Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Saturn Sky submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 72 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 72, in the owner's own words
When pressing on the brakes in reverse, they fail to stop the resistance is very hard, like stepping on a brick, and it does nothing to slow the vehicle. I had to throw the emergency brake on and put the car in gear in order to stop it from rolling backwards.
WHEN FIRST STARTING ENGINE IN THE MORNING OR AFTER VEHICLE SITS FOR A BIT, THE BREAKS LITERALLY DO NOT WORK. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ACROSS THE INTERNET AND ONE THAT NOBODY AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT ANY DEALERSHIP HAS A CLUE HOW TO FIX. IF MY CAR ROLLS INTO THE STREET OF MY STEEP INCLINED DRIVEWAY? I'M DEAD. IT HAPPENS EVERY DAY. THE ATTACHMENT IS ONE OF THOUSANDS.
MY CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY ON AN INCLINE, EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS SET. MY CAR ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND OFF AN EMBANKMENT. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS STILL UP WHEN IT STOPPED. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.
I STARTED MY 2008 SATURN SKY AND WHILE BACKING THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE I ALMOST HIT THE GARAGE BECAUSE THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO POWER ASSIST ON THE BRAKES UPON STARTUP. I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE SI A TSB OUT ON THIS FOR CARS SITTING EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME. THIS CAR ONLY SITS OVERNIGHT AT MOST. THIS IS NOT A ONE OFF EVENT. IF MY WIFE OR DAUGHTER WERE DRIVING THE CAR THEY WOULD DEFIANTLY HIT SOMETHING BECAUSE OF THEIR INABILITY TO APPLY ENOUGH PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE THIS COULD EASILY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN SKY. WHILE REVERSING DOWN A HILL, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND STARTED TO SHAKE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AND STOPPED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34,000.
THE 2008 SATURN SKY REDLINE FAILED THE HAWAII STATE SAFETY CHECK BECAUSE THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT FUNCTION. THE DEALER THAT DID THE SAFETY CHECK COULD NOT FIX THE PARKING BRAKE. *TR
BRAKES/ VACUUM DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. TOOK IT TO GM FOR A FEW ADJUSTMENTS (WHICH DID NOT WORK) AND THEY SAY THAT THE CAR MUST BE WARMED UP FOR 1 MINUTE OR MORE BEFORE DRIVING. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE LIVING IN WARM WEATHER CLIMATE. WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO WAIT TO DRIVE A NEW CAR IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKES TO WORK AND BE SAFE. IT'S A SAFETY ISSUE AND NOW I CANNOT LET ANYONE DRIVE MY CAR, OR GO TO A VALET IN FEAR THAT THEY WILL HIT SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. *TR
BRAKES FAIL WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR
AFTER FIRST STARTING, THE VEHICLE HAS NO BRAKES. THIS ISSUE OCCURRED THE FIRST TIME I BACKED IT OUT OF THE GARAGE. THE BRAKES WERE VERY SOFT AND I HAD TO KEEP PUMPING THEM. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT YOU HAVE TO LET IT WARM UP FIRST. I TOOK THE CAR IN AND TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE AND COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. THEY MADE AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE BRAKES, HOWEVER, THEY ARE VERY HARD. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM AND IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR
I BOUGHT THIS CAR (2008 SATURN SKY REDLINE, AUTOMATIC, BUILD DATE 7/07) USED FROM A PERSONAL OWNER ON 3/15/2014 WITH 56,607 MILES ON IT. AFTER LEAVING IT IN MY GARAGE OVERNIGHT I STARTED THE CAR AND PROCEEDED TO DRIVE OUT OF MY GARAGE. AT THE END OF MY SHORT DRIVEWAY I APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP BEFORE I TURNED ONTO MY STREET. THE BRAKE PEDAL DID A SERIES OF PULSATIONS AND WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOORBOARD WITHOUT STOPPING THE CAR. THE CAR CONTINUED INTO THE STREET BEFORE I COULD GET IT STOPPED. AT FIRST I THOUGHT I HAD A BAD MASTER CYLINDER OR A BRAKE FLUID LEAK BUT AS I CONTINUED ON SLOWLY I EVENTUALLY GOT A FULL BRAKE PEDAL AND THE CAR STOPPED EVERY TIME AS NORMAL FROM THEN ON. AFTER GETTING HOME I RESEARCHED MY PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT MANY 2008 SKY REDLINES WERE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. EVIDENTLY GM MADE A CHANGE ON SOME OF THE 2008(ONLY) REDLINES BRAKING SYSTEM BY OMITTING A "VACUUM ASSIST PUMP" OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. GM CHANGED THE BRAKE SYSTEM BACK TO INCLUDE THIS PUMP IN THE 2009 MODEL'S. THE BRAKE PROBLEM ON THIS CAR, AND OTHER 2008'S, IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I WAS NOT WARNED OF THIS CONDITION FROM THE SELLER, WHICH IS NOT GM'S FAULT, BUT THESE AFFECTED CARS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND EQUIPPED WITH THE REGULAR BRAKING SYSTEM AS ON THE 2007 OR 2009 SKY REDLINES. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A STICKER ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE DASH FROM GM ON "SOME" OF THE NEW 2008 CARS TELLING OF THIS TYPE OF SYSTEM AND WHAT TO DO....BUT IT WAS JUST A STICKER THE NEW OWNER PULLED OFF AS IT WAS NOT MEANT TO BE PERMANENT. BY PLACING THESE STICKERS ON THE NEW CARS GM KNEW THERE WAS A NEGATIVE, POSSIBLY FATAL, ASPECT TO THIS BRAKING SYSTEM. THEY DID NOTHING TO CORRECT IT ON THE AFFECTED CARS BUT DID CHANGE IT THE NEXT MODEL YEAR BECAUSE OF OWNER COMPLAINTS I'M SURE. *TR
BRAKE FAILURE. HARD BRAKE PEDAL RESULTING IN THE BRAKES NOT HOLDING THE CAR AT A STOP. ON JULY 4, 2012 WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION THE BRAKES FAILED TO HOLD THE CAR INPLACE RESULTING IN THE CAR CREEPING INTO THE CENTER OF THE INTERSECTION INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. A JEEP WITH 6 PEOPLE AND AN INFANT HIT THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF THE CAR AND FLIPPED OVER. THE INFANT AND 2 OF THE PEOPLE IN THE JEEP ARE IN THE HOSPITAL. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED ON HWY. 84 IN DALEVILLE, ALABAMA. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN SKY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM DOES NOT WORK. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED HIM THAT HE MUST WAIT SIXTY SECONDS FOR THE BRAKES TO WORK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT WANT TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHY HE MUST WAIT SIXTY SECONDS TO DRIVE A NEW MODEL VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN SKY. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. IMMEDIATELY, WHITE SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, WHICH RESULTED IN REDUCED VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH CAUTION AND ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY STATED THAT THE HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF COOLANT INSIDE THE VEHICLE FOLLOWING THE REPAIR AND THE TRACTION CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION, THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ON SIX SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 15,500.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN SKY REDLINE. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE. HE ATTEMPTED TO UTILIZE THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES WHILE BACKING OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY. HE HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL OVER EIGHT TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKING SYSTEM TO ENGAGE. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 5 MPH, THE BRAKING SYSTEM WOULD NOT OPERATE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY UNTIL IT STOPPED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT A PUMP WAS NEEDED, WHICH WOULD ASSIST THE BRAKING SYSTEM WITH BUILDING UP PRESSURE IN ORDER FOR THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 14,000. UPDATED 3/19/09 *CN UPDATED 03/25/09.*JB
2008 SATURN SKY REDLINE 700 MILES ON THE OD BRAKE PROBLEM. COLD START PRODUCES PEDAL VIBRATION AND LITTLE OR NO BRAKE POWER. FORTUNATELY I HAVEN'T RAN INTO ANYTHING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 SATURN SKY REDLINE. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR MORE THAN 5 OR 6 HOURS, THERE IS POOR POWER BRAKE ASSIST FUNCTIONALITY. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, THE PEDAL IS EXTREMELY HARD AND CAUSES THE CONTACT TO APPLY MORE PRESSURE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH. AFTER A FEW MINUTES OF THE VEHICLE RUNNING, THE BRAKES RETURN TO NORMAL. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPROGRAMMED THE BRAKE CONTROL MODULE ACCORDING TO A GM SERVICE BULLETIN; HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A SECOND TIME, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE DEALER HAS NOT RESPONDED OR CALLED BACK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 900. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/10/08. *JB
MY CAR IS AT SATURN OF HICKORY FOR THE THIRD TIME BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES THEY SAID THEY CANNOT FIX THEM IT IS A DEFECT I HAVE ASKED FOR MY MONEY BACK WITH NO ANSWER AS OF YET MY BRAKES WERE LIKE THIS FROM THE VERY FIRST DAY. THE FIRST DAY I WENT TO DRIVE THE CAR I CALLED THE SALES PERSON THAT SOLD US THE CAR AND TOLD HER HEY SOMETHING IS WRONG I HAVE NO BRAKES !!!! THEY HAVE SAID THAT YOU HAVE TO LET THE CAR WARM UP FIRST BUT THAT IS NOT IN THE MANUAL NOR DID THE SALE PERSON TELL US THIS. I HAVE ALMOST HIT SOMETHING NUMEROUS TIMES IN THIS CAR ALREADY AND IT ONLY HAS ABOUT 2000 MILES ON IT. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT FOR A CAR TO WARM UP BEFORE I CAN DRIVE IT IN THE SUMMER TIME !!!! *TR
I PURCHASED A 2008 SATURN TURBO SKY IN SEPTEMBER 2007. IN JANUARY 2008, I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES. AFTER THE CAR HAS SAT FOR A PERIOD OF 5 HOURS OR MORE AND IS MOVED, THE BRAKE PEDAL PUSHES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR THE FIRST 3-4 TIMES BRAKES ARE APPLIED. YOU ARE NOT CERTAIN THE CAR WILL COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. SATURN KEPT THE CAR OVERNIGHT AND TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR....THAT TURBO SKY AUTOS ALL OPERATE IN THIS MANNER. THEY TELL ME THAT ALL TURBO AUTOS OPERATE IN THIS MANNER. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS FOR AN INSTANT. I WITNESSED A TECH MOVE THE CAR, STOPPED THE CAR, CAME OUT AND INFORMED HIS SUPERVISOR THAT HE WOULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR THE WAY THE BRAKES FUNCTIONED. THEY KEPT THE CAR ANOTHER DAY AND THE NEXT DAY I REALIZED NOTHING HAD CHANGED. LATER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE NTSB WAS LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM. LAST MONTH, I RECEIVED A LETTER SAYING THAT SATURN WAS AWARE OF A BRAKING PROBLEM WITH THE TURBO SKY AND I WAS ASKED TO BRING THE CAR IN FOR A CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENT. I DID THIS, RECEIVED THE CAR BACK AND IT'S BASICALLY THE SAME. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE REALLY IS AN INVESTIGATION GOING ON OR IS THIS JUST MY CAR. I'VE DISCUSSED THIS PROBLEM WITH PEOPLE I KNOW VERY FAMILIAR WITH TURBO ENGINES AND THEY SAY THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT ALL. I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. *TR
BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE PROPERALY WHEN ENGINE IS COOL (VACUUM ASSIST). *TR
SATURN SKY REDLINE WHEN START CAR YOU HAVE NO BRAKES. *TR
EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL EFFORT ON COLD START. *TR
THE BRAKES REQUIRED EXTREMELY HIGH FORCE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP FOR THE 30-60 SECONDS AFTER START UP, IF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR APPROX. 6 HOURS OR MORE. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IN 2008 AS A COST SAVINGS GM CHOSE TO REMOVE THE VACUUM PUMP. SINCE THIS VEHICLE IS A TURBO IT DOES NOT DEVELOP HIGH ENOUGH VACUUM AND IT BLEED OFF QUICKLY AFTER THE VEHICLE SITS A WHILE. THE VACUUM PUMP IS BEING PUT BACK INTO THE 2009 TO ELIMINATE THIS PROBLEM. THIS ISSUE IS VERY DANGEROUS AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST A YEAR. MAKE GM FIX THIS PROBLEM ON THE 2008 TURBOS, PLEASE. *TR
I PURCHASED A SATURN SKY REDLINE LESS THAN 2 WEEKS AGO. EACH MORNING WHEN I START THE CAR AFTER IT HAS SAT OVERNIGHT, AND ATTEMPT TO USE THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL GOES DOWN TO THE FLOOR ACCOMPANIED BY A VIBRATING FEELING. THIS MORNING I NEARLY HIT A CAR TRAVELING PAST MY DRIVEWAY WHEN I HAD TO USE MUCH MORE EFFORT THAN USUAL TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. THERE SEEMED TO BE ABSOLUTELY NO POWER BRAKES. AFTER LOOKING ONLINE I HAVE NOW READ ABOUT OTHER OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. MY DEALERSHIP DID NOT MAKE ME AWARE OF THIS ISSUE OR THAT I NEED TO FOLLOW ANY SPECIAL PROCEDURE. *TR
NO BRAKES ON COLD START. FIRST THING IN THE MORNING OR WHEN CAR SIT FOR MORE THAN 4 HOURS. TERRIFIED TO TRY CRUISE CONTROL AS I HEARD IT WILL CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP SAID IT WAS "NORMAL" AND NEEDED TO LET VACUUM BUILD. *TR
I OWN A 2008 SATURN SKY REDLINE. MY VEHICLE SUFFERS THE PROBLEM LISTED IN SEVERAL SIMILAR COMPLAINTS LOGGED WITH THE NHTSA AND MENTIONED ON MULTIPLE SATURN SKY FORUMS - BRAKE SYSTEM NOT WORKING ADEQUATELY AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE ONCE IS HAS SAT OVERNIGHT. TYPICALLY TAKES 30-45 SECONDS TO BUILD SUFFICIENT VACUUM FOR BRAKE SYSTEM TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. NO ACCIDENTS AS I WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE WHEN PURCHASING THE CAR. HOWEVER, IN MY OPINION, IT DOES POSE A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED. *TR
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