2001 Saturn SC1

IN 2007, BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS FROM SERVICE TECHNICIANS AND OTHER OWNERS OF MY CAR'S MODEL, I PURCHASED NEW MICHELIN HYDROEDGE TIRES. UPON RECENT INSPECTION AND ROTATION AT A SERVICE CENTER, IT WAS NOTED THAT ALL FOUR OF MY TIRES WERE DRY-ROTTING AT THE SIDEWALL NEAR THE TREADS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT "MICHELINS DO THAT." THE TIRES ARE 4 1/2 YEARS OLD, HAVE BEEN DRIVEN 23,000 MILES WITH VERY LITTLE TREAD WEAR (9/32" LEFT) AND ARE NOT HOUSED INSIDE A GARAGE WHERE OZONE COULD AFFECT THEM. I DRIVE 10 MILES ROUND TRIP EACH WORK DAY. I ALSO DO NOT LIVE IN AN URBAN AREA. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF DRY ROT LEADING TO BLOWOUTS, OFTEN WITH RELATED ACCIDENTS. IN MANY INSTANCES MICHELIN DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY AND SITED EVERYTHING FROM ENVIRONMENTAL REACTIONS TO POTHOLE AND CURB HITS BY DRIVERS SOMETIMES DENYING A CLAIM BEFORE RECEIVING THE CUSTOMER'S DOCUMENTATION. THERE ARE TOO MANY COMPLAINTS TO IGNORE ANYMORE. JUST BECAUSE MANY OF US HAVE FOUND THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE TIRES CAUSED AN ACCIDENT DOESN'T MEAN THIS IS NOT SERIOUS. HOW MANY OCCURRENCES DOES THE NHTSA NEED BEFORE IT ACTS PROACTIVELY TO END THIS SAFETY RISK? I HOPE THIS COMPLAINT SPEAKS FOR CONSUMERS WHO FILED PREVIOUSLY, OTHERS WHO HAVE NOT FILED AND FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW THEY ARE AT RISK. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL A HIGH-PROFILE FIERY CRASH BRINGS LIGHT TO THIS ISSUE (AS SEEMS TOO OFTEN TO BE THE CASE IN OUR SOCIETY.) MICHELIN HAS HAD A FEW MAJOR TIRE RECALLS, ONE JUST RECENTLY, SO THERE IS PROBABLE CAUSE TO INVESTIGATE THE DRY ROT COMPLAINTS. INVESTIGATE NOW SO WE CAN ALL BENEFIT FROM THE NHTSA, AN ENTITY THAT IS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL TAXPAYERS. THANK YOU. *JS

NHTSA ID

10455985

Incident

Apr 17, 2012

Mileage

77,383 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN SC2 EQUIPPED WITH SIGMA SUPREME TIRES. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE. SHE DID NOT WANT TO PROVIDE AN APPROXIMATE SPEED BECAUSE THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS TREAD SEPARATION ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE HAD NOT RECURRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 67,419. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10354319

Incident

Sep 5, 2010

Mileage

67,419 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN SC2. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE INSERTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION, SHE NOTICED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS LOOSE. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER AUGUST 2003, JUNE 2004 AND AUGUST 2006. THE FAILURE PERSISTED AND THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE IGNITION CYLINDER WOULD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 29,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,579.

NHTSA ID

10345635

Incident

Aug 9, 2003

Mileage

29,000 mi

I HEAR A LOT OF PROBLEMS WITH THE SUNROOF NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I WENT TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE GOING TO CHARGE ME OVER $1000. I TOLD THEM NO BECAUSE I THINK IT SHOULD BE FREE SINCE A LOT OF SATURN OWNERS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IT. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL ON THEM? *TR

NHTSA ID

10234341

Incident

Mar 15, 2007

THE POWER SUNROOF ON MY 2001 SATURN SC-2 WAS MAKING A GRINDING NOISE WHEN I OPENED IT AND WHEN IT WAS CLOSING. YESTERDAY, WHILE DRIVING THE SUNROOF WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION. THE SATURN DEALER CHARGED $46.00 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID IT WAS THE MOTOR AND THIS WOULD COST ABOUT $380.00 TO REPLACE. I AGREED TO THE CHARGE. THEN THEY CALLED TO SAY THE NEW MOTOR DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY WANTED AN ADDITIONAL $950.00 TO REPLACE A MODULE. I TOLD THEM NOT TO DO THE WORK; THAT THE PRICE WAS TOO HIGH. THEY SAID THE CAR WAS OLD AND THIS PART ALWAYS FAILS. I ALSO REFUSED TO PAY FOR A MOTOR I DIDN'T NEED SINCE THEY MISDIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE HAS 56,000 MILES AND I LIVE IN MICHIGAN. THE SUNROOF IS ONLY USED A FEW MONTHS A YEAR. THIS IS A FAULTY PART. IF THIS IS A PART THAT "ALWAYS FAILS" ACCORDING TO THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHY HASN'T GM HAD THEM RECALLED, AND REPAIR THEM FOR FREE?

NHTSA ID

10232560

Incident

Jun 27, 2008

Mileage

56,139 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN SC2. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO 55 MPH. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE RPM'S INCREASED. THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO PARK AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,861 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,622.

NHTSA ID

10215792

Incident

Jan 1, 2003

Mileage

44,861 mi

DRIVING A 2001 SATURN SC2 RAN FRONT OF VEHICLE INTO REAR BUMPER OF A FORD TRUCK, COLLISION SPEED APPROX. 35 MPH. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON , THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. I HIT THE WINDSHIELD WITH THE TOP OF MY HEAD AND WAS KNOCKED OUT. I AM 5'7" AND WAS SITTING PROPERLY IN THE SEAT WITH BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. I SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10188773

Incident

Apr 2, 2007

ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2007, I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT ON NORTH AURORA ROAD IN NAPERVILLE, ILLINOIS. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR TO PROCEED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. AT THAT TIME, THE CAR REVVED TO 6000 RPM AND WENT FROM 0-40 MPH. I THOUGHT THE ACCELERATOR MUST BE STUCK, SO I TRIED TO MAKE SURE IT WASN'T. IT WAS NOT STUCK. I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. THE CAR JUST KEPT REVVING AND GOING 40 MPH. I KNEW I HAD TO GET THE CAR STOPPED OR RISK HITTING CARS AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION OR GOING THROUGH A RED LIGHT. I SAW A ROAD TO THE RIGHT AHEAD OF ME AND DECIDED THAT I HAD TO MAKE THAT TURN. I TURNED ONTO ENTERPRISE ROAD GOING 40 MPH. IT WAS THEN THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND TURNED THE KEY OFF TO GET THE CAR TO STOP. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A GARAGE WHERE THE MECHANIC THOUGHT THAT IT WAS A FOULED THROTTLE PLATE. HE "FIXED" THE PROBLEM AND I PICKED THE CAR UP. DRIVING THE CAR TO MY HOME APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AWAY, THE CAR SEEMED OKAY. HOWEVER, AFTER I PUT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND PUT IT INTO THE PARK POSITION, THE CAR REVVED AGAIN TO 3000 RPM. MY HUSBAND WITNESSED THIS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THE CAR IS GOING AGAIN TO THE MECHANIC. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR.*JB

NHTSA ID

10182255

Incident

Feb 8, 2007

Mileage

84,000 mi

This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician about vehicle's odometer appears to be inaccurate relative to a known distance traveled. Technician should obtain a hand-held GPS unit to test the odometer. If a hand held GPS unit is not available, the only other option is to verify the miles traveled using a surveyor's wheel or a dynamometer.

GENERAL MOTORS: INFORMATION PROVIDED BY BULLETIN FOR ALL 2012 AND PRIOR GENERAL MOTOR TRUCKS AND PASSENGER VEHICLES REGARDING THE ADJUSTABLE COMFORT AND CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY OF THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER HEAD RESTRAINT. *PE

SERVICE PROCDURE FOR REPLACEMENT OF RESONATOR AND INTERMEDIATE PIPE. *EH

SUBJECT REGARDING SQUEAKING NOISE FROM DRIVER OR PASSENGER SEAT BACK. *JG