1995 SATURN SL Power Train Problems

1995 SATURN SL2 MANUAL TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CABLE BUSHING FAILURE WHILE BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY, PUSHED IN CLUTCH TO SHIFT FROM REVERSE TO FIRST GEAR AND HEARD A "POP". TRANSMISSION WENT INTO SOME GEAR (NOT FIRST), ENGINE STALLED AND GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS LOOSE AND FLOPPY. COASTED AROUND CORNER AND PARKED NEXT TO CURB. REPAIR NOT YET MADE. DISASSEMBLED CENTER CONSOLE TO EXPOSE SHIFTER MECHANISM AND FOUND BUSHING ON LOWER SHIFT CABLE HAD FAILED AND WAS IN 3 PIECES. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP FOR AVAILABILITY AND PRICE OF BUSHING AND WAS TOLD BUSHING WAS INTEGRAL TO CABLE AND ENTIRE CABLE MUST BE REPLACED. COST OF PARTS $197.10 PLUS TAX. WILL PROBABLY END UP DRILLING THROUGH THE BALL AND BOLTING THE CABLE TO THE SHIFT LEVER ALTHOUGH THIS MAY FATIGUE SHIFTER CABLE AND ULTIMATELY REQUIRE CABLE REPLACEMENT. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN TRAFFIC INSTEAD OF A RESIDENTIAL STREET, THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. *JB

Mileage: 172,171

HAVING A HARD TIME GETTING CAR INTO GEAR, ESPECIALLY FROM PARK TO DRIVE. FINALLY, THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. TOOK TO A CAR SERVICE CENTER WHERE THEY CONNECTED TO A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE THAT RESULTED IN A BAD TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. CAR HAS A LITTLE OVER 67,500 MILES. THE CAR IS A 1995 SATURN SL1. *JB

Mileage: 67,500

THERE WAS OIL IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. WHEN THE ENGINE WARMED UP IT WOULD LEAK FLUID IN THE DRIVEWAY. MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CYLINDER CRACKED. *AK

Mileage: 100,800

TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTS FROM HIGH TO 3RD OR LOW. CAUSING HIGH RPM AT HIGHWAY SPEED. SOMETIMES REQUIRES YOU TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND RESTART THE ENGINE TO REGAIN NORMAL SHIFT SEQUENCE. PROBLEM HAS PERSISTED FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. SATURN SERVICE REPS SAY THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. NOT TRUE. NUMBER OF FAILURES BELOW REPRESENTS YEAR LONG PERIOD. *AK

THIS IS THE SAME AS COMPLAINT #855328, HAVING TO DO WITH THE NEUTRAL/ PARK SWITCH ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION I ALSO CAN MOVE SHIFT LEVER WITH CAR OFF AND NO FOOT ON THE BREAK. *JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SMOKED AND LEAKED TRANSMISSION FLUID. A TECHNICIAN SERVICED THE VEHICLE, AND INDICATED THAT TRANSMISSION CASE CRACKED. *AK

Mileage: 37,000

WHILE DRIVING THE TRANSMISSION PUMP FAILED. *YH

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH VEHICLE LOST ALL GEARS. DEALER DETERMINED LINKAGE BETWEEN SHIFTER AND CABLE TO CLUTCH HAD BROKEN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK

THE POORLY SCREWED TRANSMISSION FILTER CONTRIBUTED TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION.*YH

TRANSMISSION DROPS INTO SECOND GEAR FROM BOTH THIRD AND HIGH AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, CAUSING HIGH ENGINE RPMS AND RAPID SPEED REDUCTION AND HANDLING DIFFICULTIES CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT HAPPENS ON CURVES. SERVICE NOTIFIED NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT COULD NOT FIND CAUSE.*AK

THE VEHICLE HAS CAUSED ME NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS, IT EATS OIL WITHOUT ANY SIGN OF WHERE IT IS GOING. THE AUTO BELT TIGHTENER IS NOT WORKING AND COST AN ARM AND A LEG TO FIX. SUNROOF BROKE WITHOUT ANY NOTICE OR CAUSE, THE FAN SWITCH NEVER DID OPERATE CORRECTLY, NOW IT IS SHIFTING REAL HARD ALL THE TIME WHILE YOUR DRIVING, ONCE IT IS WARMED UP. THIS VEHICLE IS DEFINITELY A LEMON. AK SCC ***DIMSII IVOQ POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS****744336

Mileage: 45,000

I AM NOT THE OWENER OF THIS CAR-BUT WENT TO PURCHASE IT FROM AN INDIVIDUAL SELLING THIS CAR. CAR'S ODOMETER READ(ON FEB. 20, 01) ABOUT 58,000 MILES ON IT AND OWNER SAID IT WAS NEITHER REPLACED OR BROKEN. HOWEVER IN 1999 THE CAR WAS QUOTED BY CARFAX.COM THAT THE MILEAGE WAS LOGGED AT OVER 69,000 MILES. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION INTERNITTENTLY FAILS TO UPSHIFT. THE SPEED AT WHICH THIS OCCURS IS TYPICALLY 25-35 MPH. WE BROUGHT THE CAR TO SATURN OF STERLING (46980 HARRY BYRD HWY, STERLING, VA 20164, 703-450-8500) 6 TIMES UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY FAILED TO FIND ANY. *AK

VEHICLE SLIPS OUT OF 3RD GEAR. *SLC

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, HEARD A LOUD NOISE UNDER THE VEHICLE AND LOST POWER. PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO FIND TRANSMISSION FLUID AND PARTS OF THE HOUSING ON THE HIGHWAY.ALSO FOUND VARIOUS OTHER TRANSMISION PARTS FARTHER UP THE ROAD. *AK

DRIVER IS ABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER IN ANY POSITON WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES WITH OR WITHOUT THE IGNITIN BEING ON. PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED.

THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS BETWEEN 3RD AND 4TH GEAR. WHEN WE TOOK IT TO SATURN THEY TOLD US THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH 3RD GEAR AND THAT IT WOULD COST $1600. TO FIX. WE WENT FOR A SECOND OPINION AT THE HEMET CA. AAMCO. THEY VEIFIED THE PROBLEM AND "REPAIRED" IT FOR $1000. AT THE TIME IT SATIFIED US AS SATURN TOLD US IT WOULD BE $1600. JUST TO LOOK AND MORE IF THE PROBLEM WAS BIG. UNFORTUNATELY THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEGUN TO SLIP AGAIN. WE HAVEN'T CALLED AAMCO YET. WE DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU TO SEE IF THIS IS AN INHERENT PROBLEM WITH THE SATURN VEHICLE! WE GOT THE IMPRESSION FROM THE AAMCO PEOPLE THAT THIS WASN'T AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM THAT THEY HAD RUN UP AGAINST. I AM SOMEWHAT DISATISFIED WITH THE SATURN CAR AND PEOPLE AS WE'VE HAD TO DO A LOT MORE WORK ON THE CAR THAN EXPECTED AND DEFINATELY MORE THAN THEY LEAD YOU TO BELIEVE IN THEIR ADVERTISING. SHAME ON ME FOR BELEIVING THEM! WE HAVE ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY 3 TIMES WITH NO EXPLANATION, REPLACE A MOTOR MOUNT, AND REPLACE A BELT TENSIONER. AS YOU CAN SEE BY THE MILES IT IS NOT HEAVILY USED. PLEASE SEND ANY INFO YOU CAN. THANKS!

THE CONSUMER STATED HER CAR WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE .

CAR HAS ONLY 38,000 MILES ON IT. IN THE LAST 30 DAYS, IT'S BEEN TOWED THREE TIMES. IT OVERHEATED, THE CLUTCH WENT OUT AND THEN THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT.

THE TRANSMISSION BROKE AND THE DEALER CAN OFFER NO CAUSE, SEALED TRANSMISSION

MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILED CAUSING PIN OR ROD TO BREAK OFF RESULTING IN HOLE IN TRANSMISSION CASING.

THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A RATTLING NOISE SUDDENLY, OVER A DISTANCE OF A FEW BLOCKS. THE NOISE STARTED TO GET LOUDER, TURNING INTO A GRINDING METAL NOISE. THE CAR THEN TOTALLY STALLED OUT, LOSING ALL POWER, AND LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF OF THE ROAD DUE TO A DOWNHILL SLOPE. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO HOUSER'S AUTOMOTIVE, INC., OF BROOKHAVEN, PA (610) 874-9285. THE TRANSMISSION HAD A HOLE IN ITS CASING ABOUT SIX INCHES IN DIAMETER AND THE INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PARTS COULD LITERALLY BE SEEN. WHEN THE MECHANICS PUT THE SATURN ON THE HOIST, THEY EXAMINED THE TRANSMISSION AND SAW THAT A PIN, OR ROD, ABOUT 3/4 INCH THICK, HAD BROKEN AND MOST OF IT WAS MISSING. THE ONE END OF THE ROD WAS GONE, AND THE HOLE ON ONE END OF THIS INTERNAL COMPONENT WAS EMPTY, BUT THE OTHER END OF THE ROD WAS STILL IN PLACE ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE ROD IN THIS MIDDLE INTERNAL COMPONENT. THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD TOTALLY LEAKED OUT. THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. I SAVED THE TRANSMISSION AND I ALSO TOOK PICTURES THAT CLEARLY SHOW THE MISSING CASING OF THE TRANSMISSION. IF THE CASING HAD BROKEN ON ITS UPPER SIDE AGAINST THE UNDERBODY OF THE CAR, IT COULD HAVE PENETRATED THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR CAUSING SERIOUS OR FATAL INJURY TO MY FAMILY. LUCKILY IT BROKE THROUGH THE DOWNSIDE OF THE TRANSMISSION CASING, FACING THE ROAD AND DID NOT CAUSE ANY BODILY HARM TO ANYONE. THE MECHANICS SAID IT WAS DEFINITELY A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. IT WAS SOMETHING THEY HAD NEVER SEEN HAPPEN BEFORE. SATURN HAS TOTALLY DENIED ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR COSTS, EVEN DENYING ANY REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE NEW SATURN TRANSMISSION THAT WAS INSTALLED, SINCE NO REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSIONS WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE SATURN.

LOCATOR SWITCH ON SUNROOF FAILED CAUSING CABLES TO FAIL AND GUIDES TO BREAK. SUNROODF IS RARELY USED THIS FAILURE SHOULD NOT OCCUR. COST OF PARTS IS WAY OVERPRICED. SUNROOF REPAIR IS ESTIMATED AT $650.00 PLUS TAX. VALVE BODY ASSEMBLY ON TRANSMISSION IS FAILLING AS TRANSMISSION DELAYS AND SHIFTS HARD THROUGH THE GEARS. PART CONTROLS THE FLOW OF TRANSMISSION FLUID TO THE GEARS.

CONSUMER EXPERIENCING CONTINUOUS PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION SLAMMING INTO GEAR WHEN ENGAGED. THIS CONDITION BELIEVED TO CAUSE THE MOTOR MOUNTS TO COLLAPSE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN CARPORT, NOTICED FLUID ON THE GROUND UNDERNEATH. IT HAD STARTED TO LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP & THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IT WAS A GASKET & IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK

TRANSMISSION JUMPS OUT OF THIRD/FOURTH GEARS. *AK

VALVE BODY IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING HESITATION AND LOUD NOISE.

REAR EXLE DISCONNECTED, CAUSING REAR TIRE TO FALL OFF, RESULTING IN A CRASH. *AK

NOISY SPEEDOMETER.

WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN REVERSE, IT GOES FORWARD. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE IS PLACED IN REVERSE, IT GOES FORWARD. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *SD

CLUTCH FAILED. *SD

WHEN CAR IS IN DRIVE IT DECELERATES . TT

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *DH

TRANSMISSION FAILED. *DSH

GEAR LEVER SLIPS OUT OF GEARS WHILE DRIVING, ALSO DIFFICULTY IN PUTTING VEHICLE IN REVERSE GEAR. *SKD

WAS COMING DOWN A MOUNTAIN TO FIND THAT SECOND AND THIRD GEAR WERE NOT AVAILABLE BECAUSE A COMPUTER CHIP OVER RIDES IT. TT

MANUAL SHIFT, 5 SPEED, WHEN DRIVING CONTINUE TO POP OUT OF THRID GEAR WHEN SHIFTING AFTER DRIVING. TT

VEHICLES MANUAL TRANSMISSION GEAR JUMPS OUT OF 3RD AND 5TH GEAR. TT

VEHICLE POPS OUT OF GEAR. TT