Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - ANTILOCK | |||
| 06/07/1997 | 10 | 3 | 03/07/1997 |
| I bought a new 1997 saturn , paid cash and 2 months after purchase, i had brake problems. put brakes on, could not stop the car (6/7/97). saturn did nothing regarding this. they said i was not use to the brakes. tapped the back of a van. 2.) had grand child in car, backing into garage brakes did not hold again. hit sand bags husband had in garage that stopped car. some nut came from another state, sisn't drive even 2 miles and saidm there was nothing wrong with the brakes!!!!! i worked in a vocational high school (c.v.s.) in chicago, il, they told me that the inspection was not right. wrote to everbody, not help from nobody!!!!! i would never recommend a saturn to anyone!!!they are lemons!!!i put a sign in my car saying don't buy a saturn, you'll get a lemon like mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | |||
| 10/15/1997 | |||
| Ongoing probem with transmission not changing gears properly on any speed, and slow responding from a stop position/take off, hesitation. also, brake pedal would intermittently go to the floor before vehicle stopped. dealer notified on three occasions, and was informed that nothing could be found consumer is concerned that this vehicle is unsafe to operate, and will be trading it in within a few mont asking nhtsa to look into this matter before passing it on . *ak | |||
| 07/21/1999 | |||
| While driving vehicle w/emergency brakes on of had no knowledge. was coming off freeway & was applying brakes, vehicle failed to slow down or stop. started to suddenly accelerate. turned vehicle off. had it towed to dealer & found back brakes burnt out. orginial brakes checked & was not burnt out. owner has brake parts. *ak | |||
| Defective fan belt tensioner assembly failed, causing a loss of power steering and abs while making u-turn. *ak | |||
| 02/19/1998 | 5 | 04/01/1997 | |
| Complete braking system failure, creating unstable control of vehicle due to radical vibrations through steering system. dealer solution and manufacturer's band-aid solution - changing rotors and brake pads with inferior parts that continue to fail (4 times front, 2 times rear; most recent - front rotors cut). manufacturer's explanation of failure on 2 occasions: car is not suitable for northeast, car is used for long trips too often (84 mile round-trip commute), and driver using brakes too much, causing the failure in manufacturer's equipment. summary: fear of losing control of vehicle due to soft braking system/no brakes, inability to maintain control of vehicle due to radical pulsation in steering system while trying to brake, & financial burden once brakes are out of warranty. *ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | |||
| 10/20/2001 | 1 | 08/01/1997 | |
| Was driving approximately 50mph and was merging into traffic when transmission locked in gear and failed to change.*ak consumer stated prior to purchasing vehicle she complained of a clunk noise when changed gears into reverse, also the driver side brake light is inoperable, also the right side mirror needed to be replaced, engine mounts were replaced,brakes were replaced, serpentine belt was cracked, engine overheats.*slc | |||
| 10 | 10/01/1996 | ||
| I purchased my car brand new in 1996. since then, it has had numerous electrical problems all of which i am told if they can't find it they can't fix it. i stopped taking my car to them becasue that was what they told me - i have logged complaints to the saturn customer service center online and they told me i can not have copies of those records - recently, i was left stranded again and when i took my car to the shop they told me i needed a new $3800.00 engine, my husband went and got the car - it works fine!!!!!!!!! no new engine needed. when i sopke to the service manger and owner they said oops bda diagnosis - what id i had paid that money to have my engine repaired? they still say there isn't an electrical short in my car and if i want i can bring it up whenever the electrical guy is there next. i know several other people who have electrical problems with their saturns and they have been told the same thing. i beleive they are hiding the fact that there is a defect in this car and by not finding it they don't have to fix it. this is a hazardous situation when your car dies for no reason while you are driving down the frreeway - or your brakes come on for no reason while you are moving, windshield wipers work when they want....... - i am scared to drive my car. *ak | |||
| 09/15/1999 | 3 | ||
| Erratic problem with brake grinding / squeaking when brakes are applied. vehicle taken to dealer shop three times, and informed consumer that nothing was wrong, and that was normal. consumer knew this was not normal. asking nhtsa to lookinto this matter and provide additional information. *ak | |||
| 1 | 07/01/1997 | ||
| Brakes continually experience noise and require excessive force to engage. | |||
| 08/29/1997 | 1 | ||
| Brakes continually make noise. | |||
| 06/01/1997 | 2 | 03/01/1997 | |
| Brakes failed several times resulting in damages to vehicle. | |||
| 12/22/1997 | 1 | 09/01/1996 | |
| Brake failure, causing accident. | |||
| 06/15/1997 | |||
| Exiting street from dead end where consumer lived 11 years, attempted to slowly stop, brakes rejected, then slammed on brake pedal vehicle did not respond. made a sharp right turn, a car crashed into her vehicle, continued to move then suddenly the brakes grabbed. *ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - DISC | |||
| 10/01/1998 | 1 | ||
| Due to design rear disc brakes malfunctioned, causing corrosion. this, in return, resulted in extended stopping distance which could cause a crash. *ak the calipers on the rear disc brakes corrode reducing the effectiveness of the rear brakes. *yh | |||
| 02/19/1998 | 5 | 04/01/1997 | |
| Complete braking system failure, creating unstable control of vehicle due to radical vibrations through steering system. dealer solution and manufacturer's band-aid solution - changing rotors and brake pads with inferior parts that continue to fail (4 times front, 2 times rear; most recent - front rotors cut). manufacturer's explanation of failure on 2 occasions: car is not suitable for northeast, car is used for long trips too often (84 mile round-trip commute), and driver using brakes too much, causing the failure in manufacturer's equipment. summary: fear of losing control of vehicle due to soft braking system/no brakes, inability to maintain control of vehicle due to radical pulsation in steering system while trying to brake, & financial burden once brakes are out of warranty. *ak | |||
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC - FOUNDATION COMPONENTS - MASTER CYLINDER | |||
| 06/29/2000 | 0 | ||
| All hydraulic pressure disappeared because of failure of master cylinder.*ak | |||
| 06/25/1997 | |||
| Brakes,master cylinder; driving approximately 73mph with cruise control set, car crossed interstate going slowely, tapped brakes and nothing happened. the cruise control did not disengage, pumped brakes several times and nothing happened. by this time vehicle was going in and out of traffic because c ouldn't get vehicle to stop. trying to gear car down to reduce the speed, got over on right hand shoulder of road and brakes caught. *ak | |||