My daughter was traveling on I-95 near richmond, va 120 miles from home when she had a sudden loss of power in the saturn, the timing belt slipped and resulted in damage and her sitting on the interstate in the middle of the night.
2000 Saturn LS engine complaints
Page 5 of 6: complaints 101 to 130 of 150, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Timing chain on 2000ls saturn "broke" at 94,000 miles; regular maintenance maintained - synthetic oil used, original owner.
Dt*: the contact stated the engine made a ticking sound while running and hesitated to start on two occasions. On one occasion while the vehicle was being pulled from the garage at 3mph, the engine stalled, but restarted after a short period. The vehicle was taken to a service dealer who determined the timing chain needed to be replaced. There is currently an investigation #ea06009, concerning the engine which indicates that others are having similar problems.
The timing chain broke and ruined my engine while driving the car at only 60,000 miles. They are not due for a change before 100,000 miles. From doing a little research I found out that the problem is with the saturn ls series 4 cylinder engines due to a problem with engine design and an oilier problem. The problem is wide spread and a dangerous one.
I was driving home at approximately 9:30 pm on a busy highway (rte 695 - the baltimore beltway) and approaching the intersection of interstate 70 when my car engine cut out with no warning. I was almost rear ended by a semi and fortunate to coast to the shoulder without an accident. Fortunately a maryland state police vehicle came by to provide flares for more visibility while I awaited a tow to the saturn dealership. My complaint is similar to pending cases (pe06-006 and dp05-008) in that the source of the failure is attributed to a timing chain that skipped. The dealership refuses to recognize the wide spread problem as does saturn headquarters in tenn. They offer no mitigation to the $3,200 estimate for repair. If circumstances had been different, I.e., rain or snow, I am my family could have been seriously injured by an automobile with this known defect that died on the road with absolutely no warning. Does someone have to die in an accident before this known defect is corrected??
I own a 2000 saturn ls1 with a 4 cylinder engine. It would not start after turning the ignition key in the morning while the vehicle was parked. The problem was diagnosed as a timing chain failure. My vehicle has approximately 82,000 miles and has had the recommended maintenance performed during the life of the car. The estimate for repair is $3,000.
For the 2nd time in two years I have had to replace the engine in my 2002 l series saturn due to a timing chain failure. I understand that this is a common problem with this model. The car just stops running in the middle of the road without any warning and will not restart. The engine then needs to be replaced and is a major expense.($3000 to $5000) I researched this problem on carsurvey.com and found many other owners with the same problem thank you.
Dt*: the contact stated while backing out of the driveway, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle would not restart; it was towed to an independent repair shop. The timing chain was replaced. The manufacturer was altered.
Transmission slipping and occasional stalling of car, particularly when stopping. Car finally would not start again. Dealership did not find fault with car. Personal mechanic investigated and determined the crank sensor had gone bad, so the car could not monitor the MPH and find the gears appropriately.
Good afternoon! My 2000 saturn ls1 started sputtering and finally broke down. All of the signs lead to the fuel filter. We changed the fuel filter and the car still would not run. I towed the car to a local mechanic and he diagnosed the car to have a bad timing chain. The mechanic was confused as to why I would have a bad timing chain with only 68,000 miles on it. After looking on the internet, I noticed that many other people with a saturn are having this same problem. Please recall this vehicle. Timing chains are very expensive and I think the cost should be billed to saturn. Thank you!! Sincerely, nicole archer.
I have had ongoing problems with this vehicle since I purchased it in 2003. I purchase this car in august 2003. In october 2003, the car would not start. It was discovered that the wrong type bolt was in the battery causing the car not to start. I purchased the bolt at the dealership had it installed. In october 2004, the car started shifting hard. I took it to the dealership and was told that it needed some type of valve and that would solve the problem. Again, the dealership installed this valve and everything was fine. November 2005, the blower for the heating and defogger only works when the car has sat out in the sun for a while. It does not work in the morning when the car is initially started in the mornings. Three days before christmas 2005, with only approximately 68,000 miles on this car, the timing belt broke. It did not damage the motor and I had it repaired at a cost of around $900.00. This time I did not have the dealership do the repairs because it would have been very inconvenient and expensive for me to have the car towed the dealership from where it broke down. While looking through my owners manual, I noticed that it stated that my timing belt should last at least to 100,000 miles (my thirteen year old nissan's timing belt lasted until 120,000 miles). When I addressed this with your customer care line, I was told that the 100,000 miles was just a suggestion and that the belt could actually go at any time. I guess maybe the word suggestion/suggested should have been put in the owners manual because that is not how I understood it when I read it as printed. January 2006, the car starts hard shifting again and again I took it to the dealership and was told that this time the transmission can't seem to figure out the speed of the car and it would cost an additional $80.00 for them to track it down.
2000 saturn ls200 v6 engine, 28,500 approx. Mileage. I was coming off the freeway and the car died. No warning, no idiot lights, it just completely died. I had enough speed to get over to the side out of traffic, but it was incredibly hard to steer. It would not start. My husband came after about 20 min. It started. I thought it was bad gas, but it died again several times, no warning, just completely died. I took it to the dealer, they said it was the crankshaft sensor. $260 to fix. I went back and asked them why something like that would go out with so little mileage, they said because the car hadn't been driven very much. I contacted saturn corporate. No answers there either. However, the dealer thinks if anything else goes out, there will be some warning.
Timing chain failure at 33,000 miles.
Dt: the consumer stated that her vehicle experienced rough idle. The consumer then took the vehicle to a mechanic. The mechanic discovered a problem with timing chain. The timing chain was replaced by the mechanic. The consumer paid for the repair out of pocket. *nm (12/01/05)
Dt: there was a problem with fumes inside the contact's vehicle. She first noticed the problem in august 2005. The contact stated that the fumes caused lethargic behavior and fast heart beat. The vehicle has not been inspected yet. When the contact had been riding in a friend's vehicle she did not have these problems. But when she rode in her own vehicle they occurred.
2000 saturn lw-1 timing chain broke on the vehicle.***no answer required***. *mr when the timing chain broke, the valves and gaskets were damaged as well. The brake light was replaced on more than one occasion. The consumer was informed there was a recall regarding the brake lights.
I was driving on california highway 101 south when on an incline, my motor on my saturn 2000 l suddenly stopped working. I had it hauled to my saturn dealer, and was told several days later that the timing chain broke and the entire motor needed to be replaced.
I own a 2000saturn ls1 while driving on the highway my car just died. After my mechanic looked at it I was told one of the links in the timing chain cracked and broke the timing chain ,which wrapped around the valves and destroyed the engine. After looking on different web sites it seems to have happened to quite a few people who have said they reported it to you for investigation. My car was making no noises and gave no indication there was a problem. I contacted saturn and because I took the car to my own mechanic and don't have all my records they say they can't help me also now they say it is because I am not the original owner. My car has about 42,000 miles and was bought pre-owned from a dealership. Luckily there was no injury or damage.
I was driving to work at approx. 35 MPH. I own a saturn 2000 ls with a 3.0 v6 with 56,413 mi. My ses light & battery lght came on while I was driving - almost at the same time my car died.my car would not start.all my gages were normal prior to the car dying. I had to have the car towed.it was towed to pep boys they told me that the timing slipped and that the serpentine belt was melted. They told me take it to a saturn dealership in order to fix it.they also informed me that this was the 3rd saturn ls2 in the shop this week with the same problem.the car was towed to saturn of orchard park.saturn had the car from 06/28/05 until I picked it up on 7/06/05.the tech told me that he found that the water pump had leaked onto the timing belt - the timing belt slipped causing the car to jump timing - this caused the sepentine belt to snap and it melted into the pulleys. I told him that there was no indication to me that anything was wrong with the water pump. There was no leaking of fluid on the driveway of my home.the engine temp.gauge was normal.I just had the oil changed and the transmission checked. In the end the tech replaced the water pump (this is the second water pump for this vehicle - the first one was replaced when the car had 19,958 miles in 2001). All pulley grooves were ground out. The tensioner pulley and belts were replaced. Engine still would not start. All the intake and some exhaust valves were damaged. Both head cylinder banks were replaced the cam and timing were set. The car was road tested. $ 4,313.05 later - I have my car back. I could have been in a serious rear end collision. Saturn is well aware of the problems with this engine. There is no guarantee that the same thing will not happen again. I have contacted saturn customer service - they offer no assistance. I believe that there is a serious design flaw with this engine. I would like to see this investigated.
1. No warning of failure 2. Timing chain 3. Replace the chain
Was driving the car when the engine quit and all power was lost. Mechanic said the timing chain broke and the engine damaged and needs to be replaced.
Dt: vehicle blew up, there no lights prior to the failure. Dealership said that the tensioner stopped the serpentine belt. After the car stopped the battery light did came on. Dealership said that the engine light would not come on because that was a mechanical problem not electrical. Dalso, ealership said that the serpentine belt shredded. Vehicle was serviced about one month prior to this and everything was fine.
Dt: timing chain broke. Found information on service bulletin saying new oiling nozzle for the chain caused older nozzle does not apply oil properly on low rpms. Took vehicle to dealer, and dealer said time chaining broke. Further damage was done and the engine needed to be replaced.
While driving consumer heard a loud pop come from the engine. Took vehicle to dealer for service , and mechanic determined it was the timing chain.
On tuesday morning, I took my 2000 saturn lw2 to the dealership in conyers to have the oil changed. Left the dealership, went home, and that afternoon went to my cpa's office in roswell. On the way back home, noticed the "service" light flashing. Looked at other gauges to see what was wrong & watched my heat gauge go all the way over to the red, at which time both the low-coolant & "hot" lights came on. Managed to get the car to the side of a very busy interstate. Opened the hood & found what looked like sandy-colored mud all over the engine, especially on the driver's side. After sitting for two hours on the side of the road, finally got a tow truck to come bring the car home. Tow truck driver said the mud looked like a mixture of engine oil & coolant. Husband checked the oil level & discovered there was no oil in the engine. Car is now sitting in our driveway and we haven't decided what to do yet as it will probably cost as much to repair it as the car is worth. Have talked to service dept. At the dealership -- they won't send someone to look at the car ("it's too far") and we won't have it towed to them at our expense (and they won't pay to have it towed either).
Correction on the date of failure not jan of 03 but jan of 05 this year.
Timing chain went on my 2000 saturn ls just at five years with 53,700 miles saturn is trying to say its my fault from 11 months ago I did not have the oil flushed out. But in searching to see if I was the only one I'm not and there has been other problems that were covered on and off warranty. I have brought this to the attention of bbb and to my local dmv I hope that you can do some thing about this because were getting ripe off.
The vehicle would not start. The vehicle was towed. The dealership informed the consumer that the timing chain snapped. The problem was not resolved. Please provide more information.
While driving the vehicle lost power. This problem has continued to happen despite several attempts by the dealer to repair it. *nm *sc
I have been notified of a 2002 saturn l-series recall the federal safety agency campaign id number 03v231000. I have contacted the manufacturer and dealership numerous times regarding my electrical system; o2 oxygen sensor, etc. They have refused to even check my vehicle stating my VIN was not effected by this recall. I'm not sure how I can proceed with this as I have had numerous machanics inspect my vehicle, and all have concluded my VIN should have been included in the recall.
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