1995 Saturn SC1 Problems

MODEL: 1995 SATURN SC2 COUPE THROUGH NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, THE DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS, THE INTERNAL METAL IS BENT, AND SO THE SEAT WILL NOT RETURN TO THE NORMAL POSITION. THE SEAT WAS ALREADY PARTIALLY BENT BACK WHEN THE CAR WAS RECALLED FOR REPAIRS. THAT RECALL CONCERNED THE FAILURE OF THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM. SATURN REPLACED THE MECHANISM, THE SEAT WAS UPRIGHT FOR A TIME, BUT THEN COLLAPSED FULLY AFTER MILD BACKWARD PRESSURE. IN RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM, SATURN SAID THAT THE METAL OF THE SEAT WAS BENT OUT OF SHAPE, THAT THE SEAT WON'T LOCK INTO AN UPRIGHT POSITION, AND THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS UNRELATED TO THE RECALL. THEREFORE I SHOULD PAY FOR A REPLACEMENT SEAT. I CONTEND THAT THE FORCES APPLIED TO THE SEAT ARE INTER-RELATED TO THE PROBLEMS OF THE RECLINER MECHANISM, AND THAT FAULTY ENGINEERING DESIGN HAS LED TO THE PROBLEM.

WHILE SITTING IN DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, CONSUMER HAPPENED TO STRETCH WITHOUT WARNING AND SEAT HAPPENED TO RECLINE ON ITS OWN. CONSUMER FOUND RECALL 9V045000 REGARDING SAME PROBLEM. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER INDICATED THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *SLC

BUTTON POPPED OUT OF END OF "HAND BRAKE". DEALER VERY FAMILAR WITH PROBLEM. NEW BUTTON NOT AVAILABLE EXCEPT AS PART OF EXPENSIVE PACKAGE. DT

WHILE APPROACHING A RIGHT CURVE AND APPLYING BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL HARDENED, AND BRAKES FAILED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER MISSED THE CURVE AND DROVE DOWNHILL APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, CRASHING INTO A TREE, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, THERE WAS ONE INJURY. *SLC

MY 1995 SATURN SC-2 BEGAN EVAPORATING MOTOR OIL, AT THE RATE OF A FULL QUART EVERY 300 MILES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DID A FULL ENGINE REBUILD, WHICH WAS VERY EXPENSIVE. MY CAR PERFORMED SLIGHTLY BETTER AFTERWARDS BUT NEEDED FOLLOW-UP ADJUSTMENTS OF THE REPAIRED PARTS; SATURN FAILED TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY ON THESE REPAIRS SO I DECLINED TO HAVE THEM DONE. AFTER THIS HASSLE I DECIDED TO DO RESEARCH TO SEE IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THERE ARE DOZENS IF NOT HUNDREDS OF REPORTS ON THE WEB ABOUT SATURN OWNERS OF MODELS BUILT 1994-1996 THAT HAVE HAD ENGINE EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES WHILE DRIVING, MANY OF WHICH HAVE LED TO CRASHES AND INJURIES. THESE ARE ALL TRACED TO WHAT APPEARS TO BE AN ENGINE DEFECT THAT LEADS TO EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION-- THE SAME PROBLEM MY CAR APPEARED TO HAVE. WHEN I WENT TO SATURN WITH THIS INFORMATION, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD ONLY LOOK AT MY CAR AFTER VERIFYING THAT IT WAS STILL LOSING OIL THEMSELVES, AND THAT TO DO THIS I SHOULD DRIVE MY CAR FOR 3,000 MILES AND THEN BRING IT BACK. BY THAT TIME, MY WARRANTY WOULD BE EXPIRED ANYWAYS. OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE TOLD ME IDENTICAL STORIES. IT APPEARS THAT SATURN ENGINES MAY BE DEFECTIVE, AND THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE CERTAINLY IS ALSO. *JB

EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION STARTING NEAR 45,000 MILES. TOOK OVER 15,000 MILES TO CONVINCE DEALER/MNFG OF DEFECTIVE ENGINEERING. 30,000 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 1 DEC '96 35,000 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 2 36,000 RR CAM COVER (CC) GASKET, REAR MAIN SEAL 45,500 RR CC GASKET, HARMONIC BALANCER, CRANKSHAFT SEAL, OIL PAN GASKET 49,250 RR CC & CCR GASKET 60,000 TO 68,900 OIL CONSUMPTION ~ 1 QT EVERY 600 MILES 66,000 EMAIL TO ANGIE BARRETT, SATURN CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER, RE OIL CONSUMPTION "1 QT EVERY 2,000 IS OK". 68,900 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 3 , OWNER TELLS SATURN TO EITHER REBUILD OR PUT IN NEW ENGINE. JAN 1999 70,000 EMAIL TO ANGIE BARRETT, AGAIN THEY SAY GET AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. FRIEND AT FORD FUEL & LUBE HQ IN FRIENDLY TERMS SAYS 1QT EVERY 1K MILES IS NOT NORMAL. 70,817 SATURN LOCAL TECH REP SAYS CONSUMPTION OF 1 QT EVERY 1,000 MILES IS WITHIN SPECIFICATION! IN THE MEANTIME IT IS SUCKING 1 QT EVERY 500 TO 800 MILES. 72,650 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 4, RR CC (2ND TIME) & 4TH GASKET 73,800 SATURN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST 5, RR CAM COVER (3RD TIME) & 5TH GASKET 75,800 SATURN FINALLY DECIDES TO DO A PARTIAL REBUILD RR: JOURNAL & BEARINGS, SEALS, CRANKSHAFT, RINGS, PISTONS, CYLINDER HEAD, CLUTCH OWNER TRIES TO GET WARRANTY EXTENDED FOR 6,900 MILES SINCE THOSE MILES WERE PUT ON AT SATURNS DESIRE. OWNER TOLD TO GO POUND SAND. REMOVED/REPLACED SUMMARY FOR THIS TIME FRAME: CRANKSHAFT- 1X MOTOR MOUNT -2X CAM COVER- 3X BATTERY - 2X GENERATOR - 2X HARMONIC BAL - 1X CAM COVER GASKET - 5X OIL CONSUMPTION TEST - 5X SINCE THEN: 120,000 OR 44,000 MILES AFTER REBUILD, THE OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM IS BACK IN FULL FORCE OF 1 AT EVERY 500 TO 600 MILES NUMBER OF FAILURES COUNTED AS ANY TIME 1 QT OF OIL OIL WAS NEEDED BEFORE 2000 MILES WERE DRIVEN DURING THE ODOMETER TIME FRAME OF 60,00 TO 80,000 MILES IS : 21 ODOMETER TIME FRAME OF 140,000 TO 160,000 MILES IS: 26

WHILE APPROACHING A RIGHT CURVE AND APPLYING BRAKES, BRAKE PEDAL HARDENED, AND BRAKES FAILED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER MISSED THE CURVE AND DROVE DOWNHILL APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, CRASHING INTO A TREE, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, THERE WAS ONE INJURY. *SLC

WHEN VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER'S SIDE OF A FORD, F150, SATURN TRAVELING A LITTLE OVER 35 MPH, THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE OR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS. VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

KEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION WHEN THE CAR IS NOT IN PARK, WHICH POSES THE DANGER OF THE CAR TO MOVE WHEN THE DRIVER IS NOT INSIDE OR PREPARED.*AK

THE TIMING CHAIN WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ONCE AND I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE TWO ALTERNATORS DUE TO THIS. NOW, MY TIMING CHAIN IS GOING OUT AGAIN. THE CAR IS A 1995 SATURN SC2. TODAY IT ONLY HAS 66,000 MILES ON IT AND IS EIGHT YEARS OLD. I CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3,000 MILES. BUT, I ALSO HAVE TO PUT OIL IN IT IN BETWEEN CHANGES. NOW, MY MOON ROOF WON'T CLOSE ALL THE WAY. IT WILL OPEN ALL THE WAY BUT IT WON;T CLOSE. ALSO, THE HEADLIGHT ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE WON'T GO UP AND DOWN PROPERLY.I HAD MY FRONT SEAT FIXED BECAUSE IT WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN WHEN A LITTLE PRESSURE WAS APPLIED WHEN DRIVING. I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THIS AND IT SCARED ME SO I TOOK IT IN TO THE SATURN DEALER TO HAVE IT FIXED. I TRIED TO ARGUE WITH THEM ABOUT IT NOT BEING MY FAULT THAT THAT HAPPENED. BUT THEY WOULD NOT LISTEN. NOW, 4 YEARS LATER IT IS RECALLED. IF I KNEW WHO TO COMPLAIN TO BEFORE I WOULD HAVE ADDED MY TWO CENTS IN. I DO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE SEATS RECLINING DEVICES TO BE REPAIRED. THANKS FOR LISTENING. KATHY HOLLEY

MY CAR SOMETIMES SHIFTS OUT OF GEAR(AUTOMATIC) AND THEN THE "SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT" COMES ON. WHEN PUT IN REVERSE, PAUSES FOR A COUPLE SECONDS THEN BANGS INTO GEAR. THIS CAR HAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE TRANS WHICH LEADS ME TO THINK THAT THE TRANS IS GOOD BUT A SENSOR IS BAD. I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO COMPLETE STOP AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SHIFT PROPERLY FROM NEUTRAL TO PARK OR FROM NEUTRAL TO DRIVE. WON'T SHIFT, AND MAKES LOUD NOISE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY FIXED THE WINDOW, BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT 2 WINDOWS QUIT WORKING WITHIN ONE MONTH OF EACH OTHER. THE MOTOR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WENT OUT. THE MOTOR FOR THE SUNROOF STILL WORKS, BUT THE CABLES BROKE AND NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME CLOSE TO $600.00 TO FIX IT! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT THE CABLES WOULD COME APART LIKE THAT, I FEE THAT IT IS A DEFECTIVE PART, BUT NO ONE WANTS TO HELP ME WITH THIS! AS THEY ARE SAYING IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, BUT MY POINT IS THAT I DON'T USE THE SUNROOF ENOUGH FOR THIS TO HAPPEN! *AK

I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT A CAR, RECOMMENDED BY CONSUMER REPORTS, CAN HAVE SO MANY SERIOUS FAILURES! THANK GOD I PURCHASED THE EXTENDED VEHICLE WARRANTY. I LIVE ON A SMALL DISABILITY INCOME AND CANNNOT AFFORD EVEN THE CONSTANT $50.00 DEDUCTIBLE. CURRENTLY THE SUNROOF IS BROKEN AGAIN, THE PASSANGER WINDOW DOESN'T ALWAYS GO DOWN, THE GEAR INDICATOR FOR MY TRANSMISSION IS STUCK SOMEWHERE BETWEEN PARK AND REVERSE. I THOUGHT I PURCHASED A RELIABLE CAR. I HAVE HAD LESS PROBLEMS WITH CARS I PURCHASED THAT WERE 5 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME. THIS ONE IS NOT 5 YET!

IF FINGER ROLLED OVER TOP OF TURN SIGNAL HANDLE HEAD LIGHTS WOULD TURN OFF. DEALER IS NOTIFIED, AND WILL NOT REPAIR UNLESS COSTS GO TO THE CONSUMER. *AK

THE VEHICLE'S POPPED UP HEADLIGHTS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK. DEALER CANT DUPLICATE THEPROBLEM TO FIX. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE APPROX. ------MPH. WHEN VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND THE THROTTLE BECAME STUCK OPEN, CONSUMER HAD TO SHUT-OFF ENGINE TO BRING THROTTLE BACK TO IDLE. *AK

CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGED AFTER HITTING MODERATE BUMP; WHEN USING CLUTCH TO DISENGAGE, AT TIMES HAVE TO LIFT CLUTCH UP TO REENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL. TT

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL BROKE AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

SPEEDOMETER STICKS/FAILED.

DRIVER WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AND THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DIDN'T RESTRAIN, DRIVER WAS INJURED . *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEED THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND PULLS TO THE LEFT. *AK

ON MARCH 20, 2001, I PURCHASED 4 EXOCET WYNSTAR 205/40Z/R16 75W LOW PROFILE TIRES FROM REEVE'S TIRE IN JOPLIN, MISSOURI. ON OCTOBER 28, 2001, A FRIEND OF MINE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE. WHEN I CONTACTED REEVE'S, THEY TOLD ME THAT I MUST HAVE HIT THE CURB AND CAUSED AN IMPACT BREAK. YET, IF I HAD HIT ANY CURB IN THE TOWN WHERE I LIVE, I WOULD HAVE HAD DAMAGE TO MY WHEEL, SINCE THE TIRES ARE LOW PROFILE. BUT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE WHEELS, AND THERE WERE NO RUB MARKS ON THE TIRE. I THEN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AT 1-800-944-8414. THE MANUFACTURER AGREED TO REPLACE THE TIRE UNDER WARRANTY. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED ON 11/14/01. ON 01/02/02, A DIFFERENT FRIEND OF MINE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A BUBBLE AND A CRACK IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I AGAIN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY AGREED TO REPLACE THE TIRE UNDER WARRANTY. ON 01/11/01, I WENT TO JOPLIN, MISSOURI, TO REEVE'S TIRE, TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED. WHEN I GOT BACK IN MY CAR, AFTER THE TIRE HAD BEEN REPLACED, I WROTE DOWN WHAT THE MILEAGE WAS ON THE CAR AT THAT TIME. IT WAS 82,280.0. I THEN PROCEEDED TO DRIVE BACK TO PITTSBURG, KS, WHICH IS ABOUT 30 MILES, I BELIEVE. I DIDN'T THINK THAT I WOULD HAVE ANY PROBLEMS, BEING AS BRAND NEW TIRE WAS JUST PUT ON MY CAR. WHEN I WAS ABOUT 10 MILES FROM PITTSBURG, THE SIDEWALL OF THE BRAND NEW TIRE BLEW, THE ONE THAT HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I TEMPORARILY LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, BUT THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS, OR IF I COULD FIND OUT IF THERE HAVE BEEN ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TIRES. SO FAR, I AM NOT HAPPY WITH THE QUALITY OF THESE TIRES. ESPECIALLY SINCE REEVE'S WAS VERY WILLING TO CHARGE ME $125.00 PER TIRE, IF I COULDN'T GET THEM COVERED BY WARRANTY. I WOULD APPRECIATE A QUICK RESPONSE OF ANY KIND TO THIS. THANK YOU.*AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS.

PROBLEM WITH GAS TANK DOOR. *AK