1997 Saturn SC1 Transmission Problems

WE BOUGHT A USED SATURN 2 YEARS AGO FROM A DEALERSHIP. SINCE THE DAY WE GOT THE CAR HOME WE HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. MAINLY WHEN MY WIFE WOULD DRIVE IT TO GET OUR SMALL CHILDREN TO DAY CARE, AND SHE WOULD GO TO WORK. WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WARMED UP IT GAVE HER A HARD TIME GETTING IT INTO GEAR. COUNTLESS TIMES OF SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WAITING TO TURN THE LIGHT TURNED RED AND THE OPPOSITE TRAFFIC GOT GREEN AND STARTED HEADING TOWARD HER HONKING, SHE WAS FRANTICLY TRYING TO GET THE CAR INTO GEAR. THEN SHE WOULD HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE TO INJURE HER HAND TO SLAM IT INTO GEAR TO GET OUT OF THE WAY AS MY LITTLE ONES WERE CRYING IN THE BACK AND SHE WAS SHAKING AND UPSET. WE HAVE HAD VEHICLE IN REPAIR SHOPS COUNTLESS OF TIMES COMPLAINING OF IT, BUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS STILL DRIVABLE, ACCORDING TO THEM. NOW AS MY WIFE DROVE OUR KIDS TO THE BABY SITTERS SO SHE COULD GO TO WORK THE TRANSMISSION SNAPPED. ABOUT 1 WEEK AGO FOUND OUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY EXPIRED, AND THEY REFUSED TO HELP. THEY SAID WE SHOULD HAVE FILED A REPORT OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE IT EXPIRED,. WE EXPLAINED THAT WE DID SO MANY TIMES AND THEY WERE DENIED. WE HAVE PROOF FROM DEALERSHIPS, BUT THEY REFUSED TO LET US FAX THE PROOF. *AK

NHTSA ID

10190983

Incident

Mar 31, 2005

Mileage

75,000 mi

1997 SATURN SC2 EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHEN THE SPIDER PIN BROKE. *MR WHILE ON AN EXPRESSWAY AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE EMITTED STEAM AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO ENGAGE THE GEAR. UNDER THE VEHICLE WAS FLUID AND PIECES OF BROKEN METAL. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE SPIDER PIN HAD BROKEN AND HAD COME FROM THE CARRIER JAMMING ITSELF AND CAUSED IMMEDIATE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SC *JB

NHTSA ID

10124724

Incident

Jun 3, 2005

MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFT LINKAGE BROKE WHILE DRIVING. THE SHIFTER GOT INTO THE LINKAGE AND THEN BROKE OFF. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, AND PURCHASED A NEW SHIFTING LINKAGE AND HAD THE DEFECT REPAIRED BY HIMSELF. *AK

NHTSA ID

10083254

Incident

May 25, 2004

Mileage

172,000 mi

AFTER STOPPING AND PARKING THE VEHICLE THE REVERSE GEAR WOULD NOT WORK. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED OVER FIFTY TIMES SINCE JULY 2003. ONCE THE VEHICLE COOLED DOWN THE REVERSE GEAR WOULD WORK PROPERLY. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THAT A NEW TRANSMISSION IS NEEDED. *LA *NM

NHTSA ID

10074435

Incident

Aug 22, 2003

Mileage

46,000 mi

DIFFERENTIAL PIN IN TRANSMISSION PUT A HOLE THROUGH TRANSMISSION CASE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

883337

Incident

Mar 11, 2001

VEHICLE WILL NOT ENGAGE IN 1ST,2ND AND 3RD GEARS EASILY,IT IS VERY DIFFICULT. DEALER REPLACED 5 TIMES TRANSMISSION HOUSING ASSEMBLY/SHIFTER CABLE/SHIFTBOARD, AND CLUTCH, BUT DEFECT STILL EXISTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

881666

THE TRANSMISSION WAS VERY HARD TO SHIFT INTO 1ST, 2ND AND 3RD GEARS, VERY HARD TO GET INTO 1ST GEAR FROM A COMPLETE STOP ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. THE SUNROOF HAS STUCK OPEN TO ABOUT 10 TIMES, IT HAS NEVER SEATED INTO THE ROOF CORRECTLY THE BACK STICKS UP ABOUT A 1/4 INCH IN THE REAR OF THE SUNROOF EXPECIALLY THE DRIVER SIDE REAR CORNER THEY SAID THEY COMPLETLY REPLACED IT BUT IT STILL WILL NOT SEAT COMPLETLY. THE BRAKES MAKE A WHINING SOUND ALL THE TIME.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 19560R15 )

NHTSA ID

712407

Incident

Jul 12, 1998

SHIFTER CABLES FAILED,RESULTING IN FAILURE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE ON OCCASIONS. YH

NHTSA ID

607365

THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY MALFUNCTIONS WHEN DOWNSHIFTING, IT WON'T GO INTO GEAR, WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH A NO START CONDITION. BEEN TO DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

831228

Incident

May 1, 1998

WHILE DRIVING OUR SATURN SC2 AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH WE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING. MY HUSBAND AND I EXITED THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS. THE ONLY SIGN AT THAT TIME THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE WAS THAT THERE WAS FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR. WE HAD THE VEHICLE BROUGHT BACK TO THE HOUSE TO SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. MY HUSBAND LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND FOUND A LARGE HOLE IN THE REAR OF THE TRANSMISSION. WE THEN CALLED SATURN SERVICE AND ASKED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TOWED. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS LOOKED AT BY A MEMBER OF THE SATURN SERVICE TEAM OF SATURN OF GREENFIELD,WISCONSIN THEY SAID THEY HAD ONLY SEEN THIS PROBLEM ONE OTHER TIME AND THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO CALL IN A SPECIALIST. WHEN I CONTACTED THEM ON THE MORNING OF SATURDAY NOV. 21, 1998, THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE REASON BIENG THAT WE HAD TO HAVE CAUSED IT. THEIR EXPLANATION IS THAT THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM ONLY OCCURS IF YOU GET STUCK IN SNOW OR MUD AND QUICKLY SHIFT YOUR CAR FROM DRIVE TO REVERSE SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO BLOW. HOWEVER ON THE DATE OF THIS TRANSMISSION FAILURE THERE WAS NO RAIN TO CAUSE MUD AND NO SNOW. ON THE DATE OF NOV.19, WE WERE TOLD THAT IF WE HAD BEEN GOING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED WE COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR THEREFORE POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND THAT WE WERE LUCKY THAT DID NOT HAPPEN. THIS BRINGS ON A QUESTION IN MY MIND IF WE COULD HAVE BEEN GOING AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED HOW COULD THIS ONLY BE CAUSED BY BEING STUCK IN SNOW OR MUD AND SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE QUICKLY SEVERAL TIMES? I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT WE HAD PREVIOUSLY HAD OUR VEHICLE IN TO SATURN OF GREENFIELD ON NOV. 3, 1998 FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND A NOISE IN THE ENGINE. WHEN THE CAR WAS LOOKED AT THEY SAID THAT THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAD COLLAPSED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I FEEL THAT THIS WAS A MINOR REMEDY TO KEEP FROM REPAIRING A MAJOR PROBLEM. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY A LAWYER TO TAKE PICTU

NHTSA ID

700799

Incident

Nov 19, 1998

WINDSHIELD GLASS IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF DUE TO DESIGN OF GLASS.

NHTSA ID

534816