1996 Saturn Sl

I BOUGHT MY CAR IN 1996 BRAND NEW FROM STAMFORD SATURN CAR DEALER. DURING THE FIRST YEAR, I EXPERIENCED THAT MY CAR IS USING ONE QUART OF OIL PER MONTH. I REPORTED TO MY CAR DEALER THAT MY CAR IS USING 1 QUART OF OIL EVERY MONTH, THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I BRING THE CAR TO THEM FOR OIL CONSUMPTION STUDY FOR SIX MONTH. I DID NOT BRING MY CAR TO THE DEALER AT THAT TIME. AFTER SIX YEARS, MY CAR WAS USING 3 QUARTS OF OIL WITHIN TEN DAYS. I CALLED SATURN REPRESENTATIVE AND THE LOCAL SATURN CAR DEALER FOR HELP. THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I AUTHORIZE THE DEALER TO DO TEAR DOWN OF THE ENGINE. I AUTHORIZED THE DEALER TO THE TEAR DOWN OF THE ENGINE; AFTER THE TEAR DOWN DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT, I EITHER HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED FOR $3000.00 OR REPLACE THE ENGINE FOR $4300.00. I DECIDED TO HAVE THE ENGINE REPLACED WITH NEW ENGINE. THE SATURN REPRESENTATIVE WOULD NOT ADMIT THAT MY CAR HAS MANUFACTURER DEFECT, I EXPLAINED TO THEM THIS IS NOT NORMAL FOR A NEW CAR TO USE UP 3 QUARTS OF OIL IN TEN DAYS. IN THE BEGINNING, THE SATURN REPRESENTATIVE AGREED IF THE CAR HAD OIL CONSUMPTION OR MANUFACTURER DEFECT THEY WOULD HELP WITH THE REPAIR COST. HOWEVER, AFTER THE REPAIR THEY ARE NOT HELPING ME WITH THE REPAIR COST. PLEASE TRY TO UNDERSTAND I HAVE FAMILY WIFE AND TWO YEAR OLD SON, MY WIFE CANNOT WORK FULL TIME BECAUSE SHE HAS TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SON. TO PAY $4300.00 IS TOO MUCH FOR ME TO HANDLE, PLEASE HELP. I PAID THE DEALER WITH MY AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD.*AK

WHEN GOING FROM A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED TO A LOW RATE OF SPEED (65 MPH TO 25 MPH OR 40 MPH TO 15 MPH) THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES WHILE THE BRAKE IS DEPRESSED. ALSO, WHEN APPLYNG THE BRAKES, THE CAR DOES NOT ALWAYS STOP WITHIN THE NORMAL DISTANCE . WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH AND SLOWING TO A RATE OF ABOUT 15 MPH ENTERING A HIGHWAY RAMP, LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR ON THE WET ROADWAY WHCIH CAUSED ME TO SKID AND GO UP ONTO THE CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND HAD APPROX. $2500 WORTH OF DAMGE. LUCKILY, THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE 5 PEOPLE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT THIS WAS DUE TO ROADWAY CONDITIONS UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 20 MPH SLOWING FOR A STOP SIGN AHEAD. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THANKFULLY, THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT THIS TIME. AGAIN, IT WAS RAINING LIGHTLY. I HAVE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER.*AK

IN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT CAR--FORTUNATELY WHILE PARKED--THE GEAR SHIFT SUDDENLY WENT LOOSE IN MY HAND. DISASSEMBLY REVEALS THAT THE COUPLING AT THE BASE OF THE GEAR STICK HAS A PLASTIC CLIP WHICH HAS BROKEN. A CALL TO SATURN OF HONOLULU PRODUCED THE RESPONSE THAT THEY WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM AS THEY HAVE BEEN "GETTING QUITE A FEW OF THOSE LATELY". THE FIX REQUIRES NEW "CABLES" AS THE PLASTIC CLIP WHICH BROKE IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE "CABLE"--WHICH LOOKS MORE LIKE A BAR TRANSLATING THE FORCE OF GEAR STICK FORWARD TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY VEHICLES AS HE STATED IT COULD REPEAT EVEN AFTER THE CABLES ARE REPLACED. IF THIS FAILURE WERE TO OCCUR IN TRAFFIC OR ON A HILL IT COULD LEAVE THE DRIVER IN THE WRONG GEAR OR WORSE NOT IN ANY GEAR AND PRESENT A SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE DIGITAL PICTURES OF THE BROKEN PIECE WHICH I WILL BE HAPPY TO E-MAIL.*AK

ON 7/20/00, 9/21/00, 8/14/01, AND 7/26/02, THE DOORS ON THIS VEHICLE DID NOT CLOSE AND SECURE. WHILE DRIVING, THE DOORS MUST BE TIED SHUT WITH ROPE TO SECURE THEM. VERY DANGEROUS AS ONE INCIDENT, THE LEFT REAR DOOR OPENED WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. PASSENGERS COULD FALL OUT OF THE VEHICLE CAUSING DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY!! SATURN STATES THEY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM. CURRENT INCIDENT OF 7/26/02 WILL BE BROUGHT TO DEALER'S ATTENTION. SATURN OF DANBURY, CT ALSO PERFORMED WORK ON VEHICLE FOR SAME PROBLEM ( 8/14/2001). AT THIS TIME, BOTH REAR DOORS HAD ASSEMBLY AND DOOR HANDLES REPLACED. THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT ON 7/26/2002, THE PASSENGER RIGHT-FRONT DOOR WOULD NOT SECURE. PASSENGER MUST RIDE IN REAR SEAT. VEHICLE IS GARAGED YEAR ROUND AND MAINTAINED BY SATURN DEALERSHIPS IN STAMFORD AND DANBURY, CT. *AK

WHILE PULLING INTO A GAS STATION THE LEFT FRONT TIRE STRUCK THE CURB AND THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED BUT THE PASSENGER SIDE DID NOT. THE MECHANIC CUT THE AIR BAG OUT OF STEERING WHEEL AND SHOWED CONSUMER THAT THE AIR BAG HAD OBVIOUSLY NOT DEPLOYED CORRECTLY, HALF OF THE AIR BAG HAD STAYED INSIDE THE STEERING WHEEL. THE HALF THAT WAS STUCK IN THE STEERING WHEEL LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN BURNED AND MELTED TOGETHER. CONSUMER FEELS THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE AIR BAG OR ITS DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM WAS FAULTY, AND SHE THINKS IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF SATURN TO REPLACE IT AT NO COST. *YD