1996 Saturn Sl

I WAS RETURNING TO HAMILTON, MT FROM HAVING MY CAR IN FOR IT'S 24,000 SERVICE AT THE SATURN DEALER IN SPOKANE, WA. I EXITED I-90 AT THE LIBERTY LAKE EXIT AND, AS I WAS APPROACHING THE END OF THE RAMP, MY PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE BLEW OUT. MY SPEED WAS APPROXIMATELY 30MPH. I INFORMED SATURN OF THIS BY TELEPHONE 9/14/00. NO VEHICLE DAMAGE WAS DONE AND A TIRE DEALER WAS A BLOCK AWAY SO I PURCHASED A NEW SET OF TIRES (DAYTON). I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH CONTINUING TO KEEP THE 3 TIRES THAT HAD NOT BLOWN OUT ON MY VEHICLE.AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/60R15 )

THE SIDEWALLS ON THIS TIRE LITERALLY DISINTEGRATED AT 70 MILES AN HOUR. NO WARNING. NO SLOW LOSS OF PRESSURE. A CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF PRESSURE. THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN ATTACKED BY A MADMAN WITH A KNIFE, ALMOST SEVERED FROM THE TREAD. I THOUGHT I WAS BEING ATTACKED BY A HELICOPTER.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 175/70-R14 )

1,2,3. BRAKES HAVE BEEN A CONSTANT PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. FIRST KNOWN PROBLEM WAS ABOUT 08/99 WHEN DEALER FOUND PITTED & BLISTERED REAR BRAKE ROTORS. REPLACED THEM "AS A FAVOR" SINCE CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY (LESS THAN 36,000 MILES). I HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT LOWER GAS MILEAGE AND FEELING LIKE CAR WAS "DRAGGING" AND HAD BEEN TOLD EARLIER THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS - USE A LOWER GEAR. IN JUNE, 2000, I NOTICED THAT MY RIGHT REAR BRAKE DISK WAS GLOWING RED AFTER A 36 MILE FREEWAY DRIVE. LATER, WHEN I WAS ABLE TO GET UNDER THE CAR, I FOUND THAT THE PARKING BRAKE ACTUATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR CALIPER WAS FROZEN IN THE "ON" POSITION. WD40 AND MUSCLE FREED IT, BUT IT HAD TO BE LEFT OFF AT ALL TIMES. THE DEALER FOUND THE DISKS TO BE WARPED, CALIPER RUINED AND FRONT DISKS ALSO WARPED. PADS WERE NOT TERRIBLY WORN ON THE FRONT. I HAVE ROUTINELY GONE 50,000 ON PADS IN PREVIOUS CALLS; THE REAR PADS ON THIS CAR HAD LESS THAN 15,000!! AGAIN, DEALER IMPLIED IT WAS MY FAULT AND NOT A DEFECT BY SATURN. #4. SPEED CONTROL - DEVICE BEGAN ERRATIC FUNCTION - SPED UP AND SLOWED DOWN WITHOUT WARNING; AT TIMES WOULDN'T TURN ON. DEALER FIXED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT NO NOTICE OF THIS PROBLEM. #5. IGNITION SWITCH - STARTED HAVING DIFFICULTY IN TURNING ON OR FULLY OFF (LOCKED POSITION). FIRST TOLD BY DEALER IT MUST BE JAMMED WITH KEY SHAVINGS-IF KEY SHOWS BRASS COLOR, MUST BE REPLACED. DEALER FOUND THAT THERE WAS A GROOVE IN THE SWITCH HOUSING-DUE TO USE OF A "HEAVY KEY CHAIN BY PREVIOUS OWNER". I PAID 50% - LOOKS LIKE CHEAP, SOFT METAL HOUSING-DESIGN FLAW. #6. HORN FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AT AROUND 26,000 MILES - 3 1/2 YEAR OLD CAR. REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. I WONDER WHAT WILL FAIL NEXT - ALL OF THESE COULD HAVE LED TO AN ACCIDENT.

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS & FOUND THAT ROTORS WERE CORRODED ON THE INSIDE. DEALER CHECKED VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION IN JUNE & SAID NOTHING TO THE CONSUMER ABOUT ROTOR CORROSION. CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. *AK THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ROTORS SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN MACHINED BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MEET THE REQUIRED MINIMUM THICKNESS. *YH

THE VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND BOTH FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARD COMPLETLY, ANYONE SITTING IN THE BACK SEATS WOULD HAVE SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES. IF A CHILD WAS IN THE BACK SEAT CHANCES ARE HE WOULD NOT SURVIVE. THEIR HAVE BEEN OTHER INCIDENTS OF THE BACKSEATS COLLAPSING UPON REAR IMPACT AND SATURN IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT IT. VERY DANGEROUS FOR ANY REAR SEAT PASSANGERS, ESPICIALLY CHILDREN, WHICH THE LAW STATES THAT A CHILD UNDER 100 LB. MUST BE IN A CHILD RESTRAINED SEAT BEHIND THE DRIVER OR PASSANGER SIDE.THIS CAN PROVE FATAL UPON REAR COLLISION.*AK