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Saturn Aura Electrical / Computer Problems?

24

Comments

  • tasteagtasteag Member Posts: 4
    Please visit the following government website to lodge your complaints if you are having loss of power issues.

    http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Owners
  • cc12180cc12180 Member Posts: 1
    1st Incident (2/4)- Vehicle was placed in park. Driver's side door would not open. Door unlocked as it should but door remained shut. Had to exit vehicle out of passenger door. Tried opening door from outside, remained shut. Left vehicle for 20 minutes, returned and tried opening again would not open with remote. A few hours later, door opened like nothing happened.
    2nd Incident (2/17)- Same as before. Turned on and off car again still could not open door. Exited out of passenger door. Came back to car after 2 hours and door would not open. Arrived home 20 mins later, it opened. Tried closing door and it would not close. After 4 tries, it finally shut and was able to lock car. Since then I hear air coming in the car while driving but have checked the windows and they were all up. Also noticed static in radio while driving. It would stop and start again really quickly. A lot of static when playing mp3.
    3rd Incident (2/19)- Same occurance as before. Driver side door would not open; started working again after a few hours. Door would not lock until after a few tries. Continued static in radio even after door issue.
    4th & 5th Incident (3/4 & 3/5) - Same occurance. Driver side door would not work all day.
    6th Incident (3/5) - Door would not open this morning. 30 mins later it opened. 5 hours later after taking it to Firestone to check out problem, door would not open. (locked technician inside the car). Technician referred me to GM dealership for further diagnostics. He suggested it might be an electrical issue. This is really frustrating. Dropping vehicle off tonight to be seen on 3/6.

    Has anyone else been having these type of problems and how was it solved? My mileage is just over 51K (vin# 8F131470).

    Thanks,
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning Troy,

    I'm glad that you are safe after the situation you described in your post. If you were planning on having this looked into at one of our dealerships, or wanted to document your concerns, please let us know as we would like to be available to assist in whatever way we can.

    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning,

    I checked your VIN and did not see any open recalls for your vehicle. I hope that the dealership visit goes well and am looking forward to hearing more! If you would like assistance in the meantime, please contact us via email at the address in my profile.
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • bunt3bunt3 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2009 Saturn Aura with the same problem. I almost had a wreck turning on a busy intersection. I have had it in the GM shop 5 times and they can not fix it. The first two times they were able to duplicate the problem but were not able to repair it correctly. The next two times they could not duplicate the problem and told me I must drive it until I get and error message. Then I got the Service ESC and traction message. I took it back to the dealer and the still said they could not find the problem. Can someone please tell me what I need to do to fix this problem? I have a car I cannot drive and GM seems to not know what to do.
  • shell79yveshell79yve Member Posts: 2
    I just took mine back for the 3rd time in less than a year a couple of weeks ago, so far so good...this time they said that there was some wires that were rubbing each other that was causing my car to act up the way that has been just like everyone else....let's keep fingers crossed this is the issue and is fixed, because if it happens again, I am getting a new vehicle!
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    bunt3,
    I apologize for your frustrations and concerns. My name is Christina; I work with GM Customer Service. If you would like to email me with the names of the dealers you have worked with, your VIN, and current mileage, I would like to look in to this further for you. I look forward to hearing from you.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    shell79yve,
    I am glad to hear things have been going well. If you start to experience concerns again, please email me directly.
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • tasteagtasteag Member Posts: 4
    I traded the vehicle in was so scared something bad was going to happen. Purchased a new 2011 MaLIBU
  • tasteagtasteag Member Posts: 4
    I traded mine in a few days ago. Feel much better now.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    tasteag,
    Congratulations on your purchase! :) Please feel free to email me anytime!
    Christina
    GM Customer Service
  • sandra518sandra518 Member Posts: 1
    I'm just recently purchased a'09 Saturn Aura. I've had the vehicle for 3 weeks and am having some of the same problems that I see others are having and am wondering if I should try to return the vehicle while I still can.

    The first problem began a week ago. I was just turning the car on to pull out of a parking lot and the "service traction light " came on. A few days later while sitting at a drive thru again the service traction light came on. Later that same day the check engine light came on.

    With it still being under warranty I took it right away back to the dealer. As for the check engine light the mechanic told me that the engine was misfiring and that he changed the spark plugs.As for the.service traction light he was not able go duplicate the problem and I was advised to monitor it.
    A day after getting the car back while pulling out of a parking lot again the service traction light came on and right away so did the check engine light.
    Besides this I am also not able to activate the OnStar in the car.Which I noticed someone also stated they had the same problem. The mechanic had no idea at all about what to do to repair it.
    As I said I've only had vehicle since April 03 but based on the posts I've seen Any insight that anyone has would be helpful
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    sandra518,

    I'm sorry that you're encountering these difficulties already on your Aura! If we can look into this further with you, please email socialmedia@gm.com with your name/Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your involved dealership.

    Regards,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • onefunkaronefunkar Member Posts: 113
    you need a different dealership.
  • openintroopenintro Member Posts: 1
    GMCustSvc,

    I am having the identical problem to everyone in this thread. I don't want to take the car to a Firestone or something similar and have them have no idea what the issue is, but charge me anyways. You keep mentioning to have people email you, but where is your email address?
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    You can email them at socialmedia@gm.com

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • robrobbrobrobb Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 Aura XR and have had electrical problems from day 1. It was in the shop for a month as my battery was draining every 2 day. It took them a month to find a short in the electrical system. My electronics for my A/C went bad which I fixed. My current issues are the auto dimming and undimming of instrument lights never work right, my keyless entry only works on trunk and sometimes driver door to unlock, never locks, my rear passenger window only goes down half way, and the rear drivers lock never unlocks even using interior lock/unlock button (you physically have to unlock the door). i have also had major suspension issues. I have put over 5k in repairs on top of normal maintenance and am quite disappointed. I am thinking of dumping the car and leaving the GM family which I have been loyal to for over 15 years. Enough is enough.
    Rob
  • onefunkaronefunkar Member Posts: 113
    have to say ive been pretty happy with my 07xr. a few minor things have gone wrong and now im very happy with gm also. 73k miles and out of warranty my head gasket went. also has had off and on passenger airbag sensing problem which is fairly common on these. gm paying for head gaskets, water pump and airbag sensor mat. 200 dollar deduct. it means alot to me that they are standing behind there cars. im sure it would have been over 3k dollars.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    We're so pleased to hear that you're on your way to having the head gaskets, water pump, and airbag sensor concerns resolved. Enjoy the remainder of your weekend and if we can look into anything for you don't hesitate to get in touch at socialmedia@gm.com

    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • dotsey16dotsey16 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2009 Saturn Aura and the headlights don't work anymore and my passenger window doesn't role up either. I have changed all the relays and the spark plugs for both headlights and the window, they still don't work. I don't know what to do anymore. Any advice on what to do to fix this problem?

    Thank you.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning,

    Depending on the in-service date of your vehicle and its current mileage, you may still have some warranty remaining under the Bumper To Bumper. If you would like for us to check into that for you, please send your request (including the last 8 digits of your VIN) to socialmedia@gm.com

    Kind regards,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • 1mcdanky1mcdanky Member Posts: 1
    My 2008 Aura does the exact same thing with the alarm beeping. Have already replaced the battery glad I saw your post before I replaced the whole key pad. I've had electrical prolems taken care of under warrenty where my brake light would stay on even while I was driving. Now my radio and turn signals are unable to produce any noise.
  • nwsguynwsguy Member Posts: 1
    My '09 came at a great price and has performed well until the last four months or so. Began with the service traction light and a stuttering problem. Local mechanic replaced spark plugs and for a couple days it drove great, but then I had the issue again, but only the stuttering, not the service lights. Mechanic then replaced a fuel injector. Car drove great on a 600 mile vacation. Home now for one day and it's happening again. Completely distressed and worried there is no fix.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good afternoon,
    Was your mechanic with one of our GM Dealerships? If so, we're more than happy to follow up on this with them. Please send us more information (your name, contact information, the last 8 of your VIN and the name of your dealership) to socialmedia@gm.com
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • pulgaspulgas Member Posts: 1
    my radio, clock and all the bells/whistles stopped working . .then my car would not start, got my car jump - started and the next morning the car wont start again..I, remove the battery (Second Battery) AutoZone, charged the battery for an hour then tested up and the battery had a full charged. Replaced the battery and the card works for two weeks, but then my car would not start again;
    Removed the battery and have tested by Autozone, I was told that the battery was cahrged for an hour and tested but they found that the battery has a dead celd and was holding 6-volts only..Bought the top of the line battery and installed and was working fine but no change condition on the Radio. Decided to follow-up with USA Saturm Team (GM Call - Centre) an incident report was opened, to investigate the Radio issue. GM/CSR. asked me to take the car to the nearest dealer to run an electrical diagnosis and he mentioned if the problem is found to be a GM faulty element GM. May cover for the expenses to fix the problem.

    Took, my car to the Cerritos Buick Penske, the customer service advisor, told me that to run the electrical diagnostics it will cost me $ 112.00, agreed to pay for the electrical test. My car had to stay for four days, due to lack of Customer Service from the GM call centre. The dealer diagnostics report, indicates that the problem is a "Blown Radio" and to replace it cost $ 634.00 used.

    GM, refused to pay for any expenses. When I went to pick-up my car to the dealer; the car would not start, and I was told that the Radio is draining the battery..
    To drive the car had to Jump started, but when driving getting "warnings" (i.e. airbag issues, etc). my car has to be charged daily now just to start, and that is only lasting a few hours as my battery is being drained.
    Battery tested again and needs to be re-charge and tested. I, had researched some blogs on the 2007 aura and found that the control module (the brain) is likely the culprit. Could get any help from the dealer or the GM call centre..this is a joke!
    I'm a "Loyal Customer" I, bought anything but GM. cars since i started driving..Maybe it's time to switch to the "Competition" I, need to know if there are any recalls Battery replacement & Radio issue.

    Thank you
  • masktcj94masktcj94 Member Posts: 1
    From reading all of the posts, it appears that there is a major issue with the ESC system but no known solution to the problem. Does anybody have a story where the problem was 100% resolved?

    My 09 Aura is experiencing the same power reduced issue where the engine power is reduced but my car is taking it one step further and totally disabling the engine. This has happened while pulling out of a drive thru and when I was driving down the road, without warning. The engine light was not on, the car showed the engine disabled warnings, it shut down and then I couldn't restart the car for 3-5 minutes. I still had lights, radio, windows, but no engine.

    There have also been a couple instances, as others have experienced, where I wasn't able to start the car. After serveral minutes and tries, the car eventually started.

    Definitely don't feel safe driving the car and as mentioned by others having these issues, am definitely thinking about getting rid of this car and getting a non GM vehicle.

    Haven't seen the one fix that takes care of this problem that was posted on here yet. Does anybody have any ideas or directions that I can point the service station to?

    Thanks for your help.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning masktcj94,

    We're sorry that you're having difficulties with your Aura (reduced power with the engine disabled); if we can look into this further with you and your servicing dealership, please email us the following information at socialmedia@gm.com : your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your involved dealership.

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • tomcashtomcash Member Posts: 1
    We have a 2009 Aura and recently the battery died (AC/Delco original). I replaced the battery and the car starts and runs fine but here are the new issues:

    The remote for the alarm and power locks does not work
    The automatic UP on the drivers side window no longer functions. You can roll the window up and down fine, but the continuation has stopped.

    The car only has 48K miles on it and I would think that GM made better products than this.
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Hello tomcash,

    Have you tried to replace the battery already on your key fob? For more information on how to do that, check out page 2-7 in your manual. The automatic up concern you're having may need to be looked into by your preferred mechanic.

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • onefunkaronefunkar Member Posts: 113
    when disconnecting the battery the auto window feature needs to be reprogrammed. very easy to do yourself. see manual. i believe it is put window all the way down. push up and hold for 5 seconds after window is all the way up.
  • jasclynpjasclynp Member Posts: 1
    Good Afternoon!
    I purchased a 2008 Saturn Aura XE in June of 2011. The car had 40k on it when I bought it. It now has 65k on it. I loved the car until a month ago. The gauges had been acting a little funny and I had had an issue with the vehicle not starting. Replaced the battery, spark plugs, and wires. This seemed to help the problem for a couple of weeks. Then the buzzers began to sound again once in awhile, when I hit my blinker or put the car in park. It has progressed from there!
    My son had an out of town football game. He rode with a friend to the game and I went up later. On my way there I lost all gauges and buzzers started dinging and then car started to shift extremely hard! I got to the parking lot of the school where he was playing and parked the car. When I went to restart the car it wouldn't start! I kept trying to get it started and finaly it turned over! YAY we could head home! On the way home once again I lost all gauges and car. I continued to drive on home all the while the service ESC was flashing at me, low fuel, service traction, security light, and the anti lock brake light. I was close to home so kept going. Made it home, but once again when I tried to start the car again it wouldn't start!
    This morning I was headed to work and lost all gauges again. Then drove it to gas station and the car locked its self while I was pumping gas! Engine was off key was still in ignition, I had a window down and was able to get back in!
    I'm a single parent and don't have the money to fix this issue let alone track it down! I now feel like I'm driving a death trap of a car and don't feel it's safe for me or my son to ride in! I don't think that 64k on a 2008 model car is that many miles!! I have had 3 jeep grand cherokees that have had over 250k before I have had any issues with them!!
    Could someone please help me get some answers to getting this fixed??? I now regret getting rid of my 1997 jeep grand cherokee with 200k on it for a nice "newer" car!!
  • gmcustsvcsarahgmcustsvcsarah Member Posts: 1,964
    Good morning jasclynp,

    Given your post, I am unsure if you were planning on working with your dealership on getting this checked out or not. If you do decide to go in and would like for us to check into the situation further, please email us at socialmedia@gm.com with more information (include your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 of your VIN and current mileage, and the name of your dealer).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • randy121randy121 Member Posts: 1
    I have read the blog regarding the electric problems. Here is probably your fix. My ESC traction light was coming on. Cruise control was not holding. Break lights were coming on randomly. etc. Thought I had a lemon. The fix. UNHOOK CONNECTOR AND DISCONNECT FROM BCM. APPLY DIELECTRIC GREASE ON ALL CONNECTOR PINS. RECONNECT. CLEAR CODES. Cost me $30.49 from Dealership, thought it was gonna be huge. Restored my faith in Dealerships. There was fretting inside BCM connections, causing any combination of electrical problems. Sorry to those that changed wires, batteries, etc. I got lucky.
  • judyann1judyann1 Member Posts: 1
    I have had my 2009 saturn aura for 3 months, this problem started about a month after I purchased the car. Took it to the dealership they wanted me to buy something on it might work and it might not. Im not a millionaire, I don't have money to waist on a maybe. Its a shame all these cars have had this problem and gm dont want to do the right thing and fix it or take these lemons bac k. I have an appt with a gm dealer next monday and will be out if 500 dollars, for what. This is not my problem. This has convinced me to NEVER buy another gm product I don't care it its a bike. They don't stand behind their pfoducts. If this don't fix it, I will trade it for a toyota. Very dissappointed customer.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Good morning judyann1,
    We hope that your appointment goes well next Monday; if you wanted for us to check into this further with your dealership, please contact us via email at socialmedia@gm.com (include your name and Edmunds username, phone and address, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and the name of your dealership, as well as a brief summary of the situation).

    Kind regards,
    Sarah
    GM Customer Service
  • geauxcajunsgeauxcajuns Member Posts: 4
  • geauxcajunsgeauxcajuns Member Posts: 4
    edited November 2012
    So I have a 2007 Saturn Aura XE. I bought it used and loved it... for about a month. It has the craziest electrical issues, and I have no idea what could be causing all of them. For starters, the driver side heated seat button does not work. Secondly, half the buttons on the radio work maybe 15% of the time. Cruise control button sometimes will not work, or cruise control will turn off in the middle of using it. Check airbag light came on for a while then finally went away. Trunk button on door does not work (must use clicker). Window lock button does not work. My dad has replaced the battery at least once since we have had it. The running lights completely went out, but brake lights still worked (changed fuse, but blew it every time the vehicle started-mechanic was able to find a short and fix issue). But now my brake lights decide to do whatever they want (pretty much do opposite- come on when I accelerate and go off when I brake). Mechanic says the whole anti-lock braking system is out (over $1000 to fix unless they find a used part). There are other things, but those are the most common/annoying issues. My car literally is in the shop every few months for random issues. I am so ready to be done with this car, but waiting to graduate before I buy a new one. Has anybody experienced similar issues and found a resolution?
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hello geauxcajuns,

    We're sorry to hear about the difficulties you've had with your Aura. Is the mechanic you're working with affiliated with one of our GM dealerships? If so, we are happy to follow up on this with him if you would please send us more information at socialmedia@gm.com (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, the name of your dealership, and a brief recap of the situation).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • kproffittkproffitt Member Posts: 2
    I purchased a 2008 Saturn Aura XE with 35k miles on it from a dealer a few years ago. The car has been outstanding and has had no issues until about 6-8 months ago. It first started out with the driver door lock not unlocking when using the key fob (but the issue was intermittent). Over time the issue has worsened and now none of the door locks work consistently (again intermittent). A few weeks ago I noticed that I now get a strange popping/cracking sound from from the radio when the car starts. Usually the radio issue only lasts a few seconds, or can be resolved by cycling the power on the radio. I also noticed last week that I have started to lose sound from the right driver side door speaker. What is really interesting about this issue is that is seems to get better in COLD weather. For example, when I come out first thing in the morning (when the car is cold) the door locks and radio seem to work fine. However after just a short drive...maybe 5-10 minutes...the locks won't work again. It makes me think it might be an electrical short that is triggered as the engine compartment warms up. I recall reading another Saturn Aura post about a misplaced screw in the firewall that was wearing through the primary wiring harness causing electrical issues, however I can't seem to find that post now. Does anyone know if this "screw issues" is an actual GM documented issue?

    Given I have had an electrical issue before with another car, I am well aware of the high costs dealerships charge (especially for an out of warranty vehicle) to troubleshoot. So before I embark on a "money pit" adventure, I was hoping someone might offer some suggestions I could try on my own. I was a motor head back in the day and do know my way around a volt/ohm meter. Any advice would be helpful.

    I have been a loyal GM customer for the last 25 years (previous electrical issue was with a Toyota which is why I came back to GM) so hopefully you can provide me some sound advice and/or assistance.

    Thanks
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hello kproffitt,

    While I am limited in my access to any sort of technical information as a customer service agent, we would be happy to work with you if you did decide to visit your dealership on this. Please don't hesitate to email us at socialmedia@gm.com (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, a brief recap of the situation, and the name of your dealership) and we will look into this further with them. In the meantime, I hope you get some great feedback from the forum here!

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • relearninstufrelearninstuf Member Posts: 1
    i'm in that situation...sorry but what is BCM and where can i find it to put the dielectric grease ?????
  • emolonemolon Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2009 Aura. The door lock and handle on the rear right passenger door stopped working so that you couldn't open or close the door from either inside the car or outside. The dealership said the culprit was a short in the electrical system of the locking mechanism. It cost me $275.00 to replace. Now, the automatic door lock on the front driver's door doesn't work. Has anyone else had similar issues?
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    emolon,
    If you're thinking about working with the dealership on the front driver door done and want for us to work through that with you, please contact us via email at socialmedia@gm.com with more information (include your name and contact information, the last 8 digits of your VIN and mileage, and a summary of the situation so far).

    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • mellowpromellowpro Member Posts: 5
    Since buying the car new in 2007 we are on our third battery. After my wife drove the car to run several short hop errands, the car would not start. The battery was dead. I jump started it and took it to the auto parts store where I had purchased the battery last year. They tested it and it is not defective. But the voltage from the alternator was only 12.3 volts. Normally it should read 14.4 volts. Since it was late on Friday, just drove it home and was planning to take it in on Monday to my mechanic. Put a battery charger on the battery overnight. With the car not running and the charger connected, the battery voltage is 12.5 volts. I started the car and immediately checked the voltage---14.5 volts. Let the car run for 10 minutes to warm up and checked again---14.5 volts. Ran some errands for an hour or so. Motor was plenty hot as normal. Checked the voltage again---12.3 volts. I know the alternator voltage is actually controlled by the ECM. Are the readings in my car normal? Do I have a bad ECM that only shows up when car is hot? Checked alternator belt, nice and tight. What else should I check? Ideas?.?.? thanks much.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Have you had any luck with this since your post, mellowpro?
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • mellowpromellowpro Member Posts: 5
    I've been closely monitoring the battery and it seems that short trips are the cause of the problem. Starting the car, playing the CD player and using seat heater apparently all put significant drain on the battery and a short trip doesn't give the battery time to recharge. Can you tell me if the changes in the voltage are normal? In a old fashioned alternator/battery arrangement, the regulator voltage is almost always about 14.4 volts unless there is a problem. On the Saturn it appears that, as the battery charges, the ECM reduces the regulator voltage. My 'fix', for the time being, is to monitor it and every few days to put the charger on it overnight. Not optimal, but cheaper than buying a new car or embarking on a costly wholesale parts replacement that may or may not fix it.

    Mellowpro
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    Hey mellowpro,
    If I could have you forward this question and the last 8 digits of your VIN to us via email at socialmedia@gm.com we would be happy to confer with a technical department here to see if we can get any insights for you.
    Regards,
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • mrkbker1mrkbker1 Member Posts: 4
    I went with a friend to check this car out about 2 months ago, and in spite of the high miles. (160,000) it was well taken care of, had a car fax that showed the owner had the car serviced on a regular basis at a Saturn/Chevy dealer in Doylestown, and it ran well, no leaks, shifted well...I did put a scanner on it and saw no problems at all. I told the potential buyer that it was in good mechanical shape, seemed to be previously owned by someone who took great care of it, I saw no obvious problems.
    Now a month plus later, and about 1200 miles, it has weird electrical issues. He called me to say it was 'stuck in first' gear and the traction control, ESC warning, low tire pressure, security light, ABS light and check engine light were all on. I told him to pull over, shut it off, restart it. He did, and it all went away except for the CEL. He brought the car to me, and I hooked up a scanner and got a U2100, U2107, U0073 and P0700. The first three all refer to some communication issues with the ECM, and/or BCM, and the P0700 is a trans code that set the check engine light. I cleared it, and went about checking the battery and alternator. It had what appeared to be a replacement Delco 650CCA battery that, after slow charging, and testing with a digital tester, would only get to around 580CCA. I talked him into letting me install an Advance Auto Gold 700CCA battery, which test out at over 900CCA now. The alternator is around 14 volts at idle, and I cleaned all electrical connections. It ran great, no issues at all. He took the car back, I did not hear from him the first day but the second day he called and said traction, ESC. Security, Tire monitor were all on. I got it back, cleared everything again, drove it to another mechanic I know who is really good with this type of issue-when he saw the U0073, he said he went through this with another Saturn and ended up taking it to a dealer, and felt his $3000 plus SnapOn scanner would not diagnose it like a Tech 2 would (GM specific dealer scanner). I took it to the dealer, they said they'd check it and call me that afternoon. I got a call later, the service manager told me the tech pulled the same codes, cleared it, and drove it 'in the parking lot and on the road' (total 4 miles) and it did not occur. I said I could come over and drive it,it was doing it for me almost immediately for the last half-dozen times I drove it. He said 'it's Friday, we're only here till 5 (it was 4, I'm 5 minutes away)-so I said, fine, tell me when you need me there Monday. He said tech would not be there Monday, come Tuesday around 12:15. I came today, got the car AFTER BEING CHARGED $171 for Friday for the Tech to CLEAR CODES after he wrote them down and DRIVE THE CAR 4 miles with NO ISSUES EXHIBITED.
    I drove the car out after they got PAID, and drove it three miles, no problems. I hooked up my Actron scanner after pulling over, shutting down, starting up, input information and drove-within a mile, all the warnings came up, including the CEL and first gear only. Drove it back to the dealer, the Service manager felt that, since I hooked up MY scanner, the issue was not necessarily the car but could be MY SCANNER...so I asked him to have the tech clear it again, and I drove it again, this time about 8 miles with no issues. I went back and told the Service Manager that I wasn't too old to learn something, and said I would drove it more, without hooking up anything...I drove it another 4 miles, and BINGO-all the same warnings, sans the taint of my scanner. So I took it back to the dealer, where it sits now.
    If it took a Tech one and a half hours to record, clear and test drive a car (4 miles) to the tune of $171, and then the Service Manager is going to infer that my scanner was the issue, I have to have some concern for the costs this might incur for my friend. I note that I have spent a lot of time on the internet and I see lots of TSB's and accounts from owners about these same types of problems. I asked about having them check for things like connectors at the BCM, ECM, the VCIM (especially symptomatic)...and I didn't seem to get much reaction from the SM on these suggestions. My friend is not real happy and I can't blame him-if you wonder why dealers have such a bad reputation, I submit this is an example of why. I do not take any of my cars to dealers for any work but I would if I felt they weren't guessing (like I might) if they could not figure out a problem. Difference is, it wouldn't cost anything if I were guessing...and, to be clear, I do have some cars that are somewhat 'complicated', like a 2002 Aurora, and a 96 Mark VIII, and my experience tells me that I can, eventually, find the reason for any issue. I do not have that luxury when it comes to this car since it seems even very good independent mechanics will stay away from dealing with these cars. I was told (make that convinced) that a GM Tech with a Tech 2 was the best way to solve this-so far, no really though. No real effort to initially diagnose it (but a bill for $171), then blame a scanner that is not theirs-really???
    Please get back to me on this, as I am curious as to what to do next. So is my friend.
  • gmcustsvcgmcustsvc Member Posts: 4,252
    mrkbker1,
    If you friend wanted to contact the GM Customer Assistance Center about this visit to the dealership, they can be reached at 800-553-6000 (Hours: Mon to Sat, 8am to 9pm ET; Closed Sunday).
    Hopefully we're able to get this resolved soon!
    Sarah, GM Customer Service
  • mellowpromellowpro Member Posts: 5
    Took the car to my mechanic and he tested it and said, "Bad alternator. $550 please." Since the brand is no longer made and marketed, everything is very expensive because there are no aftermarket suppliers rebuilding the components for resale. Seems that only dealers have replacement parts. Word to the wise, don't ever buy a car from an abandoned product line unless you're willing to pay for the priovilege. No more GM cars for me.
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