Saturn L200 headlights problems

Filed Oct 22, 2014 · Electrical, Lights · SC

I purchased a 2003 saturn l200 in january 2014. About 4 months later I noticed that the lights were flashing on and off in the car. The lights would dim and come back on. The wipers would stop working or sometimes they would just slow down. One evening I went to the store and when I returned to the car the headlights were still on I continued on home and as I started the vehicle the steering column started smoking. When I arrived back into the parking lot the headlights would not go off. I called the saturn dealership and also the saturn headquarters who both stated there are no opened recalls on the car. So I asked them if I could get a copy of the service repairs for the recalls done on the car. They said there are no such records but I have a printout of recalls for the vehicle. The federal safety agency reference #05v245000 for the break lights #03v231000 for the ignition module and #02v283000 for the windshield wipers. The problems I have experienced are the same problems as the recalls. They informed me that I should file a complaint with your organization and maybe you would initiate a recall on the vehicle. The lady at the dealership wanted me to bring it to her so they could take a look at it. But according to the articles I read on the ignition module if you continue to drive it in that condition it may cause a fire, so I did not want to do that.

Filed Apr 25, 2010 · Electrical · 150,000 miles · NJ

When driving the headlights and all gauges turn off and come back on but now the gauges don't work the head lights stay on when the car is turned off and go out while driving the doors will not unlock the security light comes on and resets the mileage everytime the lights turn off, and all power turns off. The alternator was tested and the battery was replaced as well as the electrical portion of the ignition switch.

Filed Jan 23, 2009 · Electrical, Lights · 105,000 miles · OK · fire

Tl*the contact owns a 2003 saturn l200. While driving at any speed or even while the vehicle is in park, the headlights turn on and off, the gauges constantly flash on the instrument panel, the door locks will lock and unlock themselves, and the windows will roll down and back up automatically. The windows are currently inoperative due to this failure. Whenever the contact drives the vehicle, he smells burning wires, but there is no smoke. He feels that the vehicle is extremely dangerous to drive. He took the vehicle to the dealer for inspection and they stated that the body control module was the cause of the failure. The contact did not get the vehicle repaired because he believes it should be covered under a recall due to the safety risk involved. The manufacturer stated that the owner was responsible for the repairs. The failure mileage was 105,000 and current mileage was 115,000.

Filed Oct 22, 2008 · Electrical · 82,000 miles · MI

Odo ~82000. I was driving north on m-39 when I noticed several dash lights illuminate: ABS, tc and theft (there may have been more, but I am certain that it was not all of the dash indicators). The vehicle was still running at this point. Momentarily, though, the vehicle lost all power (not like a stall, but just like it went dead since all dash lights had gone out). It was extremely difficult for me to navigate the vehicle safely to the side of the road in rush hour traffic without the assistance of power brakes or power steering. After stopping the vehicle, I recycled the ignition and the vehicle operated normally the rest of the way home (~20 miles) and to work the next morning. Earlier that morning while stopped at an intersection light, the ABS, tc and theft light also activated, though the vehicle did not experience a shut down/power down, or even a stall. I contacted saturn of plymouth and the service department agreed to research the issue and contact me back to set up an appointment to bring the car in. Prior vehicle history which may or may not be relevant to this issue: 1) ign module replaced under recall, 2) headlamps flicker occasionally and intermittently under changes in vehicle electrical load ' this has occurred ever since I bought the vehicle new, but gm says this is "normal operation", 3) battery & starter replaced fall 2007. Thank you in advance for helping to address this issue. It is a very scary feeling to experience sudden vehicle shutdown and drastic change in steering and brake performance.

Filed Oct 7, 2007 · Electrical · 62,000 miles · AL

Driving freeway speed. Headlights went out, overhead interior light came on. Finally got car pulled over, no dashlights. Car quit. Refused to restart. Car did not want to come out of drive. Key got stuck in ignition. Finally got it in park and key out. This was at midnight on interstate. Had to get family member to come get me. Returned later to find car had been stolen. I have no way to know if the alarm had actually set or not.

Filed Jul 26, 2007 · Electrical · 60,000 miles · KS

Headlamp/turn-signal stalk on steering column overheated and started smoking. Stopped car and turned off power ... Possibly avoiding a fire. Replaced part. Did not keep old part (left it at the dealer in olathe, ks, this morning). With new part there is no more smoke.

Filed Mar 15, 2004 · Lights · 75 miles · CA

2003 l-200 purchased feb 03. Soon found numerous issues with car, to this day have not been fixed. Tried saturn 800 # to no avail. Rep was rude. Flat out told me nothing to be done by saturn if local dealer can't fix. Told by local svc mgr supv I was making probs up & no one else had these problems. He told svc reps halt correcting or reviewing warranty work on our car. Escalated & wrkd w/ dir of oprtns. He wasn't able to fix probs due to resistance frm saturn. Was told no more work on probs becz saturn intervened in doing more warranty work. In "all" instances were given final resolution per saturn all problems are "working as designed", have no intention to fix them. Said not going to invest money to fix in '03 but use complaints look at possible changes future cars. We have had and continue to have problems with 1) "safety issue": exterior lights flashing on/off 2) "safety issue": exterior auto on/off for day running and headlights doesn't register properly which one to use & when 3) interior lights dim higher & lower intermittently 4) automatic climate control does not work properly. Does not properly regulate the heat & A/C. Temp must be set a min. 84 degrees for heat then will only stay for awhile when suddenly it goes away &the A/C comes on. Only 1/2 way fix for issue is to use this unit in a manual mode set to a min. 84 degrees & burn up the inside then turn off, turn back on to warm, keep repeating. In manual mode you also experience cold air when it runs out of hot air. 5) six disc cd/cassette philips system: volume goes from very soft to very loud in 1 click with no inbetween. The dealership replaced system with like one to find it does same thing. Told an outside vendor piece of equipment & can't do anything about it. Figure out way to balance it, push all sound to back of car, listen to it low or not at all. As you might well imagine I would "not" recommend to anyone to purchase a saturn vehicle.

Filed Oct 16, 2003 · Lights · 500 miles · OH

Headlights flash on and off repeatedly. A faint clicking sound was heard from under the das,h and the headlights momentarily flashed off. Happened about once a week. When it occurred, lights would flicker for a second or two about once a minute as many as a dozen to 20 times after starting the car from a cold start. Dealer denied ther was any problem, and knew of no solution.

Filed Oct 8, 2003 · Electrical · 70 miles · NC · 1 injury

A tractor trailer was passing me on the interstate. Just as his trailer was approximately 2/3 past me, my lights dimmed out on my car by themselves. The driver of the tractor trailer thought I had flashed my headlights at him, to let him know he had cleared my car and was safe to come into my lane, which was not the case. This made the drivers behind me and the tractor trailer in all 3 lanes, to slam on their brakes. The truck driver almost lost control of his rig trying to keep from hitting me when he realized that he did not have clearance as my lights "suggested" to him that he had. All of us were fortunate at this time not to have wrecked. (yet I received a lot of jerking of my neck and head when braking and steering to get out of the way). Next time my lights do this it could make another trucker or person pulling an rv or a school bus full of kids or tour bus full of tourists think I have given the "clearance" to move into my lane; when I have not. Someone is going to get killed if this issue won?t force to be repaired by gm/saturn. I reported to saturn, what caused this severe power drain on my car. When the auxiliary cooling fan near the compressor kicks in, it puts a severe power drain on the cars lights, which was using the heat or A/C that could be dozens of times in a matter of minutes if it appears that I am flashing my headlights to those in front of me and tapping my brakes to those behind me. Last week, my local dealership was trying to fix my car. On the 2nd day of working on my car the service dept. Called saturn inc for help. My dealership was forced by saturn corporation to stop working on my car. They were told not to fix my car claiming all saturns are designed this way. They said it is not a safety or warranty issue because my lights don't go all the way off. My lights might not go all the way out but they go out too much to be considered safe. Note:(the 2004 l-300 loaner they had supplied me does it too)

Filed Oct 8, 2003 · Electrical, Lights · 70 miles · NC · 1 injury

A tractor trailer was passing me on the interstate. Just as his trailer was approximately 2/3 past me, my lights dimmed out on my car by themselves. The driver of the tractor trailer thought I had flashed my headlights at him, to let him know he had cleared my car and was safe to come into my lane, which was not the case. This made the drivers behind me and the tractor trailer in all 3 lanes, to slam on their brakes. The truck driver almost lost control of his rig trying to keep from hitting me when he realized that he did not have clearance as my lights "suggested" to him that he had. All of us were fortunate at this time not to have wrecked. (yet I received a lot of jerking of my neck and head when braking and steering to get out of the way). Next time my lights do this it could make another trucker or person pulling an rv or a school bus full of kids or tour bus full of tourists think I have given the "clearance" to move into my lane; when I have not. Someone is going to get killed if this issue won?t force to be repaired by gm/saturn. I reported to saturn, what caused this severe power drain on my car. When the auxiliary cooling fan near the compressor kicks in, it puts a severe power drain on the cars lights, which was using the heat or A/C that could be dozens of times in a matter of minutes if it appears that I am flashing my headlights to those in front of me and tapping my brakes to those behind me. Last week, my local dealership was trying to fix my car. On the 2nd day of working on my car the service dept. Called saturn incorporated for help. My dealership was forced by saturn corporation to stop working on my car. They were told not to fix my car claiming all saturns are designed this way. They said it is not a safety or warranty issue because my lights don't go all the way off. My lights might not go all the way out but they go out too much to be considered safe. Note:(the 2004 l-300 loaner they had supplied me does it too)