2000 SATURN LS Power Train Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 SATURN LS1. HE STATED THE VEHICLE WAS CONSUMING LARGE QUANTITIES OF ENGINE OIL. THE DEALER STATED THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN FOR A SECOND OPINION TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILURE CEASED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF OVER 10 MPH OR ATTEMPTING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER. ALSO, WHILE IN THE REVERSE MODE, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER OVER 4 ADDITIONAL TIMES AND THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND NO FURTHER REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNDER 103,000.

Mileage: 102,999

I STARTED THE CAR AND BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY WHEN A PUT IT IN FORWARD IT STALLED. IT STARTED AGAIN AND I DROVE TO MY DESTINATION. IT ALSO STARTED AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO RETURN HOME. WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO AND FROM MY APPOINTMENT I COULD NOT MAINTAIN SPEED GOING UP HILLS ON THE HIGHWAY. WHEN I WENT TO START THE CAR THE NEXT DAY IT TURNED OVER BUT DID NOT START. FROM THERE ON IT WOULD NOT TURN OVER AT ALL. MY MECHANIC SAYS THERE NO COMPRESSION ON ANY OF THE CYLINDERS AND IT IS MOST LIKELY THE TIMING CHAIN. *TR

Mileage: 125,000

I HAVE A 2000 SATURN LS2. I WAS APPROACHING A RED LIGHT. I DOWNSHIFTED FROM 3RD TO 2ND WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHEN I TRIED TO SHIFT DOWN TO 1ST, I HEARD A POP AND THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED TO THE LINKAGE. THIS WAS VERY DISCONCERTING. WHEN I CALLED THE MECHANIC AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED THE FIRST QUESTION WAS 'DO YOU HAVE A SATURN?" I FOUND OUT THAT THIS PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY FAILURE OF A PLASTIC BUSHING WHICH COSTS LESS THAN $20 BUT WHICH SATURN IS CHARGING $800 TO REPLACE ALONG WITH A LOT OF OTHER PARTS. THEY WILL NOT SELL JUST THE BUSHING. I BOUGHT ONE ON EBAY FOR $19.99. IF THIS HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY OR WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC CAUSING A STALL, IT COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I SUGGESTED THAT SATURN OUGHT TO BE FIXING THIS FOR FREE AND THEY LAUGHED AT ME. *TR

Mileage: 73,210

MY 2000 SATURN LS1 COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, AND NEVER STARTED AGAIN. IT WILL COST $2500 FOR A USED MOTOR AND INSTALLATION, PLUS $175 FOR THE TOW AND THE DIAGNOSTICS; AND NOW I'M ENDURING SIGNIFICANT TRANSPORTATION CHALLENGES WITHOUT A VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 93,000

I PURCHASED A 2000 SATURN LS 1 FROM CARMAX WITH 63,000 MILES ON IT IN SEPTEMBER, 2007. SINCE FEBRUARY, 2008, I HAVE SPENT MORE THAN $2,600 IN REPAIRS ON THE CAR; $1,600 WAS THE TIMING CHAIN WHICH BROKE WHEN THE CAR ONLY HAD 73,000 MILES ON IT! I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NOT A TYPICAL PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS EARLY FOR IT TO HAVE BROKEN. I SEE THROUGH MY RESEARCH THAT THIS IS NOT UNTYPICAL AND IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 73,800

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.*JB

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. *NM

2000 SATURN LS, 6 CYLINDER, HAD SLIPPAGE OF THE TRANSMISSION FOLLOWED BY THE SERVICE LIGHT. BY THE TIME I REACHED THE DEALER THE CAR WAS BUCKING AND FELT LIKE I WAS REPEATEDLY BEING HIT FROM BEHIND. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME IT WAS THE SENSOR MODULE AND WHEN IT BROKE THE PRESSURE WAS FULL OPEN AND THAT'S WHAT CAUSED THAT PROBLEM. SUBSEQUENTLY THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND THE MODULE WAS REPLACED AGAIN. IT THEN HAPPENED A 3RD TIME AND THE MODULE WAS REPLACED AGAIN. WHEN DRIVING IT HOME AFTER REPAIR, I NOTICED THAT THE TRANS WAS SLIPPING A LITTLE. TOOK IT BACK INTO THE SHOP, THEY SAY THEY CAN'T RIP DOWN THE TRANS UNLESS THE LIGHT COMES ON AND IT GIVES CODES AGAIN. I ONLY HAVE 11,000 MILES ON THE WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *NM

TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD INTO GEARS. SERVICE LIGHT COMES ON, BUT NO CODES SHOW UP ON SCANNER I HAVE FOUND MANY PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM OVER THE INTERNET. *AK

THIS 2000 SATURN LS1 WAS PURCHASED NEW 1/12/00. ON 3/20/01 AND 23655 MILES, THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER DUE TO CLUTCH PEDAL LOW TO THE FLOOR AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO SHIFT GEARS. THEY REPLACED THE CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER. ON 5/28/02 AND 46235 MILES, THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER DUE TO SES LIGHT ON AND RUNNING ROUGH IN R, 1RST, AND 2ND GEAR. THEY REPLACED THE CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER. ON 11/29/04 AND 79906 MILES, THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER DUE TO THE CLUTCH PEDAL NOT HOLDING PRESSURE AND THE GEARS COULD NOT BE SHIFTED. THEY REPLACED THE CONCENTRIC SLAVE CYLINDER. THE SAME PART IS FAILING EVERY 20 TO 30 THOUSAND MILES WITH NO EXPLANATION FROM THE SATURN SERVICE REPS.*AK

Mileage: 23,655

THE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER (ACTUATOR) ON MY 2000 SATURN LS MANUAL TRANSMISSION LEAKED INTERNALLY PERMATURELY CAUSING A DIFFICULTY AND SOMETIMES INABILITY TO CHANGE GEARS. THE CAR HAS 57,000 MILES ON IT AND SATURN REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AT THEIR COST. *AK

Mileage: 57,010

I PURCHASED A 2000 SATURN LS1 SINCE THE BEGINNING WE HAVE HAD MAJOR PARTS FAIL. VIBRATING STEERING AT 55 MPH. STEERING COLUMN REPLACEMENT AT 35.000 MILES.. TWO CLUTCH PUMP CYLINDER FAILURES.. WE HAD PURCHASED EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 45.000 MILES WE SHOULD HAVE COVERED IT TO 100,000 MILES SINCE WE CONTINUE TO POOR MONEY INTO THIS CRAPPY VEHICLE. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE/REPLACEMENT AT 50,000 ODOMETER READING ON 2000 SATURN LW2, ENGINE L81 3.0 LITER V-6, VIN [XXX].....ON OCTOBER 6, 2003 I WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER OF SATURN OF WOODBRIDGE (VIRGINIA) THAT. *AK MY 2000 SATURN LW2 NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3,800. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST UNDERGONE THE 51,000 SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ON OCTOBER 9, 2003 AT A COST TO ME OF $1,500. IT IS MY CONSIDERED OPINION THAT AN AUTOMOBILE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SUPPOSED TO FAIL WITHOUT EXPLAINED/ANTICIPATED REASON AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. PURCHASED NEW BY ME ON MAY 27, 2000, EVERY SCHEDULED 3000 MILE MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ON SCHEDULE. FROM APRIL TO OCTOBER 2003 THE SERVICE-ENGINE-LIGHT ILLUMINATED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE SERVICE SECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT NOTHING REGISTERED ON THE COMPUTER. THE PROBLEM WAS "FIXED" BY RE-SETTING THE COMPUTER. ON OCTOBER 3, 2003 THE COMPUTER INDICATED "CODE P1811" WHICH LED THE TECHNICIAN TO A BULLETIN NUMBERED 02-T-84. WHAT IS THIS BULLETIN? IS IT "2002-TRANSMISSION-84TH BULLETIN"? WHEN I COMPLAINED, SATURN VOLUNTEERED TO ABSORB ALL COSTS BUT $1,500. SATURN INSTALLED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION ON OCTOBER 9, 2003 AND KEPT MY ORIGINAL (FAILED) TRANSMISSION FOR RETURN TO SATURN FOR REBUILDING. DID SATURN KNOW THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD A PROPENSITY TO FAIL? DID SATURN REALLY ABSORB PART OF WHAT WAS CLAIMED TO BE A $3,800 (REBUILT TRANSMISSION) REPLACEMENT COST? I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIABLE FOR THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS REPORT APPEARS TO BE SIMILAR TO ODI NUMBER 10010259 DESCRIBED MARCH 8, 2003 REGARDING A 2000 L SERIES WAGON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IS AVAILABLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 43,000

TRANSMISSION FAILURE/REPLACEMENT AT 50,000 ODOMETER READING ON 2000 SATURN LW2, ENGINE L81 3.0 LITER V-6, VIN [XXX].....ON OCTOBER 6, 2003 I WAS ADVISED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER OF SATURN OF WOODBRIDGE (VIRGINIA) THAT. *AK MY 2000 SATURN LW2 NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $3,800. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST UNDERGONE THE 51,000 SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED ON OCTOBER 9, 2003 AT A COST TO ME OF $1,500. IT IS MY CONSIDERED OPINION THAT AN AUTOMOBILE TRANSMISSION IS NOT SUPPOSED TO FAIL WITHOUT EXPLAINED/ANTICIPATED REASON AT SUCH LOW MILEAGE. PURCHASED NEW BY ME ON MAY 27, 2000, EVERY SCHEDULED 3000 MILE MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED ON SCHEDULE. FROM APRIL TO OCTOBER 2003 THE SERVICE-ENGINE-LIGHT ILLUMINATED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE SERVICE SECTION AT THE DEALERSHIP STATED THAT NOTHING REGISTERED ON THE COMPUTER. THE PROBLEM WAS "FIXED" BY RE-SETTING THE COMPUTER. ON OCTOBER 3, 2003 THE COMPUTER INDICATED "CODE P1811" WHICH LED THE TECHNICIAN TO A BULLETIN NUMBERED 02-T-84. WHAT IS THIS BULLETIN? IS IT "2002-TRANSMISSION-84TH BULLETIN"? WHEN I COMPLAINED, SATURN VOLUNTEERED TO ABSORB ALL COSTS BUT $1,500. SATURN INSTALLED A REBUILT TRANSMISSION ON OCTOBER 9, 2003 AND KEPT MY ORIGINAL (FAILED) TRANSMISSION FOR RETURN TO SATURN FOR REBUILDING. DID SATURN KNOW THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD A PROPENSITY TO FAIL? DID SATURN REALLY ABSORB PART OF WHAT WAS CLAIMED TO BE A $3,800 (REBUILT TRANSMISSION) REPLACEMENT COST? I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE BEEN LIABLE FOR THE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. THIS REPORT APPEARS TO BE SIMILAR TO ODI NUMBER 10010259 DESCRIBED MARCH 8, 2003 REGARDING A 2000 L SERIES WAGON AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IS AVAILABLE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Mileage: 43,000

I HAVE A 2000 LS1 SATURN. I BOUGHT IT BRAND NEW. IN THE PAST YEAR I HAVE HAD TO TAKE IT IN OTHER THAN FOR MAINTENANCE BECAUSE SOMETHING HAS GONE WRONG. OCTOBER 2002- MY HYDRAULICS WENT OUT OF MY CLUTCH CAUSING ME TO BE STALLED WITHOUT A CAR. A FEW MONTHS AGO IT WAS RECALLED DUE TO SOMETHING GONE WRONG IN THE REAR AXLE. SO SATURN REPLACED IT. ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2003, I TOOK IT IN AGAIN BECAUSE I WAS HEARING A RUBBING NOISE WHEN I MADE SHARP LEFT TURNS. TURNS OUT I NEED A $1400 NEW STEERING RACK BECAUSE THERE IS AN INTERNAL LEAK FROM MY POWER STEERING FLUID. MY CAR ONLY HAS 36,800 MILES ON IT. BUT OF COURSE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT 800 MILES AGO. I DON'T THINK A FAIRLY NEW CAR SHOULD BE HAVING ALL THESE PROBLEMS. *LA

Mileage: 36,800

CAR HAS A VERY NOISY DRIVE TRAIN TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID WAS TIRES I CHANGED TIRES AND THE NOISE IS STILL THERE,THE SOUND IS LIKE A GRINDING NOISE, IT STARTS AT 40 MPH AND INCREASES AS I GO. *JB

OVER 3.5 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED MY 2000 SATURN LW2 WAGON, THERE HAVE BEEN RECURRING PROBLEMS WITH SEVERE ENGINE MISFIRES AND EXTREMELY ROUGH SHIFTING OF AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ACCOMPANIED BY "SERVICE" OR "SERVICE ENGINE SOON" DASHBOARD LIGHTS COMING ON. TWO DIFFERENT SATURN DEALERS HAVE REPEATEDLY INVESTIGATED AND FOUND "COMPUTER DIAGNOSTIC CODES" PROVING THAT "SOMETHING" DID HAPPEN, BUT REPEATEDLY SAY THAT THERE IS NEITHER DIAGNOSIS OF THE ROOT CAUSE NOR CURE THAT CAN BE APPLIED, OTHER THAN THE BAND-AID OF "RESETTING THE COMPUTER" AND TELLING ME TO GO ON MY WAY, THAT WILL BE FIFTY BUCKS PLEASE. IN TWO CASES THIS PROBLEM CAUSED A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN REQUIRING THE CAR TO BE TOWED.*JB

Mileage: 12,000

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON ,VEHICLE WILL SHIFT HARD INTO GEAR, AND JERK FORWARD.CONTACTED DEALLER. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED 3 TIMES, HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIX PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH OR MORE VEHICLE WOULD VIBRATE. VEHICLE TAKEN TO DEALER, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR CONTROL ARM BUSHING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS, VEHICLE VIBRATES, DEALER INSPECTED AND FOUND ALL FOUR TIRES WERE OUT OF BALANCE, TWICE AT 17748 AND 24575 MILES. AT 40 MPH VEHICLE POPS AND JERKS INTO GEAR, WHOOSHING AND GRINDING NOISE WHEN BRAKING, HEARING A CLICKING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING AND DEALER FOUND POWER STEERING PUMP BAD, AUTO LOCK NOT WORKING PROPERLY. *YD

SPEEDOMETER WAS MAKING NOISE. *YH

HAVE HAD THE SLAVE CYLINDER GO OUT TWICE. SEAT BELT NO BUCLES TWICE. *AK

1) CAR SHAKING PROBLEM: DEALER REPLACED LOWER CONTROL ARMS (RIGHT AND LEFT) AS WELL AS POWE STEERING PUMP TO REMEDY PROBLEM. CAR CONTINUES TO SHAKE AT MOST SPEEDS. CONTACTED THE MANUAFCTURER, WHO REPLIED THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO. 2) SPEEDOMETER: REPORTED PROBLEM 4 TIMES TO DEALERSHIP, AND DEALER CLAIMS THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SPEEDOMETER MAKING A "WHINING" SOUND AT MOST SPEEDS.*AK

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCES POWERTRAIN NOISE. NLM

WHILE DRIVING ON MODERATELY HILLY HIGHWAY, THE CRUISE CONTROL CAUSED THE ENGINE TO GO TO FULL THROTTLE ACCOMPANIED BY A TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT RESULTING IN RAPID AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ACCELERATION. THIS HAS OCCURRED THREE TIMES.. *AK

TRANSMISSION BEGAN LEAKING OIL 1800 MILES. *SLC

VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR ON TWO OCCASIONS. MJS