happened a 3rd time and the module was replaced again. when driving it home after repair, i noticed that the trans was slipping a little. took it back into the shop, they say they can't rip down the trans unless the light comes on and it gives codes again. i only have 11,000 miles on the warranty. i believe there is another problem with the transmission. *nm

Brake lights continually fail. only one light will come on & the one that is on is brighter than it should be. multiple light replacements do not work. dealership has noted that the power circuit is run through the light assembly itself & that it isn't always seated resulting in failed circuit. in driving i see multiple saturns with this issue. secondarily the high mounted brake light if 1 bulb blows it shorts out the interior dashboard lights. *nm

Consumer received recall letter regarding saturn tail light bracket housing- bulb repair. when called to make an appointment consumer was told repair work was already done. *ts ***no answer required*** *jb

Dt: the consumer stated that her vehicle experienced rough idle. the consumer then took the vehicle to a mechanic. the mechanic discovered a problem with timing chain. the timing chain was replaced by the mechanic. the consumer paid for the repair out of pocket. *nm (12/01/05) *sc

Exterior lighting - brake lights and cruise control. brake lights randomly fail to work. when the headlights are on, brake lights, tail lights and cruise control do not work. we were able to adjust the lights slighty to get them to work for a period of time, but they would go off and on. we were not aware of this problem until driving at 10:30 p.m. and being told we have no rear lights. have changed the light bulbs a few times and also have been to the dealer 5 + times on this issue. the last time they replaced the complete light sockets. this seems to have stopped the problem for now. *nm

Excessive noise from the steering rack, loss of power steering assist intermittently. *jb

Dt: there was a problem with fumes inside the contact's vehicle. she first noticed the problem in august 2005. the contact stated that the fumes caused lethargic behavior and fast heart beat. the vehicle has not been inspected yet. when the contact had been riding in a friend's vehicle she did not have these problems. but when she rode in her own vehicle they occurred. *ak

Dt: 2000 saturn l-series. the consumer stated when the brakes are pressed the brake lights do not work. the bulbs have been replaced multiple times. the vehicle has been taken to the dealership, and they stated it was a problem with these vehicles. the manufacturer has not yet been contacted. the problem has been on going for approximately two years.*ak

My problem is with saturn not honoring recall number 05v245000. gm recall no. 05052 my brake lights have never worked correctly on my 2000 saturn lw station wagon. all the lights work until the brakes are applied then one side goes out, (brake and running light). the first failure occurred about a week after i purchased the car, a. i attempted the repair myself by replacing bulbs and switching the bulb sockets. when i took the car in for servicing in 2001 they replaced several bulbs and a socket. after several weeks the brake light again went out this time when the brakes were applied the brake light went out and the dash lights would dim. i again attempted the repair by switching the bulb sockets. on or about 03/2005 when i was trying to figure out the problem with the brake lights i noticed that the plastic housing and the plastic bulb socket on one side was melted. i purchased new bulbs and new bulb sockets and made the repair only to hear about the recall a few weeks later. the brake lights failed a few weeks later so i decided to wait for the recall that was to start in september. i called my local saturn dealer, saturn of pembroke pines, only to be informed that my vehicle was not included in the recall. *jb

The power steering fails after about 5 mins of operation. the dealer said it was an "unspecified failure of the steering rack", and that it would cost $1500 to replace. this has been going on since spring of 05. i contacted saturn corporate directly, but they refused to help with the problem. *nm

Dt: while driving home and giving left turn signal there was smoke coming out of the steering column. took the vehicle to the dealer, and the switch was defective and it caught on fire on the inside. the dealer replaced the switch ,but they charge d the consumer for the work. this happened on september 7, 2005. *ak

Dt: the windshield wiper control on the steering column broke off when the consumer tried to turn the windshield wipers on. this occurred in the middle of a storm. consumer took the vehicle to a dealer and they said there were pins missing from the steering column that caused the failure. no corrections have been made at this time. consumer said saturn was contacted by the dealer about this problem. also there is a problem with the rear taillights that make them go out when the consumer hits a slight bump or pothole. the consumer can tighten the taillight and it will work properly for a while then stop. consumer feels he should not have to pay for this. *jb

Dt: the contact owns a 2000 saturn ls1. the contact states that the electrical components on the driver's side of the vehicle do not work. the windows, the horn, and brakes lights are not working. the brake light problem has been happening for years, but the window, horn, speaker, driver side turn signal, and the dash lights started to malfunction at one time. the consumer indicates when she rolled the driver's side window down and back up that was when every thing quit working. the service dealer stated that each component would need to be replaced. the consumer has contacted the manufacturer.*ak

2000 saturn lw-1 timing chain broke on the vehicle.***no answer required***. *mr when the timing chain broke, the valves and gaskets were damaged as well. the brake light was replaced on more than one occasion. the consumer was informed there was a recall regarding the brake lights. *jb

I was driving on california highway 101 south when on an incline, my motor on my saturn 2000 l suddenly stopped working. i had it hauled to my saturn dealer, and was told several days later that the timing chain broke and the entire motor needed to be replaced.

Dt: consumer took vehicle to dealer for service. dealer done a safety check on vehicle and told consumer that front brake pads were 30 percent left, and front rotors below specs. consumer declined to have front brake job done because dealer wanted about $300 to do work. he could do it for much less. consumer's concern was that the rotors should not be worn out and needed to be replaced with 30 percent pads left and only 46412 miles on vehicle. consumer always took vehicle to dealer for service, and this is was done regularly. brakes were noticed by dealer on july 14, 2005. dealer was saturn of houston north west 290, in houston, texas. *ak

I own a 2000saturn ls1 while driving on the highway my car just died. after my mechanic looked at it i was told one of the links in the timing chain cracked and broke the timing chain ,which wrapped around the valves and destroyed the engine. after looking on different web sites it seems to have happened to quite a few people who have said they reported it to you for investigation. my car was making no noises and gave no indication there was a problem. i contacted saturn and because i took the car to my own mechanic and don't have all my records they say they can't help me also now they say it is because i am not the original owner. my car has about 42,000 miles and was bought pre-owned from a dealership. luckily there was no injury or damage.

I was driving to work at approx. 35 mph. i own a saturn 2000 ls with a 3.0 v6 with 56,413 mi. my ses light & battery lght came on while i was driving - almost at the same time my car died.my car would not start.all my gages were normal prior to the car dying. i had to have the car towed.it was towed to pep boys they told me that the timing slipped and that the serpentine belt was melted. they told me take it to a saturn dealership in order to fix it.they also informed me that this was the 3rd saturn ls2 in the shop this week with the same problem.the car was towed to saturn of orchard park.saturn had the car from 06/28/05 until i picked it up on 7/06/05.the tech told me that he found that the water pump had leaked onto the timing belt - the timing belt slipped causing the car to jump timing - this caused the sepentine belt to snap and it melted into the pulleys. i told him that there was no indication to me that anything was wrong with the water pump. there was no leaking of fluid on the driveway of my home.the engine temp.gauge was normal.i just had the oil changed and the transmission checked. in the end the tech replaced the water pump (this is the second water pump for this vehicle - the first one was replaced when the car had 19,958 miles in 2001). all pulley grooves were ground out. the tensioner pulley and belts were replaced. engine still would not start. all the intake and some exhaust valves were damaged. both head cylinder banks were replaced the cam and timing were set. the car was road tested. $ 4,313.05 later - i have my car back. i could have been in a serious rear end collision. saturn is well aware of the problems with this engine. there is no guarantee that the same thing will not happen again. i have contacted saturn customer service - they offer no assistance. i believe that there is a serious design flaw with this engine. i would like to see this investigated.

While using turn signal the brights would come on and sometimes wouldn't go off for awhile. this has happened to me twice and i have had it replaced twice at my cost seeing as how the vehicle had just gone out of warrenty the first time

Dt: while driving about 45 mph caller hit a horse with car and the air bags on driver's side or passenger's side did not deploy. no lights of warning came on dashboard. vehicle was totaled. dealer was of no help, and manufacturer has not been contacted yet. *ak

Dt: vehicle blew up, there no lights prior to the failure. dealership said that the tensioner stopped the serpentine belt. after the car stopped the battery light did came on. dealership said that the engine light would not come on because that was a mechanical problem not electrical. dalso, ealership said that the serpentine belt shredded. vehicle was serviced about one month prior to this and everything was fine.*ak

Was driving the car when the engine quit and all power was lost. mechanic said the timing chain broke and the engine damaged and needs to be replaced.

Dt: timing chain broke. found information on service bulletin saying new oiling nozzle for the chain caused older nozzle does not apply oil properly on low rpms. took vehicle to dealer, and dealer said time chaining broke. further damage was done and the engine needed to be replaced. *ak

Dt: the power window switches on the driver and passenger front doors failed. the consumer had them both replaced. the passenger side occurred approximately 3 weeks ago, and the driver's side happened on june 12,2005. *ak the master switch was replaced on both front and passenger side windows. *sc *jb

1. no warning of failure 2. timing chain 3. replace the chain

While driving consumer heard a loud pop come from the engine. took vehicle to dealer for service , and mechanic determined it was the timing chain.*ak

The brake and tail lights reapeatedly fail to work correctly. the lights will fail to illuminate. there is a design problem in the tail light assemblies. saturn is aware of the problem and has issued a service bulletin but has failed to recall the assemblies. i've also noticed the lamp sockets are starting to overheat and melt. i've replaced the sockets.*ak

The headlights tend to pulse intermittently when on the road at night. other drivers assume that this is an emergency vehicle, and tend to stop and pull over unexpectedly, which the owner anticipates that an accident can occur. manufacturer contacted and was aware of the problem.*ak..consumer has almost been hit by 18 wheelers twice when they thought that consumer was flashing the headlights to signal okay to come over, but was actually beside the trailers. luckily, consumer's vehicle was able to move over and avoid an accident. saturn claimed that the lights were operating within normal parameters, and will not fix them. consumer disagreed claiming that pulsing lights, when vehicle was cruising at 65 mph, was not normal. could be dangerous, and very distracting. *ak

Brake lights often go out when the bulb is good. i have replaced the entire housing on one light, and the bulbs multiple times. this has happened at least 20 times since i purchased the car new. you don't know the brake lights are not working until somebody tells you.*ak

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. *ak

My 2000 saturn ls2 continually suffers from failing brake lights when the headlights are turned on. to alleviate the problem, i remove the brake light assembly and clean the electrical connections. saturn refuses to correct this faulty design without charging me for the repair. my car is out of warranty, but saturn needs to step up and repair this safety design issue. *ak

On tuesday morning, i took my 2000 saturn lw2 to the dealership in conyers to have the oil changed. left the dealership, went home, and that afternoon went to my cpa's office in roswell. on the way back home, noticed the "service" light flashing. looked at other gauges to see what was wrong & watched my heat gauge go all the way over to the red, at which time both the low-coolant & "hot" lights came on. managed to get the car to the side of a very busy interstate. opened the hood & found what looked like sandy-colored mud all over the engine, especially on the driver's side. after sitting for two hours on the side of the road, finally got a tow truck to come bring the car home. tow truck driver said the mud looked like a mixture of engine oil & coolant. husband checked the oil level & discovered there was no oil in the engine. car is now sitting in our driveway and we haven't decided what to do yet as it will probably cost as much to repair it as the car is worth. have talked to service dept. at the dealership -- they won't send someone to look at the car ("it's too far") and we won't have it towed to them at our expense (and they won't pay to have it towed either). *ak

Taillights continue to work only intermittently, they have been fixed several times and continue to malfunction.

2000 saturn l w2 4dr wagon, sharp edge on front door, poor design. *bf the consumer is concerned that the sharp edges on the door may cause bodily injury to him and/or his wife. *nm

Saturn lw2 4dr wagon 2000, windshield wiper multi function switch broke. *bf the consumer stated the upper edge of the front door is a hazard. the edge of the door is 56 inches from the ground and is sharp. *jb

Tail/brake lights on my 2000 saturn lw2 intermittently stop working. this has been ongoing since i purchased the car new in march 2000. they have always worked when the car is at the dealer, so the dealer did not investigate the problem.*ak

Timing chain went on my 2000 saturn ls just at five years with 53,700 miles saturn is trying to say its my fault from 11 months ago i did not have the oil flushed out. but in searching to see if i was the only one i'm not and there has been other problems that were covered on and off warranty. i have brought this to the attention of bbb and to my local dmv i hope that you can do some thing about this because were getting ripe off. *nm

The vehicle would not start. the vehicle was towed. the dealership informed the consumer that the timing chain snapped. the problem was not resolved. please provide more information.

Consumer replaced brake light four times in a year. also, front of vehicle vibrated when making a turn. the cause of these things were undetermined. *ak

While driving the vehicle lost power. this problem has continued to happen despite several attempts by the dealer to repair it. *nm *sc *jb

Rear brake lights work intermittently. i have to constantly adjust the spring contacts for the lamp socket, with no guarantee that when i put the brake on while driving that the lamps will work. i've research other complaints with the same problems. numbers 10033374, 10102575, 562085, 10040856 there is more, but the point is the brake light assembly design is not working. this will eventually lead to accidents if it hasn't already. a recall of the vehicles to replace the lamp assembly with a reliable design should be implemented. this is a major safety issue. *jb

Ignition locked for the 3rd time. key stuck in ignition, tech replaced binding ignition lock cylinder. *bf *jb

Driver noticed that while the vehicle was parked a liquid was leaking from underneath the vehicle. driver took to the dealer for information, and mechanic determined that the fuel tank needed to be replaced due to mold. *ak and the service engine soon light was on. *tt

Constantly having people tell me my brake lights don't work. i've replaced bulbs and get them working for awhile and now i've come to the conclusion that tail light assembly is a bad design. the bulb holder contacts that light up the brake light does not always stay in contact with the tail light assembly. i get it working for awhile and then someone tells me my brake lights don't work. other electrical problems with this car - heater/ac blower quit working and truck release switch on dash board quit working. *jb

Currently the blower motor for the heater/defroster is not working. i have had many many problems with this car, inparticular with the brakes and steering. the rack and pinion was repaired twice. i have had brakes replaced twice, and recently the brake drums, rotators and pads. i have had the power steering pump repaired and from time to time need to have the steering wheel lubricated when it starts to make noise again. i am wondering if i am the only one with these problems or are others with this same car having the same problems. i do not feel safe when i am driving this car. i have brought it to the dealer many times to have things checked with wheels and steering. *ak

Transmission shifts hard into gears. service light comes on, but no codes show up on scanner i have found many people with same problem over the internet. *ak

Complaint received via e-mail. tail/stop light assembly failure on both sides began on 05/2003 with left side. replaced socket/bulb. however, problem recurred on 06/2003, and replaced assembly at a cost of $84.37. replaced sockets on both sides 3 more times. stopped by police twice, as recent as 12/2004 for no tail/stop lights on right side. the problem was with only with top socket/circuit. service and parts manager at temple saturn, 1-800-460-7688, was well aware of problems, and said this was a common problem only for 2000-2002 vehicles. contacted saturn customer assistance center, stated the problem, and was given case ref #1-14090108. also, was told not enough complaints for them to replace at their cost. the parts and service managers at temple saturn - heath green/chuck green could provide information. basic problem was the circuit board which was placed with plastic hold downs melted and caused the metal to move and short out. *ak

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.*ak

Faulty electrical tail lights; when headlights are on brake lights dont come on. head lights off tail lights come on. also, interior dashlights dim upon the depression of the brake. i have seen many other saturns with same problem...its only a matter of time before someone gets hurt. *ak

I have a 2000 ls2 saturn vehicle and i have been having trouble with the brake lights not working when my lights are on. there is a known problem with the defective inferior taillight assembly which relies on a weak spring-loaded contact on the socket to supply electricity to the bulb. well i was almost rear-ended last night because of this. i was yelled byt he driver following me. the bulb's filaments work, bu tit is the whole assembly that is inferior. i had another close call early this morning on my way to work. i am scared to drive anymore, but must continue to drive to my workplace each day some 28 miles one way from morgantown, wv to fairmont,wv. i feel since saturn knows of this safety problem that they must want me to continue to drive the vehicle with their faulty assembly. i shall continue to drive the car as saturn believes the assembly does not need replaced.i have a 2000 ls2 saturn vehicle and i have been having trouble with the brake lights not working when my lights are on. there is a known problem with the defective inferior taillight assembly which relies on a weak spring-loaded contact on the socket to supply electricity to the bulb. well i was almost rear-ended last night because of this. the bulb's filaments work, bu tit is the whole assembly that is inferior. i had another close call early this morning on my way to work. i am scared to drive anymore, but must continue to drive to my workplace each day some 28 miles one way from morgantown, wv to fairmont,wv. i feel since saturn knows of this safety problem that they must want me to continue to drive the vehicle with their faulty assembly. i shall continue to drive the car as saturn believes the inferior assembly does not need replaced. they have replaced the assembly on this model for those who are under warranty, my car is not under warranty so they will not replace it. please help me be a safe vehicle presence on the country's highway's within one of saturn's products that they sell this way.*ak

This 2000 saturn ls1 was purchased new 1/12/00. on 3/20/01 and 23655 miles, the car was taken to the dealer due to clutch pedal low to the floor and it was difficult to shift gears. they replaced the concentric slave cylinder. on 5/28/02 and 46235 miles, the car was taken to the dealer due to ses light on and running rough in r, 1rst, and 2nd gear. they replaced the concentric slave cylinder. on 11/29/04 and 79906 miles, the car had to be towed to the dealer due to the clutch pedal not holding pressure and the gears could not be shifted. they replaced the concentric slave cylinder. the same part is failing every 20 to 30 thousand miles with no explanation from the saturn service reps.*ak

I noticed my brake lights and tail lights were not working all the time...upon further inspection it appears that the brake lights do not work when the headlights and/or tail lights are on. there is definitely a wiring problem... i have had several electrical problems with this vehicle, which is only 4 years old... the door locks and electric windows have been broken, and the intermittent wiper setting does not work properly.*ak

There were a number of near misses because of a defect in the brake lights/turn signal.*ak

I have been notified of a 2002 saturn l-series recall nhtsa campaign id number 03v231000. i have contacted the manufacturer and dealership numerous times regarding my electrical system; o2 oxygen sensor, etc. they have refused to even check my vehicle stating my vin was not effected by this recall. i'm not sure how i can proceed with this as i have had numerous machanics inspect my vehicle, and all have concluded my vin should have been included in the recall. *ak

Have owned the car, 2000 ls1, since it had about 8k miles. have had to buy 3 sets of tires so far due to irregular wear. been to saturn dealership and other garages several times about this before finally learning from saturn this past summer that the lower control arms on this make and model are defective and that saturn had put together a shim kit to fix the problem. this solution would cost over $500, especially when you count the four wheel alignment that would also be necessary. also having brake light problems. brake lights don't work when parking lights are turned on. have replaced bulbs several times, particularly the driver side brake light. mechanic cleaned and adjusted the socket's contact points, but 3 weeks later the driver side brake light was not working again. wipers don't get windshield clean, even when brand new. auto unlock stopped working. *jb

When starting the vehicle engine warning light illuminated then lost power and shut off. dealership will be notified. *ak

The plastic around the tail lights on the driver side melted due to bulbs overheating. dealer was notified. dealer informed consumer that the problem maybe due to an electrical surge.*ak

Rear taillight assembly improperly manufactured on 2000 saturn l-series sedan causes arcing in brake light bulb/socket and caused fuse to blow rendering parking lights inoperable. i have replaced the sockets 3 times and replaced an entire left rear tail light assembly. the right assembly is original. dealership stated there was a redesign of the tail light assembly to correct the problem. the tail light assembly cost $100 to replace (i did the labor myself). the cost to replace 3 sockets has been at a cost of $25/socket=$75 so far. total cost nearly $200 out of pocket for this improperly manufactured, but crucial part of the 2000 l-series sedan. *jb

At 35,558 miles vehicle made a grinding noise while turning the steering wheel. vehicle was taken to the dealer, who replaced the power assist pump assembly. at 61,000 miles problem recurred. *ak

There is an internal short in the tail light housings that results in no tail lights when brakes are hit or headlights are on. *ak

Both rear lights assemblies shorted out, leaving my vehicle without any rear lighting. service department stated that they knew there had been problems with the units shorting out and that they would "only" charge $25 per tail light for the replacement units instead of the cots ($165) for each. i feel this is a true safety problem and the manufacturer and dealership should be responsible for recall and replacement- especially in the 2000 saturn which has been a complete 'safety' nightmare with problems too numerous to count.*ak

Since car was bought problems with the electrical system. the car goes cuts off when it feels like it. said it was a loose ground wire. they fixed it and not even two miles down the road it did it again. the if i would step on the brakes too hard the "service engine" light would go on. usually the car computer would note a code if the service light would go on it didnt. then a puff of smoke came from the stirring wheel and the dealership told me that it was from a piece of dust. no two months later the switch for the high beams would flash on and off and then it would stay on after you shut off the car. they turn on when they want when the car is off. we have also replaced the passenger airbag because the airbag started coming out of the dash board. the dashboard is also bubbling around the area where the airbag sits.*ak

We have been having a hard time getting the key to turn in the ignition. i was driving a few days ago, and the car died on me while i was moving down the street. *jb

The ignition switch failed to turn on. the vehicle will not start and the accessories were defective. *jb *sc

When attempting to start vehicle would not start. the consumer would have to wait 10 minutes before the vehicle would start. the consumer took the vehicle to dealership for inspection, however, the mechanic could not duplicate the problem. *ak the modules in the engine and the remotes were changed but the problems continued to get worse. there was an extended crank at times which was intermittent, the security and wrench light would come on, the body control module caused the intermittent start, the pass lock was replaced due to the sensor(s), the bcm was replaced, the driver's side door would lock due to broken latch, and the ignition coil burned out. *sc

While driving 65 mph rear driver's side tire sidewall separated. consumer pulled over and changed the tire. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak *tc

I own a 2000 saturn ls. when the car had 40,000 miles, i noticed that the front brake rotors where severely worn down (.90 inches) even though the brake pads had more than 50% life left. i called the dealer and they said that the rotors on the ls have been failing earlier than normal and that when the pads wear out, they also replace rotors. rotors aren't suppose to wear out unless the pads wear out and the metal backing destroys the rotors. most cars on the highway never have a rotor change for their entire life. saturn will not do anything under warranty. now, i have 60,000 miles on the car which is driven by my wife who drives very slow and brakes lightly and the rotors have lost over .120 inches which puts the rotor tolerance outside the safety limit by gm. again, rotors are not suppose to wear to this extreme. this could be a serious safety problem. don't you agree? thank you for your time. *jb

Water is leaking into the dashboard and vehicle. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

When driving, the steering column made a crunching noise when a turn was made. the rack and pinion was replaced four times. it was just replaced again. the steering column was defective and the manufacturer denied that there were any defects. *jb

Car vibrates at 55 - 70 always. it wears tires out.several new sets of tires worn out. it has had several front end alignments, tire balances. nothing works. ur local saturn dealer recognizes there is a problem and has told me that it needs to have rear shimms installed and that a local auto store can do it at a price of 250.00 per axle! and maybe that willl fix it!*ak

Both tail lights had to be replaced due to an unknown failure. the right side was replaced by dealer last year at 40,392 miles, and the left side was done currently at 55,183 miles. *ak the brake switch and cruise failed, there would be an intermittent connection when the pedal was depressed, the tail lamp would become dim when the brakes were applied and inoperative when the headlight would come on and the high mount brake light was inoperative. *sc *jb

Both left and right front brake wear pad indicators failed.*mr the indicators failed to perform as stated on page 326 of the vehicle owners manual. specifically they failed to five an audible warning sound that the brake pads had worn out to a dangerously low level. *nm

At 54,000 miles my water pump, timing belt, engine oil cooler, and power steering pump all failed at the same time. *ak

Problems with brake pad wear indicators not sounding. *mr the front rotors wore down prematurely. the brake pad wear indicators failed to produce any audible indication that the pads had worn down and the rotors had been scored to the point where the rotors needed to be grinded. the consumer was told that the linings had formed hot spots on the rotors and they did not feel the rotors could not be cut without producing a pulsation in the pedal. *sc *jb

2000 saturn 4cyl l series:power steering pump, serpentine belt, and idler arm all had to be replaced at 72,000 miles. parts started to fail at 65,000 miles, makes a noise like the transmission was failing.*ak

All four firestone infinity tires, size 21956r15 would wore out. dealerships replaced the tires twice. consumer was still having the same problems. *ak

Tail lights on my 2000 saturn ls1 keep blowing out. both housings were replaced under warranty a few months after i got my car and now they are doing the same thing. my warranty is expired and they want me to pay the cost out of pocket. i feel saturn owes me replacement taillights and all the money i have spent on replacement bulbs. this should be a saftey recall, as this is a common problem that saturn and many customers know about. it is extremly dangerous to drive around with tailights that you can not rely on working when you really need them.*ak

While driving 80 mph vehicle stalled. consumer was unable to restart vehicle. consumer had vehicle towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the air sensor needed to be replaced. *ak please fill in additional information.

While applying the brakes they locked up and the pedal went to the floor. vehicle was taken t o the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determine d that the master cylinder needed to be replaced, and replaced it. however, problem recurred. *ak

Engine check light continually illuminated on the dashboard. independent repair shop and dealership inspected the vehicle about 13 times. the cause of the problem had not been determined.*ak

We had recently bought a saturn from henderson saturn with the understanding that we were covered for 24,000 miles or 2 years of any mechanical defects. the car caught on fire yesterday and was towed to saturn. we were called this morning and told that we have to foot the bill to tear down the car because the head is cracked from the water pump going out. i explained to the dealership that the radiator light came on and i immediately pulled off and put water in it. they told me that it was my responsibility to call them when that light came on. i was never told this at the time of purchase. i explained to him that when the low fuel light comes on i never call them and i asked what the difference was. they told me i should have known. because i'm not a mechanic i only knew that when a radiator light comes on, it means the radiator needs water/coolant. the warranty covers the bad water pump but not the result of the cracked head it caused from being unfunctional. we are told this will cost us upwards of $500 out of our pocket. we just got the license plates on the car yesterday. this is so unjust of saturn to sell us a bill of goods that we have contracted to pay for and them not take responsibility for the work that needs to be done as a result of a bad water pump, they agree is still under warranty that they will replace, that slipped by their inspection of the vehicle when it was in their possession. we've already agreed to pay an ample amount above what the car sells for in order to finance this vehicle. why should we have to pay for their promise to take care of the maintenance for the next 2 years? *jb

The drivers seat heater shorted out and caught fire burning a substantial hole in the seat, causing considerable discomfort to my wife by burning her leg. when the manufacturer was informed there was no alarm or concern what-so-ever. i believe this incident is but one of many and should cause considerable concern as the fire hazzard should not be overlooked.

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 *jb

Rear brakelights on my saturn 2000 ls malfunction constantly. "bulb holder" does not fit snuggly in rear housing(s). always see other ls models on the road with one or more brakelights not working. i think it is a very dangerous problem and has caused many near collisions.

Tail light assembly has 2 parts, the light bulb holder, and the socket in which it is screwed into. after a period of time the metal piece that is screwed into the socket becomes loose and arc. when this occurs it severs the flow of electricity to the tail light. this renders the tail light inoperative. also, this could causes a fire hazard because of its location close to the gas tank. the dealership wants to replace the entire tail light assembly, but this will only provide a temporary solution. *ak

The master clutch cylinder (actuator) on my 2000 saturn ls manual transmission leaked internally permaturely causing a difficulty and sometimes inability to change gears. the car has 57,000 miles on it and saturn refused to fix the problem at their cost. *ak

2000 saturn ls1: since i have purchased this car brand new and taken it for regular maintenance i have had the following problems: several voluntary recalls, then i have had 3 actuator motors in my doors go bad (all different doors); cradle bush bearings needing replacement; front suspension linkages needing replacement; the car battery exploded; emission system malfunction. everytime i gripe to saturn they are not willing to look into, i feel like there are numerous safety concerns that should be looked into in the 2000 ls series.*ak

I own a 2000 saturn ls. i took my vehicle to the dealership in san antonio, tx back in sep or oct 2003. my chief complaint was the steering column would get extremely hot when driving with headlights on. i mentioned to the service advisor i was afraid that the car would catch fire. my wife drive the car with my grandkids and i am concerned for their safety. the service advisor assessed the heat to the steering column and he agreed that it was "abnormally hot." the service advisor stated that he has had complaints of this type before, had informed saturn of the problem, but they had not provided a remedy for it. the currrent gm recall for 98-00 vehicles should include saturn vehicles also because my car is exhibiting the exact same problems. i should not have to wait for the vehicle to catch fire to get the manufacturer's attention. lives are at stake. my saturn vehicle was manufactured within the same timeframe as other vehicles in the recall.*ak

Car accelerates by itself causing a dangerous situation. braking does not stop the acceleration. i took it into saturn and after supposedly repaired has begun to do this again. *jb

Car accelerated on its own climbed from 20 to 60 braking only slowed the car down but as soon as the foot was taken off the brake car returned to high speed. the only way the car would stop was to turn off the car. while in neutral or park rpms climbed to 4500. saturn had the car twice and blamed me for being late by 2000 miles with an oil change. the then rerouted a pvc hose to prevent moisture from entering throttle body. this seem to me to be a defect in the design and not something from wear and tear and saturn should cover this repair. *ak

I purchased a 2000 saturn ls1 since the beginning we have had major parts fail. vibrating steering at 55 mph. steering column replacement at 35.000 miles.. two clutch pump cylinder failures.. we had purchased extended warranty to 45.000 miles we should have covered it to 100,000 miles since we continue to poor money into this crappy vehicle. *ak

2000 saturn ls ignition lock cylinder has binded since i purchased the car in feb 2003. occassionally the ignition would not turn and i could not turn off or start the car without a great deal of effort turning the steering wheel and continuously wiggling the ignition key. today the key broke off in the ignition and i could not start the car. i am a system safety engineer working with the dept of defense. this is a safety hazard if the ignition system is not reliable to cut off the ignition or start the vehicle in an emergency.*ak

While driving power steering pump failed, making it hard for the consumer to turn the steering wheel. problems with brake lights intermittenly failing. when the headlights are on all three brake lights won't work. brake light failure almost caused an accident and had me pulled over by a police officer. the mechanic traced out and repaired a ground wire to correct the problem. *ak *mr

Consumer noticed side tail lamp was not working. dealer replaced four times the entire tail lamp assembly at dealers expense. consumer was concerned that warranty will expire, and it will cost him $165.00. *ak

The drivers seat and head rest design in my car blocks my rear view visibility. my model car has adjustable seats. despite, the various adjustments available to me, i am unable to position the seat such that i can see over the top of the seat. my view out the rear windows of my car is severely impaired by the seat. i am not a short person! if i remove the headrest from the seat i am able to see behind me, but i then create another unsafe siftuation, so i don't do it. the instruction manual that comes with my car actually contains a photo showing how to adjust the head rest of the car to be at a "proper" height. i am unable to adjust the seat and headrest to achieve the manufacturer's recommended adjustment height. this problem could be resolved by either redesigning the seat or "possibly" coming up with an alternate head rest design.*ak

The rear defroster in my car turns off automatically after about 10 - 15 minutes. i have found this design to present a dangerous situation to me when i operate my vehicle during a snow storm. during a snow storm, the rear window in my car fogs up unless i continuously run the defroster! (i believe this problem will occur in many car models.) my defroster turns off without warning. i don't realize i have a problem until the window fogs up making my visibility very poor. i then have to try to grope for the defroster switch to turn the defroster back on. when i am forced to reach for the defroster button when driving on an icy road, i am putting myself in danger, especially if the sun has set. during a snow storm it is important to be focussing on the road, not groping for a switch every 10-15 minutes. this defroster design has two disadvantages from a safety standpoint. first, my rear window repeatedly fogs up unexpectedly at very critical times. second, i am forced to divert my attention from the road during the worst type of driving conditions in order to turn on the rear defroster.*ak

While driving 45 mph the vehicle's engine died. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the timing chain broke. please provide any additional information. *nm *jb

Failure of left rear (driver side) tail light assembly causing the brake light to not light. this is my second tail light assembly failure in 3 years. *ak

Transmission failure/replacement at 50,000 odometer reading on 2000 saturn lw2, engine l81 3.0 liter v-6, vin 1g8jw82riyy666790.....on october 6, 2003 i was advised by the service manager of saturn of woodbridge (virginia) that. *ak my 2000 saturn lw2 needed a new transmission at a cost of $3,800. the vehicle had just undergone the 51,000 scheduled maintenance. the automatic transmission was replaced on october 9, 2003 at a cost to me of $1,500. it is my considered opinion that an automobile transmission is not supposed to fail without explained/anticipated reason at such low mileage. purchased new by me on may 27, 2000, every scheduled 3000 mile maintainance was completed on schedule. from april to october 2003 the service-engine-light illuminated several times but the service section at the dealership stated that nothing registered on the computer. the problem was "fixed" by re-setting the computer. on october 3, 2003 the computer indicated "code p1811" which led the technician to a bulletin numbered 02-t-84. what is this bulletin? is it "2002-transmission-84th bulletin"? when i complained, saturn volunteered to absorb all costs but $1,500. saturn installed a rebuilt transmission on october 9, 2003 and kept my original (failed) transmission for return to saturn for rebuilding. did saturn know that the transmission had a propensity to fail? did saturn really absorb part of what was claimed to be a $3,800 (rebuilt transmission) replacement cost? i don't think i should have been liable for the failure of the transmission. this report appears to be similar to odi number 10010259 described march 8, 2003 regarding a 2000 l series wagon automatic transmission problem. supporting documentation is available.

The rear end was wearing out which made it impossible for the consumer to drive over 20 mph. also, the consumer heard a loud thumping noise coming from the rear. the dealership was notified, but the problem had not been resolved. *ak four tires were replaced. the tech found that the tires had uneven wear. the steering wheel would vibrate, the rear cargo cover was cracked at the clip, there was a thumping sound that had come from the tires at any speed, there was also cupping on the tires that caused the excessive road noise. *scc *jb

I have a 2000 ls1 saturn. i bought it brand new. in the past year i have had to take it in other than for maintenance because something has gone wrong. october 2002- my hydraulics went out of my clutch causing me to be stalled without a car. a few months ago it was recalled due to something gone wrong in the rear axle. so saturn replaced it. on thursday, october 16, 2003, i took it in again because i was hearing a rubbing noise when i made sharp left turns. turns out i need a $1400 new steering rack because there is an internal leak from my power steering fluid. my car only has 36,800 miles on it. but of course the warranty ran out 800 miles ago. i don't think a fairly new car should be having all these problems. *la

2000 saturn l series 200 when the headlights are turned on the brake lights do not work.

When the ac compressor engages, headlights dim for a short period of time. it makes the car look like i am flashing the headlights. has done it since, and a new car has 50k miles on it now. *la

For the second time power steering made loud clicking noise. on previous occasion last year, the power steering vibrated also. at that time the cylinder and most of the mechanisms in the steering column were replaced. *ak

Premature failure of brake rotors

Defective catalytic converter found on 2000 saturn ls1.*mr the ignition coil was replaced *ts. the consumer stated the cigarette lighter was inoperative, the dealer replaced the fuse. the back door was not even with the body of the vehicle. *jb

When braking at various speeds brake lights failed. had taken vehicle to dealership, but the problem had not been resolved.*ak

Consumer's vehicle had the same problem as stated in recall 03v231000 concerning the engine. the dealer would not repair because the vehicle identification number was not included. *ak the engine cut off after 4 attempts and all lights lit up.*ts *jb

Rear turn signals and brakes lights work intermittently, new bulbs have been replaced 5 times; changed sockets from right to left lights and sometimes this will work for a while. took to saturn garage to check and they charged me $45.00 labor and $1.25 for a new bulb. they couldn't tell me why this problem keeps reoccurring. i took my saturn ls, 2000 into them to find the cause for this problem but received no results; unless they consider a new bulb a final fix. but the problem reoccured 2 days afterwards. i switched the sockets from right to left in the rear lights and now they are working but for how long i do not know. i just found out through my september issue of highways magazine that a recall on exterior lighting: turn signal switch was recalled in july of 1999 of the 2000 models; i purchased my ls 2000 saturn in april of 2000. i was never notified of a recall.*ak

Driving home i smelled an electrical burning smell. i then noticed smoke coming from the steering column. with the car off the smoke continued and the high beams were on. i drove to saturn and they found an internal short in the head lamp switch (p/n 22679804). at no time did any fuse blow to protect the circuit. i have the old part and can see evidence of burnt/melted wires. this is a fire hazard. 2000 saturn ls1 vin [xxx]. *ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Steering rack needs to be replaced for the second time at 54,000 miles. *ak

2000 l-series wagon has continuing power steering problems. power steering pump was leaking and was replaced 2/01 and again on 8/01 at which time the power steering rack was also replaced. now on 8/03 the power steering rack needs to be replaced again!!!*ak

Parts for the ignition switch module will not be available until september, and the dealership is not scheduling appointments.*ak

The brake rotors on my 2000 saturn ls front end wore down below the minimum recommended thickness. before my brake pads wore down to the point that the wear indicators warned that the pads were wearing out. filed a complaint with saturn corp, and the responses received from them did not seem to acknowledge the dangers of the defective rotors. if anyone would like to see my emails and saturn's responses, i will forward them if you provide me their email address. they are too lengthy to attach here. *ak

On 6/21/2003 the vehicle was taken to the dealer because the brake lights were not working. dealer stated there were no bulbs in the sockets. the consumer stated that the vehicle has been to that dealer six times to fix the brake lights. *ak *nlm

Front end vibration and steering wheel shakes at highway speeds. feels unsafe fo drive. vehicle brought to dealer for repair 7/16/01. again on 6/23/03. problem continues to persist. requesting gm saturn look closely at the problem, provide guidance to dealerships, and intervene on behalf of vehicle owners. recall affected vehicles.*ak

When the vehicle was placed in reverse the brake pedal went to the floor and the vehicle continue to move although the driver kept pushing the brake pedal. as a result of the brake failure the consumer vehicle hit a parked vehicle which caused damage. the vehicle was taken to the dealer but they could not determine the cause of the problem. the consumer believes that the abs system may be the cause of the problem. *jb *cb *nlm

There is an internal short in the tail light housings that results in no brake lights when parking lights or headlights are on. dealer told me that this is an occasional problem in this model but that saturn does not view this as a defect and it is owners responsibility. this is a potential safety hazard. a neighbor owns the same model car and has the same problem. *jb

When the headlights were illuminated and brakes were applied, the left tail light failed, the entire tail lamp assembly had to be replaced. *jb

Over 3.5 years that i have owned my 2000 saturn lw2 wagon, there have been recurring problems with severe engine misfires and extremely rough shifting of automatic transmission, accompanied by "service" or "service engine soon" dashboard lights coming on. two different saturn dealers have repeatedly investigated and found "computer diagnostic codes" proving that "something" did happen, but repeatedly say that there is neither diagnosis of the root cause nor cure that can be applied, other than the band-aid of "resetting the computer" and telling me to go on my way, that will be fifty bucks please. in two cases this problem caused a complete breakdown requiring the car to be towed.*jb

The front brakes locked up while driving. the technician replaced the front rotors, calipers and master cylinder. *scc *nlm

The power steering pump was replaced due to noise. and rear mirror view mirror was replaced.*ak *jb

The brake pedal goes all the way to the floor causing extended stopping distance. dealer has been notified. ph

While driving approximately 50 mph on a curvy road, the power steering suddenly failed. this was very disconcerting due to the fact that the car was in a fast left hand curve at the time beginning transition to a right curve. the sudden loss of power steering input caused an uncommanded lane change to the right lane which nearly caused a collision with the vehicle that was in the right lane just after our rear bumper. the vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road and inspected for a loose or broken power steering belt. upon further inspection it was discovered that the snap ring which retains the power steering pump vane and valve body assembly had partially unseated. we were able to push the valve body back into the pump and press the snap ring back into the retainer boss (land). the car was restarted and sufficient fluid was present in the reservoir to provide normal steering input. about two miles down the road and another sudden failure occurred. there was no warning, no shimmy, or gradual loss of steering input. the car was again re-inspected on the side of the road. this time the snap ring was gone, the valve body and vane assy. had ejected an was on top of the battery. power steering fluid was every where. the car was driven home with significant effort and parked. i have attempted to contact the dealer twice since this incident. due to my work. *jb ****dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****769327

The heat shield between the exhaust pipe and the gas tank fell off of my 2000 saturn l-series. it appears to be from galvanic corrosion(metal fasteners used to secure a aluminim heat shield).

When consumer would apply the brakes, the tail lights would become inoperative, also the head light switch got so hot that it was impossible to touch. *jb

While driving at 50 mph, steering wheel started to vibrate then had a jerking movement due to the tires cupping and wearing. dealer contacted. please provide additional information. ts

When consumer pushes on the brakes the cruise control does not deactivate. *nlm

While driving the vehicle consumer hit a curbed island and the air bag deployed. the dealer has been notified. ts the consumer stated, in turning to find a parking spot, she did not complete the turn and ended up on the island hitting the bottom of the vehicle. the air bags injured both the driver and the passenger badly. *scc

1. car has 44,000 miles on it. coolant system is leaking. estimated $500 to fix it. car is 2.5 yrs old. 2. when windshield washer is used, it shorts out and wiper system stops working completely. dealer's service dept recommends $400 wiper motor replacement even though they can not replicate the issue. i went thru three fuses in one day. very dangerous situation as it is winter and i live in new england

Door handle inside car can not be used to exit brake froze up at 2,436 miles along with on of the wheels, advised by service people not the use emergency brakes during freezing weather. oil life monitor light came on at 3,970 miles bad sensor.

Back left brake light keep going out, had bulbs replaced several times. contacted dealer. this was a result of an electrical system malfunction.*ak

Consumer was unable to start vehicle. contacted dealer. this was a result of an ignition switch failure.*ak

While driving engine check light came on ,vehicle will shift hard into gear, and jerk forward.contacted dealler. had vehicle serviced 3 times, however, problem still occurred. dealership could not fix problem.*ak

While driving, both rear wheel sidewalls wore out. replaced tires 3 times in 2 years. dealer notified/repaired and replaced tires. *ak consumer states that the dealer has attempted to remedy this problem on four occasions, however vehicle experiences vibration while driving, saturn has identified a manufacturing flaw in the way the rear suspension is mounted to the chassis of the vehicle, this causes the rear tires to erode, vibration is felt mostly in the steering wheel. *slc

Tail light bulb disengages from contact and goes out. if consumer jiggles cord it will come back on. consumer is concerned that anytime bulb can go out and there is no indication. please provide any further information. mr

Consumer put air in the tire every other week due to tire losing air quickly. size and dot unknown. cause unknown.*ak

Consumer returned five times to have the vehicle corrected for vibration and play. the power steering system failed. the dealer replaced under waranty, however there is vibration and play. the dealer has been working to resolve the problem, but the problem still exists. the wheel was replaced because of a bent hub. this replacement stopped the vibration. there is still continuous play. the tires were feathered and cupped. the lower control arm and rear bushings were replaced as were the four tires. *jg

Front brake rotors needed to be replaced at 37,929 miles because the inside edges were worn below specification and the brake shoes would not seat properly on the rotor. the edges could not be turned or resurfaced. there was no indication of metal grinding into the rotor. also, all four tires were replaced for uneven wear. the rear brake retainer spring broke. the rear passenger window is inoperable. there is an electrical short in the console. consumer also claims there is play in the steering. the power steering was replaced in september of 2001. there is still vibration and play being felt in the steering. there was a bent hub which was causing the vibration. *jg

While driving 55 mph or more vehicle would vibrate. vehicle taken to dealer, consumer was informed that the rear control arm bushing needed to be replaced. *ak consumer states while driving highway speeds, vehicle vibrates, dealer inspected and found all four tires were out of balance, twice at 17748 and 24575 miles. at 40 mph vehicle pops and jerks into gear, whooshing and grinding noise when braking, hearing a clicking noise when accelerating and dealer found power steering pump bad, auto lock not working properly. *yd

While driving at 45 mph an accident occurred, and air bag did not deploy. please provide any further information, and identification number.*ak

Left rear back door handle had broken off in consumer's hands. front driver's inside door handle was broke and replaced under recall. *ak consumer states that the passenger door handle was also replaced. *yd

When driving at highway speed the rear end of vehicle shakes and there is noise coming from the rear. the tires are wearing unevenly. the dealer has replaced tires twice, alignments have been done. did not remedy the problem. nlm

While accelerating a clicking noise would appear from the right front of vehicle. dealer was notified, and informed consumer that power steering needed to be replaced. *ak there is a rattle noise in dash board. foam tape between clutster and bezel installed. there is a clicking and/or screeching noise while turning left or right and there is vibration coming up through the steering wheel. dealer replaced all four tires along with rear control arm bushings. *tt

While driving brake lights will come on and stay on. problem can happen at any time when consumer is driving. contacted dealer, and the dealer not willing to do anything.*ak

Vehicle will intermittenly start up. contacted dealer, and dealer noted that a wire was not working properly. please provide more information. *ak

Right rear parking brake cable rusted through and snapped. result: no parking brake (no hand brake). local mechanics advised us that this is a very common problem with this model. it cannot be fixed. saturn is no longer in business. gm no longer sells this cable. none of the aftermarket companies make a cable that fits this make/model/year. *tr

On saturday, august 21, 2010, the check engine light came on and stayed illuminated in my 2000 saturn ls2 sedan. as expected, i took it in for a diagnosis. the diagnosis i received was quite interesting. i was told there was a left bank 02 sensor failure (2 bank system) and that the car's computer failed and needs replacement. i was informed that if i don't replace the computer, i can continue to expect major components in the vehicle to fail on a continuous basis. the repair shop replaced the 02 sensor but wants over $1,000 to replace the computer! i reported the defects to the manufacturer pointing out that this is the straw that broke the camel's back for me. i have had every single routine maintenance item and all recommended service and repairs done at saturn dealerships since the time i purchased the vehicle new, with one or two exceptions. whenever i would call the manufacturer to report problems or complain about the condition of the vehicle, i was told in the last few recent years that the vehicle is out of warranty due to the mileage and that i should take it to one of their authorized repair facilities and that there was nothing they could do. no acknowledgment of my concerns was ever made and the drones or robots at the call center kept repeating the same message about the mileage. i know of others who have had the same or similar concerns and the manufacturer's habit of ignoring the problems do not make them go away. toyota learned that lesson recently. saturn owners should not just be thrown out in the cold because gm has decided that they are the step children of their product line. i have spent more money in "outside of warranty" repairs on this vehicle than ever should have occurred. the question of the day would be if i got all recommended routine maintenance, why does the vehicle continually fall apart? gm has evidence that i was a regular and diligent customer when it came to routine maintenance and repairs. they need to do right be us! *tr

The service engine soon light of my 2000 saturn sl2 comes on and then the reduced power light comes on and the power is reduced and the car stops and will not restart. the reduced power and service engine soon light comes on and the car stops and stalls in busy traffic, or anywhere the when the lights come on , the car then had to be towed by aaa on saturday to my home and again on monday to dealership after stopping in busy morning traffic, which could have caused an accident. the dealership has charged me over $925. they replaced the ecm, but the car is still not stopping and the service engine soon and reduced power lights are still on. *jb

Driving to work when power seat began moving forward on it's own. then seat switch started smoking a lot. i then pulled over exited vehicle and had someone notify fire dept in west brookfield ma. i then disconnected battery fire dept removed switch and inspected seat to make sure it was not on fire. the switch itself was toasted the wiring to the switch was fine, also the fuse to the seat did blow out. i will contact dealer for replacement switch. i also do have the burnt out switch. *nm

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 70 mph something was noticed through the rear view mirror coming off the vehicle. it was pulled over and upon inspection the right rear tire had separated. the spare tire was put on the vehicle then it was taken to a repair shop for inspection. the mechanic noticed the left rear tire was also separating and the left rear tire was replaced. the manufacturer was alerted. updated 05/04/06

Tail lights failed on saturn 2000 ls twice. 2004 replaced entire tail light assembly. april 2005 replaced rear assembly again . i was ticketed twice for this because you don't know when these lights are out. also, this is very unsafe in rural and suburban areas where there are a few or no street lights.*ak

Car has a very noisy drive train took it to the dealer and they said was tires i changed tires and the noise is still there,the sound is like a grinding noise, it starts at 40 mph and increases as i go. *jb

Vehicle experienced a problem with the rear tail lights and brake lights assembly. provide further details............................*jb

Correction on the date of failure not jan of 03 but jan of 05 this year. *ak

Coolant light came on, and dealer did pressure test, but could not find any defect. about 3 months later, consumer was told by dealer that engine sealed up, and could not determine cause. there was no indictation light that came on to indicate a problem. *ak

Vehicle stalls at any speed, taken to dealer 4 times, cannot duplicate problem. vehicle has stalled numerous times.*ak

When vehicle was brought to dealer for service , dealer found front brake pads needed to be replaced, and rear drums were blistering. brakes and braking distance seemed fine to consumer. *ak

Noticed in september of 2000 that driver's inside door handle chrome was bubbling, now coating has come off, and metal was sharp enough that consumer cut his hand on it. *ak

Consistent problem with vehicle alignment causes premature wearing of tires. *ak dealer has replaced rear toe and camber, front control arm bushings, adjusted right front camber, adjusted rear toe on both sides, adjusted front toe, problem could be related to the firestone tires, size p205/65r15. *slc

Engine check light would come on. vehicle may or may not be able to start. computer will not recalibrate itself. this causes motor to misfire. mechanic would reset computer, but did not have a fixed remedy. computer was defective. *ak

Premature wear of front brake rotors. dealer has inspected vehicle. *ak

Pe00020, original equipment on the 2000, saturn, ls1 , tire size p195/65r15 and dot # w2c6. rear driver tires tread completely came off, which almost caused a crash. firestone was not willing to assist consumer. *ak the rim and the hub cap were damaged during the tire accident. *yh

Horn is located on the steering column. the danger is that when driving consumer would have to look away in order to touch the horn. horn is located in the same area as the airbag. *ak

When driver sits on power adjusting seat, the reclining button will depress unintentionally, and seat will recline backwards . dealer and manufacturer claim there is no solution. *ak

Due to design and location of power seat button, when exiting vehicle the button is accidently depressed, causing the seat to move backwards into the reclining position, crashing into a child safety seat. consumer has contacted dealer. *ak.et.

Power door locks shorted out, causing the system to malfunction. dealer has repaired vehicle twice. *ak

While driving at highway speeds, engine will start to shake uncontrolably making vehicle feel as if we're shaking apart. dt

Brake lights intermittent, bulbs vibrate in light assembly causing them to stop working. contacted local saturn dealer and was told they've seen the same thing several times before. dt

Transmission began leaking oil 1800 miles. *slc

First incident was reported on 6/22/00. vehicle was noisy. on a vist on 8/01/2000 had an occasion to borrow a vehicle of the same kind. came back and informed them that i wanted someone to drive my car. upon driving and investigating noise, first incident of tires cupping. two tires were replaced. noticed tires noise again at approx. 35,730 miles, again tires were cupped and two replaced. asked at that time if this was occurring in other 2000 l series saturns, was told yes. asked what the problem was, and they didn't know. noise occurred again in 8/15/01, again cupping of tires, replaced two. was told that it would be the last time. call saturn in tennessee and reported the problem. noticed noise again this month. informed saturn on visit on 8/17/02, was told tires were cupped again. was told that i couldn't expect to get any more tires replaced without charge. i told them i didn't feel that i should pay for them as i wasn't causing the problem. i again call saturn in tennessee and informed them. i basically wanted to know why and what they were doing about the problem. i was repeatedly informed that i was over my original and extended warranty and couldn't expect tires changed again for nothing. i ended up with telling them that they had lost a saturn customer and that i would report the matter. this is my 3rd saturn, i have had no complaint until now. i don't really have a complaint with my dealer, its just that i am not getting any answers. i told them that if they needed to recall the vehicle, then they better be doing it. i am very upset at this and want the problem resolved. yesterday saturn called and talked to my husband and stated that they would replace the tires. that is not the problem, it will continue to happen again and again. also just how safe are these tires. i was told that it wasn't anything to worry about. there is more to say, but i am out of room. thank you janis ipsen. *ak

Vehicle has been repaired under warranty 5 times. .

The vehicle has been at the dealer for several weeks (not consecutively) for warranty work totaling $2500. the glove compartment has been brought to their attention 5 times and has not been remedied. *ak

I have contacted saturn about the tire problems associated with the ls series, which i currently own the car of the first launch year, 2000. i am now on my third set of tires. they tell me that it is the tires, but i am also on the third brand of tire. i know that i am not alone in this problem. while at the garage with this last set of tires, another consumer had to replace their tires at 5000 miles. i have asked saturn to look into a possible design flaw with regards to the way the car's chassis is styled. they refuse to listen to what i have to say. i would also like to send to you copies of letters i have directed to the saturn corporation. thank you, bette grey. *ak (tiresize: r185)

Took car in to diagnose wobble in front end. dealer reports that one tire suffered from "a blown steel belt and tread separation. other three tires are on wear indicators." these tires are oe, and and still at least 10000 miles below their expected life.*ak (tiresize: p205/65r15)

After pulling into my parking spot i depressed the brake and attempted to put the car into park. the car lurched forward jumping the parking abutment and crashing into my building and fence. *ak

Misallignment caused tires to cup and frontend to shimmy. both got increasingly worse. was reported to saturn. was told by a salesman there that he had the same problem with his car(same year and model). was told by him that saturn was looking into the problem. found out later from service center that it was not alligned right in factory. do not know who is is telling the truth. felt car owners should have been warned of the problem...honestly and up front. contacted saturn online.*ak

The owners handbook provides instruction for placing a rear facing infant seat in the center position of the rear seat. in this position the infant can be struck by the arm rest during a crash. the arm rest is unrestrained and may fold down into the infant seat during a crash. the manufacturer should place a warning in the owners handbook about this condition.

Have had the slave cylinder go out twice. seat belt no bucles twice. *ak

1) car shaking problem: dealer replaced lower control arms (right and left) as well as powe steering pump to remedy problem. car continues to shake at most speeds. contacted the manuafcturer, who replied there is nothing else they can do. 2) speedometer: reported problem 4 times to dealership, and dealer claims they cannot duplicate the problem. speedometer making a "whining" sound at most speeds.*ak

There is a gap between the seat and the molding on the passenger side seat about an inch or so where your fingers get stuck in when you go to adjust your seat or drop something on the side. my daughter got her fingers stuck in it several times as well as myself. you have to pull the molding back towards the seat to fix it but once the seat is sat in, the molding separates from the seat again. according to the dealer, there is no fix for this hazard.*ak

My key was getting stuck in the ignition during initial start and stopping of the vehicle. the key would be hot to touch once you took the key out of the ignition when you shut off your car.*ak

The windshield wipers on my saturn ls1 do not work properly. i brought the problem to the attention of the dealer one week after purchase, and they swapped the driver's side wiper with one from another new saturn ls, but offered no other solution. the blades on both sides scape the windshield, like fingernails scrapping over a countertop. the problem is worse at higher speeds, and the wipers do not clear the windshield effectively. during snowfall, the blades are virtually useless. i believe this is a design flaw; or the windshield is warped. the lack of visibility during rain and snow is a safety problem for this vehicle.*ak

Car is unsafe had tires replaced and power steering pump car shakes at all speeds. *ak

Vibration at highway speeds 60-70 mph mostly transmitted through steering wheel

Front-end vibration at highway speeds. re-balancing and replacing tires has had no effect on the problem.

Tread separation, total sidewall distruction. *ak( dot number: w2ur tire size: 205/65r 15 )

Having been made aware of the recent firestone recall, i felt it necessary to report this tire blowout since it occured on a brand new car (w/ only 12000 miles) with a new set of firestone tires (the originals that came with the car) i was going the speed limit when the tread completly separated as has been happening to other firestone tires. i'm not sure if this is a coincidence, since this model tire is not the one being recalled, but i would like some more information regarding this potentially serious problem, and possible tire replacement.( dot number: tire size: p185/65r14 )

We were driving, hit a small pothole during a turn at about 5-10 mph,the tire blew out and there is a hole in the sidewall the tire is only 2 months old with about 1300 miles on it.( dot number: w2urafb349 tire size: p205-65r15 )

Tire delaminated at highway speed, less than 8 hours and 250 miles after being checked by my neighborhood firestone store. i know of atb least 1 other saturn ls2 owner who had a similar delamination. i am now concerned about the safety of these tires, as the problem is like the explorer problem. i was just lucky not to loose control of my car. don't know if these tires came from the decator plant but this could be a problem similar to the explorer problen. fortuniately the lower center of gravity probably keeps the saturn from flipping over.( dot number: ? tire size: p205, 65r1 )

Since purchasing this vehicle in nov. 1999 i have put approx. 24k miles on it, the dealer has changed the tires on the car three times. one time every approx 8000 miles, the reason the tires get changed is that after the tires get hot from driving they begin to thump, this does not happen when the tires are new but after approx 6 to 8 thousand miles of wear.the dealer has checked the car but can not find anything wrong. when they discuss this with firstone , theykeep changing the tires. obviuos this is concerning!!!!( dot number: tire size: p20565r15 )

When applying the brakes at various speeds the pedal and steering vibrate alot. steering jerks 2 or 3 inches at times making it difficult to control the vehicle.

Faulty evap purge solenoid(s) replaced by dealer at 333, 1516 (notified at 1170 - on order for a month) miles. including original, car has had 3 evap solenoids thus far. my friend has an 2000 ls1 too. he has also had his evap solenoid replaced at least once. thank you.

No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak

All the original firestone tires were replaced due to thread separation. *yh

Consumer states there is a leak inside brake light housing, there is a rattle in the overhead light, third brake light failed, the second bulb from the left center high brake mount burnt out, the dome light was not seated properly causing a rattling noise. *slc

Left rear tail light assembly goes out when brakes are applied while headlights are on and/or left turn signal is on, dealer found an electrical circiut open in the tail light assembly, battery was found bad with corrosion on the positive cable. *slc

Bumper feet on glove box would not stay secured, glove box door rattles, glove box light stays on at all times, pillars that hold shoulder harness, vibrate and rattle. *slc

Consumer states brake dust was caked on inside of rim holes after washing vehicle, brakes squeal, dealer replaced front brake disc pads. *slc

Dealer informed consumer that the fuel tank was moving back and forth, causing a sloshing sound in the rear of the vehicle. *slc

Steering pump failed, causing a loud grinding noise when turning the steering wheel. *slc

Vehicle experiencing several structural problems, there is a leak from the passenger side undercarriage, causing consumers feet and carpet to get wet, passenger side kick panel fell off while vehicle was in motion, bimba pole blew out and the bimba cylinder released grease all around near the hatch seal and later would not hold the hatch up. *slc

Consumer states there is a clicking sound from the left front of the vehicle. *slc

Consumer states that the antenna mount is loose, the front driver door lock is slow, when ascending a hill with the cruise control activated, the transmission kicks down a gear and over revs, the passenger front door lock is noisy, dealer found the front door lock was rubbing against the door panel. *slc

Consumer states a/c experienced a funny smell, dealer found corobeal infestation in evap vents, a/c made loud noise when starting vehicle, there is a rumbling sound when recycle button is on and the fan is off, faulty ventilation is causing air to come from the bottom of the front passenger seat. *slc

Consumer states the oil light comes on too soon and found that the engine is using approximately 1/2 quart of oil in approximately 1500 miles, there was engine failure which caused jerking and misfiring, vehicle would not start, vehicle was smoking, dealer replaced motor mount. *slc

2000 l2w model. engine oil life indicator lamp on. engine air filter replaced. *tt

2000 l2w model. power steering pump is leaking possibly causing a groaning sound after 20 minute cold start. *tt

2000 l2w model. consumer states hears a roaring noise while driving more so at around 30 - 35 mph. also there is front end vibration. dealer found tires were chopped. dealer replaced lower control arm bushings and performed complete four wheel alignment. *tt

When the vehicles head lights are on, and the brake is applied, there is a short that causes the brake light to go out, when the brake is not applied, the light is on, but much dimmer than the light standard on the passenger of the vehicle, a new light assembly was installed, but the problem still remains, consumer went back to dealer and was informed that a bulb was loose and resecured, however prior to leaving the dealership consumer found the brake light to be inoperative, another light assembly has been ordered, which will require a fifth time to the dealer.*yh

Left and right lower control arms were defective, causing vehicle to shake at speeds over 45 mph. *yh

The windshield wiper arm and blades were defective. *yh

Oil change light failed and was replaced. *slc

Directional switch assembly was defective. *yh

Power lock relay switch was defective. *yh

Power steering pump was defective. *yh

Ignition assembly was defective. *yh

Speedometer was making noise. *yh

Cd player was defective. *yh

The service engine light illuminates due to a misfire condition and intermittent stalling without warning, the consumer is requesting full refund of the puchase price plus direct and indirect expences. nlm

The vehicle experiences powertrain noise. nlm

The vehicle experiences wind noise. nlm

The placement of the controls for the drivers side automatic seat are positioned in a way that when the driver get out of the vehicle the back of the seat goes back into the rear seat, the seat also slowly creeps backwards while driving down the road. nlm

Right front and one rear firestone affinity tires experienced a blowout, causing damage to the right front rim, the consumer is requesting reimbursement. *slc

Dash lights, battery light and seat belt lights come on due to loose connection in ground wire. mjs

During transportation of new vehicle the spoiler and windshield were damaged. mjs

Head lights are not adjusted properly causing poor visibility. mjs

Seat belt does not lock properly when stopping with force. mjs

Vehicle would not go into gear on two occasions. mjs

While driving on moderately hilly highway, the cruise control caused the engine to go to full throttle accompanied by a transmission downshift resulting in rapid and potentially dangerous acceleration. this has occurred three times.. *ak

Analysis undertaken in response to the petition identified 26 complaints alleging timing chain failures in my 2000-2003 saturn l-series vehicle equipped with the 2.2l l4 engine.most complaints of timing chain failure reportedly resulted in a sudden loss of engine power and stalling.odi also noted that certain my 2002-2003 saturn vue and my 2003 saturn ion model vehicles with the 2.2l engine vehiclescovered by a technical service bulletin (03-06-01-017) that addressed timing chain design and service procedure changes, exhibited no complaints of timing chain failure.odi will grant the petition and open a preliminary evaluation to assess the frequency, trend, scope and safety consequences associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicles.refer to pe06-006.

General motors has decided that a safety related defect exists on certain model saturn sedans and wagons.the plastic housing in the rear tail lamp assembly can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended time.this can cause (1) an intermittently inoperative brake/tail lamp bulb or (2) a short circuit that opens a fuse causing inoperative brake or tail lamps (including the center high-mounted stop lamp).gm will conduct a safety recall on an expanded scope of saturn vehicles to install a reinforcing socket adapter (and corresponding nw socket) to the back of the existing lamp assembly.general motors will recall 291,652 my 2000-2002 saturn ls sedans and my 2000-2004 saturn lw wagons.the recall is identified by nhtsa number 05v-245.

Allege that the fuel tank over-pressure relief (opr) valve may leak fuel in excess of fmvss 301 allowances in a crash

On january 25, 2005, a safety defect petition was received by the office of defects investigation (odi), requesting an investigation of inoperative tail lamps on my 2000-2002 saturn l-series vehicles.the petitioner alleges a defect in the design and assembly of the tail lamp assembly circuit board and light socket contact.the petitioner identified 47 vehicle owner questionnaire's (voq's) associated with the alleged defect, and odi concurs that 40 of those voq's satisfy the scope of this investigation.odi has found an additional 10 voq's related to the allegation.odi has granted the petition and opened a preliminary evaluation (pe05-010).

On may 22, 2008, theoffice of defects investigation (odi) was petitioned by the north carolina consumers council (nccc) to broaden the scope of safety recall 07v-519, which was conducted by general motors corporation (gm) for model year (my) 2001 saturn l-series vehicles equipped with the l61 2.2l engine and built during a 4-month period from november 2000 through february 2001 (dp08-002). on october 16, 2008, odi granted dp08-002 and opened pe08-061 to investigate timing chain failures resulting in engine stall while driving (swd) in the saturn l-series vehicles equipped with l61 engines and that used the same design timing chain and timing chain lubrication system as the recalled vehicles.a redesigned timing chain and lubrication system were implemented late in my 2002 production (may 1, 2002).hence, the subject vehicles for this investigation are all my 2000 through 2002 saturn l-series vehicles equipped with 2.2l l61 engines and built prior to may 2002 that were not included in recall 07v-519. in this investigation, odi analyzed updated complaint and warranty claims data for timing chain failures resulting in incidents of engine stall while driving, which comprise slightly over half of all timing chain failures occurring in the subject vehicle population.odi's analysis of complaint and warranty data shows that vehicles produced with the subject timing chain and lubrication system experienced elevated failure rates when compared with the my 2002 through 2003 vehicles using the revised components.however, the analysis also showed that the my 2001 saturn l-series vehicles recalled in 07v-518 experienced a significantly higher rate of timing chain failures than the subject vehicles.the complaint rate for timing chain failures resulting in swd was approximately 5 times higher for the recalled vehicles,19.2 incidents per thousand vehicles (iptv), than for the subject vehicles, 3.7 iptv.the warranty claims rate for chain failures resulting in swd was over 3 times higher for the recalled vehicles, 2.4 percent, than for the subject vehicles, 0.7 percent.the complaint and warranty rates for the subject vehicles were similar to rates recorded in other recently closed investigations for conditions that could result in swd with no engine re-start, ea07-015 and ea07-018.analysis of all complaints, field reports and warranty claims found no allegations of crashes or injuries associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicles after approximately 7 to 9 years in service. odi's analysis of the stalling incidents that have resulted from timing chain failures in the subject vehicles found that they can occur at any speed and almost always result in a no restart condition.these are generally considered to be factors that increase the severity of stalling incidents.however, analysis of swd failure rates in the subject vehicles show that they have occurred at much lower rates than were observed in the recalled population.in addition, the swd complaint and warranty rates for the subject vehicles are similar to rates observed in prior investigations involving similar categories of engine stall consequences that were closed with no action.further investigation of this matter would not be an efficient allocation of agency resources.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action if warranted.

On january 25, 2005, a safety defect petition was received by the office of defects investigation (odi), requesting an investigation of inoperative tail lamps on my 2000-2002 saturn l-series vehicles.the petitioner alleges a defect in the design and assembly of the tail lamp assembly circuit board and light socket contact.the petitioner identified 47 vehicle owner questionnaire's (voq's) associated with the alleged defect, and odi concurs that 40 of those voq's satisfy the scope of this investigation.odi has found an additional 10 voq's related to the allegation.odi has granted the petition and opened a preliminary evaluation (pe05-010).

On january 25, 2005, a safety defect petition was received by the office of defects investigation (odi), requesting an investigation of inoperative tail lamps on my 2000-2002 saturn l-series vehicles.the petitioner alleges a defect in the design and assembly of the tail lamp assembly circuit board and light socket contact.the petitioner identified 47 vehicle owner questionnaire's (voq's) associated with the alleged defect, and odi concurs that 40 of those voq's satisfy the scope of this investigation.odi has found an additional 10 voq's related to the allegation.odi has granted the petition and opened a preliminary evaluation (pe05-010).

On january 25, 2005, a safety defect petition was received by the office of defects investigation (odi), requesting an investigation of inoperative tail lamps on my 2000-2002 saturn l-series vehicles.the petitioner alleges a defect in the design and assembly of the tail lamp assembly circuit board and light socket contact.the petitioner identified 47 vehicle owner questionnaire's (voq's) associated with the alleged defect, and odi concurs that 40 of those voq's satisfy the scope of this investigation.odi has found an additional 10 voq's related to the allegation.odi has granted the petition and opened a preliminary evaluation (pe05-010).

On december 12, 2005, odi received a defect petition (dp05-008) requesting the investigation of timing chain failures that could cause stalling in saturn vehicles equipped with the 2.2l (l61) engine. odi opened pe06-006 on january 24, 2006, with 24 vehicle owner complaints that alleged a broken timing chain caused the vehicle to stop operating.on april 12, 2006, odi received information from general motors (gm) concerning timing chain failures in approximately 412,000 model year (my) 2000 through 2003 saturn l-series and ion vehicles with 2.2l engines. gm's response included 1,020 owner complaints and field reports concerning timing chain failure, including 228 that alleged the failure caused the vehicle to stall while driving.gm also provided warranty claim data that showed 1,902 subject vehicles receiving timing chain repairs, including 261 which indicated that a stall while driving resulted from the failure.the gm complaints, field reports and warranty claims that did not contain sufficient information to determine that a stall while driving occurred were provided in the category "other."gm stated that the majority of these incidents probably occurred while the vehicles were parked "since the timing chain is more likely to break during high chain load situations, such as engine startup."gm's data showed elevated failure rates in approximately 20,500 my 2001 l-series vehicles produced during a four month period from november 2000 through february 2001.over one-third of gm's total complaints and field reports (34.3%) and warranty claims (38.2%) involved l-series vehicles built during the 4-month period, which are only about 5% of subject vehicle production.the timing chain failure rate in the vehicles built during this range is over 10 times greater than the remaining subject vehicle population. for the my 2001 l-series vehicles built during the 4-month period, the 36-month failure rate for repairs involving stall while driving is slightly under one percent.however, if the incidents coded as "other" are added, the 36-month failure rate rises to nearly five percent for those vehicles.odi and gm are continuing to assess the number of complaints and warranty claims coded by gm as "other" that involve incidents of stall while driving.gm's statistical modeling of the failure data initially concluded that the failure rates were declining with age and mileage for any set of warranty data analyzed (e.g., stall while driving, other or combined).however, subsequent analysis showed that the failure rates are increasing. based on the high complaint and warranty rates for timing chain failure in the 4-month production period for the my 2001 l-series vehicles, this investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis to further assess the frequency of stall incidents due to timing chain failures in those vehicles (ea06-009).

General motors has decided that a safety related defect exists on certain model saturn sedans and wagons.the plastic housing in the rear tail lamp assembly can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended time.this can cause (1) an intermittently inoperative brake/tail lamp bulb or (2) a short circuit that opens a fuse causing inoperative brake or tail lamps (including the center high-mounted stop lamp).gm will conduct a safety recall on an expanded scope of saturn vehicles to install a reinforcing socket adapter (and corresponding nw socket) to the back of the existing lamp assembly.general motors will recall 291,652 my 2000-2002 saturn ls sedans and my 2000-2004 saturn lw wagons.the recall is identified by nhtsa number 05v-245.

General motors has decided that a safety related defect exists on certain model saturn sedans and wagons.the plastic housing in the rear tail lamp assembly can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended time.this can cause (1) an intermittently inoperative brake/tail lamp bulb or (2) a short circuit that opens a fuse causing inoperative brake or tail lamps (including the center high-mounted stop lamp).gm will conduct a safety recall on an expanded scope of saturn vehicles to install a reinforcing socket adapter (and corresponding nw socket) to the back of the existing lamp assembly.general motors will recall 291,652 my 2000-2002 saturn ls sedans and my 2000-2004 saturn lw wagons.the recall is identified by nhtsa number 05v-245.

On january 25, 2005, a safety defect petition was received by the office of defects investigation (odi), requesting an investigation of inoperative tail lamps on my 2000-2002 saturn l-series vehicles.the petitioner alleges a defect in the design and assembly of the tail lamp assembly circuit board and light socket contact.the petitioner identified 47 vehicle owner questionnaire's (voq's) associated with the alleged defect, and odi concurs that 40 of those voq's satisfy the scope of this investigation.odi has found an additional 10 voq's related to the allegation.odi has granted the petition and opened a preliminary evaluation (pe05-010).

General motors has decided that a safety related defect exists on certain model saturn sedans and wagons.the plastic housing in the rear tail lamp assembly can become distorted if the brake lamps remain on for an extended time.this can cause (1) an intermittently inoperative brake/tail lamp bulb or (2) a short circuit that opens a fuse causing inoperative brake or tail lamps (including the center high-mounted stop lamp).gm will conduct a safety recall on an expanded scope of saturn vehicles to install a reinforcing socket adapter (and corresponding nw socket) to the back of the existing lamp assembly.general motors will recall 291,652 my 2000-2002 saturn ls sedans and my 2000-2004 saturn lw wagons.the recall is identified by nhtsa number 05v-245.

On june 6, 2006, odi opened an investigation of timing chain failure resulting in engine stall while driving with no restart in approximately 20,514 model year (my) 2001 saturn l-series vehicles equipped with 2.2l engines (l61) built from november 2000 through february 2001 (ea06-009).the vehicles built during those months exhibited higher failure rates than similarly equipped vehicles built before and after.gm introduced a new timing chain design in production in may 2002.odi closed its investigation after gm initiated a safety recall on november 7, 2007 (recall 07v-519). on may 22, 2008, the north carolina consumers council (nccc) submitted a defect petition to odi requesting the expansion of recall 07v-519 to include all my 1999 through 2003 saturn l-series vehicles with 2.2l engines using the same timing chain design as the recalled population.the petition states that the nccc continues to receive complaints from consumers that have had a timing chain fail in vehicles built outside the production range covered by the recall.the petition also notes that odi has continued to receive complaints.since the closing of ea06-009 odi has received 80 new complaints from consumers who had a timing chain fail in a my 2000 through 2002 saturn l-series with the 2.2l engine that were not covered by recall 07v-519 and were built prior to the timing belt change in may 2002.the complaints describe the same failure mode as the recalled population where the timing chain can break suddenly and without warning, resulting in engine damage and loss of motive power.the defect petition has been granted. a preliminary evaluation (pe08-061) has been opened.