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Saturn

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Saturn • Aura • Vue --- • Engine problems • Transmission problems • Airbags • Ignition interlock • Oozing goo • Miscellaneous woes • The Shamrock Saturn --- Recalls/News • Penske Scraps Plan to Buy Saturn; Brand Likely to Die • Penske Hopes to Drive Saturn Off GM's Lot • Saturn Climbing the Roadway to Heaven • Saturn Aura Gets a 5,000-Mile Road Test • NHTSA Probes Timing Chain Again • NHTSA Recalls Saturn L Series • NHTSA Probes Saturn Timing Chain Failures • Saturn Astra Named Safest Car Under $25,000 • Saturn Outlook Gets Top Marks from Consumer Reports • Saturn Targets Toyota, Honda for Side-by-Side Tests • Saturn Sky Prices Go Sky High • Saturn VUE Recalled • L-Series Cars Recalled

Saturn is a popular car in a low-key sort of way and has a reputation for delivering fairly good value for the money. However, before you rush right out to buy one, be aware that it is also prone to some very expensive, annoying and even dangerous shortcomings, painfully enumerated by our long-suffering readers.

Bob of Lakeside, AZ July 3, 2006

Bob  of Lakeside AZ (07/03/06)
We took our new 2005 Saturn relay to the dealership for an oil change. We live 3 1/2 hours away in a small town in the mountains. On the way home it wouldn't drive any faster than 45 mph. We arrived home late that night. Next day when I backed out of the garage I saw oil on the garage floor. I called Saturn and they advised me to take it to a garage in our town. We did. It had 14 quarts of oil in it. It holds 5. They towed our van to their dealership and kept it a week and a half. When it was retuned we were handed a receipt for the work. One of the listed items was the engine being cleaned. I looked under the hood. It looked exactly as it did when they towed it away, like the seals and gaskets exploded - oil everywhere. I called them and asked if they really did anything. I'm getting nowhere. No-where.

Bryan of Arlington, MA June 5, 2006

Bryan of Arlington MA (06/05/06)
Two years ago we had 4 different incidences where we lost our brakes without any warning. It took 4 visits to the dealer before they fixed it. The cause was that the left rear caliper was sticking which in turn was causing friction and an extreme build up of heat, which caused the brake fluid to boil and the resulting brake failure.

Now jump to this week, 5/28/2006, we were driving up to Maine for the day and 45 minutes into the ride my wife went to slow the car down to exit the highway and she didn't have any brakes. Has anyone else had this problem, an obvious life safety issue?

John of Ellicott City, MD May 16, 2006

John of Ellicott City MD (05/16/06)
I have a 2000 L Series which shut down while I was driving home last Friday night (5/12/06) on a very busy Baltimore Beltway. It could have been a serious accident if I had not been able to coast to the shoulder.

The Dealership said that the timing skipped which caused the exhaust valves to be stuck open and bent. This will require a new timing chain, head cover, etc. All in all a 3,200 bill.

The car has only 94,000 miles and was just in the shop less than one month ago for routine maintenance to include a recall. I am both shocked and amazed that something like this could happen.

Should not timing be a regular diagnostic event and, if necessary a timing chain replaced at about 300 to prevent 3,200 in damage? I have seen other such timing issues with this vehicle and would be curious to know how often this occurs.

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