Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 3135 | 01/01/2004 | 10010045 | Pop noise from engine area during heavy throttle input. *tc | 11/03/2004 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | ||||||
| DP08002 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 06/18/2008 | 10/16/2008 | TIMING CHAIN FAILURE-STALL | ||
| On june 6, 2006, odi opened an investigation of timing chain failure resulting in engine stall while driving with no restart in approximately 20,514 model year (my) 2001 saturn l-series vehicles equipped with 2.2l engines (l61) built from november 2000 through february 2001 (ea06-009).the vehicles built during those months exhibited higher failure rates than similarly equipped vehicles built before and after.gm introduced a new timing chain design in production in may 2002.odi closed its investigation after gm initiated a safety recall on november 7, 2007 (recall 07v-519). on may 22, 2008, the north carolina consumers council (nccc) submitted a defect petition to odi requesting the expansion of recall 07v-519 to include all my 1999 through 2003 saturn l-series vehicles with 2.2l engines using the same timing chain design as the recalled population.the petition states that the nccc continues to receive complaints from consumers that have had a timing chain fail in vehicles built outside the production range covered by the recall.the petition also notes that odi has continued to receive complaints.since the closing of ea06-009 odi has received 80 new complaints from consumers who had a timing chain fail in a my 2000 through 2002 saturn l-series with the 2.2l engine that were not covered by recall 07v-519 and were built prior to the timing belt change in may 2002.the complaints describe the same failure mode as the recalled population where the timing chain can break suddenly and without warning, resulting in engine damage and loss of motive power.the defect petition has been granted. a preliminary evaluation (pe08-061) has been opened. | ||||||
| PE06006 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 01/24/2006 | 06/06/2006 | TIMING CHAIN FAILURE | ||
| On december 12, 2005, odi received a defect petition (dp05-008) requesting the investigation of timing chain failures that could cause stalling in saturn vehicles equipped with the 2.2l (l61) engine. odi opened pe06-006 on january 24, 2006, with 24 vehicle owner complaints that alleged a broken timing chain caused the vehicle to stop operating.on april 12, 2006, odi received information from general motors (gm) concerning timing chain failures in approximately 412,000 model year (my) 2000 through 2003 saturn l-series and ion vehicles with 2.2l engines. gm's response included 1,020 owner complaints and field reports concerning timing chain failure, including 228 that alleged the failure caused the vehicle to stall while driving.gm also provided warranty claim data that showed 1,902 subject vehicles receiving timing chain repairs, including 261 which indicated that a stall while driving resulted from the failure.the gm complaints, field reports and warranty claims that did not contain sufficient information to determine that a stall while driving occurred were provided in the category other.gm stated that the majority of these incidents probably occurred while the vehicles were parked since the timing chain is more likely to break during high chain load situations, such as engine startup.gm's data showed elevated failure rates in approximately 20,500 my 2001 l-series vehicles produced during a four month period from november 2000 through february 2001.over one-third of gm's total complaints and field reports (34.3%) and warranty claims (38.2%) involved l-series vehicles built during the 4-month period, which are only about 5% of subject vehicle production.the timing chain failure rate in the vehicles built during this range is over 10 times greater than the remaining subject vehicle population. for the my 2001 l-series vehicles built during the 4-month period, the 36-month failure rate for repairs involving stall while driving is slightly under one percent.however, if the incidents coded as other are added, the 36-month failure rate rises to nearly five percent for those vehicles.odi and gm are continuing to assess the number of complaints and warranty claims coded by gm as other that involve incidents of stall while driving.gm's statistical modeling of the failure data initially concluded that the failure rates were declining with age and mileage for any set of warranty data analyzed (e.g., stall while driving, other or combined).however, subsequent analysis showed that the failure rates are increasing. based on the high complaint and warranty rates for timing chain failure in the 4-month production period for the my 2001 l-series vehicles, this investigation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis to further assess the frequency of stall incidents due to timing chain failures in those vehicles (ea06-009). | ||||||
| PE08061 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 10/16/2008 | 04/08/2009 | TIMING CHAIN BREAKS, ENGINE STALL | ||
| On may 22, 2008, theoffice of defects investigation (odi) was petitioned by the north carolina consumers council (nccc) to broaden the scope of safety recall 07v-519, which was conducted by general motors corporation (gm) for model year (my) 2001 saturn l-series vehicles equipped with the l61 2.2l engine and built during a 4-month period from november 2000 through february 2001 (dp08-002). on october 16, 2008, odi granted dp08-002 and opened pe08-061 to investigate timing chain failures resulting in engine stall while driving (swd) in the saturn l-series vehicles equipped with l61 engines and that used the same design timing chain and timing chain lubrication system as the recalled vehicles.a redesigned timing chain and lubrication system were implemented late in my 2002 production (may 1, 2002).hence, the subject vehicles for this investigation are all my 2000 through 2002 saturn l-series vehicles equipped with 2.2l l61 engines and built prior to may 2002 that were not included in recall 07v-519. in this investigation, odi analyzed updated complaint and warranty claims data for timing chain failures resulting in incidents of engine stall while driving, which comprise slightly over half of all timing chain failures occurring in the subject vehicle population.odi's analysis of complaint and warranty data shows that vehicles produced with the subject timing chain and lubrication system experienced elevated failure rates when compared with the my 2002 through 2003 vehicles using the revised components.however, the analysis also showed that the my 2001 saturn l-series vehicles recalled in 07v-518 experienced a significantly higher rate of timing chain failures than the subject vehicles.the complaint rate for timing chain failures resulting in swd was approximately 5 times higher for the recalled vehicles,19.2 incidents per thousand vehicles (iptv), than for the subject vehicles, 3.7 iptv.the warranty claims rate for chain failures resulting in swd was over 3 times higher for the recalled vehicles, 2.4 percent, than for the subject vehicles, 0.7 percent.the complaint and warranty rates for the subject vehicles were similar to rates recorded in other recently closed investigations for conditions that could result in swd with no engine re-start, ea07-015 and ea07-018.analysis of all complaints, field reports and warranty claims found no allegations of crashes or injuries associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicles after approximately 7 to 9 years in service. odi's analysis of the stalling incidents that have resulted from timing chain failures in the subject vehicles found that they can occur at any speed and almost always result in a no restart condition.these are generally considered to be factors that increase the severity of stalling incidents.however, analysis of swd failure rates in the subject vehicles show that they have occurred at much lower rates than were observed in the recalled population.in addition, the swd complaint and warranty rates for the subject vehicles are similar to rates observed in prior investigations involving similar categories of engine stall consequences that were closed with no action.further investigation of this matter would not be an efficient allocation of agency resources.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action if warranted. | ||||||
| DP05008 | GENERAL MOTORS CORP. | 12/20/2005 | 02/06/2006 | TIMING CHAIN FAILURE | ||
| Analysis undertaken in response to the petition identified 26 complaints alleging timing chain failures in my 2000-2003 saturn l-series vehicle equipped with the 2.2l l4 engine.most complaints of timing chain failure reportedly resulted in a sudden loss of engine power and stalling.odi also noted that certain my 2002-2003 saturn vue and my 2003 saturn ion model vehicles with the 2.2l engine vehiclescovered by a technical service bulletin (03-06-01-017) that addressed timing chain design and service procedure changes, exhibited no complaints of timing chain failure.odi will grant the petition and open a preliminary evaluation to assess the frequency, trend, scope and safety consequences associated with the alleged defect in the subject vehicles.refer to pe06-006. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 09/20/2008 | 95303 | 1 | |
| Saturn wagon lw200 had a catastrophic failure, i.e., its timing chain failed while being driven on 9/20/08 which destroyed the engine and put my spouse at risk of harm as the vehicle was no longer drivable. the vehicle had been fully inspected and serviced on 9/13/08 at a local saturn dealership where it had been faithfully serviced since its purchase. the timing chains on this model of vehicle were recalled for model years 2000 and 2001 and the mechanic at haslett marathon where it was towed for inspection reported this was the same part. the vehicle was not salvageable. *tr | |||
| 06/21/2008 | 88000 | 1 | |
| My 2002 saturn l series car had the exact same thing happen to it as your #07v519000. the timing chain broke while i was driving and engine stalled and it would not restart. luckily there was no crash. *tr | |||
| 12/07/2007 | 54000 | 1 | 12/08/2001 |
| 2002 l series saturn timing chain broke while wife was driving on highway & she was stranded in traffic. (warranty ended july -2007 & engine damage is in excess of $2500.) *tr | |||
| 12/09/2006 | 50000 | 1 | 08/21/2002 |
| This is related to ea06009 on saturday, december 9, while driving on a 50 mph highway we lost power to our saturn lw200 2002 wagon. while we were able to pull the car over to the shoulder, we came within seconds of being hit by another car. the cause of the power loss was a broken timing chain. we have about 50,000 miles on the car, and have changed oil every 3-4000 miles. saturn does not acknowledge that there is a defect. as a result, we have to pay the full cost (>$2000) to get the engine fixed. please note, the chain broke on the highway, and not at start-up as gm stated in a letter to you on this matter. my wife and i came close to dying. an engine that has a timing chain that beaks on a highway with just 50,000 miles on the engine is a safety issue. please act before someone dies due to this defect. *nm | |||
| 05/26/2006 | 112800 | 1 | 03/01/2002 |
| The timing chain on my car broke, resulting in engine damage which -- the dealer tells me -- will require a total engine replacement. i was driving at approximately 40 mph on the highway, going through construction. suddenly, there was no power and the car slowed down. i could not get power, so i had to pull off the road and get the car towed. *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 05/13/2010 | 45000 | ||
| 2002 saturn lw200 2.2l engine. i was pulling out of a parking lot when the engine stopped and would not restart. had the vehicle towed to my mechanic who informed me that the timing chain had broken and ruined the engine. i have read that the 2001 modelhas a recall for the exact same problem. | |||
| 11/01/2006 | 55000 | 1 | |
| 11-2006 failure #1 normal driving. car slowed and became undrivable as if out-of-gas. would not re-start. towed back to dealer. remedy replace timing chain. no old part. 11-29-2008 failure #2 engine oil warning light and bell on temporarily (meaning no serious event, according to saturn vehicle manual) after 20-30 minutes of operation before parking car. this happened three times over two days. on final third day after 15 minutes of operation grinding rumble became increasingly louder. at traffic light engine stall. car restarted. kept rpms above stall threshold. for five more minutes before parking. engine crankcase void of oil. added two quarts. upon starting engine. fresh oil was seen exiting upper rear of engine. drove to dealer. tear down halted when metal shavings were found in oil pan. car currently parked at dealer. recommendation full engine replacement. *tr | |||
| 03/08/2006 | 103000 | 1 | 09/29/2001 |
| While traveling at a steady speed of 65 mph on the interstate highway at night, my 2002 saturn lw200 station wagon suddenly lost power and coasted to a stop on the highway. the engine could not be restarted. i was stranded on the shoulder until i was towed to a garage. the failure was diagnosed by the garage and by a saturn dealer as a broken timing chain resulting in loss of compression due to bent or broken valves. the car is not drivable and apparently requires an new engine or overhaul. to date, the failure has not been corrected. the saturn customer assistance center stated that saturn is under no obligation to correct the damage resulting from the failed timing chain. saturn also claimed that my vehicle did not fall into the vin range associated with the timing chain failures addressed in their redesign of the timing chain. currently, the engine has not been repaired and is available for examination. *nm | |||
| 01/12/2006 | 61000 | 1 | 08/30/2005 |
| Dt: the contact stated when stopping at a red light, the vehicle e died. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop. the repair shop indicated the timing chain broke and damaged the pistons and valves on the engine. the repair shop recommended replacing the timing chain and the engine. *ak | |||
| 09/02/2003 | 6068 | 7 | 12/07/2001 |
| The headlights and dashboard lights flickered intermittently while driving at night. dealer kept the vehicle for two weeks, however the problem continued. *ak there was a squeaking noise only when the steering wheel was turned to the left. the suspension link was replaced. the service engine soon light illuminated on the vehicle and the ignition control module was replaced. the driver side window skipped when being rolled down. the right rear brake light bulb had burned out, the windshield wipers went across the window half way before it squirted any spray and then scratched the windshield. *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 07/27/2009 | 84000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2002 saturn l2 wagon. the contact stated that the timing chain failed inside the motor. as a result, the vehicle stalled and was towed to a repair shop. there were no warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. the dealer stated that they would not assist. the failure mileage was 84,000. | |||
| 08/12/2007 | 126000 | 1 | 12/21/2001 |
| On sunday, august 12 as i was driving on a highway in upstate ny, my 2002 saturn l200 suddenly began decelerating and as much as i pushed on the accelerator, the car continued to stop. i managed to pull over to the shoulder, which was very scary because the traffic was heavy and most cars were speeding around me. the car died and would not restart. the car was towed to a saturn dealer who, without even examining the car said it sounded like the timing chain had broken. this diagnosis proved to be true and i was told that i needed a new engine. after doing some research i learned that this is a common problem of the l200 series. i also became angered because i had brought my car to saturn at least three times complaining of the warning signs--the car had done this same thing several times before, but always restarted after a wait of any where from one minute to three hours. each time i brought it to saturn they acted like they never heard of the problem before, and told me they could find nothing wrong with the car. they should have known about this problem because a tsb had been issued about it and all saturn mechanics should have been taught about this problem. i paid $21,000 for this car, with the intention that it would last at least 10 years. i just finished paying for it a few months ago. i believe saturn should pay to fix this. the timing chains should have been recalled. i would like to file a class action suit against saturn. *tr | |||
| 07/16/2007 | 96451 | 1 | |
| While driving on the highway the engine quit. i was able to coast to a safe location and the car was towed to a local repair shop. they stated the timing chain broke. the total cost of the repair would be $2156. saturn told me there was no recalls and the repair would cost up to $7500. *ak | |||
| 10/29/2006 | 53876 | 1 | 01/31/2002 |
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving 75 mph on the highway, the vehicle stalled without warning. it was maneuvered off the road and towed to the dealer who determined the timing chain fractured causing damage to the engine, and requiring replacement. updated 2/9/2007 - the consumer contacted the manufacturer and was informed that the engine was defective. the manufacturer offer to replace the engine but the consumer had to pay the labor to have it installed. *nm | |||
| 01/12/2006 | 61000 | 1 | 08/30/2005 |
| Dt: the contact stated when stopping at a red light, the vehicle e died. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop. the repair shop indicated the timing chain broke and damaged the pistons and valves on the engine. the repair shop recommended replacing the timing chain and the engine. *ak | |||