2003 Saturn L200

2003 SATURN L200 WITH 48,000 MILES DIED WHILE DRIVING. WE HAD TO QUICKLY SWERVE TO OPPOSITE SIDE OF ROAD WHERE THERE WAS A SHOULDER IN ORDER TO GET OUT OF THE TRAFFIC LANE(NO SHOULDER ON THE LANE WE WERE IN). CAR WAS TOWED, AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BROKEN TIMING CHAIN, PROBABLE ENGINE DAMAGE, AND POSSIBLE FUEL PUMP FAILURE. SINCE I JUST PUT A NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY IN THE VEHICLE THREE WEEKS PRIOR, I CONTACTED MANUFACTURER AND TALKED WITH DEALER ABOUT WORKING WITH ME TO FIX THIS CAR. THEY WOULD NOT EVEN DISCUSS NEXT STEP UNTIL I AUTHORIZED (PAID FOR) A $750 TEAR DOWN OF THE MOTOR TO "FULLY DIAGNOSE" THE PROBLEM. I REFUSED TO TO AUTHORIZE, BECAUSE ALL OF THE BURDEN AT THAT POINT WOULD BE ON ME, WHATEVER HAPPENED. SITUATION WAS NEVER RESOLVED; I TRADED THE CAR (AT A DRASTIC REDUCTION OF VALUE DUE TO ITS NON-WORKING CONDITION). *NM

ON JANUARY 30, 2006, MY 2003 L200 WOULD NOT START. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO SATURN OF THE VALLEY WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN OCTOBER, 2002. THEY DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A FAILED FUEL PUMP THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AT THE TIME, THE VEHICLES MILEAGE WAS 58,270. THE TOTAL COST OF REPLACEMENT CAME TO $553.79 INCLUDING PARTS, LABOR AND APPLICABLE TAX. SUBSEQUENTLY, ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2006, I TOOK MY 2002 L200 TO SATURN OF THE VALLEY WHERE I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN OCTOBER, 2001, DUE TO A POSSIBLE FUEL PUMP LINE LEAK THAT HAD BEEN DISCOVERED ON THE PRIOR SATURDAY, 9/23/06, BY THE FIRESTONE FACILITY WHERE I HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICING BECAUSE I COULD SMELL GAS COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SATURN OF THE VALLEY DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP LINES WERE LEAKING AND THAT THE FUEL PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AT THE TIME, THE VEHICLES MILEAGE WAS 75,202. SATURN OF THE VALLEY AGREED TO COVER THE COST OF THE PART BUT I PAID THE LABOR. SUBSEQUENT TO THIS, I WROTE TO SATURN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND REQUESTED THAT THEY COVER THE COST OF THE PART WITH REGARD TO THE 1/30/06 2003 L200 FUEL PUMP FAILURE. I EXPLAINED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT, AS THE SAME PART FAILED ON BOTH OF MY VEHICLES OF THE SAME MODEL, ONE PRODUCTION YEAR APART, PURCHASED NEW AT THE SAME FACILITY, AT RELATIVELY LOW MILEAGE. SATURN CORP. DENIES THAT THERE'S A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT ON THIS PART. HOWEVER, SATURN HAS DISCONTINUED PRODUCTION OF THE L SERIES MODEL VEHICLES. THIS IS HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS AND WARRANTS AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE IF A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT IS AT FAULT. *JB

I LEFT MY HOUSE (RELEASED MY PARKING BRAKE) AND WENT FOR A SHORT DRIVE 3-4 MILES. MY BRAKES FAILED AND THE REAR BRAKE OVERHEATED AND SMOKE BEGAN BILLOWING OUT FROM THE WHEEL. MY MECHANIC AND I CHECKED THE CAR AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE SHOWED A COMPLETE CORROSION BREAKDOWN OF THE CABLE SHEATHING. THE CAR IS RELATIVELY NEW 2003, I HAVE OWNED THE ENTIRE TIME, NO ACCIDENTS OR ANY SERVICE WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DONE BY THE DEALER. THERE IS NO CORROSION ON ANYTHING ELSE ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE CABLE SEEMED TO BE INSTALLED WITH A LOOP WHICH POOLED MOISTURE AT A LOW POINT IN THE SHEATHING CASE OF THE CABLE. THE SHEATHING COMPLETELY CORRODED AT THAT POINT. THE SATURN DEALERSHIP WAS NOT INTERESTED IN INVESTIGATING MY PROBLEM AND I WENT TO A PRIVATE SERVICE STATION. THE CABLES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND POSSIBLY DOWN THE ROAD THE CAR WILL NEED A NEW DRUM DUE TO THE OVERHEATING. *NM

SINCE PURCHASING MY SIX MONTH OLD CAR IN 2003 I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. I'VE HAD A SEAT BELT BUCKLE REPLACED, I'VE HAD MY RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BEARING REPLACED, I'VE HAD THEM LOOKING THE BACK END OF MY CAR FOR A VIBRATION THAT WONT GO AWAY WHEN EVER I TURN THE AIR OR HEATER ON, WHICH THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIND AND DON'T HEAR. MY REAR WINDSHIELD LEAKS BADLY. AND TODAY ONLY TWO AND A HALF YEARS AFTER I GOT MY CAR, MY BRAKES FAILED ME TWICE, THE SECOND TIME HAVING ME DIVE IN TO A CURB TOTALLY DAMAGING MY TIRE AND THE STEERING IN MY CAR, AND THE AIR BAGS NEVER WENT OFF. GOING TO FILE WITH INSURANCE AND TAKE TO REPAIR SHOP. *JB

PROBLEMS WITH TIRES, SATURN REPLACED ALL FOUR <20,000 MILES. UNABLE TO KEEP BALANCED. I HAD ALL OF MY DOCUMENTATION ON NUMBER OF TIMES THEY HAD BEEN BALANCED. STILL HAD PROBLEMS, REPLACED TWO OF THEM. STILL HAD PROBLEMS, REPLACED TWO AGAIN AT 36,000, I HAD TO PAY FOR ONE TIRE BECAUSE THERE WAS A NAIL AND THEY CLAIMED ROAD DAMAGE AND THAT THE WEAR WAS DUE TO LOW TIRE PRESSURE (SO EXPLAIN WHY OTHER TIRE WORE ALSO), EVEN THOUGH I HAD PICKED UP THE NAIL WITHIN THE PAST 3 DAYS. ALSO SAID THERE WAS A DENT IN THE RIM AND THAT WAS OFF BALANCE. WANTED 400.00 FOR ONE NEW STANDARD RIM. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE RIGHT FRONT QUARTER PANEL WITH MINOR DAMAGE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS, BUT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE POLICE WERE ON THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTOR INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED IT WAS TOTALED.

IN THE YEAR 2003 AFTER HAVING MY L200 FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS 1000 MILES MY FUEL PUMP WENT IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY BUT I TOOK IT TO SATURN OF CLEARANCE THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG SO I WAS ALMOST HOME AND BLACK SMOKE WAS FLOWING OUT OF MY TAIL PIPE AND WHEN I STOPPED TO GET SOME GAS AFTER I GOT GAS I WENT TO START MY CAR AND IT WOULDN'T START THEN IT WOULD AND IT WOULD STALL SO I TOOK IT BACK UP THERE THE SECOND TIME AND THEY SAID OH ITS YOUR FUEL PUMP WELL WHY DIDN'T THEY LISTEN THE FIRST TIME . *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AT 40 MPH A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED TO THE CONTACT'S BACK AND RIGHT ARM. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTO BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *AK