2001 Saturn LS Exterior lighting Problems

HAVING TROUBLE WITH BRAKE LIGHTS BULBS AND 3RD BRAKE LIGHT

NHTSA ID

11030708

Incident

Dec 26, 2013

THE SATURN L SERIES WHEN FILLED WITH GASOLINE WILL STALL CAUSING IMMINENT HARM TO THE DRIVER, PASSENGERS, AND ANY OTHER CARS ON THE ROAD. IN ADDITION, THE DASHBOARD AT NIGHT IS SO DIM THAT IT CANNOT BE SEEN BY THE DRIVER. THERE ARE SEVERAL ELECTRICAL FAILURES INVOLVING THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11011455

Incident

Jul 13, 2017

I'M HAVING THE EXACT PROBLEM AS RECALL 05V245000. EXAMINING MY CAR CONFIRMS THIS WAS NOT REPLACED. IT HAS SHORTED OUT MULTIPLE TIMES HAVING ME DRIVE AT NIGHT TIME WITH NO LIGHTS! THIS IS DANGEROUS AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME AN ACCIDENT SEVERAL TIMES.

NHTSA ID

10970631

Incident

Mar 8, 2017

Mileage

190,000 mi

MY LEFT REAR BRAKE LIGHT BULB HAD BURNED OUT AND CAUSED THE TAIL-LIGHT ASSEMBLY AROUND THE BULB OPENING TO MELT AND PREVENT THE BULB FROM BEING PULLED OUT. I CHECKED THE RIGHT SIDE AND THE ASSEMBLY WAS NOT MELTED BUT THERE WAS BLACK BURN MARKS ON THE WIRE HARNESS THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT BULB PLUGS INTO. FIVE OF THE SIX CENTER-HIGH MOUNTED BRAKE LIGHTS HAD ALSO BURNED OUT BUT NO MELTING OR CHARRED MARKS WERE NOTED. I ALSO HAVE A CRACK IN THE CENTER PART OF THE VANITY TRUNK ASSEMBLY THAT ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER, HOWEVER, THERE ARE NO LIGHTS IN THE ASSEMBLY SO IT IS NOT A BIG CONCERN FOR ME. *TR

NHTSA ID

10565007

Incident

Feb 19, 2014

Mileage

77,800 mi

2ND OWNER OF VEHICLE, TAIL LAMPS HAD OVER HEATING ISSUE, NHTSA ISSUED RECALL ON 2 JUNE 2005, SATURN REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, SAYING AUTO IS TO OLD. DATE FOR FIXING ISSUE IS 10 YEARS FROM DATE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED. WAS TOLD BY A SATURN "CUSTOMER CARE REP." THAT ADAPTERS WERE INSTALLED IN FEB 2009. AUTO WASN'T REGISTERED IN 2009, AND NO ADAPTERS HAVE EVER BEEN INSTALLED. I AM A DISABLED VIETNAM VETERAN LIVING ON A VERY MEAGER MONTHLY INCOME AND CAN'T AFFORD TO REPLACE THESE LAMPS. I AM DRIVING THIS AUTO WITH NO BRAKE LIGHTS, ASIDE FROM ANTI-COLLISION LAMP AT TOP OF REAR WINDSHIELD. I HOPE THIS LETTER HAS MORE IMPACT THAN I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACHIEVE, AS OF TODAY. ANY HELP WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10563367

Incident

Feb 7, 2014

MY BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE AGAIN GONE OUT AT THE SAME TIME. LAST TIME THE MECHANIC STATED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10350357

Incident

Aug 17, 2010

Mileage

88,000 mi

MY 2001 L200 SATURN HAD A PROBLEM WITH DASH LIGHTS/AND GAUGES DIMMING AND AT TIMES I HAD NO INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS....IT ENDED UP BEING A MAIN MODULE WHICH COST ME $595. SEEMS LIKE READING ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO MINE THEY HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. I THINK THIS IS A SATURN PROBLEM AND THEY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THIS FOR FREE. I HAVE REPLACED THE STEERING BOX, STRUTS FRONT/REAR...STABILIZER REAR BAR, CATALYTIC CONVERTER TWICE.....I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS CAR. I HAVE PUT MORE MONEY IN THIS THAN MY OTHER TWO SATURN'S WHICH I HAD ONLY NORMAL THINGS; TIRES, BRAKES, ETC. I WISH I HAD NEVER BOUGHT THIS 3RD ONE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10329460

Incident

Feb 15, 2009

MY DAYTIME LIGHTS BEGAN FLICKERING. THIS EVENTUALLY LED TO FLICKERING OF MY NIGHT LIGHTS, THEN MY BRIGHT LIGHTS. IT TOOK MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP 6 HOURS TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE. THEY CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR THE PART, WHICH THE REPAIR SHOP DID NOT EXPECT THEM TO HAVE. SURPRISINGLY THEY DID. THE COMMENT FROM THE DEALERSHIP WAS THEY FOUND IT TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. APPARENTLY THERE IS A SHORT IN THE RELAY; THE REPLACEMENT FIXED THE FLICKERING OF THE NIGHT LIGHTS. IN ORDER TO FIX THE DAYTIME & BRIGHT LIGHTS, MORE WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE AND A RE-SETTING OF THE COMPUTER, COSTING OVER $700. THIS CAN ONLY BE DONE BY THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO THE SPECIALIZED COMPUTER THEY HAVE FOR THE SATURNS. MY LIGHTS WILL CONTINUE TO FLICKER AS I REFUSE TO PAY $700 FOR A "COMMON PROBLEM" THAT SATURN HAS NOT RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10255077

Incident

May 1, 2008

Mileage

79,000 mi

REAR BRAKE LIGHT (LEFT) GOING OUT YEARLY. HOUSING WARPED/MELTED--EXTREME DIFFICULTY REMOVING BULBS. SERVICE DEALER R. CONFIRMED CHANGING BULBS AND HARNESS BUT NOT THE PLASTIC HOUSING WHILE UNDER WARRANTY (03-11-2006: PAPERWORK AVAIL.) {GOOGLED PROBLEM:FOUND A SITE THAT STATES NHTSA COMPLAINT (#05V245000) ALREADY FILED (BUT NOT FOUND AT NHTSA) WITH MFG CAMPAIGN #05052 FOR 2001 L200 SEDANS, BUT NO VIN #'S RANGES AVAIL.} *TR

NHTSA ID

10229409

Incident

May 31, 2008

Mileage

83,363 mi

FOR THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS I HAVE NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL (BURNING) ODOR WHILE OPERATING MY VEHICLE. THE MULTI-FUNCTION TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IS VERY HOT ALL THE TIME AND WHEN I REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION, IT TOO IS VERY HOT, TO THE POINT OF IT BURNING MY LEG THROUGH MY PANTS POCKET. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SATURN DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASE IT FROM FOR ITS ANNUAL INSPECTION AND ADVISED THE SERVICE TECH OF THIS. HE LATER CALLED TO ADVISED ME THAT THE TURN SIGNALS HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND THE SWITCH WAS SMOKING DURING THEIR TEST. HE ADVISED ME THAT THE SWITCH NEED REPLACED TO THE TUNE OF $117. THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD WITH 59,000 MILES ON IT. I FEEL THAT THIS PRESENTS A SAFETY/FIRE HAZARD AND THAT THESE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCHES ARE DEFECTIVE AND WEAR PREMATURELY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10165579

Incident

Aug 15, 2006

Mileage

59,253 mi

SATURN HAS A RECALL ON TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLIES. I HAVE A 2001 L SERIES SATURN. BOUGHT IT FROM OLDS DEALER IN HELENA MT. THERE ARE NO SATURN DEALERS IN MONTANA. I CALLED THE 800# IN THE RECALL LETTER AND THEY SAID TO GO TO UNDERRINER OLDS IN BILLINGS, APPROXIMATELY 240 MILES AWAY. I BOUGHT IT AT AN OLDS DEALER TWO MILES FROM MY HOUSE. SEEMS TO ME THEY COULD AUTHORIZE THAT OR PAY ME A COUPLE OF DAYS WAGES, GAS, MOTEL, PER DIEM OR HAVE IT FIXED IN HELENA!!! THIS IS REALLY STUPID, BECAUSE MY TAILLIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND KEEP WIGGLING LOSE AND I LOSE MY BRAKE AND TAIL LIGHTS.*JB

NHTSA ID

10144185

Incident

Nov 28, 2005

EXTERIOR LIGHTING AND ENGINE COOLANT LEAKAGE INSIDE OF CAR. CAR SMOKING. *NM

NHTSA ID

10137807

Incident

Sep 23, 2005

Mileage

44,343 mi

FYI - COMMENT NOT A COMPLAINT THE ISSUE OF THE TAIL LIGHT GOING DIM OR JUST OUT. SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND THEY ARE STARTING A CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE TAIL LIGHT ON THE 00-02 L SERIES STARTING IN OCTOBER. IF THE TAILLIGHT PROBLEM IS CAUSING TO MANY PROBLEM - YOU LOCAL DEALERSHIP AT NO COST REPLACE WITH THE SAME TAIL LIGHT, BUT YOU WILL STILL HAVE TO HAVE YOUR TAIL LIGHT REPLACED ONCE THE NEW DESIGN ONES COME IN. WANT MORE INFO - CALL SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800-553-6000. *NM

NHTSA ID

10135861

Incident

Sep 7, 2005

THE TAIL/BRAKE LIGHTS ON MY 2001 SATURN L200 WORK ON AND OFF, MORE OFTEN OFF THAN ON. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM BUT SINCE THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED FOR THIS THAT I WOULD BE CHARGED AT LEAST $350.00 TO MAKE ANY NECESSARY REPAIRS. ONE OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES TOLD ME THAT THE TAIL/BRAKE LAMPS WERE DEFECTIVE SO I'M WONDERING WHY A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS OR ACCIDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A PRODUCT RECALLED. FOR OVER A YEAR I WAS BUYING REPLACEMENT BULBS AND THINKING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING INSTALLING THEM WHEN IN ACTUALITY IT'S NOT THE BULB AT ALL, I'M WONDERING HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE MADE MY MISTAKE.

NHTSA ID

10124268

Incident

May 1, 2005

1.) LEFT BAKE LIGHT HAS GONE OUT 3 TIMES IN LAST 6 MONTHS. BROUGHT IT IN TO A SATURN DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A CIRCUIT PROBLEM ON THE TAIL LAMP CURCUIT BOARD. 2.) NOTHING YET, UNTIL I WOULD GET PULLED OVER FOR A TAIL LIGHT OUT 3.) I HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS 3 TIMES, THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM. SATURN DEALER SAID THE ONLY WAY TO FIX IT IS TO HAVE THE CURCUIT BOARD REPLACED, WICH WOULD ROUGHLY BE $140

NHTSA ID

10122347

Incident

May 27, 2005

LEFT TAIL LIGHT HAS FAILED 3 TIMES IN LESS THAN 12 MONTHS. NOW BOTH TAIL LIGHTS AND THE DASH (CONTROL PANEL) LIGHTS HAVE FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. FUSES CHECKED & REPLACED BUT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. ALSO NOTICED THAT ALL GEAR INDICATOR LIGHTS (EXCEPT PARK) ARE LIT UP SIMULTANEOUSLY. I CAN'T AFFORD ANY MORE TRAFFIC TICKETS FOR INOPERABLE TAIL LIGHTS!*AK

NHTSA ID

10116466

Incident

Apr 4, 2005

Mileage

57,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM. THIS MADE IT HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO SEE CLEARLY DURING NIGHTTIME. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT SEE A PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10117093

Incident

Dec 28, 2004

Mileage

30,000 mi

TAIL LIGHTS HAVE BEEN FAILING INTERMITTENTLY SINCE JAN 2002. *JB

NHTSA ID

10114851

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

Mileage

37,000 mi

REPEAT TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY FAILURE. CIRCUITRY AT POINT WHERE SOCKET ATTACHES HAS FAILED AGAIN, RESULTING IN REPEAT REPLACEMENT OF TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY. WHEN THE ASSEMBLY FAILS, VEHICLE HAS NO BRAKE LIGHTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10104176

Incident

Dec 20, 2004

SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND THE SMOKE EXTINGUISHED ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HAZARD SWITCH UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10101963

Incident

Dec 1, 2004

FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS MY WIFE'S 2001 SATURN L300 TURN SIGNALS HAVE BEEN WORKING AND NOT-WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. WE HEARD ABOUT THE RECALL, AND THINK THAT THE SAME AND/OR SIMILAR PROBLEM MAY BE OCCURRING WITH HER VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10100527

Incident

Nov 10, 2004

Mileage

89,850 mi

DEALER FOUND BRAKE TAIL LIGHTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT WORK OR DIM WHEN DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKE. DEALER SAYS THIS PROBLEM IS INHERENT TO SATURN L SERIES; APPARENTLY DUE TO BULB NOT MAKING CONTACT WITH SOCKET ON CIRCUIT BOARD ASSEMBLY.*AK

NHTSA ID

10100417

Incident

Nov 23, 2004

Mileage

63,473 mi

I PERSONALLY DON'T OWN ONE OF THESE VEHICLES, BUT HAVE WORKED FOR THE MANUFACTURER OF THESE VEHICLES. I WORKED FOR SATURN FOR A COUPLE YEARS AND HAVE LONG SINCE KNOWN THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE MY 00-02 L-SERIES TAILLIGHTS. ALMOST 100% OF EVERY L-SERIES NEEDS NEW TAILLIGHTS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. TO ADD TO THE PROBLEM, SATURN HAS NOT REDESIGNED THE TAILLIGHTS, THEY ARE JUST PUTTING THE SAME PRODUCTS BACK ON THE CAR. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE CUSTOMER FEELS THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN CARE OF, THEN A COUPLE MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, ONE OR BOTH OF THE TAILLIGHTS DON'T WORK AGAIN.*JB

NHTSA ID

10100347

Incident

Jul 18, 2003

THE HEADLIGHTS, DASHBOARD INSTRUMENTATION, AND DOME LIGHT OF THIS AUTOBILE ARE CONSTANTLY DIMMING AND BRIGHTENING (FLICKERING). THIS IS MAKING NIGHT TIME DRIVING EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. SATURN HAS ISSUED TECHNICAL INFORMATION BULLETIN 04-08-42-001 IN FEBRUARY 2004 STATING THAT THIS IS A "NORMAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC". I BELIEVE IT IS A PRESENT DANGER AND COULD ALSO BE A SIGN OF A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.

NHTSA ID

10098893

Incident

Nov 1, 2004

Mileage

35,000 mi

MY BRAKE, TAIL, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS KEEP FAILLING. I'VE REPLACED HARNESSES AND OTHER WIRES. I ALSO HAVE SHAKING OF STEERING WHEEL AND AUTOMATIC LOCKING SYSTEM FAILURE. THEN I HAVE TROUBLE STARTING MY VEHICLE AND THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. NOW I HAVE OTHER LAMP (LIGHT) PROBLEMS. I ALSO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY AUDIO SYSTEM WHERE IT WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO USE ANY OF THE BUTTONS, WHATEVER IS PLAYING THAT IS WHAT YOU HEAR UNTIL IT DECIDES TO WORK AGAIN. MY FUEL EFFICIENCY IS NOT GOOD EITHER, I'M HAVING ENGINE NOISES AND EXHAUST PROBLEMS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10098233

Incident

Oct 26, 2004