2001 Saturn Saturn L Series Owner Complaints

I HAVE A 2001 SATURN L200 AND THE TIMING CHAIN BROKE AT ONLY 77,352 MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10378825

Incident

Jan 2, 2011

Mileage

77,352 mi

FUEL SYSTEM/FUEL TANK VENT VALVE IN 2001 SATURN L200. I KEPT SMELLING GAS FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. COULD NOT FIND THE SOURCE OF THE SMELL. WAS AFRAID OF FIRE/ASPHYXIATION. FINALLY TOOK TO MECHANIC AND HAD A FUEL DIAGNOSTICS PERFORMED. THE FUEL TANK VENTLINE AND THE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. HAD I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT THIS WAY IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10280114

Incident

Jun 28, 2009

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE BACKFIRED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN. THE ENGINE STALLED AND FAILED TO RESTART AND THE VEHICLE COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE TIMING CHAIN FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V519000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 102,000.

NHTSA ID

10269137

Incident

May 16, 2009

Mileage

102,000 mi

THERE IS NO ONE THING WRONG WITH MY 2001 SATURN L300 V6. JUST EVERYTHING. I TAKE IT IN FOR ONE REPAIR AND SOMETHING ELSE IS WRONG LESS THAN A WEEK LATER. LESS THAN 3 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT USED, I HAD TO REPLACE THE RADIATOR. THEN MY TIRES WERE BAD BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION SUCKS, AND YOU HAVE TO BUY AN AFTER-MARKET KIT JUST TO FIX THAT ISSUE. THEN MY WATER PUMP BLEW UP. THEN MY FUEL PUMP BLEW. THESE CARS ARE HORRIBLE & SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT IT! *TR

NHTSA ID

10265276

Incident

Feb 17, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN L SERIES. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE TIMING BELT CAME APART AND THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SHOP TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 93,750.

NHTSA ID

10244940

Incident

Oct 6, 2008

Mileage

93,750 mi

TIMING CHAIN BROKE ON A 2 LANE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 65 MPH. LUCKY TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN ONE PIECE. ENGINE STALLED AND WOULD NOT START. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243941

Incident

Sep 27, 2008

Mileage

79,000 mi

TIMING CHAIN LINKS SEPARATED ON MY 2001 SATURN L SERIES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10215796

Incident

Jan 16, 2008

Mileage

94,525 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2001 SATURN L STATION WAGON'S TIMING CHAIN BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 5-10 MPH AND TURNING A CORNER. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AT 99,000 MILES BACK IN 07/04, AND ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER IF THE TIMING CHAIN SHOULD BE SERVICED AND WAS TOLD THAT TIMING CHAINS DID NOT USUALLY BREAK. THE CONTACT ASKED ABOUT THIS AT THAT TIME BECAUSE SHE DID RESEARCH ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO OTHER PROBLEMS SHE WAS HAVING WITH IT, AND FOUND A BULLETIN REGARDING THE TIMING CHAIN. SHE GAVE SERVICE BULLETIN ACTION # EA6009 WITH THE INVESTIGATION STILL OPEN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLEWAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN BREAKING, IT ALSO RUINED THE ENGINE. SHE STATED THAT THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED HER THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE TIMING CHAIN AND HAVE THE ENGINE REBUILT OR PURCHASE A NEW ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD 150,000 MILES WITH ROUTINE OIL CHANGES. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT TO HER REGARDING THE PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING CHAIN. THE CONTACT FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE SATURN MANUFACTURER OF SATURN, AND WAS GIVEN CLAIM # 1-23035882. *AK

NHTSA ID

10183666

Incident

Jan 19, 2007

Mileage

15,000 mi

IN OCTOBER 2006, MY ENGINE COOLANT LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A BAD CAP THAT WAS NOT HOLDING THE PRESSURE. WITHIN TWO WEEKS, THE SAME LIGHT CAME ON. I WENT BACK AND THEY SAID CAP WAS FINE AND COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. STATED THAT THEY HAD ADDED A DYE TO THE ENGINE COOLANT TO LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM AND COME BACK IN TWO WEEKS. ALMOST EXACTLY TWO WEEKS LATER, DEC. 1, I RETURNED BECAUSE I HAD FOUND THE PROBLEM. THE COOLANT - INCLUDING THE BRIGHT, FLUORESCENT GREENISH, YELLOWISH DYED - LEAKED ALL IN THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD AND WAS BEING SOAKED INTO THE MAT AND UPHOLSTERY. MY HEATER CORE HAD FAILED. WHEN I QUESTIONED THE WISDOM OF USING THE DYE, SATURN SAID THERE WAS NO WAY FOR THEM TO KNOW THIS WOULD HAPPEN, IE LEAK INTO MY CAR - YET I HAVE FOUND ONLINE MANY COMPLAINTS OF THE SAME HEATER CORE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10174913

Incident

Dec 1, 2006