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Saturn Maintenance & Repair
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Comments
I had a similar problem with my 2002 L300. I had to turn off the security system, it should be in your manual. The security chip in the key was sending a faulty message to the computer, basically the car thought I was trying to steal it and shutting the gas off to the engine.
Hope this helps.
I just resolved a 97 SL2 with that same issue as one of its problems (hard start, tip in stumble, intermittent bad idle, grey smoke at cold start) :sick: . What finally did the trick was the Engine Coolant Temp Sensor (ECTS) and the Idle Air Control Valve (AICV).
I know it has been almost 6 months since you posted this question but I was wondering what you ended up doing to fix the problem and if you had any advice for a fellow 1994 Saturn SL2 owner.
Thanks in advance --- MATT06071977 from New Hampshire
Has this happened to anyone else? As far as I can figure, it is probably an intake manifold problem, since there is no coolant in the oil. I have no idea what this will cost, or if indeed this is the problem. Any suggestions of questions I should ask when I take it in for service? All help would be appreciated.
Ralph
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Any idea what to make service look at? It's going back to dealer today.
Thanks.
Thanx alot
Thanks for any help.
I had no indication at all that this was going to happen. The car has been extremely reliable and wasnt having any problems cranking.
Replaced the battery and everything seems to work fine now. Alternator checked fine with 13.9 VDC and almost 90Amps output.
Does anyone but me think a 2-1/2 year old car should need a new battery? Anyone have any idea how many years the battery is warrantied for? Should I go to my local Saturn dealer and try to get some sort of reimbursement?
I have a '96 Saturn SL1.
My brake pedal takes forever to finally "catch". The brakes are fine, pads, fluid and all. The thoughts are that it may be the master cylinder, or it may not. If it is great, if it isn't I'm out over $200 for nothing. Everyone I have talked to about it says Saturns are weird and it may not be the cylinder at all, including my mechanic.
So - I was wondering if anyone else had experience with a problem like this - or if someone may just know if the cylinder is the problem or not.
To replace or not to replace - That is the question!
Thanks,
Christine
Thanks,
Brian
Quick Specs: purch new 10/02; 4-cyl; 5-speed manual; FWD; <50k mi.
We've been having the same problems with the turn signals as the original poster.
Thanks.
I'm new to this site. Also new to Saturn.
The below posts frighten me about what I had originally thought a Saturn to be ... caring, comfortable, family like, and incredibly safe and flawless.
Speaking of safe, I just purchased a Saturn LS2 yr 2000 not even a full year ago.
I chose not to elect the "WARRANTY" unfortunately.
and today on my way into the office, my brakes didnt work.
By "didnt work" I mean, I was lucky to not have hit another vehicle or a pole for that matter. (i was going 55 mph).
I pressed and pressed and then suddenly, my brakes were normal again.
I tried again a few moments later, they didnt work.
Moments later, yet again, they worked.
On and off. On and off.
So of course, I go to show to a co-worker upon arrival to the office and they drive it for 5 minutes. AND THERES NO PROBLEMS.
now i cant determine whether i should drive it to the dealership for repair, if i should drive it at all (or get it towed?) or if i should take it somewhere else altogether????
Scary...
i have heard that brake fluid picks up moisture over time and that affects it's ability to transmit hydraulic force for actuating the brakes. i've been told the system should be serviced at approximately 2 years or so intervals.
if there is a leak, it's possible air is getting into the lines, and air is much more compressible than fluid (water or brake fluid).
or you may find, the master cylinder isn't working properly and needs to be replaced. as you pump the brakes, it in turn applys hydraulic force through the brake fluid to the brake actuators. if it isn't working properly, then your braking force is greatly reduced.
you may find the brake fluid resevoir is well below its recommended level, probably because of a leak somewhere.
these sorts of things can show up where you apply the brakes 10 times (picking a number out of the air) successfully and confidently, and the 11th time (again, just picking a number out of the air), your pedal goes to the floor and you have to pump the brakes to get it to stop.
yes scarey.
look at the brake fluid resevoir. if low, top it off (to the fill line) with brake fluid recommended in your owner's manual.
then get the vehicle serviced, perhaps at a dealership or an independant shop. call around and ask how much a diagnostic and flush might cost you.
if you have a hand brake in the vehicle, you can prep yourself to use it to slow the vehicle down as you pump the brakes.
don't delay getting this fixed.
1) When I turn the headlights on, the dashboard lights and the light on the stereo go out. Even the odometer light is out. When I turn the lights off, both the odometer light and the stereo light come back on. The headlights, taillights and interior dome light all work fine.
2) The passenger window has been dead for a while, and now the driver's side window won't go down or up sometimes (electrical).
3) The door locks (electric) try to lock or unlock without anyone touching any of the door lock/unlock buttons on the doors or the remote. I'll just be driving along, and the locks try to open, but they can't unlock all the way. I puch the unlock button, and they still flicker, trying to unlock what has already been unlocked. It did this one night and drained my battery. Know, I can't even use the lock/unlock buttons, they're dead too.
Any help on any of these subjects would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Thanks
It took four trips to the dealership and some nasty customer service reviews on my part before they would take me seriously. "It's normal", they would say when I said that it sounded like ping pong balls in the dash every time I moved the dial from defrost to heat (or visa versa). It was not a sound I heard for the first 18 months I owned the car, but they told me it was something common in the L series car. As if that would be okay!! It also had a burning smell that happened only about 15 minutes after I started up a cold car. They didn't want to fix it, as it was "a ten-hour job". Heck, it's under warranty?!?! It's not like they won't be compensated for their time.
So now, I am three days without my car (to their credit, they did finally offer a loaner), as I live in one town, work in another and my dear spouse works 50 miles in the opposite direction.
I bought this car b/c I needed something affordable, dependable and reliable. I work in affordable housing and don't make much money, so I wanted a car that wouldn't nickle and dime me to death. Next time, maybe I'll just buy a $4,000 beater and skip the financing charges. Any ideas what I should buy next time?
Anybody else have this noise in their dash of the L300? Don't mess around if it is still under warranty. A buddy who is a truck mechanic says these actuators go regularly and will little mileage on the trucks (semis) he services. He knew what it was before Saturn would even agree to check it out.
Could this be the CRANK SENSOR, or PASSLOCK SENSOR .....PLEASE HELP, BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY FRUSTRATING!!
I am new to this forum. My 2002 L-Series sedan has been trouble free (52,000 miles) until now. The fuel gauge is unreliable goes all over the place with a low fuel warning on the empty side. Also the audio warning for seat belt and low fuel is a weak pulsing sound compared to when it was normal. And last but not least the instrument lights flicker when the auto - headlights activate. I suspect that there is a common ground point for all of these items and it is either dirty or loose. Has anyone had similiar problems?
is it a maint-free battery? does it have an indicator window?
i'd go to an autozone or similar parts store and have them put their battery / alternator tester on. it will load down the battery and alternator and determine if either is going or gone.
however, first - i'd check the condition of the battery terminals: if you see any corrosion you could remove the GND (-)lug from the battery first which connects to the chassis somewhere, then the POS (+ is normally red).
use a steel brush to remove any corrosion. re-connect the POS first, then the GND.
also check that GND from the battery and make sure it's bolted securely to the vehicle frame.
hope it helps.
i guess i'd look specifically at the fuse / relay compartment and anything w.r.t. the instrument panel, i'd pull the fuse and re-seat it firmly. i'd check for good mechanical connections to the fuse relay compartment itself.
if i could find a wiring diagram, i'd trace the wiring to the back of the cluster and make sure all mechanical connections were sound.
i wonder if your ignition switch may be a possible cause. is everything in the vehicle having intermittents, or just the gauges / lights?
did you try googling for a wiring diagram?