2003 Saturn L200 Airbags Problems

AIRBAG DASH LIGHT ON, TECHNICIAN SAYS CODE REFERS TO SHORT IN STEERING COLUMN. DASH LIGHT REMAINS ON

NHTSA ID

10811136

Incident

Jul 23, 2015

Mileage

119,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN L200. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE RAN A STOP LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10690860

Incident

Feb 6, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN L200. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAG DEPLOYED AFTER SHE CLOSED THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO SENT AN ENGINEER TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO DETERMINE WHY THE AIR BAG HAD DEPLOYED WITHOUT BEING INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

NHTSA ID

10449739

Incident

May 4, 2010

Mileage

99,000 mi

SOMETIMES WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME STARTING THE CAR OR THE CAR WOULD NOT START AT ALL. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK,THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG LIGHT WOULD COME ON. WHEN THESE LIGHTS WERE ON, THE SPEEDOMETER AND TACHOMETER DID NOT WORK. SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE ENGINE LOCK LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN NOTHING WORKED. THE DEFROST FRONT AND REAR, A/C, HEATING CONTROL, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AIRBAG FAILURE LIGHT LIT UP, SEAT BELT LIGHT LIT UP AND THE SELF LOCKING FOR THE DOORS DID NOT ENGAGE WHEN PUTTING THE CAR INTO GEAR. SOMETIMES I WOULD TURN THE CAR OFF AND ABOUT A HALF AN HOUR LATER, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS WOULD COME ON ALL BY THEMSELVES, SOMETIMES DRAINING THE BATTERY IF I DID NOT NOTICE THIS. I FELT TOTALLY UNSAFE DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THIS WOULD HAPPEN - I HAD NO SAFETY FEATURES TO RELY ON AND I DID NOT EVEN KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE A CAR THAT WOULD RUN. I TOOK THE CAR TO A SATURN DEALER AND HAD THE BCM (BODY CONTROL MODULE) REPLACED. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT SATURN IS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THIS AND I HAVE ASKED OTHERS THAT OWN SIMILAR SATURNS ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. THIS WAS QUITE COSTLY TO REPLACE APPROXIMATELY $600.00 (THE CHEAPEST AROUND). OTHERS PAID MORE FOR THIS REPAIR THAN I DID. *TR

NHTSA ID

10232659

Incident

May 21, 2008

Mileage

47,233 mi

DURING AN ACCIDENT MY WIFE WAS INJURED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT WHEN SHE WAS STRUCK HEAD ON BY THE ONCOMING DRIVER. THE VEHICLE 2003 SATURN L-SERIES AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY WHEN THE CAR STRUCK HER. SHE SUFFERED A HEAD INJURY WHEN HER HEAD STRUCK THE STIRRING WHEEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10227488

Incident

May 11, 2008

Mileage

82,075 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANEL WITH MINOR DAMAGE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS, BUT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTOR INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED IT WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA ID

10155693

Incident

Apr 16, 2006

Mileage

40,000 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AT 40 MPH A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED TO THE CONTACT'S BACK AND RIGHT ARM. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10146531

Incident

Dec 23, 2005

Mileage

40,000 mi

MY 2003 SATURN L200 WAS STRUCK IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND NEITHER THE SIDE CURTAIN NOR FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AT ALL. THE IMPACT WAS SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE THE CAR TO BE DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. I SUSTAINED A CONCUSSION AND WAS RENDERED UNCONSCIOUS UPON IMPACT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10023627

Incident

Jun 12, 2003

Mileage

2,500 mi