1995 Saturn Sl

ENGINE HEAD WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK IN THE 5TH JOURNAL. CAR RUNNING NORMALLY, WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE PRESENCE OF OIL IN THE COOLANT. NO TRAUMA OCCURED TO THE ENGINE TO SUSTAIN CRACK. ALL SUGGESTED REGULAR MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON VEHICLE. LIGHT DRIVING WITH NO INSULT TO VEHICLE TO STRESS ENGINE. REPAIR INCLUDED REPLACEMENT OF ENGINE HEAD AND ENTIRE COOLANT SYSTEM.

THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A RATTLING NOISE SUDDENLY, OVER A DISTANCE OF A FEW BLOCKS. THE NOISE STARTED TO GET LOUDER, TURNING INTO A GRINDING METAL NOISE. THE CAR THEN TOTALLY STALLED OUT, LOSING ALL POWER, AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF OF THE ROAD DUE TO A DOWNHILL SLOPE. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO HOUSER'S AUTOMOTIVE, INC., OF BROOKHAVEN, PA (610) 874-9285. THE TRANSMISSION HAD A HOLE IN ITS CASING ABOUT SIX INCHES IN DIAMETER AND THE INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PARTS COULD LITERALLY BE SEEN. WHEN THE MECHANICS PUT THE SATURN ON THE HOIST, THEY EXAMINED THE TRANSMISSION AND SAW THAT A PIN, OR ROD, ABOUT 3/4 INCH THICK, HAD BROKEN AND MOST OF IT WAS MISSING. THE ONE END OF THE ROD WAS GONE, AND THE HOLE ON ONE END OF THIS INTERNAL COMPONENT WAS EMPTY, BUT THE OTHER END OF THE ROD WAS STILL IN PLACE ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE ROD IN THIS MIDDLE INTERNAL COMPONENT. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD TOTALLY LEAKED OUT. THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. I SAVED THE TRANSMISSION AND I ALSO TOOK PICTURES THAT CLEARLY SHOW THE MISSING CASING OF THE TRANSMISSION. IF THE CASING HAD BROKEN ON ITS UPPER SIDE AGAINST THE UNDERBODY OF THE CAR, IT COULD HAVE PENETRATED THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR CAUSING SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURY TO MY FAMILY. LUCKILY IT BROKE THROUGH THE DOWNSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION CASING, FACING THE ROAD AND DID NOT CAUSE ANY BODILY HARM TO ANYONE. THE MECHANICS SAID IT WAS DEFINITELY A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS SOMETHING THEY HAD NEVER SEEN HAPPEN BEFORE. SATURN HAS TOTALLY DENIED ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR COSTS, EVEN DENYING ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE NEW SATURN TRANSMISSION THAT WAS INSTALLED, SINCE NO REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE SATURN.

MY CAR HAD 26,653 MILES ON IT, BEING ONLY 3.5 YEARS OLD, WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCCURED, FEB.10, 1999. THE EGR VALVE WENT, WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, AND NO EARLIER SIGNS OF FAILURE. I WAS DRIVING ON AN OPEN HIGHWAY, WHEN CAR STALLED. THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" LIT. I BARELY GOT VEHICLE OFF TO SIDE OF ROAD. RESTARTED CAR LONG ENOUGH TO GET IT TO AN OPEN PARKING LOT (APPROX 1 MILE), WHERE IT COASTED TO A STOP, AND COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. NEXT MORNING, FEB 11, 1999, HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED TO SATURN OF CLARENCE FOR REPAIR. BECAUSE CAR WAS OFF 3 YR WARANTEE, I HAD TO PAY FOR ALL REPAIRS, REPLACEMENTS, AND LABOR. I FELT THIS WAS UNWARANTED, AS THE EGR SHOULD NOT HAVE BECOME DEFECTIVE IN A VEHICLE, WITH LOW MILEAGE. HEAVY CARBON BUILD-UP TO EGR VALVE, NEEDING IT'S REPLACEMENT. THROTTLE BODY HAD TO BE CLEANED FOR SAME REASON. ALSO REPLACED: 2 COILS, AND 4 PLUG WIRES. CAR NOT RUNNING ROUGH PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT DATE. NEW INFORMATION LEARNED INDICATES THAT SATURN & GM, HAVING TROUBLE WITH EGR VALVES PREMATURELY NEEDING REPLACEMENT DUE TO CARBON BUILD-UP. THANK YOU, FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. DLK

I WAS REAR ENDED & AT THE MOMENT OF IMPACT MY SEAT COMPLETLY RECLINED. WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL BECAUSE MY HANDS CAME OFF THE WHEEL. I HAVE CONTACTED SATURN & WAS TOLD FROM BODY SHOP THIS WAS A SAFETY FEATURE. BUT I WAS LATER TOLD NO THAT IS JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ON THERE CARS. MY 1 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS WITH ME IN THE ACCIDENT. LUCKLY SHE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BACKSEAT & NOT BEHIND MY SEAT WHICH COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY INJURED HER!! I WOULD APPRICIATE IT IF THIS COULD BE LOOKED INTO BECAUSE I'M TRULY AFRAID OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE NOW.